⚔️ Chapter 2 – The Kingdom Trembles Underground

🕯️ Scene: 2:00 p.m. – Dark Army Training Hall
Five levels below the castle, hidden in the heart of the Noir Kingdom, stood the Dark Army Training Hall. Its walls, reinforced with layers of pure essence, pulsed with vibrant energy flowing through every stone crack like glowing veins. The floor, carved from black granite, was enchanted with magical barriers to contain the power unleashed within.
There, amid sweat-soaked vapor and the metallic scent of worn blades, Scarlett von Noir unleashed her fury.
The scarlet princess spun violently, each movement sending shockwaves through the walls. Her sword danced as if cutting the very air. Her fiery red hair blazed with every twist, and her crimson eyes burned with bottled rage.
> _"He always gets everything... while I bleed for this kingdom."_
The trainers didn’t dare approach. No one stepped forward... until the heavy sound of footsteps descending the stone staircase shifted the atmosphere.
The temperature dropped.
The mist evaporated.
The essence in the air hardened like crystal.
Zareth von Noir had arrived.
He wore a long robe embroidered with silver moons. His cape floated behind him, as if the air itself gave way. With every step, the flame sconces dimmed. Behind him walked Nyxaria Noir, a pale figure glowing with moonlight.
Scarlett halted her training and sheathed her sword. She knelt immediately—one knee to the floor, the other bent. Her gaze lowered, both hands clasped firmly around her sword’s vertical hilt. The room fell silent.
Zareth spoke with the gravity of centuries:
—Stand. We haven’t come as sovereigns. We’ve come as parents… to speak.
Scarlett rose, her mocking smile blooming like a rebellious flame.
—At last, an audience with His Majesty —she said sarcastically—. What brings you here, Father?
Zareth met her gaze, deep as an abyss.
—We’ve received reports of your behavior toward Neirox. What do you have to say?
She laughed—a dry, hollow sound.
—The great Zareth, worried about the prodigy son? Don’t make me laugh. You came down five floors... for that?
Nyxaria stepped forward, her voice calm but razor-sharp.
—Young lady, how dare you speak to your father that way? Zareth serves the kingdom, its people... including you. And you, always so arrogant… nearly hurt your brother, and you show no remorse?
Scarlett didn’t back down. With a snide tone and crooked grin:
—Your Majesty, Queen Nyxaria… you deserve respect. But you are not my mother. If you're here just to scold me… I’ll take my leave.
She turned halfway toward the door.
And in that moment… the world seemed to stop.
The air thickened, dense and heavy with invisible pressure. Essence churned like a silent storm. A black mist began to emanate from Zareth’s body… unseen, but felt in every corner. The walls creaked. The torches flickered. The atmosphere folded under the weight of his ancestral power.
Scarlett and Nyxaria dropped to their knees, as though crushed by an unseen hand. Their breath turned to gasps. The ground trembled. Dust fell from stone statues.
Zareth closed his eyes and spoke like thunder in calm:
—Enough. There will be time for this later.
The aura faded, vanishing as if it had never been.
Nyxaria rose slowly. Scarlett still trembled.
Zareth turned to the enchanted wall displaying war maps.
—The neutral country in the east is mobilizing troops against the Vert Kingdom. And they’re not alone… the west is preparing too. Do you know what this means?
Scarlett lowered her gaze.
—War. Darkness. Blood.
Zareth nodded.
—Correct. Prepare yourself.
 🌆 Scene: 6:00 p.m. – The Bar of the Damned
In the far south of Tenebrae, capital of the Noir Kingdom, beyond the gates that led to the dreaded Valley of Shadows, lay a dusty district of twisted alleyways and stone streets. There, where the law trembled and essence barely dared to breathe, a decrepit nameless bar opened its doors every night… but tonight, the air was different.
Silence ruled.
A lone figure wrapped in a worn-out cloak sat at the back table. No one asked. No one spoke. Beers—like Grollik Foam or Yurk's Broken Liquor—remained untouched. The bartender cranked the record player, trying to stir the mood. A daring violin tune spilled into the room… yet even that couldn’t lift the hush.
Then, the door creaked.
She entered.
Scarlett von Noir, the scarlet princess. Her gleaming armor burned like flame. Her stare ignited the air. Nobody looked at her, but everyone saw her. Her presence was a silent spell—a warning that stupidity would not be tolerated tonight.
A kobold warrior at the counter felt the crushing aura. In an instant, he leapt up, tossed coins, and sprinted out like wildfire.
—The usual? —asked the bartender, voice trembling.
Scarlett nodded. She sat with elbows on the table, fingers interlaced, chin resting on her fists. The iron queen, lost in thought.
Suddenly, the cloaked figure in the corner rose.
She sat beside Scarlett.
Scarlett didn’t flinch, but her essence stiffened.
The figure slowly removed her hood. Pale skin. Violet eyes. Hair the same shade. Her beauty was ethereal—so intense that even the glasses on the counter stopped rattling. But what truly drew Scarlett’s eyes was a forbidden bracelet on her wrist.
—What brings you here, outsider? Lost your way home or drowned in your own pride? —Scarlett said without shifting her pose.
The woman burst out laughing.
—Hahahaha… insolent child. So blunt. You wear the role of knight well... though with that attitude, you’ll never find a lover. Then again, sword fights might be more romantic.
Scarlett clenched her fist and CRACK!… the table split in two.
She stood and grabbed the woman by her collar.
But the stranger… kept smiling.
—Princess Scarlata?
—Princess Scarlett —she corrected, war brewing in her tone.
—Whatever. Let go… or you’ll regret it.
Scarlett tightened her grip. The woman chuckled again.
And in a blink... Scarlett was on the floor.
Flat on her back. Wincing. Breathless. No one saw what happened. Only that… she fell.
The woman stood slowly, turned, and spoke to the room:
—Let’s see if the prodigy prince can entertain me more than his useless sister.
🔥 The Scarlet Fury
Scarlett rose, steam rising from her body. The ground groaned under her feet. She conjured two spells of red essence: Crimson Surge and Inner Flame Force.
Every step scorched the floor.
Bottles on the counter began to boil. Some exploded. Liquids hissed and fled.
In a blink, Scarlett lunged at the stranger.
BOOM! They shot through the door, smashing wood, iron, and enchanted walls.
Bar patrons spilled into the street, witnesses to a legendary duel.
 🎂 Scene: 7:00 p.m. – The Prince of Mystery
In a marble chamber lined with starry tapestries and curtains glowing under moonlit essence, Neirox von Noir prepared for the feast honoring his fifth birthday. Standing before him, Susy, his maid and dear friend, adjusted his ceremonial outfit—black with silver trim and a short cape adorned with the royal crest.
—Young master Neirox… today is your birthday. You may ask for any gift you desire —Susy said with a playful look.
—Anything I want? —he replied, curious.
—Anything —she repeated, smiling slyly.
Neirox gazed out the window, thoughtful.
—I want to know why my sister… won’t speak to me.
Susy paused.
She sighed, then sat beside him.
—What I’m about to tell you… must remain between us.
Neirox nodded, eyes attentive.
—Scarlett… is your sister only by your father’s side. You don’t share the same mother.
He stayed quiet—not surprised, but focused.
—Her mother was Queen Safir, second princess of the Rouge Kingdom. She died long before you were born. Her marriage to Zareth sealed peace between Noir and Rouge. Back then… he wasn’t yet king.
Susy brushed her hair back, her expression nostalgic.
—Queen Safir was breathtaking. Fiery red hair with golden tips, golden eyes, a presence that commanded attention. The kingdom adored her. But… she died young. Some say it was a curse.
Her voice lowered.
—Your father… is the last of a vanished lineage. Descendant of the Umbrael, warriors of the dark. And though he looks young… he’s over a thousand years old.
—A thousand? Will I live that long?
—Who knows, young master… —said Susy, tickling him—. With your gifts, you might surpass him.
They laughed. The sound danced with the song of night birds.
—Come now, the feast awaits. Everyone is waiting for you.

 🌙 The Stillness Before the Echo
While the squadrons prepared for war…
While the castle hall glowed with floating orbs…
While Zareth departed the city…
The entire kingdom held its breath.
Because that night… it wasn’t just a birth they celebrated.
That night… something ancient began to awaken.