Years had long passed since the events that painted the heavens crimson. Time, like an avalanche, buried the past, and life seemed to return to normal for those untouched by those tragedies. In the Empire of Light and Flame, it was as if those events had never happened.
But only those who carried the pain within knew the truth—something was waiting to erupt.
And erupt it did...
The emperor, once a beacon of majesty and power, had changed little in appearance. Yet, his coldness was something no one had foreseen. He did not mistreat his people—his duty always stood above his own desires. But should one dare to touch anything unrelated to the empire, they would find death a mercy.
He had married another. She was crowned empress, yet even the people saw her for what she was—a mere replacement. And so, within the privacy of their homes, they treated her as such; no real loyalty was accorded to the woman whom the emperor himself never addressed directly.
