Rovan knelt on the cold marble floor, still trying to understand what had just happened. His body felt strange, buzzing with an energy he couldn't explain. His hands, once calloused and used to hammering steel, now glowed faintly with a golden hue. His breathing was steady, but his mind raced.
The half-human stared at him, her golden eyes narrowed. She could sense the shift in power, the unmistakable mark of divinity now embedded in Rovan. At first, she hoped that whoever would win in the shift would be her father and his consciousness returned to her. She waited for him to speak.
"I want the emperor returned," Rovan said, his voice firm but calm. He stood slowly, the glow around him intensifying.
The half-human's lips curled in a sneer. Her father had not won the fight, at least not yet, but she wouldn't give up hopes that quickly "You make demands so easily. Do you know what you ask? The pact—"
"I don't care about your pact," Rovan interrupted, his tone sharper now. "The emperor returns with us, or I will show you what this power can do."
Gasps echoed through the room, and the beasts growled lowly, shifting uneasily. The half-human's people watched their leader closely, waiting for her to respond.
She laughed bitterly, though it was clear she was unnerved. The human was biting a little bit too hard, she thought. It would be best to put him in his place, and quickly, after all, he was just a vessel not her father yet. "Do you think a few sparks make you untouchable?"
Rovan raised his hand. A wave of golden light shot out, shaking the room. Beasts fell to their knees, the very air trembling with the force of his will.
The half-human staggered but caught herself. Her eyes blazed with anger, yet she raised her hands in surrender. "Fine," she hissed. "Take your frozen emperor and leave. But this isn't over, Blessed One. My people won't forget your insolence."
The beasts snarled in protest, but one look from the half-human silenced them.
With a flick of her wrist, the emperor's icy prison was brought forth. His body was still encased in frost, his eyes wide with fear. The ice cracked and shattered as he was released, falling to the ground in a heap.
"Carry him carefully," the half-human mocked. "Wouldn't want him to break."
Rovan glared at her but said nothing. With a final pulse of light, a portal opened, shimmering like liquid gold. Without hesitation, Rovan stepped through, carrying the emperor with him.
Back in the human world, the blacksmith returned to his forge, hoping to find peace, but things were far from normal.
Word of his newfound power spread quickly. People flocked to him, bowing and calling him the "Blessed One." They begged for guidance, for protection, for miracles.
Rovan hated it. He was a simple man, a blacksmith. He didn't want to lead anyone.
The emperor, meanwhile, was a shadow of his former self. Though freed from the ice, he muttered constantly about being frozen again. He refused to eat unless someone tasted his food first, and he flinched at the sound of his own footsteps.
The Council of Kings, hearing of Rovan's powers, summoned him. They wanted him to meet with the mages and discuss the future of the empire. They called it a great honor, but Rovan saw it as a trap.
He needed someone to trust, someone who could help him control his powers. But who?
The woman in green appeared one night, her smile as sharp as ever. "I told you the world would bend to your will," she said. "The council will listen to you now. Together, we can set things right."
Rovan didn't trust her. She always had her own agenda.
The next day, a mage approached him—a tall, gaunt man with piercing eyes. "You've stepped into a role you don't understand," the mage said. "Let me help you. Without guidance, your powers will consume you."
Rovan froze. There was something familiar about the mage, though he couldn't place it.
"Who are you?" Rovan asked.
The mage smirked. "Someone who knows more about you than you think."
The blacksmith's heart raced. What does he mean? How does he know me?
Meanwhile, the council chambers were abuzz with debate. Kings argued with mages, and alliances shifted like sand in the wind.
"We must use the Blessed One's powers to strike down the beasts!" one king shouted.
"No," a mage countered. "His power is a beacon. It will draw enemies from every corner of the world."
As the blacksmith entered the chamber, all eyes turned to him.
"Blessed One," the council leader said, bowing low. "You will guide us, won't you?"
Before Rovan could respond, the woman in green appeared at his side, her voice smooth and confident. "Of course he will. He's here to bring balance, after all."
The mage, standing in the shadows, frowned. "Balance? Or chaos?" he muttered.
Rovan felt a chill run down his spine. The room grew quiet, the weight of expectations pressing down on him.
And in that silence, the woman in green leaned closer, whispering in his ear. "Be careful, blacksmith. Not everyone in this room wants you to succeed."
*****************************************************************
Rovan leaned back in his chair, wiping sweat from his brow as the forge's fire crackled behind him. The metal on his anvil gleamed, almost mocking him with its simplicity. Working the forge had always been his escape, but now even that couldn't quiet his mind.
The knock on his door startled him. It was Bram, his oldest friend, a man with a kind face and eyes that had seen their fair share of struggles.
"Rovan," Bram said with a grin, stepping inside. "The whole village is talking about you. The Blessed One returns!"
Rovan rolled his eyes. "Stop that."
Bram chuckled, but his face turned serious. "I came to hear the truth. What happened to you out there? Why do they say you refused the council seat?"
Rovan sighed and gestured for Bram to sit. "The council is broken, Bram. They let the emperor do what he wanted, even when they knew it was wrong. They ignored the suffering of the people."
Bram listened intently as Rovan spoke, his expression unreadable.
"They're the reason we're in this mess," Rovan continued. "And now they want me to join them? To sit among the same people who turned a blind eye to all the pain and destruction? No, I can't do it."
When Rovan finished, Bram nodded slowly. "I see why you refused. But let me ask you this—if the council is as corrupt as you say, who will change it?"
Rovan frowned. "I don't know. Maybe it can't be changed."
Bram leaned forward. "What if it could? What if someone like you, someone who has lived through the pain they caused, could be the one to reform it? Who better to break the cycle than someone who understands it?"
Rovan didn't answer, his gaze fixed on the glowing embers of the forge.
"Think about it," Bram said, rising to his feet. He placed a hand on Rovan's shoulder. "You've been given power for a reason. Don't waste it."
As Bram left, Rovan sat in silence, the weight of his friend's words pressing down on him. He picked up his hammer and returned to his work, but his thoughts were elsewhere.
*****************************************
A faint breeze swept through the forge, and Rovan stiffened. He didn't need to turn around to know who had entered.
"Still at the forge, I see," the woman in green said, her voice smooth and teasing. "I thought you'd be in the council chambers, deciding the fate of nations."
Rovan didn't look at her. "I turned them down."
She laughed softly. "Of course you did. You've always been stubborn."
"What do you want?" Rovan asked, setting his hammer down.
"I came to see what the great Blessed One plans to do next," she said, stepping closer. "The council needs you, whether you like it or not. And deep down, you know it."
"I haven't decided," Rovan said, his voice tight.
The woman in green smiled and gestured to the chair by the forge. "Then let me help you decide. Sit, Rovan. I'll tell you a story—one that might change your mind."
Rovan hesitated, the glow of the forge flickering across his face. Finally, he sat, his heart heavy with uncertainty.
The woman in green's smile deepened, but her eyes gleamed with something unreadable. "Good. Now listen closely. This story is about power, betrayal, and what it truly means to lead."