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THE GOLDEN THRONE Chapter One: The Mark of the Forgotten Heir Scene 1 — The Night of the Eclipse The kingdom of Valemont had always been known for its golden towers. From miles away, travelers could see the enormous walls surrounding the capital, shining beneath the moonlight. At the center of the city stood the Royal Palace, its tallest tower reaching toward the clouds. But on this particular night, something was different. The moon had turned crimson. An eclipse covered the sky, and an unusual silence had fallen over the kingdom. Even the palace guards stood uneasily at their posts. One of them looked toward the sky. “Something feels wrong.” His companion tightened his grip on his spear. “It is only an eclipse.” “No.” The first guard shook his head. “I have seen eclipses before. This is different.” Deep beneath the palace, inside a chamber that had remained locked for generations, something ancient awakened. The legendary Golden Throne stood in the darkness. It was enormous. Its back rose higher than any ordinary chair, decorated with golden dragons and strange symbols. At its center was a circular emblem resembling a crown. For seventeen years, nobody had sat upon it. Not the king. Not the queen. Not even the royal heir. The throne had remained empty. The official story was simple. The throne was cursed. But the servants who had worked in the palace for decades knew another story. They whispered about an ancient prophecy. A prophecy about a child who would one day return the kingdom to its true bloodline. That night, something happened that had never happened before. The Golden Throne began to glow. At first, it was only a tiny light. Then it became brighter. The ancient symbols burned with golden energy. A deep sound echoed through the chamber. BOOOOOOM. The palace shook. At that exact moment, in the royal nursery, a newborn baby began to cry. The queen held the child close to her chest. “Please…” She looked exhausted. “Someone tell me what's happening.” A royal physician hurried into the room. “Your Majesty, the child is healthy.” The king stood beside the window, staring at the strange red moon. Then he heard it. A distant bell. DONG. His expression changed. “Impossible.” The queen looked at him. “What is it?” The king didn't answer. Another bell rang. DONG. Then a third. DONG. The baby suddenly stopped crying. His eyes opened. They reflected a faint golden light. The king slowly turned toward him. For one brief moment, the entire room became silent. A small golden mark appeared on the baby's left palm. The king's face lost its color. “Hide the mark.” The queen stared at him. “What?” “Hide it.” “Why?” The king looked toward the nursery door. “Because if they discover who this child really is…” He lowered his voice. “They will come for him.” --- Scene 2 — Seventeen Years Later Seventeen years passed. The kingdom changed. Kings came and went from neighboring lands. Wars began and ended. New buildings rose around the capital. But one thing remained the same. The Golden Throne remained empty. And the boy born on the night of the eclipse grew into a seventeen-year-old named Keal Valemont. Keal stood on a balcony overlooking the capital. The city below was alive. Merchants shouted in the streets. Carriages moved through the gates. Children ran between the market stalls. Royal banners waved from the rooftops. Keal watched silently. He should have felt proud. He was a prince of Valemont. Yet somehow, he never felt like one. He looked down at his left hand. The strange golden birthmark was still there. It looked different from an ordinary mark. It resembled a tiny crown surrounded by unfamiliar symbols. Keal had tried asking about it many times. Nobody gave him a proper answer. His father always changed the subject. His mother became nervous. The royal physicians claimed they knew nothing. And whenever Keal mentioned the mark around the palace servants, they suddenly found excuses to leave. Keal pulled his sleeve over his palm. “Why is everyone afraid of this?” A voice came from behind him. “Because you're asking the wrong people.” Keal turned. His best friend, Elias, stood at the doorway. Elias was slightly out of breath. He had clearly been searching for him. Keal raised an eyebrow. “You ran all the way here?” “Yes.” “Why?” “The king wants you.” Keal sighed. “Again?” Elias nodded. “And this time, he said it was urgent.” Keal looked toward the palace. “Did he say what it's about?” Elias shook his head. “No.” “That makes two of us.” Elias stepped closer. Then he lowered his voice. “Keal…” “What?” “People are talking.” “About what?” “The throne.” Keal's expression changed. “What about it?” Elias looked around before answering. “They say it moved last night.” Keal stared at him. “That is impossible.” “I know.” “The throne has been locked inside the ancient chamber for years.” “I know.” “So how could it move?” Elias shrugged. “That is what everyone is asking.” Keal looked at his left hand. For some reason, his palm had started hurting. Again. --- Scene 3 — The Summoning Keal and Elias walked through the palace corridors. The moment they approached the throne hall, the guards straightened. Neither of them spoke. The doors were enormous. Two royal guards opened them. CREAAAAK. Keal entered. The atmosphere immediately changed. The king stood at the far end of the chamber. Beside him stood the queen. Several members of the royal council were present. Keal noticed something unusual. Everyone looked frightened. His father never looked frightened. Not even during war meetings. Keal stopped. “Father?” The king looked at him. “Come here, Keal.” Keal slowly walked forward. “What happened?” The king didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked toward the ancient throne behind him. Keal followed his gaze. The Golden Throne was no longer dark. It was glowing. Its golden symbols were shining brightly. Keal's heart began pounding. “What is that?” The queen stepped forward. “Keal, don't get too close.” “Why?” “Just listen to your mother.” Keal stared at the throne. Something about it felt familiar. Almost as if he had seen it before. He took another step. The pain in his palm increased. He grabbed his wrist. “Ah!” Elias immediately moved toward him. “Keal?” “I’m fine.” But he wasn't. His palm was burning. The mark beneath his sleeve began glowing. Keal pulled his hand out. Everyone saw it. The room became completely silent. One of the council members whispered: “The seal…” Another stepped backward. “No. It cannot be.” The king closed his eyes. He had feared this moment for seventeen years. Keal looked around. “What are you all talking about?” Nobody answered. “Father?” The king finally spoke. “Keal…” His voice was unusually quiet. “There are things about your birth that you were never told.” Keal stared at him. “What things?” Before the king could answer— BOOM! The throne released a wave of golden light. The entire chamber shook. The royal guards fell to their knees. Keal remained standing. The light surrounded him. Then the ancient symbols on the throne began changing. One symbol disappeared. Another appeared. Then another. Until the symbols formed a sentence. Everyone stared. The queen covered her mouth. The king whispered: “No…” Keal looked at the throne. “What does it say?” The oldest council member slowly read the inscription. “The blood of the first king…” He swallowed. “…has returned.” Keal's eyes widened. “What does that mean?” The throne suddenly became brighter. A deep voice echoed through the hall. “THE TRUE HEIR HAS RETURNED.” --- Scene 4 — The Forgotten Seal Keal stepped backward. “The throne spoke.” Nobody moved. He looked at his father. “Father…” The king said nothing. “Tell me what is happening.” The king finally approached him. He looked at Keal's palm. “That mark…” Keal stared at it. “What about it?” “It isn't a birthmark.” Keal's expression changed. “Then what is it?” “The Forgotten Seal.” “What does that mean?” The king hesitated. “It is the symbol of the original royal bloodline.” Keal frowned. “I'm already part of the royal family.” The king shook his head. “Not in the way you think.” The room seemed to become colder. Keal stared at him. “Then who am I?” The king looked away. Before he could answer, a loud crash came from outside. BOOM! The palace windows shook. Guards immediately drew their weapons. Another explosion sounded in the distance. BOOM! Elias rushed toward the window. “Something is happening in the eastern district!” Keal looked outside. Dark smoke was rising above the city. People were running through the streets. The palace alarm began ringing. DING! DING! DING! The king immediately gave an order. “Seal the palace gates!” The guards moved. Keal looked at his father. “Who is attacking us?” The king's expression became grim. “They aren't here for the kingdom.” He looked directly at Keal. “They are here for you.” --- Scene 5 — The Attack The palace erupted into chaos. Guards rushed through the corridors. Servants were ordered into protected areas. The royal council began arguing. Keal stood frozen. “For me?” The king nodded. “We knew this day might come.” “You knew?” “Yes.” “And you never told me?” “I was trying to protect you.” Keal's voice became sharper. “By keeping me ignorant?” The queen stepped between them. “Keal, please.” He looked at her. “Mother, what am I?” She struggled to answer. “You are my son.” “I know that.” “You are also the heir of something much older than this kingdom.” Keal didn't understand. Suddenly— CRASH! A palace window shattered. Everyone turned. A dark figure landed on the balcony outside. The guards immediately surrounded the room. The stranger wore a long black cloak. His face was hidden. He looked directly at Keal. Then he smiled. “So the stories were true.” Keal stepped backward. The stranger raised one hand. A strange black energy formed around his fingers. The king shouted: “GET KEAL OUT OF HERE!” The guards moved toward him. But before they could reach him, the Golden Throne released another burst of light. The stranger stopped. His smile disappeared. “The seal has awakened…” He looked at Keal. “…after seventeen years.” Keal's palm began glowing again. The stranger whispered: “Found you.” --- Scene 6 — The Secret Passage Elias grabbed Keal's arm. “We have to go!” Keal resisted. “No. I'm not leaving until my father tells me the truth.” “There isn't time!” Another explosion shook the palace. The queen shouted: “Take him through the eastern passage!” Two guards opened a hidden door behind a large painting. Keal stared. “There was a passage here?” Elias pulled him inside. “Apparently the royal family has more secrets than you thought.” They entered a narrow stone corridor. The door closed behind them. Keal looked at Elias. “Do you know anything?” Elias shook his head. “Not enough.” “Then tell me what you know.” Elias hesitated. “I know your father has been preparing for something like this for years.” Keal stopped walking. “What?” “There are guards stationed beneath the palace who don't appear on any royal records.” Keal stared at him. “How do you know?” “I overheard them talking once.” “What did they say?” Elias lowered his voice. “They said the Golden Heir would awaken when the throne recognized him.” Keal looked at his palm. “So that's me?” “I don't know.” A sound came from behind them. Footsteps. Both boys froze. Someone was following them. Elias whispered: “Keep moving.” They ran. --- Scene 7 — The Hidden Chamber The passage ended at a massive stone door. Keal searched for a handle. There wasn't one. Elias looked around. “Maybe there's another way.” Keal placed his hand against the door. The golden seal suddenly illuminated. CLICK. The door opened. Elias stared. “You've got to be kidding me.” Inside was a secret chamber. Ancient books covered the walls. Weapons rested inside glass cases. Old royal paintings hung from the walls. At the center of the room was a stone pedestal. On it rested a golden crown. Keal slowly approached. “This…” He felt drawn toward it. Elias grabbed his shoulder. “Don't touch it.” “Why?” “Because every secret in this palace seems determined to hurt us.” Keal almost smiled. Then he noticed something behind the crown. A painting. It showed an ancient king sitting on the Golden Throne. Beside him stood a woman holding a baby. Keal stepped closer. His face changed. The baby had the same golden seal. And the king looked exactly like Keal. Elias stared at the painting. “That…” Keal whispered: “That's me.” A voice came from the doorway. “No.” Both boys turned. The king stood there. His expression was filled with sadness. “That is your ancestor.” Keal stared at him. “Then tell me everything.” The king closed the door. “For seventeen years, I have tried to protect you from the truth.” Keal's voice was quiet. “But the truth has found me anyway.” The king nodded. “Yes.” He walked toward the painting. “Long before Valemont became the kingdom you know today, there was another royal dynasty.” Keal listened. “The first king possessed a power connected to the Golden Throne.” “What kind of power?” “The power to command the ancient guardians of Valemont.” Keal looked at the crown. “And what happened?” “The dynasty was betrayed.” “By who?” The king's expression darkened. “The person who now leads the people hunting you.” --- Scene 8 — The Name in the Shadows Keal stepped closer. “Who is he?” The king looked at him. “His name is Lord Veyron.” The name seemed to make the room colder. “He was once the greatest protector of Valemont.” Keal frowned. “What happened?” “He wanted the Golden Throne.” “And the first king refused.” “Yes.” “So Veyron betrayed him?” The king nodded. “The royal family was nearly destroyed.” Keal looked at the ancient painting. “What happened to the heir?” The king didn't answer. Keal's eyes narrowed. “Father.” The king sighed. “The heir disappeared.” “And nobody found him?” “No.” “Then how did our family survive?” The king looked directly at Keal. “Because the true heir was hidden.” Keal's breathing slowed. “Where?” The king pointed toward him. “Inside the next generation.” Keal stared at him. “You mean…” The king nodded. “You were born with the blood of the original heir.” Silence. Keal looked at his palm. The golden seal glowed softly. “So I'm not just the prince of Valemont.” “No.” “What am I?” The king answered: “You are the last living heir of the Golden Throne.” --- Scene 9 — The Awakening A distant roar echoed through the palace. The king looked toward the ceiling. “They have entered the inner palace.” Keal looked alarmed. “How many?” “Too many.” “Then what do we do?” The king walked toward the golden crown. “You must leave.” Keal shook his head. “No.” “Keal—” “This is my kingdom too.” “You don't understand what you're facing.” “Then teach me.” The king stared at his son. For the first time, he saw something different in Keal. Not fear. Determination. The king slowly removed the crown from the pedestal. “This belonged to the first heir.” He held it out. Keal hesitated. “What happens if I wear it?” “I don't know.” “That doesn't sound reassuring.” “It isn't.” Keal took the crown. The moment his fingers touched it— BOOM! Golden energy exploded throughout the chamber. The palace shook violently. Keal's eyes widened. Images flashed through his mind. An ancient battlefield. A burning castle. A young prince running through the darkness. The Golden Throne. A crown. A betrayal. And a mysterious woman whispering: “When the throne calls your name, do not run.” Keal suddenly opened his eyes. The golden seal had spread from his palm toward his wrist. The king stared in disbelief. “The awakening has begun.” --- Scene 10 — The Enemy Arrives The hidden chamber doors suddenly exploded inward. CRAAAAASH! Keal and Elias turned. Smoke filled the doorway. A figure walked through it. Lord Veyron. He removed his hood. His eyes were fixed on Keal. For several seconds, nobody spoke. Then Veyron smiled. “So…” He looked at the crown in Keal's hand. “The lost heir finally stands before me.” The king stepped between them. “You will not touch my son.” Veyron laughed quietly. “Your son?” He looked at Keal. “No.” His expression became serious. “He belongs to the throne.” Keal tightened his grip on the crown. “I'm not going anywhere with you.” Veyron smiled. “We'll see.” The Golden Seal on Keal's hand suddenly blazed with light. Far beneath the palace, something ancient awakened. A massive sound echoed from underground. ROOOOOOAR. Everyone froze. Even Veyron looked shocked. “What was that?” The king whispered: “The Guardian.” The floor began to tremble. Cracks appeared across the stone. Keal looked down. Golden light streamed through the cracks. Veyron took a step backward. “No…” The king looked at Keal. “Keal, run.” But Keal couldn't move. A voice entered his mind. Ancient. Powerful. Almost familiar. “HEIR OF VALemont…” Keal's eyes widened. “CLAIM YOUR THRONE.” The Golden Throne, miles away inside the royal palace, erupted with light. Across the kingdom, every golden banner suddenly changed. The royal symbol disappeared. A new symbol appeared. A crown surrounded by flames. The symbol of the Forgotten Heir. Keal looked toward the palace. And for the first time in seventeen years, the Golden Throne was no longer waiting. It had chosen its king. --- END OF CHAPTER ONE To be continued…