The grand court of Luthendale glittered with chandeliers and silks, but its beauty was poisoned with whispers. The nobles' voices buzzed like flies around rotten fruit.
Noble 1:"The runaway princess dares return? After months without a word—"
Noble 2:"Hah. She's desperate. She was always weak, hungry for power she could never grasp."
Noble 3:"The King should cast her aside. She is nothing but shame to the crown."
The heavy doors of the court thundered open. Guards straightened, courtiers gasped.
Liona entered, cloaked in black, her crimson eyes burning with purpose. She walked past them all, her steps unhurried, her silence sharper than a blade.
The King himself leaned forward on his throne, his face stiff with both fury and surprise.
King:"Liona. You vanish without permission, and now you dare return? Speak! What madness drives you back here?"
The courtiers laughed. Some sneered. Some whispered.
But Liona did not bow. She did not even glance at her father. Instead, she lifted her chin and spoke with a voice that carried across the court.
Liona:"Madness? No. Revelation."
The room hushed.
Liona:"While you rotted in your hollow palaces, while you bent knee to gods who never answered, I was chosen. I was commanded. I carry a name that will break this world in half."
Noble 1:"Blasphemy! What nonsense is this?"
Noble 2:"Chosen by who? Some cult? Some beggar's priest?"
Liona (sharply):"Silence. You are insects buzzing in a pit of lies. But even insects know when fire approaches."
She spread her arms, her voice rising like thunder.
Liona:"His name is Azeron. The god who reigns not from above, but from below. The throne of chains, the throne of blood, the throne of eternity itself—HE sits upon it!"
Gasps erupted. Some nobles laughed nervously. Others muttered in dread.
Noble 3:"Azeron…? Another false prophet's tale!"
Liona (cutting him down with her glare):"False? I have seen him. I have knelt before him. His shadow split Sebdue. His presence drowns kings in fear. He is not false — he is inevitable."
Her words cracked like lightning across the chamber.
Liona (shouting):"Obey Azeron, and you may yet live beneath his shadow. Resist him… and you will drown in it. This is not faith. This is not hope. This is law."
The court exploded into chaos. Nobles shouting. Guards drawing steel. Priests muttering prayers in panic.
But Liona stood firm, her crimson eyes blazing.
Liona:"You will remember this day, when the princess you mocked became the herald of the god you will all kneel before. His name will spread like wildfire. And when Azeron comes again… none of you will escape."
From the throne, the King gripped his armrest, his knuckles white. For the first time in his reign, there was fear in his eyes.
And above, the chandeliers swayed though no wind stirred them. As if a shadow lingered. As if He was listening.