Orion stood amidst the gathered ministers, his presence commanding the room as he settled into the golden dragon chair at the center of the hall. His every step had been shielded by the Emperor's elite guards, yet the ministers couldn't help but feel a chill run down their spines as he passed. Some dared to sneak glances, only to meet an invisible force of authority that made their blood run cold. They quickly lowered their heads, hearts racing.
Close. Too close.
They all knew—any wrong move, any sign of defiance, and their lives would have been forfeit.
Orion smirked as he ran his fingers across the throne, unimpressed. "So, this is the dragon chair," he mused. "Tsk tsk tsk, such vulgarity. Solid gold? How typical."
He sat, unbothered by the grandeur of the position that represented ultimate power. For Orion, this seat was inevitable—something he'd already claimed long before he physically sat on it. The ministers, however, were not as calm. They stood in tense silence, aware that their future now hung in the balance.
"You look tense," Orion's voice broke the stillness. "Don't worry. I'm not a tyrant. I didn't bring you here to slaughter you all."
The ministers exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of what to make of his words.
"I just want you to witness Zhou Linglong's fate."
With a simple clap, Orion summoned his shadow guards. They dragged a disheveled figure into the hall—Zhou Linglong, the Empress herself. Gasps echoed through the room as the ministers beheld her broken state. Her luxurious attire had been torn to shreds, revealing bruised, pale skin. Blood trickled from her lips, and her once-proud hair was a tangled mess. Even so, she stood tall, eyes blazing with defiance despite her injuries.
"Your Majesty!" several ministers whispered in horror, quickly averting their gaze. Zhou Linglong, once the most powerful figure in the dynasty, now stood humiliated before them.
"Orion, you scoundrel!" Zhou Linglong's voice rang out, filled with fury. "What are you playing at? Is this how you wish to rule? By turning your court into a spectacle of shame?"
Orion chuckled darkly, leaning forward. "My Empress, you misunderstand. This isn't about me. This is about showing these fine ministers your true colors. You're no longer fit to rule, and it's time they all realized that."
Zhou Linglong's eyes burned with rage, but before she could retort, Orion turned to the ministers. "Tell me, should such a tyrant remain on the throne? Should we tolerate her reign any longer?"
The room fell into an agonizing silence. Every minister felt the weight of Orion's gaze, his question hanging in the air like a death sentence.
One minister, trembling, finally spoke. "She... she should be removed."
Orion nodded, satisfied. "Good. What about the rest of you?" His eyes swept across the hall, and one by one, the ministers stammered out their agreement, each more desperate than the last to save their own necks.
"Yes! The Empress has brought ruin to our people!" "She is a tyrant!" "Zhou Linglong must go!"
The once dignified court descended into a frenzy, voices rising as they competed to denounce the fallen Empress. Some ministers, eager to curry favor with Orion, shouted insults at Zhou Linglong with increasing fervor.
Zhou Linglong stood frozen, disbelief and horror overtaking her. Her own court—her own ministers—were now betraying her, their words cutting deeper than any physical wound. She staggered, her strength fading as the insults grew louder, more vicious.
"Do you hear that?" Orion whispered to her, his voice like poison. "Your people are turning against you."
Zhou Linglong's heart pounded. The walls of the palace seemed to close in, her vision narrowing as the weight of her downfall pressed harder. And then, Orion delivered the final blow.
"Let's take a little trip, shall we?"
Before she could react, she was dragged to the highest point in the imperial city. Below, Chang'an sprawled in all its glory, but instead of the usual bustling streets, Zhou Linglong saw crowds gathering—thousands of voices rising in unison.
"Down with Zhou Linglong! Down with the tyrant!"
Zhou Linglong's breath caught in her throat. The chants echoed through the city, louder and louder, shaking her to the core. Her subjects—her people—had turned against her. Tears welled up in her eyes as the chants grew deafening.
"This is what they think of you now," Orion murmured, standing beside her. "You thought you were untouchable. That you were beloved. But power is fickle, and the people... they are even more so."
Zhou Linglong collapsed to her knees, her spirit shattered. Her reign, her legacy, everything she had built was crumbling before her eyes. Orion looked down at her, his expression cold and unfeeling.
"History will remember you, Zhou Linglong," he said softly, "but not as you'd hoped. You'll be remembered as a tyrant, a fool, and nothing more."
As Zhou Linglong wept, broken and defeated, Orion turned away, satisfied. His plan had worked. The empress had been destroyed not just in body, but in soul.
And the throne? It was his. Completely, utterly his.