Crown Of The Forbidden Heir

The Five Kingdom Of Ruin

CHAPTER 6 

 THE FIVE KINGDOMS OF RUIN

The darkness didn’t just whisper, it pulled me in.

A cold wave slammed into my chest, dragging my breath out of me. For a moment, I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. The world around me spun like a broken wheel. The ground beneath my feet vanished, and a violent wind whipped through my hair.

Then

A hand grabbed my wrist.

Warm. Firm. Alive.

“Kael, stay with me!” the goddess’ voice snapped through the chaos.

I blinked. Light tore through the darkness, and suddenly I was standing in a place that didn’t look real at all. The sky above me looked like it had been split between fire and storm. Half burned in red flames, half churned with black clouds and lightning.

The goddess, Lythera, hovered beside me. Her silver eyes glowed with sadness and something sharper—fear.

“Where… where are we?” I whispered.

“This,” she said softly, “is the world your enemies want to create.”

Before I could ask more, the ground rumbled. The sky cracked open.

And then I saw them.

The spirits.

Black shapes dripping with smoke and hate. Long arms, hollow faces, jaws stretched too wide. They moved like hungry shadows, crawling over broken land, ripping apart anything in their path.

One spirit turned its head toward me.

The empty sockets on its skull flickered with red flames, and it shrieked—a sound so sharp it stabbed through my bones.

My knees buckled.

Suddenly, memories I didn’t choose forced themselves into my mind—flashes of that night… that night when everything in my life shattered.

My father’s voice shouting.

My mother screaming.

My grandfather pushing me behind him.

A burst of dark smoke flooding our home.

And the spirits—those same impossible, hateful creatures—dragging them away while I could only watch.

My breathing broke.

“No…” My voice shook. “It’s them. They killed my family. They’re the ones.”

Lythera stepped in front of me, blocking the spirit’s gaze.

“Yes,” she said quietly. “And they want you next.”

Anger surged through me like fire and lightning combined.

“But why?” I demanded. “Why did they take everything from me? Why follow me? Why destroy everything I love?”

Lythera placed her hand over my heart.

“Because of what you are,” she said. “Because of what you will become.”

Her touch sent a pulse through my chest. My demon blood burned, my dragon power stirred, and my sorcerer’s mark glowed.

The sky suddenly shifted again—cracking like a mirror.

“Look,” Lythera whispered.

The chaos world tore away, revealing a different scene—huge lands, mountains, forests, castles made of obsidian, crystal, and ancient stone.

And five enormous crowns appeared in the sky, each radiating deadly power.

“The Five Kingdoms,” Lythera said, floating upward. “Your future enemies. The ones who will come for your life.”

She lifted her hand.

A huge battlefield formed beneath us—thousands of soldiers marching under five flags.

“Let me show you each kingdom,” Lythera said.

1. Kingdom of Thornvale

The image shifted to a dark woodland kingdom wrapped in black vines and poisonous thorns. Warriors with green armor marched through dense forests.

Ruler: Queen Seraphine Thornheart

Cold, beautiful, deadly. A woman with venom in every word and blade.

“She controls shadows and poison,” Lythera said. “A master assassin. She wants your heart for its power.”

My jaw clenched.

2. Kingdom of Drakmire

A volcanic kingdom appeared next—lava rivers, black mountains, and crimson skies. Giant beasts roared across the land.

Ruler: King Varkos the Infernal

A massive, armored warlord with burning red eyes.

“He wants your dragon blood,” Lythera said. “To strengthen his own—and become immortal.”

A growl built in my chest.

3. Kingdom of Frosthelm

Next came a frozen land of blue ice and silver wolves. Snowstorms circled a massive crystal fortress.

Ruler: Queen Elara Frostvein

Tall, pale, and elegant. Power radiated from her like a blizzard.

“She wants your sorcerer abilities,” Lythera whispered, “to freeze entire continents.”

I shivered.

4. Kingdom of Sunreach

The scene changed to golden deserts, tall temples, and shimmering sandstorms.

Ruler: Emperor Kaelion Sunborn

A man wrapped in gold flame. Eyes bright like suns.

“He wants your demon fire,” Lythera said. “To build a world ruled by eternal day.”

My fists tightened.

5. Kingdom of Obsidia Dominion

The final kingdom rose like a nightmare—towers of black crystal, floating islands of darkness, and a sky that bled purple.

Ruler: Lord Malakar Voidborne

The strongest of them all.

His body was made of smoke and armor, and his voice echoed through the air like thunder.

Lythera’s eyes hardened.

“He killed your parents.”

My blood froze.

“He killed your grandfather.”

Pain stabbed my heart.

“And he wants to kill you,” she finished softly, “because you are the only one who can destroy him.”

I swallowed hard. “Why… why me?”

Lythera looked me straight in the eyes.

“Because you are the Tri-Born King—Demon, Dragon, and Sorcerer combined. The only being capable of ruling all realms. They fear you. And so they tried to erase your bloodline.”

“But I survived,” I whispered.

“Yes,” Lythera said, touching my cheek gently. “Because destiny protected you. Because I protected you.”

She stepped backward and the world shifted again.

We stood in a huge hall of golden light. Ancient symbols floated in the air.

“This is the Hall of Origins*” Lythera said. “Where kings are chosen.”

My voice shook. “So I was chosen?”

“No,” she whispered. “You were **born** for it.”

A pulse of energy slammed into my chest again—harder this time. I gasped as my power surged wildly.

Demon flames burst across my arms.

Dragon scales shimmered under my skin.

Sorcerer symbols glowed around my eyes.

“Lythera! I can’t control it!”

“You must,” she said, gripping my shoulders. “Or it will consume you.”

My vision blurred. Fire roared in my veins. The spirit of a dragon roared inside my skull.

I fell to one knee.

A shadow appeared behind Lythera.

Lord Malakar.

His voice rolled across the hall like death.

“Little king,” he hissed. “Your parents screamed for mercy. You will scream too.”

“Get away from him!” Lythera shouted.

She threw a blast of blue light at him, but he vanished into smoke.

His laughter echoed.

Mocking.

Cruel.

Infuriating.

My anger exploded.

“No more running,” I growled. “No more hiding. I will kill him.”

Lythera nodded slowly.

“You will,” she whispered. “But not today. First, you must master your power. Then, you must unite your real people—the lost kingdom you belong to.”

The ground shook.

A massive golden door appeared behind us—engraved with dragons and runes.

“Behind this door,” Lythera said, “is the world of your people. The ones who will honor you as their king.”

My heart pounded.

“My kingdom?”

“Yes,” she said softly. “Your true home.”

I stepped closer to the door. My hands trembled.

“What’s it called?” I whispered.

Lythera smiled sadly.

Astraeth—The Kingdom of the Eternal Flame.** Your birthright.”

A flare of heat surged in my chest, and the dragon inside me roared again.

“Are you ready to meet your people?” Lythera asked quietly.

My throat tightened.

“I… I don’t know.”

She touched my chin, lifting my face until our eyes met.

“You are not the weak boy who lost everything,” she said. “You are the power they fear and the king your people have waited for.”

My breath shook.

“Then let’s open it,” I said.

Lythera nodded.

“Together.”

We pressed our hands against the golden door.

It trembled.

It cracked.

It exploded open—light flooding out like a rising sun.

Inside…

Thousands of people knelt.

Men, women, ch

ildren—all with glowing eyes, scales, magic marks, and fiery auras.

They bowed their heads.

And they said the words that made my entire body freeze:

**“Welcome home, King Kael

My heart stopped.

My destiny roared awake.

And I stepped into my kingdom.