Journey to Become the Zenith

The Prince Who Declared Independence

The messenger that Victor allowed to flee was able to report the events that had transpired in Fantom City, now known as New Fantom City.

By the time the messenger returned to the royal capital, his clothes were torn, his face was pale, and his breathing was still uneven from the journey.

He had ridden without stopping.

He had barely slept.

Whatever he had witnessed in Fantom City had shaken him badly enough that even the royal guards noticed something was wrong the moment he entered the palace.

The great doors of the royal court opened.

The messenger stumbled inside.

Hundreds of eyes immediately turned toward him.

Nobles stood on both sides of the grand hall, dressed in elaborate robes bearing the colors and emblems of their respective houses. Behind them stood court officials, commanders, ministers, and several powerful mages.

At the far end of the hall sat the ruler of Skyfall Kingdom.

Warrior Queen Amara.

She rested one hand against the armrest of her throne while listening silently.

Her long silver hair flowed over her shoulders like moonlight, contrasting sharply with her crimson eyes.

She wore a silver imperial robe decorated with intricate red and golden patterns resembling clouds and the open sky.

Her expression was calm.

Too calm.

The messenger immediately dropped to one knee.

"Your Majesty!"

His voice echoed throughout the enormous chamber.

Queen Amara’s crimson eyes narrowed slightly.

"Speak."

The messenger swallowed.

He had rehearsed the report countless times during the journey.

Yet now that he stood before the queen, the words seemed strangely difficult to say.

"Your Majesty... I have returned from Fantom City."

Several nobles immediately exchanged glances.

Fantom City.

That name alone had become enough to make the atmosphere inside the court uncomfortable.

The messenger continued.

"The situation there has changed completely."

A minister stepped forward.

"What happened?"

The messenger looked toward him.

"The Prince is alive."

Silence.

For several seconds, nobody moved.

Then whispers spread throughout the hall.

"He survived?"

"Impossible."

"I thought the Prince had disappeared."

"Wasn’t his death already considered certain?"

The queen did not immediately react.

Her expression remained composed.

Only the faint tightening of her fingers around the throne’s armrest betrayed that the news had reached her.

The messenger continued.

"He is alive."

His voice became steadier.

"And he has declared independence."

That changed everything.

The murmurs instantly died.

Queen Amara’s eyes sharpened.

The nobles stared at one another.

Someone dropped a scroll.

It struck the marble floor with a soft sound that somehow seemed deafening in the sudden silence.

Only the faint tightening of her fingers around the throne’s armrest betrayed that the news had reached her.

The queen finally spoke.

"Independence?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The messenger bowed his head.

"The Prince has established his own territory in Fantom City and openly declared that he will no longer recognize the authority of Skyfall Kingdom."

A nobleman immediately stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, this is rebellion!"

Another slammed his fist against his palm.

"He cannot simply declare independence!"

"He has an army?"

"How many?"

"How many soldiers does he have?"

Questions began flying from every direction.

The messenger struggled to answer them all.

But the queen raised one hand.

The entire court fell silent.

"One at a time."

Her voice was soft.

Melodic.

Yet there was an unmistakable authority beneath it.

The nobles immediately lowered their heads.

The messenger breathed out slowly.

"Your Majesty, the Prince is not alone."

A minister frowned.

"Who is with him?"

The messenger hesitated.

Then he answered.

"Victor."

The name alone caused several people to stiffen.

Queen Amara’s eyes changed.

Not dramatically.

Just enough for the messenger to notice.

"Victor?"

She repeated the name quietly.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The messenger lowered his head.

"He is the man who accompanied the Prince."

The queen remained silent.

She had heard fragments of the man’s name before.

But now the messenger was telling her that this same man was involved in the declaration of independence.

And that was not the only thing.

The messenger continued explaining everything that had happened.

The battles.

The destruction.

The sudden appearance of overwhelming powers.

The impossible events surrounding Fantom City.

And finally, the survival of the Prince.

The queen listened without interrupting.

The nobles did not.

Every few moments, someone would whisper something to another.

Some looked frightened.

Others looked furious.

A few looked almost excited.

Political opportunity could grow from chaos just as easily as disaster.

But one thing became obvious to everyone.

The situation had already gone far beyond a simple family dispute.

The messenger eventually reached the matter that had shocked him the most.

"Your Majesty..."

He lowered his voice.

"There is something else."

The queen looked directly at him.

"Tell me."

The messenger swallowed.

"The Prince’s forces have begun attracting attention from the surrounding territories."

Several nobles immediately looked toward one another.

That was exactly what they feared.

If people began believing that Fantom City was safer or more prosperous than the royal territory, they might abandon their homes.

A rebellion could become something much worse.

It could become a migration.

And once people started leaving, stopping them would become nearly impossible.

One elderly noble stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, this cannot be allowed to continue."

Another immediately agreed.

"He’s right."

"If this is left unchecked, the Prince’s territory will grow."

"And if common citizens begin moving there..."

He stopped.

Everyone understood what he meant.

Queen Amara slowly leaned back against her throne.

She did not answer immediately.

The court remained tense.

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Authors Notes: Dear Readers, Thanks so much for joining me on this adventure! Your enthusiasm, feedback, and encouragement really keep me motivated to keep bringing *Journey to Become the Zenith* into existence. If you’re loving the Chapters, I’d love it if you supported my book with a Powerstone, review, or even a Golden Ticket—it helps me develop as a writer and lets more readers enjoy the story. I look forward to hearing your ideas and thoughts, so please don’t hesitate to share!

With love,

Scorpio_saturn777

Creator of Journey to Become the Zenith

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