Liam paced the length of the underground studio beneath the Artisan Alliance headquarters. The walls pulsed faintly with soft light, reacting to emotional shifts—a subtle integration of ARTech meant to keep creators grounded. But it wasn't calming him today.
"Are you sure it's him?" he asked.
Ace gave a small nod. "Facial match. Vocal cadence match. Digital ID—99.7% certainty."
Liam stared at the hologram hovering above the center console.
A livestream.
Grainy, glitchy, likely intentional. A figure seated in a dim-lit room, face partially covered by a mask made of shattered film reels.
He spoke with a drawl Liam hadn't heard in nearly a decade.
"They crowned you the Creative Emperor, huh?""Thought you'd be better than them.""Guess even kings start out as thieves."
Nova whispered, "Who is he?"
"His name is Riven," Liam muttered. "And he was the first person I ever betrayed."
⌛ Flashback – Eight Years Ago, Paltros Institute
Back before Indie Web. Before the fame. Liam and Riven were partners in every sense—two misfits at the elite creator's academy, building what they called "The Dream Circuit," a content-sharing algorithm built on truth, resonance, and unfiltered voice.
But when Everline scouted Liam, he took the offer.
Left Riven behind.
And in return, Riven disappeared into the dark net.
🎭 Present Day – Skellaris Underground
"Why now?" Dex asked. "Why resurface?"
Ace tapped the console. "He's gaining traction. Thousands of microstreams, all tagged under #UndoTheCrown. He's calling your movement a repackaged monopoly."
"He's not entirely wrong," Liam said quietly. "We're building faster than we can check ourselves."
Kaelen Vis entered from the side room, overhearing the tail end. "Empires, no matter how creative, leave ghosts. You just found yours."
Ace handed Liam a secured line.
"He's willing to meet. Neutral zone. One-time offer."
✉️ That Night – Private Message Thread
Riven: Thought maybe you forgot the sound of truth.Liam: I didn't forget. I just got lost in the noise.Riven: Come alone. No cameras. No empire. Just you.
🔚 Chapter End Scene
In a silent hangar-turned-club on the edge of Skellaris, the lights flickered on. There, among faded murals and broken synths, Riven waited in the shadows—ready to face the man who had become more than a movement, more than a myth.
A Creative Emperor… haunted by the creator he left behind.
The End of Chapter 22