The wind howled through the empty streets, carrying whispers no one else could hear.
Aanya pulled her cloak tighter around herself as she walked faster. Something felt… wrong tonight. The air was colder than usual, heavier—like the world was holding its breath.
"Why does it feel like someone is watching me…?" she murmured.
Suddenly, the sky darkened.
Not like a normal night—this darkness was deeper, swallowing the stars one by one until nothing remained.
Aanya stopped.
Her heart began to race.
And then… she heard it.
A voice.
Soft. Dangerous. Calling her name.
"Aanya…"
She turned around quickly, but there was no one.
Only shadows.
The ground beneath her feet started to tremble. A strange glow appeared ahead—deep black, yet shining like a hidden power.
Drawn by something she couldn't control, Aanya stepped forward.
And there it was.
A crown.
Black as the void, with edges that looked alive—like shadows moving around it.
The moment her fingers touched it—
Everything changed.
A sudden force rushed through her veins. Her eyes widened as flashes of unknown memories filled her mind—war, fire, pain… and a throne covered in darkness.
Aanya screamed.
But no sound came out.
Far away, inside a grand palace, a man opened his eyes.
Cold. Sharp. Dangerous.
"The crown… has chosen," he whispered.
And for the first time in years…
his heart skipped a bea