Shadow Over the Heavenly Throne

The inner garden was one of the few places in the palace where silence didn’t feel ominous. Soft rustling leaves, the quiet splash of a fountain, the occasional footstep on stone tiles—everything sounded as if the world had exhaled. As if even the air had settled for a moment to listen.

Sylphia walked slowly behind the long gown of Veynessa, who, as always, seemed to glide more than walk. Their strolls never had a defined destination, and yet Veynessa never allowed a single path to be chosen at random.

“So...” Sylphia began, seemingly offhanded, but with a tightness in her voice that revealed how long she’d carried the question. “You really moved her into Lady Calista’s apartment?”

“Yes,” Veynessa answered without pausing. “Shion will be living with her from now on and training under her supervision.”

Sylphia frowned and came to a halt. “But why her?”

Veynessa looked back at her over her shoulder. There was no anger or surprise in her eyes—just that knowing glint, as if she'd been waiting for the question.

“Because Calista doesn’t teach. She never takes students. Ever. But Shion... has potential that can’t be ignored. Not even by her.”

“Potential?” Sylphia repeated the word like it had a strange taste. “How much?”

Veynessa turned fully. Under the midday sun, she looked like a statue carved from marble. Untouchable. Perfect.

“Practically limitless.”

That single sentence sank into Sylphia like a claw. Her fingers clenched at her sleeve. Not from anger. Not from jealousy. From something... deeper.

“I want to start too,” she said after a moment. “I want to train too.”

Veynessa didn’t answer immediately.

“Sylphia...”

“No, I mean it!” the girl interrupted. “Everyone else is doing something! Shion is already training, even Calista took her in! And me? I’m just supposed to sit around and watch?”

She stepped forward and lifted her chin. Her eyes shimmered with determination. That expression Veynessa feared—because it was both a weapon and a plea.

“Please.”

Veynessa sighed.

“No.”

“But I—”

“No.” This time her voice was firmer. “Your journey will begin when your roots awaken. For now, your only task is to absorb Qi and build your foundation.”

Sylphia opened her mouth, but said nothing. Eventually, she just crossed her arms and looked away.

“It’s not fair.”

Veynessa gave a small smile.

“We’re not here for fairness, sweetheart. We’re here to survive.”

For a moment, silence.

“Does... Calista like her?” Sylphia asked suddenly.

Veynessa raised a brow.

“Calista isn’t here to like. But maybe... maybe she saw something familiar in Shion.”

Sylphia lowered her gaze. She didn’t reply.

Veynessa noticed.

“Come. Let’s go see your father. He should be in the council hall by now.”

Sylphia grimaced and shook her head.

“I don’t want to. He only talks about duty and what else needs fixing in the kingdom. Even if I go, he won’t really look at me. To him, everything is just obligation, and I... I’m just another piece on the board.”

Veynessa stopped and gave her a gentle smile.

“Sylphia...” she said, watching her carefully. “Your father is not an easy man. But not because he doesn’t see you. Sometimes... he just doesn’t know how to show it. Ruling this kingdom consumes him. Sometimes, too much.”

She sighed softly and placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "But that doesn’t mean you’re not important to him. Sometimes people love... quietly. And it hurts. I know. But don’t shut yourself off just because it isn’t the kind of love you want."

"I get it," the girl muttered, her voice carrying a note of discouragement and fatigue, "but I still don’t want to see him."

Veynessa was silent for a moment. Then she sighed gently. "Alright. Then how about something else? Want to come to my study? I can show you a few old things I kept from my own cultivation training days."

Sylphia looked up, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "Really? You kept stuff like that?"

"More than you’d think," Veynessa replied, resuming her walk, this time slowing her pace to match her daughter’s.

Sylphia spojrzała w górę, ciekawość migotała w jej oczach. „Naprawdę? Zachowałaś takie rzeczy?”

„Więcej niż myślisz” odpowiedziała Veynessa, wznawiając spacer, tym razem zwalniając, by dopasować tempo do tempa córki.

And so, instead of heading toward the Council Hall, they turned toward the palace’s western wing. The garden air, though still heavy, began to carry a scent of lavender and old stories.

The Council Hall was silent, but not peaceful. King Aldrich sat at the far end of the long table, maps spread out before him. Every province, every border, every energy source—all arranged in perfect order. As if the world could be fixed by placing each piece in its proper place. But the world wasn’t like that. People even less so.

"Lord Marethus," he finally said, without looking up from the map. "News from the frontier?" "Stable, Your Majesty. Since Kaen appeared... none of the local sects have dared to make a move." Aldrich nodded slightly. His eyes swept over the red-marked conflict zones—all gone. Vanished. With the arrival of a single man.

"And the Order of the Black Flame?" "They sent a gift. Tea from the Southern Reaches, and a letter filled with meaningless praise." Aldrich snorted. It wasn’t even amusing.

"Kaen hasn’t spoken a single word, and the sects are already racing to see who kneels first," he muttered. "Pathetic." "Shall we issue an official reply, Your Majesty?" "Yes. Thank them warmly for 'preserving continental stability,'" he said coldly.

He stood slowly, adjusting the folds of his robe. His gaze lingered on one map—the one with the Crystal Spring marked.

"You know what gnaws at me the most?" he asked quietly, almost to himself. "That I... truly wasn’t able to secure what belonged to our kingdom. I had to hope someone else would act. That he would move." He gripped the edge of the table. His voice was calm, but something dangerous flickered in his eyes.

"Kaen doesn’t act out of duty. He acts when something amuses him." He turned and walked toward the window. The sun was setting, casting light over the kingdom’s banner—an empire that still appeared untouchable. But Aldrich saw the cracks. And he knew that if Kaen had truly returned... history was about to accelerate. And he wasn’t sure he could keep up.

At that exact moment—across the palace, in its many corners—every member of the royal family froze. Veynessa, leaning over a jewelry box, looked up. Her fingers clenched lightly against the wood. Calista, training with Shion, opened her eyes—not in fear, but because she knew that tone. And what it meant. Sylphia froze with a teacup halfway to her lips. She didn’t understand the voice… but something in her knew this was no ordinary message.

The same whisper. The same resonance. As if someone leaned right over their shoulder and spoke directly into their ear—soft, calm, yet undeniably commanding. As if time itself had paused.

"One hour from now... you'll all stand before me, in my dimension."