Help! My Moms Are Overpowered Tyrants, and I’m Stuck as Their Baby!

The black smoke billowed like a storm cloud, consuming the stage and the surrounding area in seconds. My heart raced in my chest as I forced my way forward, cutting through the chaos, my thoughts scrambled like the shouts and screams around me. The square was plunged into a thick, choking fog, blurring everything in sight.

"Everyone, get down!" I shouted over the rising panic. I didn't know if they could hear me, but I couldn't afford to be uncertain. Mara's hand shot out, pulling Aria back behind her protective barrier as she created a shimmering wall of energy, shielding us from the worst of the smoke.

Riven was grinning in the midst of it all, utterly unfazed by the chaos. "I thought this would be a bit more fun," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, though I could see his hands crackling with energy, ready for anything.

But I wasn't focused on him. I wasn't focused on any of them, not right now.

The execution platform had disappeared behind the wall of smoke, and in its place, a violent tension hung in the air, thick enough to taste. The crowd had fallen into frantic disarray, some scrambling to escape, others shouting at the soldiers, demanding answers.

I strained my eyes, trying to locate the rebel captain, but all I could see were shadows and figures moving too fast to catch. The guards were yelling orders, but it was hard to make sense of anything in the chaos.

[You need to calm down,] the system's voice appeared in my mind, cutting through the madness like a needle through fabric. [You can't act recklessly right now. Focus.]

I gritted my teeth, turning away from the chaos. I had to think I had to think. I couldn't let this moment slip through my fingers. This wasn't just a random outburst. This was a revolt.

Suddenly, the system's voice became sharper, more insistent.

[You need to stop this now. You have a mission.]

I froze, my body tense as the realization hit. Of course. It was all part of the plan.

I felt my stomach churn. "The mission," I whispered to myself. This is it. The system had been guiding me all this time, but now, with everything escalating, I had to stop it before things spiraled beyond saving.

The voice of the system rang clearer, more urgent than before.

[You have two objectives: first, prevent this rebellion from spreading any further. If the people rise up, your parents' control will crumble. Your mission is to protect the throne. Second, find the source of the rebellion. The rebel leader, or leaders. They must be stopped before they can rally more support.]

I closed my eyes for a moment, taking in a sharp breath. The weight of the responsibility settled over me like a cold cloak. It wasn't just about the execution or about protecting the crown for the sake of power it was about maintaining order, keeping the kingdom intact. If this uprising spread...

I snapped my eyes open again, scanning the square.

I turned to Velka, who stood beside me, her gaze intense. She hadn't said anything, hadn't moved since the smoke had hit, but she was alert, her eyes darting across the crowd.

"Velka," I whispered urgently, "you know this city. You know its underbelly. You know the rebel factions. Tell me where they are."

Velka met my gaze with an unreadable expression. "The rebel factions have been quiet for two years. They've been regrouping waiting. But the last time I was in the capital, I heard whispers. If they've made their move, it's only the beginning."

I nodded, taking in her words. This wasn't a one-off incident. This was planned. And it was only going to get worse unless I stopped it.

I turned back to the square. Soldiers were beginning to push through the crowd, ushering people away from the execution stage, but the riotous energy of the crowd refused to die down.

"This isn't just a distraction," I muttered. "It's an incitement. The people aren't just angry—they're ready to burn everything."

[You know what to do,] the system's voice broke through my thoughts, low and precise. [Use your magic. Now. You must silence them, or they'll drown out everything you're trying to protect.]

I hesitated, the weight of it all pressing on me. But the moment was slipping away, and I couldn't afford to hesitate any longer.

I raised my hands, focusing on the subtle magic swirling inside me. My fingers sparked with violet flame, and as I inhaled, the flames began to rise, wrapping around my wrists. I wasn't going to burn the city, not like this. But I could use my power to push the chaos back, to restore order.

With a sharp exhale, I released the energy. A blast of fire erupted from my hands, swirling outward in a controlled burst. It wasn't meant to destroy; it was meant to deter. To clear a path.

The crowd's noise died down instantly as the flames streaked above their heads, a warning. A force to be reckoned with.

They stopped in their tracks, most of them now staring up at the sky, afraid. But it wasn't enough. I could feel the murmurs rising again, just below the surface, and I knew I couldn't keep up the display for long.

We had to get to the source of this rebellion. Find out who was behind it.

But the system wasn't finished with me yet.

[There is someone you need to find. Someone inside the palace. There is an insider among the royal ranks.]

I frowned, trying to process this. An insider? That was a far more dangerous revelation than I'd anticipated.

"An insider?" I murmured, glancing at Velka.

She nodded grimly. "Someone from inside the palace is orchestrating all of this. It's possible that they've been manipulating your parents. You need to find them before they strike."

I swallowed. So that was it. The rebels weren't working alone.

The system's voice echoed again, growing darker.

[You need to act fast. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to contain the rebellion. Don't let them succeed. Stop them, now.]

The flames I had conjured began to dissipate, swirling in the breeze like tendrils of smoke. The square had quieted well, mostly. The crowd was still uneasy, but my intervention had, for the moment, quelled the growing unrest. The air felt heavy, thick with tension, as if everyone was holding their breath, waiting for something to happen.

I turned to Mara and Velka, exchanging a glance with them before I focused on the platform once more. The rebel leader was nowhere to be seen—likely lost in the chaos, vanishing into the crowd, his voice silenced by the flames. The nobles still kneeled on the platform, their chains gleaming as the executioner waited for the signal. I clenched my fists, my stomach tight with uncertainty. The message had been made clear; this was about more than just these executions. There was something bigger at play here, something dangerous I couldn't yet fully comprehend.

"Are we just going to let them do this?" I muttered under my breath, but it was more to myself than to anyone else.

Velka's gaze was unwavering, her expression unreadable, as always. "What choice do we have? If we interfere any further, the consequences will be... catastrophic. The people want blood."

I looked at her sharply. "But that's just it. The people want blood, and you know it's not just about these nobles. This has been building for years."

Riven, who had been unusually quiet, stepped closer, his face tense but thoughtful. "You're right. This isn't just about a few traitors. The rebels have been working in the shadows for far longer than we realized." He glanced at Velka. "The question is, who's behind all this?"

Before Velka could answer, my gaze snapped back to the execution stage, where I saw my parents, Verania and Sylvithra, stepping forward. The tension in the air was palpable as they raised their hands to silence the growing whispers.

Their presence was commanding—no one dared speak out as the Queen and Consort of Velmoria made their appearance. Verania's sharp golden eyes swept over the crowd, her lips pressed into a thin line, exuding authority. Sylvithra's silver-gray gaze scanned the stage with an almost analytical calm, as though she were observing a chess game and calculating the next move.

"Enough," Verania's voice rang out, strong and unwavering. "The executions will proceed as planned. Any further disturbance will be met with consequences."

The tone of her voice left no room for argument, but the undercurrent of danger in her words made the air even heavier. The crowds grew silent, but I could see the flicker of defiance in some of the commoners' eyes. The rebellion wasn't over, not by a long shot.

Sylvithra spoke then, her voice softer, more strategic. "The people must understand the price of betrayal. We cannot allow unrest to threaten the stability of our kingdom. Today's actions will serve as a warning." She turned her gaze toward me, though her eyes were cold. "And for the future, I expect our heir to understand the gravity of these decisions."

I stiffened, not entirely sure how to interpret her words. There was a sharpness to her tone when she said "our heir" that made me feel small, exposed, as though I were an object in a display case, to be judged and analyzed. I hated the way she looked at me—like I was a pawn in a game she played but never explained.

"You'll carry the weight of this, Elyzara," Verania added, her gaze now firmly fixed on me. There was no warmth in her eyes, only the cold reality of a mother who saw nothing but duty. "Everything we do, every choice we make, is to protect our family, to protect Velmoria. You must understand this, no matter the cost."

I didn't reply. There was nothing I could say to that. I had learned long ago that when my mother spoke in such a way, it wasn't up for debate. And in this moment, there was no room for hesitation. They were right. I understood it all too well.

A sharp cry cut through the silence as the first noble was executed. The crowd gasped, and I felt a pang in my chest—an ache that was both personal and political. There was no glory in this, no honor. The blood of traitors was spilled, but all I could see was the fractured kingdom that lay in the wake of such violence.

Verania and Sylvithra turned, their faces masked with regal indifference as they prepared to leave the stage.

But before they could move, the system chimed in, cutting through my thoughts with a warning:

[Warning: New objective detected.]

My heart skipped a beat.

"What now?" I murmured, almost involuntarily, but the system didn't answer verbally. Instead, it sent a string of data directly into my mind.

[Mission: Prevent further escalation. Investigate the true source of the rebellion within the court. Investigate the rebel connections within the royal circle. Do not let the execution be used as a diversion. Proceed with caution.]

I frowned, feeling the weight of the new directive settling heavily on me. What were my parents planning? And who within the court could be helping the rebels?

My mind raced. I couldn't let the situation spiral out of control. I had to be strategic. I had to find out who was pulling the strings before they found me first.

"Elyzara," Velka's voice snapped me out of my reverie, her tone sharp with urgency. "We need to move. Now."

I nodded, pulling my thoughts back into focus. "I know. We're not done here. We need to figure out who's behind all this, before it's too late."

I glanced at Riven and Aria, who were watching the execution stage with narrowed eyes. They'd seen the same thing I had the tension, the danger lurking beneath the surface.

"You two, stick with me," I ordered. "Velka, we'll need your knowledge of the underground factions. We don't have much time."

Velka nodded, her expression unreadable, and together, we made our way toward the exit, avoiding the panicked crowds and keeping a careful eye on the stage.

But I couldn't shake the feeling that something else was coming something worse than any of us had anticipated. I felt like we were standing on the edge of a precipice, and any wrong step would send us plummeting into chaos.

As we exited the square, the storm that had raged earlier seemed to linger in the air, thick and oppressive. But I knew there would be no shelter from the storm we were about to face. The winds of rebellion had already begun to blow.