đ The Wedding at Nexus đ
When Xanther Became King
The Ceremony
Xanther stood at the altar, nervous energy radiating from him in waves. The great hall of Nexus was filled with guestsânobles in fine silks, common folk in their best clothing, farmers and merchants who had traveled from across the dimension to witness this moment.
Behind him, Renaldo held the Book of the Deadâan artifact so ancient that even the Keepers whispered about its origins.
Renaldo: "She will come. She always does."
And then she appeared.
Relana began her walk down the aisle.
Her white gown flowed like liquid moonlight, her long black curls cascading over her shoulders. But it was her silver eyes that held Xanther transfixedâeyes that had witnessed dimensions collapse and rebuild, eyes that belonged to an Agent of the Keepers.
Xanther watched her in awe. How had a being like himâcreated from Elder Dragon DNA, forged as a weapon of neutralityâearned the devotion of someone who walked between realities?
She reached the altar, and her hand found his. The touch was warm, grounding, real.
The ceremony was simple. Words spoken. Vows exchanged. Two beings from vastly different origins choosing to bind their fates together.
When they kissed, the Waters themselves seemed to still.
But it was what came after that changed everything.
The Blood Pact
Renaldo stepped forward, producing a bracelet that gleamed with impossible light. The silverwork was intricate, ancient, covered in symbols that seemed to shift when you looked at them directly.
Talveran's Braceletâa relic that had not been seen since the dimension's founding.
Renaldo: "Talveran has agreed to bond with you, making you his host and King of Nexus."
Xanther stared at the bracelet, his mind racing. Renaldo was the most powerful sorcerer aliveâhe didn't need a King's blessing. So why this? Why now?
Renaldo: "The ceremony is not yet complete, my King. The binding requires a... gesture of consent."
He produced an obsidian dagger, its blade gleaming with dark light.
From the shadows at the edge of the hall, Lyra stepped forward, carrying a velvet cushion. Upon it rested a delicate silver bowl.
Renaldo: "A single drop of blood. That is all the binding requires."
Xanther looked at Relana. She was beautiful and innocent, seemingly oblivious to the undercurrent of power swirling through the hall. Or was she? Her silver eyes held depths he couldn't read.
Beyond the hall, the Shadow War loomed. The Northern Territories were in unrest. Nexus needed stability. Nexus needed a king.
But did it need him?
The Doubt
The words left Xanther's mouth before he could stop them:
Xanther: "I am not fit for King."
A hush fell over the assembled guests. The celebratory atmosphere shattered like glass.
Nobles exchanged worried glances. Common folk looked at each other in confusion. The Shadow War and Northern unrest suddenly felt very, very close.
But then Relana's voice cut through the silenceâfierce, unwavering, filled with a belief that shook Xanther to his core:
Relana: "You are more fit than anyone I have ever known. You have the strength, the wisdom, and the heart to lead. Do not doubt yourself now."
Xanther looked out at the crowd. Not just nobles in their finery, but farmers with dirt still under their nails, merchants with callused hands, soldiers with scarred faces. They all looked at him with hope.
His role was not merely a matter of blood and power. It was about the fate of his people.
"He doubts himself," a farmer whispered. "That's how you know he's worthy."
"A tyrant never questions his right to rule," a merchant murmured. "But a true king? He carries the weight of every choice."
Xanther's hand closed around the obsidian dagger.
Doubt remainedâabout the true nature of the power he was about to inherit, and about the shadowy figure who offered it.
But Relana's hand found his again, her fingers warm against his palm. Silent reassurance.
He looked at Renaldo. There was triumph in the sorcerer's eyes. A hint of something deeper, something planned.
He looked at Lyra. Her emerald gaze was impassive, fixed on him, searching, assessing.
What will you do?
â Accept Talveran's Bracelet
Bond with Talveran. Become King of Nexus. Accept the power.
â Refuse the Bracelet
Step back. Reject Talveran. Refuse to become King.
Choose carefully. Some paths lead to kingship. Others lead to death.