The Walls of Lumir Fortress, Northern ElysiumWinter winds howled over the battlements, whipping Alexis Lumir's cloak as he stood tall against the biting cold. Beyond the distant hills, a tide of black surged forward—rebels advancing with the thunder of hooves and the roar of voices carried on the wind.
He drew in a deep breath, fingers tightening upon the frozen stone."This road… ends here."
Turning from the horizon, he faced the soldiers arrayed along the wall. Gone was the haughty noble of idle pride; before them stood a leader, tempered by conviction."The road to the Imperial Capital does not pass these walls!"
His voice was harsh, but steady."Any who dare strike at Emperor Lian and the Empire shall face me first—Alexis Lumir!"
The men roared in answer:"Lumir! Lumir!"Their cries cascaded across the ramparts like a rolling wave.
The First ArrowThe rebels thundered closer, steel clashing, hooves striking like war drums."Archers, ready!" Alexis commanded.
Bows bent beneath the tension of drawn strings. When the enemy crossed into range, his hand rose high."Loose!"
A storm of arrows split the night, raining down upon the vanguard. Screams pierced the clash of iron, yet the rebel tide pressed on, relentless.
Clash on the WallsLadders clattered against the stone. Men clambered upward, steel flashing in the firelight. Alexis drew his blade."Lumir Fortress will not fall!"
Steel rang as he moved down the line, his sword scattering spears and cleaving through flesh. Blood splattered across stone, but still he fought, unyielding.
His soldiers fought beside him, voices raised:"We do not yield!""This is our land!"
But the tide was endless. Ladder after ladder, wave after wave—the defenders began to give ground.
The Capture of AlexisThe wall broke. Soldiers fell, and Alexis fought until chains bound his arms. Forced to his knees, his men cried out in anguish:"Lord Alexis!"
The Uprising of the PeopleWithin Lumir Fortress, the news spread like wildfire. The streets fell silent—then the silence broke.
Hag the blacksmith raised his hammer in the square."Lord Alexis gave everything for us. Now it's our turn to fight for him!"
Mila the farmer lifted her sickle, voice trembling with fury."He promised a better future for our children. To keep that promise—we must rise!"
Rovan the merchant unlocked his storehouse."Empty it all. Every weapon, every scrap—we choose today!"
From smiths to farmers, merchants to mothers—every hand grasped steel or stone. Hammers, sickles, clubs, even kitchen knives became weapons. Their rebellion erupted without warning.
The Rebels in DisarrayFrom alleys and rooftops, citizens hurled stones, toppled ladders, struck with hammer and flame.
The rebel commander spat in fury."Damn them—civilians?!"
Unforeseen resistance turned their advance into chaos. In the end, they faltered, forced to release Alexis and retreat in disorder.
News in the CapitalDays later, word reached the Imperial Palace.
Lian read the report, his breath long and heavy."Alexis… has changed."
He turned to the window, gaze hardening."He is now a true noble of Elysium. A true leader."
His hand clenched into a fist."And so must I change. No longer can I hide behind the name of prince."
He thought of Alexis, and of common citizens who had risen with him. Their courage became a mirror to his own.For the first time, Lian felt the stirrings of a vow that would shape his reign.
**
Episode 14: The Prophet's Warning
The Gates of the Imperial PalaceThe capital bustled as always—until one figure halted the rhythm of the day.
An old man in a tattered gray cloak stood before the palace gates. The fabric fluttered, edges frayed as though torn by time. In his hand, a staff worn smooth with age.
"I am… the Prophet."
The words were hoarse, yet carried a weight that pressed upon the guards' hearts. Against reason, they believed.
One guard whispered as he stepped back."This must be told to His Majesty…"
The Audience ChamberThe great doors opened, and the Prophet walked within. Each step was slow, yet it carried the gravity of inevitability.
Lian spoke first."You claim to be a Prophet?"
The old man inclined his head, eyes locking with Lian's."Your Majesty. The choices you make will divide the fate of the Empire."
The chamber grew still. Ivela, Serin, and even Leonix held their breath.
The Prophet's Words"The moment of choice approaches."He turned his staff slowly in his hand."That choice may lead Elysium to radiant dawn—or cast it into the depths of shadow."
Lian's voice faltered."…What do you mean? What is it that comes?"
The Prophet only smiled faintly, letting silence sharpen the unease."The future is not fixed. But your fear, and your faith—these will decide the Empire's path."
He paused, then added:"You will be tested. By the nobles' defiance. By the people's demands. All will weigh upon your heart."
And with that, he turned as though his purpose was complete.
"Wait!" Lian called. "Tell me more—be specific!"
But the old man offered only a smile as he walked away, vanishing beyond the doors, leaving silence heavy in his wake.
The Emperor's DoubtThat night, Lian sat alone, the Prophet's words circling endlessly in his thoughts.The moment of choice approaches…
The reports upon his desk blurred into meaninglessness. The city lights beyond the window felt distant.
Then Serin entered quietly, sitting beside him, taking his hand in hers."Lian, you are not alone. Whatever comes, we face it together."
From the doorway, Ivela added with a faint smile:"Your choice will shape the Empire. And I believe it will be the right one."
Their faith anchored him. Their presence stilled the storm.
And so, in the silence, Lian whispered to himself:"My choice… will decide the fate of Elysium."
**
Episode 15: The Push for Universal Education
Days Later, the Grand Council ChamberAfter the Prophet's warning, Lian resolved upon the most fundamental reform.Education.
Seated at the council table, he looked upon his ministers."Emperor Merslin's schools and martial halls were a noble beginning. Yet now only nobles and the wealthy reap their benefits."His hand clenched."We must break that limit. I will grant learning to all our people."
The Chamber's ResponseSilence fell.Leonix, his political adviser, raised a brow."Your Majesty, the nobles will resist. Their power has long been maintained through education."Lian's reply was firm."Then all the more reason to proceed."
The Policy BeginsLian ordered the construction of new public schools.He opened the doors of the martial halls, making them free to all.Schools rose at the turn of every street.The scent of brick and fresh ink mingled in the air—people could feel change upon their skin.
The People's VoiceHag the blacksmith took his child by the hand."Now you… can learn as the nobles' children do."Mila the farmer smiled even as she lifted her sickle for the day's work."I never thought I'd see our children open books."Rovan the merchant spoke in the market."This is true change. Elysium is not the same."
Obstruction by the NoblesThe nobles did not sit idle.They founded private academies—high walls, higher fees, and a world of "ours alone.""Public schools? Paltry."Some bribed teachers; others hindered foundations and permits.
Lian's CountermoveLian released further funds."Hire more teachers. Build more schools. As for noble obstruction… I will confront it myself."He went to the construction sites, spoke with the people,took hands still wet with earth, and helped carry brick.
Children ran up to him."Your Majesty, may I learn to read?"Lian smiled."Of course. From now on, everyone will learn."
ConclusionPublic schools multiplied; the nobles' privilege began to fracture.For the first time, the people felt a shared empire of learning.From the palace balcony, Lian watched children walking toward their new schools.His gaze hardened."This is the beginning. The Empire… will truly become one."
**
Episode 16: Enemies Within and the Trials of the Road
Lian had stilled the nobles' open defiance—for a time.But the roadworks would not proceed untroubled.On the surface, conflict quieted; beneath it, a sharper, hidden resistance stirred.
Risa's Charge — Purging the Enemy WithinIn the Grand Council Chamber, a single letter chilled the air.Serena, Director of Intelligence, reported in a low voice."Your Majesty, Marquess Cornelius is secretly mustering troops. The attacks on road workers and attempted assassinations likely trace back to his hand."
Lian closed his eyes a moment, then turned to Risa."General Risa. I entrust this matter to you. Make it clear. Make it swift."Risa rose."Do not be concerned, Your Majesty. If we do not choke these traitors now, they will set a greater fire. I will end this myself."
The Marquess's Keep — A Night of AssaultAt a fog-laden dawn, Risa encircled Cornelius's keep with two hundred elite cavalry.Torches guttered along the walls."Tonight, we finish this," she whispered, drawing steel.
The signal flared. Arrows tore the dark.Before the keep could seal its gates, Risa's riders crashed through."Press on!"The doors shattered. Soldiers poured in like a breaking tide.
Cornelius seized a sword in panic."Stop! I am a noble—this kind of attack—""Noble or not," Risa's voice cut like ice, "a traitor who shakes the Empire is only a traitor."
After a brief, brutal clash, Cornelius knelt in chains.Risa hauled him up by the collar and declared, sharp as a verdict:"This is the strength of the Elysian Empire. There is no mercy for treason."With that, the rebel vein collapsed in a single stroke.
The Roads — Finance and FrictionYet no sooner had Risa struck than new trouble reached Lian.Kylon, the treasurer, laid grim papers before him."Your Majesty… road costs exceed projections by over forty percent. In the mountains, tunneling demands twice the men and tools."
Lian frowned over the figures."The roads are essential. But if the treasury fails, the burden falls upon the people… Review alternate routes. Do not compromise safety."
His tone was steady, yet fatigue lined the words.
Nobles Escalate — Obstruction in the OpenAcross the worksites: ambushes, sabotaged supplies, staged protests.When traced, two names surfaced: Duke Parnos and Marquess Edwin.
Duke Parnos: "A road through my fief? I forbid it. You will not trample my land."
Marquess Edwin: He choked the supply of construction grain. "My harvest serves my fief. I will not waste it on roads."
Sections halted.In Parnos's lands, workers were threatened; engines burned in the night.
Fortunes of Two VillagesLisab, where the road passed—markets swelled; traders flooded in."With the Empire at our doorstep, our grain reaches the capital!" the merchants cheered.
Valenta, where the road bent away—shuttered doors; families departing.The village head wrote to Lian:"Your Majesty, we are now isolated. Our people leave. Our fields are being forsaken."
Lian's DecisionLian set the reports aside and sat long in silence.At last, he spoke quietly."These roads are meant to bind the Empire. Yet… are we binding one hand while severing the other?"
He decided."Draft measures for villages the roads do not touch:commercial stipends, new trade routes, administrative relief.No subject of the Empire will be abandoned by this road."
His gaze grew harder, surer.Roadbuilding was no mere work of stone and soil.It was the trial by which the Empire's fate would be measured.
He took up the pen and wrote new orders."We will connect the entire Empire.Not a single person. Not a single village. Left behind."