Lucerys the Menace: Reborn

Chapter 11: The Voice

Lucerys paced in the quiet chamber, the flickering torchlight casting long shadows on the stone walls. His mind raced with the power that now stirred within him, the ancient magic that had been awakened. His fingers traced the edges of the Valyrian scroll that had set everything into motion. The words still echoed in his mind, but they were no longer just symbols on paper-they were a key to something deeper, something more dangerous.

A soft knock at the door broke his reverie, and a servant entered. She was a young woman, no older than sixteen, her brown hair neatly tied back. Her hands trembled slightly as she held a tray of refreshments, her eyes downcast in respectful silence.

Lucerys watched her for a moment, feeling the power coil within him, just beneath the surface. He had to test it. He had to know the true extent of what he could command.

"Your grace," the servant murmured, setting the tray down on the table before him. "Is there anything else you require?"

Lucerys's gaze sharpened, locking onto her. His voice, steady and calm, held an unspoken command. "Your name."

The servant hesitated for only a heartbeat, before answering. "Elira, my prince."

Elira.

The name lingered in his mind, and Lucerys felt an unexpected rush of satisfaction at the sound of it. Her presence was nothing more than a tool now-nothing more than an instrument for him to test his power.

"Elira," he repeated, his voice smooth and deliberate. "Come closer."

She stepped forward without question, her eyes never meeting his. But Lucerys could feel the hesitation in her movements. She knew something was different, but she couldn't place what it was.

His eyes never left her as he focused on the power within him. It felt like the storm before the thunder, a sharp crack of energy just waiting to be released. He swallowed hard, testing the limits of his command.

"Elira," he said, his voice rising with a newfound authority. "Cry."

The words were like a command, but they came from somewhere deeper, somewhere beyond his own will. The moment the words left his lips, Elira's face contorted in shock, her eyes welling with tears almost instantly. A sob broke free from her chest, and she dropped to her knees, her hands clutching at her face as the tears streamed down.

Lucerys stood still, watching in silence. The power had worked. She was no longer in control of her own emotions. He had forced her to obey.

"Please, my prince," Elira gasped between sobs, her voice trembling with a mixture of confusion and fear. "What... what is this? Why... why are you doing this?"

Lucerys felt an unfamiliar thrill rise in him at her distress, but something in the back of his mind held him back. He could feel the power buzzing in his veins, urging him to push further, to test its limits.

"Bleed," he ordered, his voice colder now, more commanding.

The effect was instant. Elira's hands shot to her chest, her breath catching in her throat. Blood began to seep from beneath her fingertips, pooling on the floor beneath her. Her eyes widened with horror as the crimson stain spread across her palms.

"Please," she begged, her voice hoarse, pleading. "Stop, my prince. I can't... I can't do this!"

Lucerys's heart pounded in his chest, but it wasn't out of fear. No, it was something else-a strange, dark satisfaction that settled deep within him. He had done this. He had bent her will to his, without effort, without resistance.

The reality of what he could do began to hit him. He wasn't just a prince of Dragonstone-he was something more. Something dangerous.

But just as quickly as the thrill had come, it faded. Lucerys blinked, shaken by the sight of Elira kneeling before him, blood dripping from her hands, tears streaking her face. He swallowed hard, feeling the weight of what he had done.

"Stop," he commanded, his voice suddenly softer, almost apologetic. But the power was still there, his words enough to make her obedience immediate. The bleeding ceased, and the tears in her eyes slowly dried. She sat back, gasping for air, her face pale with fear and confusion.

Lucerys took a step forward, his eyes studying her intently. "Go," he ordered, his voice low and commanding.

Elira didn't hesitate. She scrambled to her feet, her eyes never meeting his as she fled from the room, her body shaking with fear and confusion.

Lucerys watched her go, his heart still pounding. He had done it. He had unlocked the Voice-the power to control, to bend others to his will with nothing more than his words.

But as the door closed behind her, a heavy silence fell over the room. A sickening feeling began to settle in his gut. He had tested his power on a servant-a powerless servant-but what would happen when it was used on someone more important? Someone who could fight back?

He didn't know the answer. But the knowledge that he could shape reality with his voice, that he could control the very minds and bodies of those around him, was both exhilarating and terrifying.

Lucerys looked down at his hands, feeling the lingering energy of the Voice still coursing through him. What had he become?