Chapter VI – The Fall of the Prince
The first light of dawn crept slowly over the valley, spilling pale silver across the square. Yet no warmth touched the hearts gathered there. Every gaze had fallen upon Noa—kneeling, breath ragged, tunic torn and blood streaking his hands.
He had not collapsed. But neither had he won.
The silence was heavy, broken only when a voice rose from the crowd:
"He failed… The prince has fallen."
A ripple of whispers followed. Some laughed, others shook their heads with pity. The elder dragons turned their faces away, offering him only the coldness of their backs.
Then the Emperor's voice thundered, shaking the air like mountains splitting apart:
"This trial is ended. The prince has not proven himself worthy as heir. He is stripped of the right to carry our bloodline forward!"
The square fell silent once more. The weight of those words pressed down like iron chains.
Slowly, Noa lifted his head. There was no hatred in his face, no rage—only exhaustion, tempered by unyielding resolve.
With trembling knees, he rose to his feet. His body shook, but his eyes blazed with undimmed clarity.
"I…" His voice was quiet, yet the entire square heard it. "I am defeated."
The crowd stirred in surprise. A prince would normally grasp for excuses, shift blame onto others. But Noa did not.
"But," he went on, clenching his fists, "I will not surrender. Today I have fallen, but tomorrow I will rise. I will prove myself—not only with strength, but with the truth of my heart."
Murmurs swelled again. Some mocked him, others whispered praise of his courage. The Emperor's gaze remained cold as frost.
"Your words are worth nothing," Zagn declared, his voice laced with scorn. "The heart of the weak is of no value. From this day forward, you are no prince of mine."
The words struck like a blade. Noa closed his eyes; pain lanced through his chest. Yet still he did not bow.
---
As he left the square, a small boy broke free from the crowd and rushed forward. The son of a servant, his cheeks were wet with tears. He seized Noa's hand with desperate strength.
"Prince! Please, don't go! They're wrong! You're strong!"
Gasps rippled through the onlookers. Someone moved to drag the boy back, but Noa held the child's hand firmly, offering him a gentle smile.
"Don't cry, little one. Yes… I lost. But this is not the end. I will return."
The boy's eyes brimmed with tears. Noa reached out, softly brushing his hair.
"I will never bring harm to you or to any of our people. I will come back—not to rule, but to protect."
His words carried across the square. Even the mockers fell silent. In that moment, all could see: within him was no bitterness, no darkness—only a heart that still shone bright.
---
That night, beneath the quiet of the palace garden, he met with his mother. Tears shimmered in Sylvia's eyes as she drew near.
"Noa… my son. Why must it come to this?"
He tried to smile, though his face was weary.
"Mother, I will endure. I will prove myself."
She clasped his hand, whispering with trembling voice:
"You are still my pride. Your heart is pure, Noa. That purity will shield you from the shadows—I believe in it."
Then, from within her robes, she placed a small silver seal into his palm—the ancient sigil of their dragon line.
"This is your legacy. Only a heart untouched by corruption can awaken it."
Noa closed his fist around it, his chest swelling with quiet pride.
"I will return, Mother. For you… and for the empire."
---
At dawn, the Emperor decreed his final judgment. Noa was stripped of every title, his name erased from the chronicles, and he was sent north—not as heir, but as a common soldier of the border.
Yet as he departed, he swore an oath in silence:
"I will return. Not through blood alone, but through the strength of my heart. I will turn this darkness into light."
He lifted his gaze to the sky. The crimson ring burning within his eyes had not dimmed.
Not yet.
What kind of place do you think the northern border really is?
Why was Noa sent there instead of being banished completely?
What secret power lies within the silver seal Sylvia gave him?
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✨ The next chapter will be released tomorrow!
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