The echoes of battle had barely faded, but the entire Shadow Realm felt it—the balance of power had shifted.
By ancient law, no bloodline could claim the Throne of Shadows unless they stood alone and triumphed. And today… I had done exactly that.
But as I stood amidst the rubble of the battlefield, bruised and barely breathing, the Shadow Queen appeared at my side, her voice low and commanding.
"It is time, Liam Zhang. Time for the world to witness their new King."
The earth trembled as a massive ring of black stone rose from the ground, forming a colossal ceremonial arena in the heart of the Shadow Realm.
Thousands gathered—demon lords, shadow beasts, exiled sorcerers, and ancient beings who had slept for millennia.
Above them all, in the sky torn between night and deeper night, the faded constellation of the Shadow Crown slowly reignited, star by star.
The prophecy was coming true.
I stood at the center of the arena, my heart pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat.
The Shadow Queen stepped forward first, wearing ceremonial armor that gleamed like liquid night. Her crimson eyes locked onto mine, unreadable and yet… softer than I'd ever seen.
She raised the Crown of Shadows—a black circlet forged from the first darkness of creation itself.
The air grew impossibly still.
"By ancient decree and the will of the bloodline, I present to you the Final Heir, the Mortal King of Shadows… Liam Zhang."
The crown floated from her hands, suspended in the air by ancient magic.
But before it could descend onto my head, a blinding pain shot through my chest.
My shadow erupted outward again, but this time, I wasn't losing control.
The shadows didn't consume me.
They bowed to me.
The thousands gathered felt it too. One by one, they dropped to their knees, their heads bowed low.
Even the proudest lords of the Old Houses had no choice but to submit.
For the first time in eons, the shadows themselves accepted a new ruler.
The crown settled on my head.
A wave of unimaginable power flooded through me—but this time, it didn't crush me.
It completed me.
I felt it all—the heartbeat of the Shadow Realm, the whispers of forgotten gods, the loyalty of legions that had waited lifetimes for a king.
And with it came a terrifying realization…
This wasn't just a title.
It was a burden.
And it had only just begun.
The Shadow Queen approached, her voice low enough only I could hear.
"You've taken the throne, Liam… but can you keep it?"
Her eyes flicked toward the horizon, where new storms brewed.
"Because your enemies won't stop here. And neither… will I."
My heart skipped.
What did she mean by that?
Before I could ask, she turned and vanished into the shadows, leaving me standing alone—King of a realm on the brink of chaos.
To be continued…