His eyes slowly closing...—but then suddenly, he remembered...
(Flashback)
The morning sun rose like any other day in the Stellar Kingdom, but for Prince Aurthor, it was the day everything changed.
The palace was quiet. Too quiet. The usual hum of celestial energy that flowed through the marble halls was still there, but dim. Like it was mourning. Like even the stars above sensed something terrible approaching.
Aurthor, only ten years old at the time, stood outside his mother's chamber. His heart beat like a war drum in his chest. Servants and guards knelt quietly as he passed. None dared speak. None could look him in the eyes.
Inside, Queen Arlayna lay on her bed. She had once been the most radiant woman in the entire cosmos, her long hair shimmering like strands of starlight, her eyes glowing with the warmth of suns. She was the beacon of hope in the Stellar Kingdom. A woman of immense strength, grace, and magic—the embodiment of light itself.
But now...
