The crown less rise

The morning came quietly.

No fanfare. No thunder.

Just the sound of wind brushing through pine trees and the steady beat of Megumi's heart as he stood at the edge of the cliff behind the cabin, staring out into the vast mountain valley. The sun rose slowly, casting gold across the peaks like a silent promise.

Behind him, Ava watched from the doorway.

He hadn't spoken much after the dream. But something was different now.

He stood taller.

His shoulders didn't sag like they used to.

And though the black halo still shimmered faintly above his head, it no longer looked like a curse.

It looked like a symbol.

The Decision

"I've run long enough," Megumi said without turning.

Ava stepped beside him. "Where will you go?"

"I don't know yet," he admitted. "But I can't hide while people suffer. While he—" his jaw tightened, "—keeps hurting the people I care about."

"Lythic won't stop," she said. "Neither will the gods."

Megumi nodded. "Then neither will I."

He looked at his hands—once trembling, now still. He could feel it beneath the surface: the fire, the void, the legacy of kings he didn't ask for. It scared him… but no longer paralyzed him.

"I may not wear a crown," he said, "but I'll rise anyway. With or without Olympus's permission."

Ava smiled softly. "Then I'll rise with you."

Their hands brushed.

And in that quiet moment—no explosions, no declarations—the world shifted.

Elsewhere – The Shadows Move

Far beyond the mortal realm, in the ruins of a forgotten cathedral swallowed by night, a figure watched from a mirror of black water.

Asmodeus.

He stood with his arms crossed, golden eyes gleaming with amusement as the surface reflected Megumi's vow.

"He's finally stepping forward," he mused aloud.

Behind him, Lythic leaned against a fractured pillar, his expression unreadable. His cloak of darkness billowed without wind.

"Good," Lythic said coldly. "The more he awakens, the more the seal weakens."

Asmodeus turned. "And the more the gods panic."

"They should panic."

Asmodeus grinned. "Are you still planning to take the girl?"

Lythic didn't answer.

But the look in his eyes said enough.

"She's his tether," he muttered. "Break that… and the Fallen King will collapse under his own weight."

The Sky Cracks

Back at the cabin, Megumi felt something shift.

The wind slowed.

The birds stopped singing.

And the clouds split like torn fabric as divine energy poured through the sky.

A portal.

A golden, god-forged gate opened above the valley—lightning dancing around its edges, a signal to all who could feel its power.

Megumi stepped forward instinctively, wings manifesting from his back in a flash of black and white feathers.

Ava's eyes widened. "What is that?"

"An invitation," Megumi said grimly. "Or a warning."

From within the portal, a voice echoed down—rich and layered, like every Olympian speaking at once.

"Fallen King. You who rise without crown. Your actions ripple through the heavens.

Olympus does not forget. Olympus does not forgive. Prepare yourself."

The voice faded.

And then the portal closed, leaving only crackling energy in its place.

Ava looked at Megumi.

He was still staring upward, but something had changed.

There was no fear in his eyes.

Only purpose.

Megumi's Declaration

"I'm not their pawn," he whispered.

Then louder: "I'm not their enemy."

He turned to Ava.

"But if they make me one—I won't hold back again."

She nodded, stepping to his side.

"Then let's show them why the throne they fear isn't what they think it is."

And with that, Megumi reached for the stone tablet once more.

The prophecy still glowed—but now the last line had changed. New symbols had formed beneath the surface, etched into existence by his choice.

"The crownless shall rise, not as tyrant, but as shield.

For the world, not above it. For love, not glory."

Megumi breathed deep.

And his halo flared brighter than it ever had.