MASTERS OF DESTINY | Followers Written Novel

4. WUXIONG POV - The Imperial Decree

"I've certainly faltered, lost my way, 
In a storm of pride, I chose to stray. 
With words too sharp, and thoughts too deep, 
I cast him out, where shadows creep. 

A decree, a vow, I thought was right, 
To call him foe in the darkest night. 
But now I see, through tear-streaked eyes, 
How false the truth in that disguise. 

I should have held him closer still, 
Not let resentment shape my will. 
For in this heart, regret now blooms, 
A tender ache that softly looms. 

I've definitely messed up, it's clear, 
He was never foe, just one held dear."

Cit. Zhemin

[FADE IN]

SOLAR REALM

- IMPERIAL PALACE -

INT. WUXIONG'S PRIVATE CHAMBER

NIGHT

The Imperial Palace of the Solar Realm, a monument to both divine power and timeless elegance, floats like a gleaming jewel at the edge of the heavens. Its colossal spires stretch upward, piercing the very fabric of the cosmos, as if trying to touch the outer limits of the universe itself. The palace stands as a testament to a civilization that has harnessed the celestial forces to build something both beyond mortal comprehension and everlasting in its splendor.

Within the Palace, a labyrinthine network of chambers and hallways holds secrets that only the most trusted inhabitants may ever glimpse. But of all these rooms, none are as cloaked in mystery as the private sanctum of WUXIONG. The younger brother of Emperor ZHEMIN, WUXIONG, is the chosen Planetary Guardian of the Solar and Planetary Realms-imbued with the power to command the celestial bodies that revolve around the heart of their Empire. Though revered for his divine status, his private chambers are a place where mortal and celestial realms blend, where the divide between gods and men feels at times almost imperceptible.

The room hums with an ethereal, otherworldly pulse, a quiet vibration that matches the deep, steady rhythm of a star's heartbeat. The air in the room seems alive, filled with a quiet, ever-present energy. It is a place of contemplation but also of overwhelming responsibility. WUXIONG's chamber is one of opulence, yes, but also one of solemnity-a space where he meditates on his duty as the protector of the Planetary Realm and on the choices that weigh heavily upon him.

Translucent white jade walls, their surfaces veined with veins of shimmering gold, seem to glow with their own inner light, casting soft, celestial hues across the floor. The floor itself is covered in thick, plush rugs from the Silvered Wilds, their deep blues and purples telling tales of ancient conflicts, battles fought long before Wuxiong's time. Carved into the stone of the walls are celestial beasts-beings of myth and legend-whose eyes seem to follow Wuxiong as he moves through the room, as if guardians of forgotten promises, watching silently over him, judging him from afar.

In the far corner of the room, a crescent-shaped pool of crystal rests serenely on the floor. The surface of the pool glows with a soft, ethereal light, casting reflections that seem to stretch far beyond the room. The pool is not just a decorative feature but a conduit of cosmic energy-a link to the very planets themselves. Its rhythm pulses in perfect harmony with WUXIONG's heart, reminding him always of his bond with the planets that revolve around their solar system. It is a deep, subtle connection, and it anchors him to the divine purpose he serves. The pool is as much a part of him as the very blood that flows through his veins.