Deposed

In a flash of light, Jade appears before an old but spacious cabin. Still dressed in her regal birthing gown, she quickly looks down at Jaceon, her breath hitching—only to sigh in relief when his bright eyes meet hers.

An old, bald man with a thick beard and even thicker muscles approaches, an axe resting in his calloused hand. The rhythmic thuds of chopped firewood had ceased, leaving only the massive pile stacked beside the splitting block as evidence of his work.

"Jade? What are you doing here?" the man asserts, his scowl deepening. "And with a child, no less."

"Father, I have a favor to ask of you—" Jade begins, desperation slipping into her tone.

"Nope. Not doing it," Jonah cuts her off bluntly, already turning back toward his chopping block. He raises the axe once more. "Get on now. Don't want any soldiers knocking on my door."

"Father, please... he was born with the Vantablack," she murmurs, hoping he won't grow even more upset.

Jonah's head snaps toward her, his gaze locking onto the child. "The what?" His voice is sharp, disbelief laced in every word. He stares at Jaceon, eyes narrowing before he exhales sharply, scratching his temple. "You've got to be kidding me. I could've died a peaceful old man, and instead, you show up bringing that of all things?" He tugs at his beard, pacing as he processes the revelation.

"I... I understand if you can't forgive me, Father, but he's done nothing wrong." Jade's voice trembles. "All I ask is that you take him in and keep him safe. If I can fake his death, Jaxon won't hunt him. He'll be safe here—I know he will. Please, Father."

Silence settles between them. Jonah doesn't speak, doesn't move. The weight of her words lingers in the air, and as Jade watches him, tears of desperation well up in her eyes.

"We both know Jaxon can't be fooled. Trying to fake his death would only delay the inevitable. He knows you'd never let this boy die unless you were dead too—walking up to him with some staged story? That would be all the proof he needs that the boy is alive and well." Jonah sighs in frustration. "You'll both have to stay here. I still have connections in the military—maybe I can work something out, have them report to Jaxon that you've both been killed."

Jade's breath catches, and before she can stop herself, she leans forward, resting her head against her father's chest, tears spilling as she clutches Jaceon tighter. "Thank you, Father. So much."

Jonah exhales sharply and pushes her off with an irritated grunt. Jade sighs but can't help the small smile forming on her lips as she wipes away her tears with her free arm.

"Are you sure the soldiers will be loyal to you over Jaxon?" Jade asks.

Jonah snickers. "Jaxon's always been a bit of a nut. My soldiers were loyal to the previous emperor—and to me. They'll do it; they better do it," he replies, striding toward the cabin. He throws his axe onto the splitting block and dusts his hands off. "Come inside—it's late."

***

Several years have passed.

Jaceon is now seven, living in a secluded cabin with his mother, Jade, and his grandfather, Jonah. Over time, Jonah has trained Jaceon to harness his abilities—albeit only partially—under Jade's ever-watchful, paranoid gaze. Though Jonah and Jade frequently clashed in the past, their arguments have now faded into a tense silence.

Meanwhile, Jaxon Myxom was deposed from the imperial throne—not due to an external threat, but because of his own hesitation. When confronted with the need to eliminate the Vantablack presence, he faltered; and when pressed about it, he resorted to killing the midwife. The public outcry that followed sealed his fate. The soldiers under Jonah reported that Jade and Jaceon were dead—fulfilling his grim promise—so most in the Myxom Empire accept that they perished. Yet the absence of any bodies or definitive evidence has left lingering doubts, and search efforts continue to this day.

In the kitchen, Jade busily prepares a meal while little Jaceon eagerly assists her—handing over ingredients and stirring the pot. Meanwhile, in the living room, Jonah slouches on the couch watching the news. When Jaxon's name appears in the headline, Jonah grabs the remote and turns up the volume.

News Broadcast:

"—It appears that war with the Cryomon, Gla'Keel, and Perma clans against the Myxom is inevitable. As winter approaches, these factions are preparing for conflict."

"Thank you, Nikol. In other news concerning the Myxom clan, former Emperor Jaxon Myxom—recently removed from power—is now publicly conspiring with the Perma clan. It appears he has been located behind Perma clan borders. Here's some footage from a speech he delivered three days ago."

Video cuts to Jaxon's speech:

"Thank you, thank you... Ahem. Hello, people of the Cryomon, Gla'Keel, and Perma clans. As you know, my name is Jaxon Myxom, former Emperor of the Myxom clan. You should all be aware that I was betrayed by my own people—removed from my throne by Umbral Supremacists, those despicable Myxom extremists who continue to carry on Jareth's legacy. They now control the Myxom Empire and even planned to revive Jareth himself. I am telling you today that they have succeeded in resurrecting the monster, using my wife as a sacrifice."

(Gasps and murmurs ripple through the crowd, quickly hushed by Jaxon.)

"Calm down, people. Understand why I once ruled the Myxom clan. My holy Myxote connects me directly with Heaven—I am an angel, and yet my own clan has utterly betrayed me. This treachery has opened my eyes to the demons among us. I was chosen by the angels to purify and dismantle the Myxom clan from within. I now know my destiny."

(Perma clan members erupt in cheers, their fervor sending a chill through the air.)

"That is why I stand before you today—to forge an alliance among our people. With our combined strength, we can obliterate the Myxom demons! This alliance is blessed by God; we are chosen by Heaven to exterminate these vermin! Henceforth, we shall be known as The Godsent. We cannot lose—we are the Frostbound Alliance, and we will save the world! Slaughter the Myxom demons! Slaughter the Myxom demons! Slaughter the Myxom demons!"

(The footage abruptly cuts back to the studio.)

"This video was captured within Perma clan borders—a territory a Myxom clan member would never normally access, unless they had something significant to offer. It appears the major cyrokenetic clans have risen against the so-called 'demons of the Myxom clan.' The end of the Myxom Empire may be near."

"Well said, Adam. And as we all know, the Myxom clan despises the cold; this alliance could prove devastating for them. We now have a live call from the new Emperor of the Myxom clan, Emperor Jokai Myxom!"

The broadcast transitions to a live call:

"Hello, and thank you for having me, Nikol. Hello, everyone—I am Emperor Jokai Myxom, and I must clarify that everything Jaxon has said is fals—"

(The live feed glitches and abruptly disconnects.)

"Please excuse the technical difficulties, ladies and gentlemen," Nikol Equemseskar states in a measured tone. "We appear to have lost our connection with Emperor Jokai. We are working to re-establish the link. In the meantime, on Worldwide Kepler News, we have breaking reports that the Vexian alien race has apparently forged an alliance with our people. We'll return with more updates shortly."

"Jaxon doesn't actually think people will believe that nonsense, does he?"

Jade says from the kitchen while moving the bowl of batter out of Jaceon's greedy reach. "Myxom demons, Umbral Supremacists? Chosen by angels?"

"It's possible," Jonah cuts in, interrupting Jade's mockery. "When you throw God into the mix, people are quick to believe it."

He turns the volume back down as an advertisement blares, clearly annoying him. "And the Umbral Supremacists have been more active since Jaceon was born. On top of that, he does have a holy Myxote. It would be all too easy for him to manipulate people."

"Unbelievable," Jade says, a pang of fear in her voice. "I truly hope everything will work out."

"I doubt it will—never does," Jonah replies.

TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER THREE: THE MILLENNIUM FORCE

Bonus Information

The Umbral Supremacists are a faction within the Myxom clan who believe that the Umbral Reign Era was the pinnacle of the Myxom Empire. They despise the current empire's eagerness to appease other clans, empires, and kingdoms, longing instead for the days when the Myxom were feared, free from debt, and unashamed. For them, loyalty to the Myxom clan comes before all else—a conviction reignited by the birth of Jaceon.

Since his arrival, discussions of the Vantablack and Jareth have resurfaced, enabling the once-dormant Umbral Supremacists to gain influence within the Myxom clan. Their sway is so significant that Je'Cain Myxom, the Umbral Supremacist leader, came within inches of ascending as the new emperor after Jaxon was removed from power.

This growing influence has split the Myxom Empire into two distinct factions. One faction insists that Jareth's actions were utterly evil, holding that, as his descendants, they must atone for the galaxy-wide damage he inflicted. The other faction contends that the Myxom clan is a force to be reckoned with—one that should be both feared and respected—arguing that Jareth was only able to commit his atrocities because of the inherent strength of the Myxom, set against the weakness of other clans.