The moment I settled into the throne, a crushing weight pressed down on me, unlike anything I'd ever felt before. It was as if the entire castle were breathing, tightening around me, its walls leaning closer with every heartbeat. The air grew thick, stifling, pulsing with a dark energy that coiled above me like storm clouds gathering strength. I gripped the arms of the throne, every muscle in my body tensing, as the shadows above twisted and churned.
"Accept it, Jack," Izzy's voice urged, her tone laced with dark reverence. "The throne knows its king. It's calling to you."
As her words sank in, I felt it—a sinister presence, building over my head, forming with a purpose I could feel but couldn't control. The shadows condensed, their energy swirling together until it became tangible, pressing down on me with a force that made my head pound. The pain intensified, sharp and searing, clawing into my mind, and I gasped, struggling to breathe as the shadows coalesced into the shape of a crown.
Then, the visions began.
At first, they came in brief, fragmented flashes—jarring, chaotic images that sent a spike of nausea through me. But soon, they solidified, becoming horrifyingly vivid. I was there, caught in the hellish memories of an ancient past. I saw landscapes twisted and ravaged, fields of blackened earth scorched by fire and shadow. Rivers of blood and molten rock snaked through the land, consuming everything in their path.
I tried to close my eyes, to look away, but I couldn't escape. The visions tore through me, unrelenting, each one more monstrous than the last. I saw monstrous beings locked in battle, claws and teeth tearing through flesh, screams of agony echoing through the air. I could smell the smoke, the burning flesh, the boiling blisters, the stench of death, and it made my stomach churn.
The scene shifted, and I was somewhere else, a towering city of twisted spires and dark fortresses. The walls crumbled as waves of darkness swept through, devouring all in their path. I felt the screams echo in my skull, a chorus of despair and pain that grew louder, piercing, until it was all I could hear. These were memories of terror and ruin, visions of the destruction that had defined Caedus's reign.
My vision blurred, the agony searing through me as my grip on the throne's arms tightened, fingers digging into the stone. But the power—the relentless, pulsing force—wouldn't let me look away. It was embedding these horrors into my mind, forcing me to see, to understand the legacy I'd inherited.
And then, as the visions reached their peak, as my mind threatened to break under the weight of it all, a dark voice echoed through me—a low, resonant chant, deep and guttural, spoken in a language I didn't understand but instinctively recognized. The words were ancient, powerful, each one vibrating through my bones, searing into my soul. It was like a chorus of voices, each one filled with a power and authority that made my own feel insignificant. They were the voices of past demon kings, speaking to me, through me, their words a dark, terrible hymn that both commanded and consumed.
"Drak'thun kaer sevreth… Kaer'bane uthro Caedus Cairborne…"
The chant grew louder, layering upon itself, a relentless chorus that thrummed through my blood, echoing through the hall. I could feel it, their voices blending with mine, forcing their power, their authority, into me, as if demanding that I accept my place in this ancient, terrible lineage.
My head felt like it was splitting open, my vision swimming with the darkness of their words, their commands. I couldn't breathe, couldn't think, the agony consuming every part of me until I felt like I was dissolving, my own identity slipping away, merging with the voices that called to me.
And then—a blinding flash of light.
A bolt of lightning shattered the stained-glass window high above, flooding the hall with a sudden, searing brightness that cut through the darkness. The lightning struck the crown of shadows above my head, and I felt the impact like a jolt through my entire body, a fierce, electric shock that tore through the pain, replacing it with something raw, powerful.
The dark energy twisted, solidifying, the shadows condensing into a tangible weight on my skull. The crown was no longer just a cloud of demonic energy—it had become something real, forged from metal as cold as ice, heavy with ancient, etched script and encrusted with dark jewels that pulsed with a sinister light. The crown was mine.
As the crown's full weight settled on my head, a shockwave of power erupted from me, a force so strong it tore through the hall, nearly blowing over the creatures in attendance. The walls shook, the very foundation of the castle rumbling as the wave rippled outward, carrying the full weight of my inherited power. The creatures staggered back, some collapsing, others gripping the ground to stay upright, their eyes wide with shock, with fear.
The voices in my mind—the dark chorus of past kings—faded, leaving a hollow silence in their wake. I could still feel their presence, lingering like shadows in the back of my mind, but the pain, the visions, had receded, leaving me breathless, my head throbbing with a dull ache.
Slowly, I looked around, taking in the sight of the creatures scattered before me, each one stunned, eyes filled with awe and terror. The power still pulsed through me, but now it was mine, solid, something I could grasp, control. The crown on my head felt like an anchor, grounding me, but also a conduit, channeling the dark energy into every corner of my being.
Izzy stepped forward, her eyes fixed on me with an admiration that bordered on worship. Her lips curved into a slow, proud smile, her gaze flicking up to the crown with a look of satisfaction. "The crown has accepted you," she whispered, her voice filled with reverence. "You are no longer just an heir, Jack. You are the demon king."
I took a breath, feeling the weight of her words settle into me. I was the king now. The power, the authority—everything that had once belonged to Caedus was now mine.
The creatures around me, still recovering from the shockwave, began to rise, slowly, hesitantly, their heads bowed in submission. I could see it in their eyes—the acceptance, the fear, the realization that I was no longer someone they could doubt. I was their ruler, their king, and they would obey me, or face consequences they clearly feared.
I glanced down, my fists still clenched, the memory of those hellish visions lingering, the horror of what I'd seen still raw, like an open wound. Those images—the scorched landscapes, the rivers of fire, the monstrous beings—were seared into my mind, reminders of the legacy I was expected to uphold, the destruction that Caedus had once wielded with merciless authority.
But I wouldn't let that define me. If I was going to rule, I would do it on my own terms. I wouldn't become the monster they expected.
I straightened, feeling the weight of the crown, the power thrumming through me, grounding me. I looked out over the creatures gathered before me, their twisted forms a sea of darkness, their eyes fixed on me with anticipation, fear, and a grudging respect.
"Listen to me," I said, my voice ringing out, steady, strong. "I may carry Caedus's blood, but I am not him. I will not rule through fear alone. If you follow me, it will be because you choose to, because you believe in what I stand for. I am your king, but I will not be a tyrant."
A ripple of surprise flickered through the crowd, a few of the creatures exchanging wary glances. I could sense the doubt in some of their eyes, the confusion, but none of them dared to speak against me. The power in my voice, the force of the shockwave still lingering in the air, had cowed them. They knew better than to challenge me now.
Krux, who had been watching in silence, took a step forward, his hollow gaze fixed on me with a mixture of respect and curiosity. "And what do you stand for, my lord?" he asked, his tone respectful but questioning.
I met his gaze, feeling the weight of the crown, the dark power humming through me, grounding me. "Balance," I said, each word carrying a conviction that felt both foreign and deeply familiar. "This world has become corrupt. The so called heroes have turned into tyrants, and the people have forgotten what true power and balance mean. They need a reminder of that balance, and I am the one to restore it. By dominating each and everyone of them."
The entire throne room erupted with cheers and shouts of approval.
"And anyone who opposes us shall be crushed under our feet and become the foundation of our new world!"
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I want to thank Kentaro_Yuuichi for being the first to donate 3 powerstones. You're the best my man! And thank you to everyone who has read up to this point. I sincerely hope you have an amazing night and I will see you all tomorrow.