The grand feast had ended, but its echoes reverberated in Leonis's mind. The weight of the night's events, his great-grandfather's test, the recognition of his golden aura, and the murmurs of the prophecy stirred within him, a storm gathering in his chest.
As the banquet hall emptied and the flickering torches dimmed, Leonis stood alone on one of the high balconies of the royal palace. The night sky stretched endlessly above him, scattered with stars that gleamed like distant fires. The air was cool and sharp, yet heavy with unspoken tension. He gazed out across the vast city of the Perdium Empire, its lights glowing faintly below. The world felt alive tonight, as if it too sensed the monumental shift in the air.
His mind raced, a flood of thoughts crashing over him. The prophecy. His golden aura. The growing strength of the demonic forces. His father's plans with the Elven Empire. And beneath it all, a whisper of destiny that gnawed at him, urging him to be more, to do more.
Yet, in the midst of it all, Leonis felt a quiet certainty blooming in his chest. He was no longer the same prince who had left the capital two years ago. He was stronger, far stronger. His swordsmanship had evolved into something uniquely his own. His mana had grown, pushing him to the threshold of new realms. He was a 5-circle swordsman, yes, but there was something else stirring within him, something greater.
The night air suddenly stirred around him, and he could feel someone approaching. He turned, already knowing who it was before he saw her.
"Leonis," his mother, Empress Isolde, called softly, her voice gentle yet tinged with concern.
She stepped onto the balcony, her long flowing hair catching the moonlight, casting an ethereal glow around her. Her shining eyes, so much like his own, studied him with the quiet intensity of a mother who had missed her son for far too long.
"You should be resting," she said, her voice soft as she moved to stand beside him. "It's been a long night."
Leonis smiled faintly, his gaze drifting back to the horizon. "I couldn't sleep even if I wanted to. Too much... has changed."
Isolde placed a gentle hand on his arm. "I can feel it in you. You've grown stronger, Leonis. Not just physically, but... there's something different. More than just power. It's like you've found something, something that's always been waiting for you."
Leonis remained silent, but he knew what she meant. The power of the golden aura was no small thing, and though no one else had seen it during the test, his mother, her instincts sharper than any had sensed it.
"What did grandfather say to you?" she asked, her voice hesitant.
Leonis sighed, feeling the weight of the old emperor's words return to him. "He didn't say much. Just that I've grown. But his eyes..." He trailed off, the memory of the suffocating aura still vivid. "His eyes were searching for something. I could feel it."
Isolde looked at him, her face a mix of pride and worry. "He sees the potential in you. As do I. But be careful, Leonis. Our family... carries many expectations. You are stronger than most, but the weight of the crown, the expectations of an empire"
"I know," he interrupted, his voice firmer than before. "I know what's at stake."
The silence between them deepened, the unspoken tension crackling in the air like a brewing storm. Leonis clenched his fists, his thoughts turning to the future. He couldn't ignore the signs any longer the world was changing, and his place in it was shifting rapidly.
"The war with the demons... it's only going to get worse, isn't it?" he asked quietly, already knowing the answer.
His mother nodded, her face clouding with sorrow. "Yes. The demonic forces are growing stronger. Your father and I have seen it. The alliances with the other empires, the marriage arrangements with the Elven Empire, it's all part of a larger plan to strengthen our position before the storm hits."
Leonis's chest tightened at the mention of the marriage. The thought of being tied to someone he didn't know someone he had never met felt foreign to him. And yet, he understood the necessity. Alliances were the lifeblood of empires, and this marriage would fortify their standing against the growing demonic threat.
"But you're not just a pawn, Leonis," Isolde said, as if reading his thoughts. "You are more than that. You have always been destined for greatness, and I believe in you."
He looked at her, seeing the fierce determination in her eyes. For a moment, he remembered the years when he had been weak, a shadow of what he was now. The first prince of Perdium, known only for his cruelty and failures. But that was no longer who he was.
He had changed. He had become something more.
"I won't let the empire fall, Mother," he said, his voice steady, a new resolve building in his heart. "No matter what comes, I'll stand. For you, for Father, for our people."
Isolde smiled, but there was a sadness in her eyes. "I know you will. But you must also remember—there are forces at play far beyond what we can see. The prophecy..."
Leonis tensed at the mention of it. He had known about the prophecy long before anyone else, but now, it seemed to loom over him more than ever. The golden aura, the whispers of destiny... it all pointed to something much larger than he had ever imagined.
"I don't care about the prophecy," he said, though even as the words left his mouth, he knew they were only half-true. "I'll make my own path. Whatever fate has planned for me... I'll decide how it ends."
His mother's hand tightened on his arm, her eyes shining with pride and love. "You are your father's son, Leonis. But you are also your own man. And that is what makes you stronger than any prophecy."
Before he could respond, a familiar presence made itself known. His father, Emperor Valerian, appeared at the entrance to the balcony, his fiery red aura flickering faintly around him, though his face remained composed.
"Leonis," Valerian's voice cut through the quiet night, commanding and calm. "Come. There's something we need to discuss."
Leonis nodded, stepping away from his mother and following his father inside. The time for contemplation was over. There were battles to be fought—both within and without.
As they walked, Valerian glanced at his son, his expression unreadable. "You've grown strong, Leonis. But strength is not enough. You'll need more than that for what's to come."
Leonis frowned, his mind racing. "What do you mean?"
Valerian stopped, his fiery aura briefly flaring, casting long shadows across the hall. "There are things moving in the dark, Leonis. Things that go beyond the demons. The prophecy, the alliances, the war, they're only pieces of a larger game. And you, my son, are at the center of it."
Leonis's heart pounded in his chest as his father's words sank in.
"What... game?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Valerian turned to him, his eyes burning with the weight of a truth Leonis was not yet ready to hear.
"You'll understand soon enough. But for now, know this: the true battle is just beginning. And only the strongest will survive."
_______________________________________________________________
Hi everyone! I know some of you might be confused about the prophecies surrounding Leonis and the Empire. Here's an explanation of them.
The prophecy of the Descendant: Leonis is the one who's supposed to be in the prophecy. He knows it because remember he read the novel before he entered into Leonis's body. Among the many legends and myths surrounding the Perdium Empire, one prophecy stands out above all others, whispered in the highest halls of power and guarded closely by the royal family. The prophecy foretells the coming of a direct descendant of the empire's progenitor, Rhaegus Perdium, who will not only embody his power and legacy but surpass it by threefold. This descendant is said to be the one who will unite the human race once and for all and bring about the downfall of the Demonic Empire.
It is believed that this prophecy was spoken by a powerful oracle at the time of Rhaegus Perdium's death. As his body lay broken and bleeding at the gates of the Perdium Empire, the oracle entered a deep trance, her eyes glowing with divine light as she spoke:
"In the blood of Rhaegus, a child shall rise, born with the spirit of the progenitor. His strength shall be thrice that of his forefather, his beauty the reflection of the first emperor's glory. The soul of Rhaegus shall reside within this child, waiting to be awakened. When the stars align and the sword of destiny is drawn, this heir shall inherit all, and the world shall tremble before him." Since then, the prophecy has been passed down through generations of Perdium rulers, kept secret from the public but known among the highest ranks of the royal family. The prophecy foretells that the spirit of Rhaegus Perdium will reside in his chosen descendant. This means that when the child is born, the progenitor's soul will lie dormant within them, waiting to be unlocked. It is said that the descendant will inherit not just the bloodline but the very essence of the progenitor's being, which will give them access to power beyond comprehension. When the progenitor's spirit awakens within the descendant, they will have the knowledge, experience, and strength of the first emperor, including his unmatched mastery of 8-star mana and his legendary skill in swordsmanship and martial arts & There are still many things about the prophecy that has yet to be found out.
______________________________________________________________________________________
The prophecy of the Golden Aura: There is a Prophecy about a golden aura that three swordsmen will possess this aura, and whoever possesses this aura is somehow linked to the "Prophecy of the Descendant." The prophecy goes on to say that these three swordsmen will be able to conquer the world. This prophecy has been around for centuries, and there has recently been 2 swordsmen who obtained this aura which now leonis obtained it making him the third.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Updates: The name of the progenitor has been changed to Rhaegus Perdium