The first crack in the sky split directly above the throne.
King Aldric IV Valemont had ruled Arenthia for twenty three years. He had crushed rebellions, silenced nobles, rewritten taxes, and rewritten history.
But he had never fought a punchline.
The courtyard trembled.
High Priest Seraphon Mirell dropped his staff as the marble beneath him warped like melting wax.
Your Majesty this is not sorcery, Seraphon whispered. This is… conceptual rupture.
Queen Elowen Valemont finally stood. Calm. Too calm.
Seal the capital she ordered Captain Darius Halvorn, commander of the Royal Guard.
Darius hesitated.
Your Grace the sky
Above them, reality peeled like paint.
And from the fracture
A sound.
Chime.
Chime.
Prince Caelum Valemont staggered backward.
No he whispered. He's dead. I saw the blade.
The executioner, Brann Torvek, trembled violently, still gripping the bloodstained sword.
Then
The blood vanished.
The sword drooped like warm wax.
And a voice echoed across the courtyard.
Bright.
Cheerful.
Oh, don't look so grim.
The sky tore open.
Lorien Vale stepped out.
Whole.
Floating slightly above the courtyard stones.
His jester outfit remained but darker now. The gold threading shimmered like moving constellations. The bells rang without wind.
And over his face
A porcelain mask with a thin crimson smile.
Cracked.
Beautiful.
Wrong.
The crowd screamed.
King Aldric staggered back. Archers! Shoot him!"
Arrows flew.
Midair
They turned into ribbons.
Colorful.
Fluttering harmlessly to the ground.
Lorien looked mildly impressed.
Oh, festive. I like that.
High Priest Seraphon began chanting divine suppression magic.
Golden chains erupted from sigils around the courtyard and wrapped around Lorien.
For half a second
They held.
Lorien tilted his head.
You're binding me with belief, he observed gently. That's adorable.
The chains unraveled into butterflies.
They landed on Seraphon's shoulders.
The priest collapsed.
Prince Caelum stepped forward, sword drawn.
Why are you doing this he shouted.
Lorien looked at him.
Really looked at him.
And for a moment, the smile softened.
I'm not doing anything, Caelum.
He raised a hand.
I'm just letting the truth breathe.
The palace behind them began cracking from the foundation upward.
Not exploding.
Not burning.
Just… unraveling.
Stone turned to sand.
Sand turned to paper.
Paper folded itself into origami birds that flew away.
King Aldric fell to his knees.
You said it was prophecy, Lorien said gently. You believed the Fool would end your kingdom.
He spread his arms.
So your mind is helping me.
The throne dissolved.
The banners with the Valemont crest twisted into question marks.
Queen Elowen stared at him.
You're not a man anymore, she said quietly.
Lorien turned toward her.
No, he agreed. I'm a narrative correction.
The final crack split the sky entirely.
Arenthia did not explode.
It folded.
Like a stage curtain closing.
And vanished.