Epilogue -The Night of Falling Flames

The night sky above the kingdom of Westville was shrouded in black, the stars hidden as though even the heavens wished to avert their gaze. Not a whisper of moonlight touched the palace walls. Only silence reigned—an uneasy silence that carried the weight of omen.

But silence was a fragile thing.

From beyond the stone ramparts, shadows slithered inward. Figures cloaked in dark garments scaled the walls, blades gleaming faintly in the torchlight. Mercenaries, assassins, traitors… They moved like phantoms, each step laden with a single purpose.

Tonight was the birth of a coup.

Born from rage against corruption, fueled by greed for power, they came to dethrone the king. They would burn the palace to ash. They would erase the royal bloodline. And in the smoldering ruins, they would build their own rule upon corpses.

Inside, the palace still slept. The noble halls, adorned with chandeliers and golden banners, seemed unaware that death had already stepped across its threshold. But then—

A cry.

The thin wail of a newborn pierced the night. Then another followed, the sound of two infant voices overlapping.

The royal twins had awakened.

The king and queen rushed to their chamber, hearts pounding, only to see what every ruler fears most—flames licking the curtains, smoke trailing through the air, the stench of burning wood already spreading.

The chamber doors flew open with a crash. Sir Elias, captain of the guard, strode in, armor dented and stained crimson. At his side was his younger brother, Johan, breathing heavily, sword dripping blood.

“Your Majesty!” Elias’s voice rang with urgency. “You must leave at once!”

“We’ll hold them as long as we can,” Johan growled, though his trembling hands betrayed the toll of battle. “But the children—get them to safety!”

“No!” The king’s voice thundered in denial. His back was straight, his gaze sharp with pride. “This is nothing but a misunderstanding. It can still be resolved without bloodshed!”

But the queen, still holding her crying children, shook her head. Her hand found his, and though her lips trembled, her voice was steady.

“If you remain, then I shall remain as well. I swore to stand beside you, no matter the end.”

Then, with tears glittering in her eyes, she cradled each infant one last time. She placed the prince into JohAn’s arms, the princess into Elias’s.

“Please,” she whispered, voice breaking, “take them away. Guard them until they come of age. And when that time comes… give them this.”

From her neck, she removed a delicate chain—an heirloom older than the kingdom itself. She pressed it into Elias’s hand, fingers lingering as if reluctant to let go.

The king’s expression hardened. He removed the royal seal from his robes, the very emblem of Westville’s sovereignty. Holding it out with a trembling grip, he spoke heavily, his words carved in sorrow.

“Elias… Johan… If we do not live to see dawn, I entrust you with my children. That is my final order as your king… and my last request as your friend.”

“…Your Majesty…” Elias’s throat tightened. He bowed low, clutching the princess against his chest as though she were his own flesh and blood.

“The hidden passage,” the queen whispered urgently. “Beneath the eastern hall… It will take you to the Whispering Forest. Beyond the walls, you’ll find safety. Go. Now.”

The twins wailed again, voices trembling with a sorrow they could not yet understand. The queen turned away, unable to bear the sight of them leaving. The king wrapped an arm around her, holding her close as the chamber filled with firelight.

Elias and Johan fled into the smoke-choked corridors, the infants in their arms, the seal and heirloom heavy with meaning. Behind them, the palace began to collapse into fire.

Thus, the kingdom of Westville fell in a single night of betrayal and flame.

And yet, from its ashes, two children—unaware of their fate—were carried into the darkness, destined to inherit a legacy written in blood.

Narrator’s Whisper

But this was only the beginning.

The twins would grow in distant lands, their true bloodline hidden. Jealousy would fester among those closest to them. A trusted friend would betray them. And in the shadows of history, something far older and far deadlier was stirring—dragons, once thought to be myths, waiting to decide whether to serve… or to burn.

When the flames rise again, Westville’s forgotten heirs will have to choose: reclaim a throne built on tragedy… or watch the world collapse into ash.

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