Scene: The Steps of the Dictator's Fortress
Cainner Xavier POV
The black flags of the Black Axe Men rose behind me, snapping like thunder against the winds of war.
Ahead, the great fortress of the Dictator loomed—once a symbol of indomitable power. Today, it would kneel.
We advanced with precision. Ruthless. Unstoppable.
Then she appeared.
The Queen.
Draped in imperial velvet, radiant with fury, she descended the marble stairs, her voice slicing the air.
"Cainner Xavier!" she called. "Stand down. You're crossing a line."
I didn't slow.
I didn't blink.
I stopped only when the steel tips of my soldiers aligned perfectly behind me—rows upon rows of Black Axe Men in full combat gear.
I took one step forward and met her gaze.
"Your Majesty, with all due respect… I answer only to one man. My loyalty is exclusive, direct, and unshaken—Chris Blackwood. Unless he commands it, your words mean nothing."
She stepped forward, daring, regal. "You are pushing this empire to war. If you arrest the Dictator by force, there will be blood."
I didn't flinch. I didn't hesitate.
"Then let it bleed."
I turned, raised my hand high, and with brutal clarity shouted:
"Charge! The Dictator is to be captured. If her guards resist, eliminate them. Target confirmed. Go loud!"
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The Fortress Shakes
The Black Axe Men stormed the gates—tactical, furious.
Gunfire erupted like volcanic thunder. Explosions rocked the earth. Christiana's elite guard—trained killers loyal only to her—met them head-on.
The empire's sky was filled with smoke and screams.
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Christiana POV
He came for me.
Xavier.
My brother-in-power. My rival. My enemy.
The man my father empowered now turned that power against me.
I watched from the command balcony as the compound fell into chaos. My guards fell back into defensive positions. We were being overrun.
The Empire had reached its darkest hour.
And the man who was supposed to be my equal, came for my crown with fire in his eyes.
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BNN Emergency Transmission:
> "Breaking Update: Civil war has begun in the Blackwood Empire. The Cainner leads an all-out military assault on the Dictator's fortress. Casualties are rising. Cities have begun locking down again. The Throne remains silent."
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Chris POV
In the war room, I stood alone. Watching it all unfold on the giant screen.
Christiana holding her ground.
Xavier cutting through her lines.
My empire—my creation—was cracking from within.
I took one breath.
And reached for the throne comms.
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