The Chosen

Adrien, the Adopted Son

The Celestial Palace shimmered under the golden light of the Kingdom. Harmony reigned supreme, a symphony of peace and justice that all angels and warriors respected with unwavering devotion. Yet, at the heart of this perfection, a tormented soul battled against a silent storm.

Adrien, commander of the celestial army and right hand of the Supreme Master, paced slowly through the grand throne hall. His noble and proud face betrayed no emotion, but his thoughts boiled with anger and frustration.

Since childhood, he had received all the honor and recognition of the Supreme Master. He had been rescued from a miserable existence and offered a place of privilege among the divine ranks. And yet, he had never truly felt that he belonged. There was always a shadow looming over him: Gabriel. The Master's legitimate son. The one who, without even trying, stole the light.

This thought consumed him little by little. He recalled the looks of pride the Master cast upon Gabriel. No, he could not say that he had been neglected. The Master had honored him countless times, entrusted him with command over the army, made him his right hand. He trusted him blindly, and yet… that trust, Adrien despised it. He did not want to be merely the Master's shadow. He wanted his place.

He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath to quell the rage consuming him.

"You seem troubled, my lord."

The soft and measured voice of Lucian, his most loyal advisor, pulled him from his thoughts. He turned to him, a faint, insincere smile on his lips.

"Is it a crime to reflect, Lucian?"

The advisor bowed slightly.

"No, of course not. But your tormented expression betrays thoughts far heavier than simple reflection."

Adrien took a few steps forward before fixing his gaze on the grand, empty throne of the Supreme Master. A throne he had secretly coveted for centuries. He ran a hand over the armrest, sculpted in gold and ancient runes.

"Tell me, Lucian. What would you do if fate placed you under the wing of a man who gives you everything, but never truly considers you his own?"

Lucian raised an eyebrow, cautious.

"I would think that this man has given me far more than I could ever claim."

Adrien let out a bitter laugh.

"Always so wise, Lucian. But sometimes, gratitude is nothing more than a gilded chain preventing us from reaching our true destiny."

Lucian did not respond immediately. He knew that Adrien harbored troubling thoughts, that he was consumed by an insatiable ambition. But he also knew that he was the only one who could reason with him before he plunged into the abyss.

"Your destiny is already grand, Adrien. You are the commander of the celestial army, a respected warrior, the closest to the Supreme Master. Why this thirst for more?"

Adrien clenched his fists, feeling his patience fraying.

"Because more is the only thing that interests me, Lucian."

His gaze drifted back to the throne.

"This kingdom needs renewal. A Master who sees far ahead, who is not shackled by old traditions and blind clemency."

He turned around, his eyes gleaming with an icy determination.

"And I am willing to do anything to make that happen."

Lucian swallowed hard, sensing that the darkness in Adrien’s heart was beginning to spread.

"Be careful with your thoughts, my lord. Ambition is a fire that can both illuminate and consume."

Adrien slowly approached him, placing an almost friendly hand on his shoulder.

"Do not worry about me, Lucian. I have everything under control."

But in his smile, there was only scorn and calculation.

Because his plan was already in motion.

And soon, the Celestial Kingdom would experience a upheaval that no one could have foreseen.

The night in the Celestial Kingdom was unlike that of the mortal world. The skies did not darken, nor did the stars flicker in the usual manner. Instead, an ethereal glow bathed the heavens in an endless twilight, a constant reminder of the divine order. Yet, on this night, something was different.

Adrien stood on the grand balcony overlooking the celestial lands, his hands resting on the railing as he gazed at the serene expanse before him. The soft hum of distant choirs resonated in the air, a sound meant to soothe, but tonight it only aggravated him.

Behind him, Lucian remained silent, observing his lord with a wary eye. He had seen ambition in many forms, but never before had he sensed such an unrelenting hunger within Adrien.

"You were not always like this," Lucian finally spoke, his voice careful.

Adrien did not turn. "And what was I like, Lucian?"

"Hopeful. Loyal. You sought justice, not power."

Adrien let out a small chuckle. "And perhaps I have simply realized that justice and power are one and the same."

Lucian stepped forward cautiously. "What you are considering... it will change everything. It will not be so simple."

Adrien finally turned to face him. "Nothing worth having ever is."

A tense silence stretched between them. Lucian sighed, his expression filled with unspoken words.

"You would risk it all for this? The trust of the Master, the honor you have built?"

Adrien's expression hardened. "That trust was never mine to begin with. It was always Gabriel’s. I was merely the substitute. The adopted son, forever standing in the shadow of the true heir. Tell me, Lucian, if I do not take what is mine, then what am I left with?"

Lucian did not answer. He knew Adrien would not be swayed by words alone. The fire in his eyes had already set its course, and nothing short of divine intervention would douse it.

And perhaps, even that would not be enough.

Meanwhile, in the farthest reaches of the Celestial Kingdom, a lone figure watched from the distance. Draped in silver robes, the seer’s eyes glowed faintly as visions of the future swirled before them.

"A storm is coming," they whispered to the empty night. "A storm that will shake the heavens themselves."

The prophecy had been written in the sacred texts long ago. A son, not of blood but of will, would rise against the order. And when that time came, the Kingdom would stand upon the precipice of destruction or rebirth.

The seer closed their eyes. The choice had not yet been made. But the path was set.

And Adrien, the adopted son, stood at the very heart of it.