Chapter 79 – The Shadow of the Forsaken

Chapter 79 – The Shadow of the Forsaken

The world had tilted.

Once, the empire stood as the unquestionable pinnacle of power.

Now, the name of Aetheria Nyx Lunaris Solis had been carved into history in a way no one could deny.

She was not just a queen.

She was a force that surpassed kings, emperors, and conquerors alike.

And with her stood Leonhardt Valerian Everhart—the strongest warrior ever forsaken by his own land.

The empire had called him a traitor.

But now, the world was questioning…

Had the empire sealed its own fate by letting him go?

The Imperial Palace – A Growing Fear

The emperor sat in his private chambers, staring at the reports piled on his desk.

For the first time in his reign…

He felt uncertainty.

Leonhardt had been more than an heir to the Grand Duke.

He had been a pillar of the empire's strength.

And now, he stood with her.

The Night's Queen.

The daughter of the Sun God.

Aetheria Nyx Lunaris Solis, who had forced the entire world to bow with a mere proclamation.

The emperor exhaled, his fingers tightening around a golden seal.

"Leonhardt..." he murmured, his voice carrying something close to regret.

A knock sounded at the door.

"Your Majesty," a royal advisor entered, bowing deeply. "The nobles demand an answer."

Of course, they did.

The empire had lost not only a prince but an unstoppable warrior.

And in his place, they had gained an enemy unlike any other.

"Summon the court," the emperor ordered, standing from his seat. "It's time we decide the empire's next move."

The Nobles' Divided Stance

The Grand Hall of the palace was ablaze with heated discussions.

Nobles argued, voices rising above one another as they debated the most pressing question.

What should they do about Leonhardt?

Some were furious.

"He must be executed!" A noble slammed his fist on the table. "We must send an army to hunt him down and erase his existence!"

Others were more cautious.

"And risk angering the Night's Queen?" Duke Helbrecht scoffed. "Do you have a death wish?"

A silence fell over the court.

Because despite their arrogance, they all knew the truth.

Aetheria Nyx Lunaris Solis was untouchable.

And if they moved against Leonhardt, they would also be moving against her.

"Then what do you suggest?"

The emperor's voice cut through the hall, silencing the debates.

Duke Helbrecht inhaled sharply.

"We watch."

Many nobles bristled at the thought of doing nothing.

But Helbrecht continued.

"Leonhardt will move. The Night's Queen will move. And when they do, we will learn their weaknesses."

It was a bitter reality.

But it was their only choice.

For now.

The Common People's Perspective

If the nobles and warriors had been shaken by Leonhardt's betrayal, then the commoners were completely divided.

Some hated him.

"He abandoned us!" they cried in the streets. "He was supposed to be our strongest shield!"

But others saw something else.

"The empire called him a traitor… but why?" murmured a merchant in the marketplace. "What if they forced him into it?"

And then there were those who whispered in hushed voices.

"If even the Night's Queen—the ruler of the heavens—claimed him as hers… then perhaps he was never meant to belong to the empire at all."

For the first time, doubt was creeping into the hearts of the people.

The empire had called him a traitor.

But was he truly one?

Or had they simply lost something they never deserved to have?

The Other Kingdoms React

Beyond the empire's borders, kings and rulers sat in uneasy silence.

Because no matter which way they looked at it…

This was an opportunity.

The empire had lost its greatest warrior.

The Night's Queen had declared her dominance.

And now, the balance of power was shifting.

"We must move carefully," King Aldric of Velyria murmured to his advisors. "A storm is coming… and we must be ready."

In another distant kingdom, a young prince clenched his fists.

"Leonhardt was once the empire's greatest sword." His voice was filled with determination. "Now he is free. And that means he can be claimed."

The world was watching.

And for the first time in centuries…

The empire was vulnerable.

Meanwhile…

Far from the turmoil of courts and politics, in the deepest corners of the Night's Queen's domain…

Aetheria Nyx Lunaris Solis stood at the highest balcony of her castle, staring at the moonlit sky.

Beside her, Leonhardt Valerian Everhart stood silent, yet unshaken.

They had been watching the world react.

They had expected everything that had happened.

But none of it mattered.

Because in the end…

The world could fear them, hate them, worship them…

It made no difference.

Because they had found each other.

And together—

They were untouchable.

To Be Continued in Chapter 80…