"Good evening everyone, I am Pensworth, the royal chancellor. I want to announce to all of you that Prince Adam has died."
A hush fell over Lumièrea, so deep you could hear leaves settle on cobblestones. The people had waited lifetimes for this moment, dreamed that when the curse broke, it would be their lost prince standing there to welcome them home. Instead, they heard only silence, then Pensworth's voice, heavy with sorrow.
A murmur rippled through the crowd, half hope, half dread.
"Before Prince Adam passed," the chancellor said gently, "he set a trial for whoever might one day find this realm. Only if they proved worthy would Lumièrea pass into their keeping. Years passed, and none came until today. Someone has found us, and walked the prince's test with honor."
He paused, letting the words sink in.
"Upon proving his worth, he moved at once to aid us… and so it is my great privilege to declare: the curse that bound this land has been partially lifted!"
Cheers burst like fireworks across the kingdom. People threw their heads back and wept; strangers embraced in the streets. But as the noise softened, Pensworth turned the scroll and spoke the name that changed everything.
Pensworth continued. "Our new ruler, His Majesty Lucian Westergaard, shall be crowned King of Lumièrea tomorrow."
"I invite all citizens to now rest, and tomorrow a brand new day will happen as the coronation shall commence." Pensworth then closed the scroll.
While in the city, the citizens were happy, though some were sad about the news of the prince's death.
Inside the city hall, Markus stood frozen. Beside him, Jeno's Monamera hummed steadily, capturing every word, every gasp, every glint of light on the chancellor's hologram.
"Lucian Westergaard?" Markus breathed, the name tasting like old headlines. He turned slowly to Jeno, his voice rough with disbelief. "That's the exile. The one the Southern Isles cast out half a year ago."
Jeno nodded, eyes wide.
Markus swallowed hard, then straightened, a sharp, hungry spark lighting in his gaze. "Well then. If it really is him we've got ourselves another headline that'll shake the Southern Isles. Keep rolling, we're not leaving until we know every last detail."
Near the hall's tall archways, Diaval's eyebrow twitched as his eyes narrowed, and he took a slow, steady breath.
'This complicates things far more than I expected,' he thought.
_____
High within Lumièrea's castle walls, Lucian leaned back in his chair for a moment, processing everything. He had heard Pensworth's announcement echo through the halls, heard the roar of the people below and now he then turned his attention back to his boxes and finally decided to open the Special ones.
[Do you want to open the Special Blind Boxes?]
"Yes," Lucian replied.
The system chimed in quick succession, one announcement after another.
[Congratulations! You have opened the Special Box from Belle and gained a trait: Photographic Memory]
[Congratulations! You have opened the Special Box from Ruby and gained a skill: Forest Sense]
[Congratulations! You have opened the Special Box from Prince Adam and gained a trait: Strain Weave]
[Congratulations! You have opened the Special Box from Yen Sid and gained: Grandmaster Magic Attunement]
Before Lucian could even process what rewards he had gotten, he suddenly felt an ache through his heart. He clutched it as breathing became hard for him. The mana from the surroundings suddenly churned, becoming restless, then flew toward Lucian... specifically his heart.
His heart felt like a black hole that sucked all the mana from the surroundings.
In a chamber far below, Yen Sid's eyes snapped open. He rose in one fluid motion, his robes swirling around him, his expression one of rare, unguarded shock.
The mana of the entire kingdom was not just shifting... it was being devoured.
Without a word, he turned and hurried from the room, following the pull that drew every ounce of magic toward the room above.