Samuel_Nwachukwu_

The Pale Monarch

In a vast multiverse, five Monarchs balance the forces of existence, ruled by the divine Benevolent Eyes. But when Raziel, the Monarch of Shades, betrays and kills Alistair, the Monarch of Light, darkness spreads across the universes.

Unknown to Raziel, the Monarch of Souls secretly preserved a fragment of Alistair’s soul and placed it in the lifeless body of Cedric, the son of a town chief on Low Earth.

Now reborn as Cedric, Alistair exists in a human body, stripped of his full power. He must grow, learn, and struggle as he rediscovers himself—not just as a Monarch, but as a human.

But when Raziel discovers his survival, he unleashes Pandemoniums, monstrous demons that devour mana and destroy worlds. The invasion forces Low Humans to flee to the floating Sky City, where they must live under the rule of High Humans, the privileged children of the Monarchs.

As Cedric fights to protect the weak, he begins to unlock his lost power, but the High Humans see him as a threat. Betrayed and cast down to the ruined lands below, he must now survive alone against terrifying creatures—while discovering the truth behind Raziel’s betrayal and his own purpose as the last hope against the darkness.

A journey of power, destiny, and humanity begins.

THE PALE MONARCH

The carriage rolled forward, The bodies of the bandits were far behind them now, but the tension still lingered. The sun had fully set,

Jorin sat across from Cedric, arms crossed. His gaze shifted to Cedric's sword, which now rested at his side. He had seen Cedric summon it from thin air during the fight. It wasn't something a normal person could do.

"You never told us," Jorin said, breaking the silence. "How do you do that? The sword—where does it come from?"

Lila, who had been comforting her younger siblings, glanced at Cedric as well. She had seen it too.

Cedric kept his eyes on the road ahead. "It's just something I learned," he said. His voice was calm, but short.

Jorin didn't buy it. "That's not something you just learn. Normal people don't pull weapons out of nowhere."

Lila leaned forward slightly. "You don't have to tell us if you don't want to," she said. "But it's strange, Cedric. You're not a High Human, but you do things only they can do."

Cedric's fingers tightened slightly on the edge of his seat. He didn't want to lie, but he couldn't tell them the truth either. He had already been hunted once. If word got out that he had powers, it would happen again.

"It's just a trick," he said. "Nothing special."

Jorin raised an eyebrow. "A trick?"

Cedric nodded, keeping his face unreadable.

Jorin let out a small sigh and leaned back against the carriage wall. "Fine. Keep your secrets."

Lila didn't push further either. Instead, she turned her attention back to her younger siblings, who were curled up against her. The little boy, Kian, looked up at her with tired eyes.

"Lila… when are we getting there?" he asked. His voice was soft, barely above a whisper.

Lila ran a hand through his messy hair. "Soon," she said. "Just a little longer."

The little girl, Sera, rubbed her eyes. "Will there be food?"

Lila smiled at them. "Of course. When we get there, you'll eat as much as you want. Warm bread, fresh meat, sweet fruit. You just have to be patient."

The children's eyes lit up slightly, even in their exhaustion. The thought of good food was enough to keep them hopeful.

Jorin chuckled. "You're making it sound like heaven."

Lila shrugged. "They need something to look forward to."

Cedric remained silent, watching the exchange. He had almost forgotten what it was like to talk about simple things like food, warmth, and safety. His world had been nothing but fighting and survival.

Lila glanced at him. "You should look forward to it too, you know. You act like you don't even think about food."

Cedric smirked slightly. "I think about food."

Jorin grinned. "Then you should be excited. We've been eating nothing but dry rations for days."

Lila nodded. "Exactly. When we get there, we'll finally have real meals again."

The children smiled at the thought, and even Jorin seemed more relaxed.

Cedric, however, couldn't fully let his guard down. He had learned the hard way that peace never lasted. Even now, as they traveled under the Sunny sky, he remained alert.

For now, though, he let them talk.

They had something to look forward to.

And he would make sure they got there safely.

Chapter 23 – Questions and Promises