CHAPTER 10 — The Last King
The kingdom celebrated too soon.
The storm was gone.
The ancient guardians had vanished.
The wolves had disappeared into legend.
For the first time in a thousand years...
The world belonged only to humans.
Or so they believed.
Adrian was dragged into the ruined throne room in chains.
The nobles demanded his execution.
"He murdered the king!"
"He betrayed the kingdom!"
"He deserves death!"
The queen stood silently beside Elias.
Everyone waited for the new king to speak.
Elias slowly walked toward his brother.
Adrian looked up with empty eyes.
"You've won."
"So finish it."
The entire court expected Elias to raise the royal sword.
Instead...
He unlocked Adrian's chains.
Gasps echoed through the hall.
"You are free."
The nobles erupted in outrage.
"You can't let him live!"
"He'll betray us again!"
Elias faced the crowd.
"My father believed fear could protect a kingdom."
"Adrian believed power could save one."
"They were both wrong."
"If I rule with revenge..."
"I become the same monster I defeated."
Adrian stared at his younger brother, unable to speak.
For the first time in his life...
Someone had shown him mercy.
Not because he deserved it.
But because hatred had already destroyed enough lives.
The queen stepped forward and placed the royal crown into Elias's hands.
He looked at it for a long time.
Then...
He placed it back on the empty throne.
"I will not be king."
The room fell silent.
Instead, Elias removed his worn leather farming glove from his pocket.
The same glove he had worn the day he was chosen as a sacrifice.
"I know what it's like to be ignored."
"I know what it's like to be hungry."
"I know what it's like to lose everything because powerful people made decisions without ever seeing the people they ruled."
"No one person should hold that much power again."
He ordered the crown melted down.
Its gold was forged into thousands of farming tools, bridges, and school bells across the kingdom.
The throne room became a public council where every village could send a representative.
Months later...
The palace gardens were filled with children laughing.
The queen often visited Elias's adoptive mother, calling her "the woman who truly raised my son."
As for Adrian...
He chose exile.
He disappeared into the northern mountains, never asking for forgiveness.
Years passed.
Stories spread across distant lands about the Farm Boy Who Defeated the Monsters.
Most people believed the wolves had vanished forever.
But every winter...
When the first snow covered the mountains...
Travelers sometimes reported seeing two enormous wolves standing side by side on the highest cliff.
One black.
One silver.
Watching silently over the kingdom.
Never threatening.
Never attacking.
Simply waiting.
As if reminding humanity of one truth that could never be forgotten:
The greatest monsters are never the creatures hiding in the darkness.
They are the fears, greed, and hatred that grow inside the human heart.
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And as long as people chose compassion over power...
The guardians would never need to return.
