Simone could feel the cracks in his mind, his body teetering on the edge of exhaustion. For months, he had not seen the outside world, only the cold, sterile walls of the secret training room. His father, the Emperor, had made sure of it—pushing him to the brink with every grueling exercise, every relentless sparring match, every agonizing test of endurance. Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months.
Simone had stopped counting. He had stopped feeling. Hunger? It no longer registered. Sleep? A distant memory. His body, once frail and weakened by his past, had grown stronger—far stronger than he had thought possible. The darkness that flowed within him was not just an elemental power; it was a primal force, adapting to his training, enhancing him in ways the Emperor never expected. Simone felt his muscles coil with an unnatural strength, his reflexes sharpening with every passing moment. But even in his heightened state, the pain was unbearable. Still, he endured.
His father was relentless.
"Focus, Simone! You cannot afford to fail!" Emperor Alden shouted, his voice like a thunderclap in the small training room. He moved with the grace of a seasoned fighter, his attacks precise, calculated. But Simone matched every move, every strike with equal force, and in moments, the two were locked in combat, a battle of wills—Simone, against his father's expectations, against the very essence of his own identity.
The Emperor's eyes narrowed in disbelief as Simone dodged a blast of concentrated energy, the air crackling with raw power. The Emperor's attacks were powerful, but Simone's response was almost as if he were instinctively absorbing and redirecting them. The darkness that swirled around him seemed to push back, creating shields of pure energy that shimmered in the air.
"You're growing far too powerful, Simone," the Emperor hissed, his breath labored. "I never expected you to adapt this quickly. But you will bend to my will. You will be trained."
Simone's chest heaved, but his expression remained stoic. His father's power was a formidable thing, but Simone now felt an almost insurmountable strength within himself. And yet, something nagged at him, a part of him that felt this wasn't the life he had chosen. He was no longer the boy who hid in the shadows, too afraid to be seen. He was something else—something his father might never understand.
Back in the palace, the tension had been rising among the royal family. The Emperor had not only locked Simone away in his secret training chambers, but he had also begun to spread the news of Simone's awakening. But it was not a mere whisper—no, Alden wanted the world to know. His son, the 5th Prince, had awakened, and his power surpassed all others. And with that revelation, the Emperor had made a decision—one that left the palace in shock.
Simone had become the new Crown Prince.
A proclamation was made public, the royal heralds declaring the Emperor's decision to name Simone as his heir. It was a decision that sent ripples of surprise through the royal court and stunned his siblings, especially those in the Imperial Academy.
Adrian, Livia, Cassian, and Selene—all were gathered in the grand hall of the palace when they heard the announcement. The weight of the Emperor's decision hit them hard. Adrian's expression, usually filled with confidence, faltered for just a moment, and Livia's eyes burned with frustration.
"What is this madness?" Livia spat, unable to contain her rage. "How can Father name Simone the Crown Prince without even consulting us? He's been locked away for months—training, hidden from the rest of us. We've never even seen him!"
Cassian, ever the strategist, narrowed his eyes. "This isn't about fairness. This is about power. Father's decided Simone is the strongest, and now he wants to control him. It's a game, and we're all just pawns in it."
Selene, always the most composed of the siblings, looked over to Adrian. "Adrian, what are you going to do about this? You've been the favorite for years, but now Simone's been given the title. Your claim to the throne is slipping."
Adrian clenched his fists, but his voice remained steady. "I will not be overshadowed. I don't care what Father's chosen. If Simone wants to play this game, I'll beat him at it. But mark my words—Simone's going to regret this."
Back in the training room, Simone had no idea that his life had just taken a drastic turn. The Emperor had made his decision. Simone's title had already been declared, but he was still locked in his battle with his father, unaware of the stirrings in the royal court.
For days, Simone's training continued. His body ached, his mind clouded with exhaustion. He had surpassed his limits, yet still, his father demanded more. There was no end. No release.
But despite the grueling sessions, Simone was unbroken. He was changing—not just physically, but mentally. His thoughts grew darker, more focused. There was a power within him now that he couldn't fully grasp, but it was his. It was his choice how he used it. Even as his father forced him to keep fighting, Simone began to understand something that terrified him: This power was not meant to be controlled. It was meant to be unleashed.
He was the Emperor's equal now, and there would be no turning back.
Meanwhile, in the Imperial Academy, the younger siblings—Dorian, Helena, Felix, and Astrid—had grown increasingly concerned. They had not seen Simone in months, and rumors of his sudden disappearance had begun to swirl. His absence left a void in their lives, especially for Dorian, who, despite his competitive nature, had always seen Simone as an enigma.
"I don't understand," Dorian said, shaking his head as he spoke with Helena. "He just stopped coming. He hasn't even written to us. It's as if he vanished."
Helena, usually so calm and collected, looked genuinely puzzled. "What do you think he's doing? Why would he hide? And where's the 5th Prince? Shouldn't he be here with us?"
Felix, the quietest of the group, furrowed his brow. "Maybe he's... training? But why not tell us? Why disappear completely?"
Astrid, ever the mischievous one, grinned. "Or maybe he's hiding some big secret. Knowing Simone, he's probably doing something crazy, and now it's all starting to come out."
But none of them had any idea just how deep Simone's isolation had become or the horrifying truth of what awaited him.
The Emperor's final words echoed in Simone's mind.
"You will be crowned. You will be trained. You will be my weapon."
And Simone, despite the pain, the exhaustion, and the weight of it all, knew that his journey had only just begun. The darkness inside him burned brighter, fiercer than ever before. And soon, the world would know what kind of Prince—what kind of Emperor—Simone truly was.