PYROKINESIS

The Throne of Shadows

The great hall of Emberyln Kingdom stood silent.

Cold.

Dominated.

Where once there had been warmth and fire…

Now there was fear.

Dark banners hung from the high pillars.

Guards lined both sides of the hall, unmoving like statues.

At the far end—

On the throne—

Sat Lord Fedrah, his fingers tapping slowly against the armrest.

Beside him, his wife watched with sharp, calculating eyes.

Then—

The doors burst open.

Heavy footsteps echoed.

Nyxara Voss walked in, her soldiers behind her.

She stopped at the center.

Bowed.

“Your Highness.”

Lord Fedrah looked down at her, unimpressed.

“Well…”

His voice was calm—but dangerous.

“Go on.”

“Report.”

Nyxara straightened.

“We… lost her.”

Silence.

Then—

A loud, frustrated sigh escaped Lord Fedrah.

His wife leaned forward sharply.

“How could you lose the only thing standing between us and rightful rule?”

Nyxara lowered her head slightly.

“My apologies, Your Highness.”

She paused.

“But…”

A faint smile crossed her lips.

“I brought something better.”

She clapped her hands once.

The doors opened again.

Two soldiers dragged in Louise and Ken—bound in heavy chains.

They struggled.

Barely.

Weak from the force used on them.

The soldiers shoved them to their knees.

Chains clanked loudly against the stone floor.

Lord Fedrah slowly stood.

A smile spread across his face.

“Well… well…”

“If it isn’t Louise and Ken.”

He walked down the steps of the throne.

Mocking.

“The Queen’s most faithful servants.”

He chuckled.

“Tell me…”

“Where is your loyalty now?”

Louise glared at him.

Ken remained silent.

Fedrah circled them slowly.

“Your queen isn’t here to save you.”

He leaned closer.

“She’s… occupied.”

Louise’s voice trembled with anger.

“What did you do to her?”

Fedrah smiled wider.

“Oh, she’s alive.”

“Suspended.”

“In something… like ice.”

Louise’s breath caught.

“You—put her in ice?!”

Fedrah shook his head casually.

“Not exactly.”

“A force field.”

“Frozen in time.”

He leaned closer, whispering—

“I want her to watch…”

“When I kill her daughter.”

“And then…”

He straightened.

“I’ll kill Pyra.”

Silence.

Then his voice snapped cold.

“Now.”

“Where is she?”

Ken spoke.

“We don’t—”

“Wrong.”

Fedrah’s voice cut him off sharply.

Ken tried again.

“We don’t kn—”

“Wrong.”

Again.

Louise spoke this time.

“We don’t know—”

“Wrong.”

Fedrah walked slowly around them.

Every word dripping with control.

Ken gritted his teeth.

“We don’t know.”

Fedrah stopped.

Turned.

Smiled.

“…Wrong.”

He stepped closer.

“The more you say you don’t know…”

“The more I believe you do.”

Louise shook her head.

“He’s telling the truth.”

“She didn’t come back after the field.”

Fedrah glanced at Nyxara.

“That’s because someone…”

“…failed.”

Nyxara stayed silent.

Fedrah waved a hand dismissively.

“And now we have… what was it?”

He looked at one of the soldiers.

“Who are they?”

The soldier answered quickly.

“FBI, military… all agencies, sir.”

Fedrah waved him off.

“Yes, yes… them.”

He smirked.

“Well then…”

“Let me make an introduction.”

The lights flickered.

The air turned cold.

Suddenly—

A swirl of black smoke formed in the center of the hall.

Twisting.

Spinning.

Dark.

Then—

It shaped into a man.

Clad in shadow.

Eyes barely visible.

Fedrah spread his arms proudly.

“Meet… Deadshot.”

Nyxara instinctively stepped back.

Even her soldiers shifted uneasily.

Louise tightened her grip on Ken.

Fedrah smiled.

“Yes… fear him.”

He turned to Nyxara.

“You’re dealing with a child of power.”

“Possibly the most powerful one.”

“Deadshot will assist you.”

He turned to the shadow figure.

“Bring me Pyra.”

“I will kill her myself.”

Deadshot’s voice echoed, hollow.

“Your wish… is my command.”

Nyxara turned to leave—

“Ah—ah—ah.”

Fedrah raised a finger.

“Wait.”

They all stopped.

He turned slowly toward one soldier.

The one who had spoken earlier.

“You…”

He smiled.

“I like you.”

“What’s your name?”

The soldier stood straight.

“Andrew, sir.”

“…But my father calls me Andrea.”

Fedrah chuckled.

“Andrew… Andrea…”

He nodded thoughtfully.

“Well…”

“Your services are no longer needed.”

Silence.

Andrew blinked.

“…What?”

Nyxara frowned.

“Your Highness?”

Fedrah turned to her.

“I don’t need him.”

“You have a problem with that?”

Nyxara quickly shook her head.

“No, Your Highness.”

Andrew laughed nervously.

“So… I can go?”

Fedrah looked at him.

With mock pity.

“Oh no.”

“You don’t go anywhere.”

His voice dropped.

“You know too much.”

He turned slightly.

“Deadshot.”

The shadow moved.

A hand stretched forward.

Dark smoke shot out—

Wrapping around Andrew’s neck.

He gasped.

Choked.

Tried to fight—

But the darkness tightened.

Crushed.

Squeezed.

Until—

His body went limp.

Dead.

The room fell silent.

Even the guards were shaken.

Fedrah sighed casually.

“Slowly, Deadshot…”

“I didn’t say kill him.”

Then—

He laughed.

His wife joined him.

“Oh… that was a good one.”

Fedrah waved his hand.

“Take the body away.”

A soldier hurried forward, dragging Andrew’s lifeless body out.

Fedrah turned back to Louise and Ken.

“So…”

“I assume you now understand…”

“What he can do.”

He stepped closer.

“Where is Pyra?”

Louise shook her head, tears forming.

“We don’t know.”

“We’ve told you everything.”

Fedrah sighed dramatically.

“Hmm…”

He paused.

Then smiled slowly.

“But I know something.”

He leaned in.

“She has friends.”

“And she will run to them.”

Ken and Louise went still.

Fedrah’s smile widened.

“…Got you.”

He turned.

“Lena.”

“That betrayal brat.”

“And another one.”

He looked back sharply.

“Who is the other friend?”

Louise snapped.

“We’re not telling you anything.”

Fedrah exhaled slowly.

Then looked at Deadshot.

“Who do you want to kill first?”

Louise froze.

“…What?”

Fedrah shrugged casually.

“Let’s make it fun.”

Deadshot pointed.

At Ken.

Louise screamed.

“No—no, please!”

Fedrah waved his hand lazily.

“Go ahead.”

Deadshot lifted his arm.

A sharp streak of black energy formed—

And shot forward.

THUD!

It pierced Ken’s chest.

Straight through his heart.

Ken gasped—

Then fell.

Lifeless.

Louise screamed.

“NOOO!!!”

She grabbed him, shaking him.

Tears pouring.

“Ken… Ken wake up… please…”

Fedrah watched.

Unmoved.

“Next.”

Deadshot turned toward Louise—

“Wait.”

Fedrah’s wife stood.

“Honey…”

“Why don’t we… keep her?”

Fedrah raised an eyebrow.

“As bait.”

Silence.

Then—

Fedrah smiled.

“…You’re right.”

He walked back to his throne.

“Lock her up.”

Louise was dragged away, still crying.

“No… no… Ken…”

Her voice echoed as she disappeared.

Fedrah sat down.

Pulled his wife close.

Kissed her lightly.

Then looked forward again.

“Nyxara.”

“Deadshot.”

“Find her.”

“Bring Pyra to me.”

His eyes darkened.

“And tell her this—”

“Ken is dead.”

“If she does not come…”

“Louise dies.”

“…and so does her mother.”

A pause.

“You are dismissed.”

Nyxara bowed.

Deadshot vanished into smoke.

The soldiers followed.

---

Outside the Kingdom

Nyxara walked forward, her face hardened.

Deadshot appeared beside her like a shadow.

A soldier stepped closer.

“Where do we begin?”

Nyxara smirked.

“We already know.”

She looked ahead.

“Emerald Kingdom.”

Far away—

War was coming.

And this time—

It wouldn’t be hidden.