In the kingdom of Pax, renowned for its unparalleled technological advancements, a tragic tale unfolded. King Nathan, the beloved ruler of Pax, was brutally murdered by five kings from neighboring realms. These kings, driven by greed and envy, decapitated Nathan and placed his severed head at the base of the throne. They forced the former Kingsmen of Pax to walk over it, symbolizing their loyalty to the new rulers. To maintain a fragile peace among themselves, the five kings vowed never to sit on the throne, leaving it empty as a grim reminder of their shared crime.
Meanwhile, Queen Elara, Nathan's widow, was pregnant and hiding in a remote village within the kingdom. On a fateful night, under the glow of a full moon and a singular, radiant star, the queen went into labor. It was as if the heavens themselves were watching, waiting for the child to be born. The star shone brightly, as though King Nathan's spirit lingered, yearning to catch a glimpse of his heir. The child, a boy, was born, and Queen Elara named him Ethan. Knowing the danger that loomed, the queen entrusted her newborn son to her most loyal maid, Teresa, urging her to flee the village and raise the boy in secret.
Teresa obeyed, leaving the queen alone in the dimly lit shaft where she had been hiding. As Teresa stepped outside, the moonlight bathed the baby's face, and for a moment, the star above flickered and dimmed into the darkness, as if Nathan's final wish to see his child had been fulfilled. The village, however, was under siege. The armies of the new kings were pillaging homes, slaughtering those who resisted or refused to pledge loyalty to their new rulers. The five kings, aware of Queen Elara's pregnancy, had left their castle to hunt down and eliminate the last remnants of Nathan's bloodline.
The queen's location had been betrayed by Nathan's own counselor, a man who had once been his most trusted ally. As Teresa fled, she could hear the thunderous march of the approaching army and the distant cries of the villagers. The horizon was ablaze with fire, and the air was thick with smoke. Clutching the crying infant who wanted his mother's warmth, Teresa ran deeper into the forest, desperate to escape the chaos.
Back in the shaft, Queen Elara lay weak and bleeding. The premature delivery had left her in critical condition, and the floor was stained with blood. From her bedside table, she took a piece of parchment and penned a final note. With trembling hands, she reached for a knife from the fruit plate and committed seppuku, choosing to die by her own hand rather than at the mercy of the invading army. Her final act was one of sacrifice—by stabbing herself on the stomach, she created the illusion that the baby had also perished, ensuring Ethan's safety.
When the five kings arrived at the shaft, they ordered their army to wait outside. Inside, they found Queen Elara's lifeless body, the note clutched in her hand. It read: *"The hidden treasure you seek is what will lead to your death."* Enraged, the kings tore the note to shreds, as if the queen's words carried a curse. The cryptic message left them unsettled, their greed now mingled with fear.
What was this hidden treasure? Was it the source of Pax's technological prowess, or something far more sinister? One thing was certain: the pursuit of this treasure was the reason which caused all of this and had set the kingdom ablaze, plunging it into chaos and bloodshed.
To be continued…