King Soren's lips curled into a faint, knowing smirk.
"…Very well, then."
He rose from his throne with calm authority, his cloak trailing behind him like a shadow of the old Zeloria—one that was about to change forever.
"A first-hand Silver Letter and absolute trade protection for the next eighty years," he said, voice low and deliberate. "A lucrative offer indeed, Princess Nyssa."
His gaze lingered on her—sharp, calculating.
"And let's be honest—no one else could match your terms for this Arbitrary Trade Partnership, much less outbid you."
Nyssa's eyes gleamed.
"Then I'll take that as your approval—for the partnership between Zeloria and Velmor?"
King Soren paused, then gave a slow nod.
"Indeed. But I have something else to offer."
Nyssa's brow lifted slightly, intrigued.
"For generations, Zeloria has stood proud—independent. But I fear that time is ending. The world is changing. Sooner or later, we must choose a god… or we won't survive."
He raised his hand—palm forward—invoking the ancient gesture of oath and devotion.
"And today… I believe I've found the one worthy of Zeloria's faith—and its future."
Nyssa's lips parted, stunned. But as realization dawned, a smile—half reverent, half cunning—curved across her face.
"I didn't expect this," she whispered. "But I have a feeling… this will be one of the greatest deals of my life."
King Soren's voice rang out, proud and clear:
"From this day forth, I offer my faith to Queen Medusa."
A hush swept the royal hall.
Then—
A thunderous echo as every voice rose in unison:
"From this day forth, we offer our faith to Queen Medusa."
And then—
Reality trembled.
The air went still.
Flames flickered unnaturally.
Wind paused mid-breath.
Time itself… hesitated.
The universe stopped—and listened.
***
Across the lands and sea, in the land of Thaimera—one of the five sovereign nations of the Nollarch Realm—Medusa's eyes fluttered open.
She felt it instantly.
Faith.
Raw.
Undeniable.
It flooded toward her like a tidal wave.
Her aura ignited—bright, heavy, ancient. Power bloomed around her, thicker than it had been in centuries.
Visions filled her mind. Faces. Thousands.
The people of Zeloria. Hands raised. Voices lifted. Devotion surging.
She didn't just feel it.
She heard it.
Unified. Absolute.
And slowly—proudly—she smiled.
***
Nyra and Raezel sat atop the old stone wall, legs dangling as the night sky stretched endlessly above them. Stars shimmered like scattered pearls on velvet.
A breeze stirred the scent of night chicara blossoms.
Neither spoke.
Not at first.
Then Nyra broke the silence, voice soft.
"I heard you found the traitors… and dealt with them yourself."
She smiled faintly.
"Thank you. Now we can grow. Without those nobles poisoning everything."
Raezel shook his head.
"Don't thank me. It's my job—as Guardian of Velmor."
He looked skyward.
"If Velmor falls into ruin… it doesn't just stain me. It stains my mother's name. And Thaimera's authority."
Nyra frowned gently.
"Thaimera?"
Raezel turned slightly toward her.
"It's one of the five nations of Nollarch. My mother—Medusa—governs it."
Nyra blinked.
"Wait… you're really a prince? Of the Monster Realm?"
Raezel chuckled.
"Not exactly. No one rules the whole of Nollarch. It's too wild. It's divided into five sovereign nations: Thaimera, Ezrath, Xendral, Grimhold, and Hivras. My mother governs Thaimera—so yes, I'm the prince of Thaimera, not of all Nollarch."
Nyra leaned back, still processing.
"Wow. I always thought monsters just lived in… I don't know… trees and caves."
Raezel raised an eyebrow.
"Seriously?"
Nyra winced.
"Ah… yeah. Kinda."
A pause.
Then both of them burst into laughter.
Their laughter echoed softly across the empty field. Light. Unforced.
Nyra wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.
"You really love her, don't you?"
Raezel's smile lingered for a moment—then faded. Not in sadness.
He grew quiet.
"Why shouldn't I?"
"In my past life… I was thirteen when my father died. Construction accident. A scaffolding collapsed. Just like that—gone."
"I locked myself in my room. Cried for two days straight. But I thought I'd be okay. I still had my mom."
"But she started drinking. Said it dulled the pain. At first, I believed it was temporary. But the bottles kept coming. The silence stretched longer. I tried to reach her. I begged. I yelled. Once or twice… she hit me."
"Then one day, my teacher called me to the principal's office. Two officers were waiting. I knew something was wrong the second I saw their faces."
"She was dead. Hit by a car while crossing the road. Drunk. I didn't have enough money to cremate her. I had to donate her body to the hospital."
"After that, I was placed in a government children's home. Cold food. Cold beds. Colder stares. I counted every day until I turned eighteen."
"I was a good student. Got a job. Maybe I was lucky. But even then—I was invisible. No one saw me unless they needed something. My manager made me work overtime—unpaid. I was a name on a list. A ghost in a uniform."
"Then one weekend, I was heading home. Just another empty day. And then—bam. A truck. That fast."
"And the next time I opened my eyes…"
"She was there. Medusa."
"She looked at me like I mattered. Like I was someone. She gave me everything I ever wanted—love. A family. A home. People see me now. They know my name."
"I'm not invisible anymore."
Nyra had been silent the whole time. Watching him. Listening to him like she could feel the shape of every word in his heart.
She reached out, gently.
"Raezel… are you okay?"
The memory faded. The stars remained. So did her voice.
Raezel looked at her—unguarded.
"Yes," he said quietly, firmly. "I love her."