The Celestial Realm had fallen into a profound silence, one laced with an undercurrent of raw power and unspoken dread. News of Lumina's ascension as Crown Princess had swept through the realm like wildfire across starlit skies, igniting whispers in every hall and shadowed corner.
Lumina sat beside her father, King Ryker, and her stepmother on the grand dais.
Her posture was flawless, her gaze unnervingly steady for one poised to reshape the fate of worlds. The weight of centuries seemed to rest lightly on her shoulders.
"I need the seal," she declared, her voice cutting through the hush like a blade.
King Ryker turned to her sharply, as though the voice belonged to a stranger wearing his daughter's face.
For a long moment, he simply stared. Then, with visible effort, he rose.
The throne room itself seemed to press down on him.
Ryker moved toward the far wall with measured steps, each one heavy with reluctance.
