THE THRONE OF THORNS
here were rumors before the fire.
That the Ming family had two daughters, not one.That the other child was hidden, forgotten… or discarded.
That her heart had always burned with envy.
And that the one person who should've protected Seren from the world…Was now leading the charge against her.
Sung Fortress – Throne Hall
Seren stood before the council again, her power now undeniable.The Hallowed Vein burned silver behind her eyes. The ancient systems responded to her thoughts. And Ares stood by her side—not as a shield, but a sword.
She wore black again.
Not for mourning.
But because she was the storm they tried to bury.
"Let it be known," the council leader declared, "Seren Ming is heir to the ancient bloodline. The Vein shall rise again."
The Syndicate applauded, albeit uneasily. Some looked at her like a savior. Others, like a threat they had no choice but to bow to.
But before the oath was sealed—
The doors burst open.
And the ghost of Seren's past walked in, wrapped in violet silk and venom.
Enter Ming Lianhua
She was taller than Seren.Curves like a dagger.Eyes as golden as a serpent's kiss.
And when she smiled, the room froze.
"Well well," she purred. "So it's true."
Seren's spine locked.
Lianhua.
She hadn't seen her in years. Not since the fire that separated them. Not since the Ming estate collapsed with only one daughter "saved."
"I was wondering how long it would take you to forget me," Lianhua whispered, eyes dancing with malice.
"You died," Seren breathed.
"I survived," she replied. "Just not in your world."
She walked slowly into the room, heels like thunder, and all eyes followed her.
"Rael found me," she said. "Saved me. Trained me."
Ares stiffened beside Seren.
"He gave me what the Ming family never did. Purpose. Power. And most of all… a crown."
Seren took a step forward. "You were always jealous."
Lianhua laughed softly. "No, sister. I was always better. I just didn't have the right blood."
She pulled out a dagger — silver, etched with Vein glyphs — and let it float in the air with a flick of her mind.
The air itself bent around it.
Gasps echoed. Even Seren's aura rippled.
"She's been awakened," Xiao whispered. "Fully."
"She's been corrupted," Ares muttered.
The Blood Challenge
"I challenge her," Lianhua said suddenly.
The room silenced.
"By ancient Vein law," she continued, "I challenge Seren Ming for the right to the throne."
Seren stared.
"You want to fight me?"
"Not today," Lianhua said with a wicked smirk. "In seven days. Full moon. On ancestral ground."
She stepped closer, their faces nearly touching.
"You've had your little moment, baby sister. But I'm done waiting in your shadow."
She leaned in, whispering:
"Rael doesn't want to rule beside you. He wants to break you.
I'll make sure he gets the pieces."
Then she turned, and vanished in violet light.
Later – The Rooftop Garden
Seren sat on the ledge, knuckles white.
"She was dead," she whispered. "They told me she died with our mother. I saw the grave."
Ares stood beside her, silent.
"She hates me."
"She envies you," he corrected.
"She'll kill me."
"Not while I breathe."
She turned, bitter. "You can't stop everything, Ares. Not even Rael. Not even her."
He grabbed her chin, made her look him in the eye.
"I'll stop everyone if I have to."
Silence stretched.
Then she spoke quietly, "What if I can't win?"
He didn't blink.
"Then I'll burn the battlefield around you until no one remembers what losing means."
Meanwhile – In the UnderCity
Rael watched Lianhua bathe her dagger in flame.
"She hates you more than she loves the crown," he said.
"I know," she replied calmly.
"That makes her dangerous."
Lianhua smirked. "No. That makes me dangerous."
She twirled the blade and whispered, "She always had the spotlight. The power. The boys. But I had the scars."
Rael leaned in, brushing her cheek.
"And now?"
"I have the rage," she whispered.
Seven Days Left
Seren stood before the mirror, face pale but fierce.
The war wasn't between Ares and Rael anymore.
It was between two sisters.Two bloodlines.One throne.
And only one would survive.