9th December, Space Era Years 103.
Underground Citadel – Inner District of the Centory Capital
The iron elevator descended slowly into the depths — nearly three hundred meters beneath the surface. The silence of the tunnel was broken only by the measured footsteps of a young boy in a black uniform of the Special Command Corps: Aerys Vilozyver, the eleven-year-old heir to the Centory Kingdom.
"Your mother is inside,"spoke Dr. Friedrich Weltler in his grave, restrained tone as he unlocked the massive steel door — engraved at its heart with the sigil of House Thors.
Inside, the chamber glowed with the sterile brilliance of cosmic luminal tubes. Upon a medical cot lay a woman — Lord Aelyzabeth Thors, the most powerful figure in the known galaxy. Yet now, her head and left arm were bound in heavy bandages, the sear of explosion burns still visible across her skin.
Her eyes fluttered open as she sensed who stood before her.
"...Aerys."
The boy did not answer. His gray eyes reflected the white light like frozen glass — emotionless on the surface, though beneath them churned the turmoil of unspoken worry.
"I'm glad… that you're safe,"she said softly, her voice faint but threaded with relief.
Aerys gazed at her for a moment before replying quietly,
"You're not dead, Mother. I told them so."
Aelyzabeth's faint laughter echoed like a whisper against metal.
"You speak as if you could see the future.""I don't need to," he said. "You survive more than ten assassination attempts a year. A bomb won't kill you."
His words fell cold upon the room — yet none could deny their truth.
12:36 - 11th December.
Parliament Hall of the Centory Federation
A deafening explosion shook the foundation of the grand edifice. Dust and flame surged through shattered corridors as soldiers of the SSC — Schtuam Schuztavle Cerlinkle — stormed in clad in black, plasma rifles raised.
"Unit One, report!"Aerys's voice cut sharply through the comms, transmitted from the bridge of the command vessel."Primary target located on the uppermost level. Breach and contain. No survivors."
The reinforced doors of the chamber buckled beneath the relentless assault. The rebel forces of the Freedom Uprising fired back in desperation — but the SSC advanced with mechanical precision, methodical and merciless.
Within less than thirty minutes, the Parliament was seized.
Field Marshal Vito Vilozyver, Aerys's father, led the central battalion into the main chamber, ordering the arrest of Margaret von Thors, the leader of the democratic rebellion — and Aerys's own aunt.
Chains clattered as soldiers dragged the defeated woman forward. She lifted her head, meeting the calm, unreadable gaze of her nephew standing high upon the mezzanine above.
"Aerys… do you even realize what you've done?You've destroyed the very thing your mother built with her own hands…"
The boy looked down upon her — expressionless.
"My mother built an empire," he said coolly. "Not a parliament."
12th December — Grand Hall of the Supreme Lord
When Aelyzabeth Thors entered the assembly, the bandages still stark upon her forehead, the hall fell into utter silence. Then, one by one, every official present knelt to the floor.
"The civil war… is over."Her voice was calm, resonant, absolute.
Beside her stood Aerys — silent, composed, the shadow and heir of her dominion.
Soon after, they were summoned to an audience with President Rudolf von Escheinsen, who had just declared himself "President for Life", an act tantamount to open defiance against the Lord of Centory.
When Aelyzabeth entered his chamber, Rudolf froze.Her gaze alone — sharp, poised, immeasurably cold — crushed him without the need for words.
"I have no need to punish you," she said softly."What you have done will punish you on its own."
Rudolf bowed his head — unable to meet her eyes.
That evening, within her private office, the desk before Aelyzabeth stood buried beneath towers of documents. She coughed faintly, resting her back against the chair.
Aerys stood behind her in silence.
"You work too much, Mother," he said in his usual even tone."If I don't," she replied, "Centory will fall.""And what about me?""Would you fall with me, then?"
A soft chuckle escaped her lips.
"You belong to the Empire, Aerys.As long as the Empire stands — so will you."
Aerys regarded her quietly before replying,
"Then I shall remain… to ensure the Empire stands."
For a fleeting moment, Aelyzabeth turned toward him — her eyes warm, almost tender.
"My son… you need not become me in every way."
But Aerys gave no answer.He merely gathered the scattered papers, arranging them neatly upon her desk, his movements measured and wordless — as he had done every night before.
And within that silence, beneath the hum of the Citadel's lights —the birth of the next Lord of Centory had already begun.
Thus ends Chapter B-XI.