The crystalline galleries of Vindhor still reverberated with echoes of betrayal when Kaelen Veyr found himself alone in the Hall of the Summit, standing before the mural of the Original Pact. The void left by Lys and Aurora weighed on his heart, as did the Black Crown resting beside him. He knew that to save his kingdom, he must choose a single path from three possible futures—each fitting of a Monarch, but destined to reshape the world:
1. The Solar Tyrant: Harness the power of the remaining crowns to forge an absolute reign built on fear and might.
2. The Sacrificial Martyr: Gather all four crowns and offer his own life as the final sacrifice, breaking the cycle and granting peace at the price of his life.
3. The Crownless King: Distribute their power among the people and abdicate, creating a "Republic of United Breaths" free from artifacts.
Kaelen closed his eyes and reached toward the Memory Crystal of the Feast of Ancient Souls. Faces—Lys's, Aurora's, Ceylen's, Maelis's, Serin's—flashed past him as silent witnesses.
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I. Vision of the Solar Tyrant
1. Ascension to the Throne of Flame
He saw himself wreathed in golden fire: an absolute Monarch crowned with the Black Crown, the other crowns fused upon his scepter. The Towers trembled beneath his roar of power.
Across the lands, neighboring peoples knelt before him, awed by the blaze of his authority.
> Vision (voice of the Fallen Empire):
"He rules a world purified by flame… and obedience."
2. Perils of Domination
A shiver ran through Kaelen: the dread of becoming a despot, of snuffing out hope beneath tyranny, of seeing hearts close in the darkness.
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II. Vision of the Sacrificial Martyr
1. The Temple of Souls
Next he envisioned the Altar of Crowns, his arms outstretched, the artifacts arrayed before him. Grasping the scepter, he let himself collapse upon the stone as the crowns burned away upon his flesh.
His voice, faint, implored the mercy of earth, wind, and sky.
> Vision (phantom chorus):
"He offers his blood to shatter the chains… the earth weeps, the heavens bless him."
2. The Price of Peace
But the scene turned gray: the city in mourning, future generations left without guidance. The sacrifice did not bring rebirth, only the eclipse of a king.
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III. Vision of the Crownless King
1. The Assembly of Winds
Finally, he saw himself presenting the crowns to his people and shattering them in a burst of light, scattering their power into every outstretched hand. The citizens carried sparks of flame in their hearts.
> Vision (voice of the people):
"No more chains, no more fetters—our shared breath is everyone's breath."
2. Doubts of Abdication
A doubt gripped him: without a king, the city might descend into chaos. Who would safeguard the Key and the Watchers?
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IV. The Monarch's Choice
Kaelen opened his eyes; dawn filtered through the Azurine windows. He hesitated, torn between power, sacrifice, and freedom. Each vision carried its own uncertain future and inevitable cost.
> Kaelen (thought):
"I cannot waver. When the bell tolls, one of these three paths will bind my fate…"
He rose, seized the Key of Eternal Breath, and ascended the steps toward the Balcony of Destiny, ready to seal his decision.
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V. Epilogue — The Shadow of Choice
In the suspended silence, the entire city waited—unknowing—for the echo of the royal decision. Which path would the Monarch tread, and what new song would the wind carry afterward?
> Three paths lie before him. Only one heart will beat to guide the world.
To be continued…