The kingdom moved on without its King.
Seasons turned into years. Years into decades. Decades into centuries.
Elyria did not fall.
The white walls of the palace were repaired stone by stone. The streets and houses were rebuilt. Children grew, aged, and were buried. Ancestors to ancestors. But some didn't age a bit.
Tale of stories were told.
The throne remained empty.
No one dared touch it, not even once. They respected their King.
Serphix's three most loyal subordinates handled their Kingdom.
Zhen stood at the king's right hand, his magic shaping laws and defenses. Arsen trained the royal guards until even monsters feared Elyria. No one dared to attack the Kingdom for centuries. Kael watched the borders, silent and deadly, his magic grew stronger and stronger.
Together, they ruled Elyria but never reigned.
Deep beneath the palace, past sealed halls and ancient wards, Serphix slept.
His true form rested within a wide chamber carved from living stone. The space was larger than a cathedral, its ceiling lost in darkness. Runes glowed faintly along the walls, magic filled the room and it hummed like a heartbeat.
At the center lay a massive white serpent.
He wasn't moving yet. His breath was slow. His scales dull with age, yet unbroken. Time did not dare touch him too deeply.
No one entered his chamber because they couldn't.
The chamber belonged to the King alone.
Another century passed.
Suddenly, the ground trembled.
It was not violent, not destructive, to Elyrians it was more like a good sign of something good coming. From the highest tower to the deepest root beneath the soil, Elyria shuddered as one.
White light bloomed and spread from the palace.
It spread through the streets, washed over rooftops, slid through windows like mist. Elyrians stopped from their tracks, they all felt the magic in the air.
Every Elyrian felt it in their bones.
The King.
Zhen's head snapped up. His cup shattered in his hand.
"It's time!"
Arsen was already moving, sword half-drawn out of habit.
"Hurry!"
Kael vanished without a word.
They rushed.
The giant tone doors groaned as ancient seals broke one by one. Magic surged, alive and wild, flooding the passageways. The deeper they went, the stronger it became. It was warm, familiar, and overwhelming.
The chamber shook.
A deep rumble echoed from inside.
The massive stone door cracked open.
Light magic poured out.
Zhen fell to one knee. Arsen and Kael followed instantly, heads bowed low, foreheads pressed to the ground.
The door opened fully.
Serphix stepped out.
He was in human form, tall and pale. His long white hair flowed like moonlight down his back. His golden eyes glowed softly, no longer burning crimson, but carrying a weight that made the air felt slightly heavy.
"My lord," Arsen said, voice breaking. He spoke first with a smile on his face, teary eyed. "You've awakened."
Behind them, guards and servants knelt, some openly crying.
Serphix took one step forward.
Then another.
His bare feet touched the stone stairs, and magic spread outward with each step. He looked around slowly, taking in familiar faces, they never aged a bit.
"Zhen," he said.
Zhen's shoulders shook. "My king."
"How long have I been asleep?" Serphix asked.
Zhen swallowed. "Five hundred years."
Silence followed.
Serphix nodded once.
"And what about the kingdom?"
Zhen lifted his head. "It stands strong, my Lord."
"I'm glad."
They rose and followed him out onto the high balcony overlooking Elyria.
The city bloomed below, lively streets, strong towers, glowing wards woven into every corner. People filled the squares, looking up, waving, crying, shouting his name. The Kingdom became more magical,
Serphix's breath caught.
They were smiling.
They were safe. Their King has returned.
His grip tightened on the railing as something eased inside his chest, just a little.
"You did well," he said quietly.
Zhen bowed deeply.
That night, Serphix descended alone.
He moved through the lower passages of the palace, where light rarely reached and sound faded into stone. The air grew cooler the deeper he went, the walls were heavy with old magic, it brushed his skin like fingers. These halls had not changed. They remembered him.
At the very heart of the palace roots stood the golden tree.
Its trunk was massive, ancient, with glowing veins under bark that looked like liquid gold. Roots crashed through stone and earth, digging deep like crazy down and up. Leaves glowed in the dark, floating without wind, each one buzzing with magic
This place did not belong to anyone but him, with his powers, he is the only one who can access this tree.
Serphix stepped closer and placed his palm against the bark.
Warmth spread instantly, not comforting, but familiar. It's like a presence that has always been there, watching.
"Lilian," he said.
The light gathered.
It flowed down the trunk, lifted from the roots, and shaped itself into a form before him. A beautiful woman emerged from the glow, her figure gentle and radiant, her hair spun like sunlight. Her eyes held centuries within them, it was kind, distant, knowing.
"You survived," the Goddess of Light said.
Her voice echoed softly through the cavern.
Serphix lowered his hand. His shoulders felt heavy.
"Barely," he replied.
Lilian studied him in silence. Her gaze lingered, but not on his weakened body, but somewhere deeper. As if she were searching through layers of time and memory.
"What do you seek?" she asked.
"Answers," Serphix said without hesitation.
A pause followed.
The golden leaves stopped moving. The light dimmed slightly.
"You are missing something," Lilian said at last. "Something precious to you." She added.
Serphix frowned. The words settled uneasily in his chest.
"Missing something important…" he repeated. "What?"
Lilian's expression changed. Her smile was faint. Sad. Almost regretful.
"That," she said softly, "you must remember on your own."
The light began to fade.
"Wait…" Serphix stepped forward, but the glow was already pulling away, retreating into the tree. The warmth vanished, leaving only cool stone and silence behind.
The goddess was gone.
"Remember…" Her words echoed.
Serphix stood there long after, his hand hovering where the light had been.
Missing something?
The words followed him back up through the palace.
ৎ────
Days passed.
Serphix returned to the throne.
It felt colder, it was harder and heavier. When he sat, something did not settle into place. Applause filled the hall. Voices called his name. Faces shone with joy and relief.
He acknowledged them with calm nods, measured words.
A good king but distant one.
From the throne, he watched his people laugh, argue, and live. He listened to reports, passed judgments, and restored order. Everything moved as it should.
Yet inside him, there was an emptiness he could not name.
Like a room sealed shut. Needing a key to find what's inside.
He could sense its shape. Its weight.
But not what lay inside.
"What is it?"
ৎ────
That evening, he walked the palace halls with Arsen.
Floating lamps flickered against white stone as servants bowed and stepped aside. Arsen stayed a pace behind him, as he always been even centuries ago
Then suddenly a voice…
"Serphix. Serphix!"
The sound was not loud.
It was not even clear.
But it stopped him cold.
Pain struck behind his eyes, sharp and sudden. His vision blurred. He staggered, hand flying to the wall.
"My lord?" Arsen rushed forward, gripping his arm. "Are you unwell?"
The voice came again. It was soft and felt close.
It was familiar in a way that made his chest tighten.
His heart began to pound.
"W-Who is it?"
"My Lord?"
Serphix pressed his fingers to his temple as the ache deepened, spreading through his skull like a slow fracture. Images flickered at the edge of his mind. But it was blurry and unclear.
"What's this memories…"
He sucked in a breath.
"Tell me," he said quietly. He looked at Arsen. "Tell me, Arsen… what did I forget?"
Arsen stiffened.
His grip tightened, then loosened. His breath caught, just for a moment but Serphix felt it.
The silence between them stretched.
The floating lamps flickered.
"My lord…" Arsen began.
The word trembled.
He stopped.
His jaw clenched. His eyes lowered to the floor, he thinks that Serphix should remember.
Serphix turned slowly to face him.
Golden eyes searched Arsen's face, reading every small movement, every hesitation.
"Arsen," he said gently. "Look at me."
Arsen did not.
His hand curled into a fist at his side.
And in that heavy silence. Serphix understood one thing with sudden clarity.
Whatever he had forgotten…
It was not small. Lilian's words flashed in his mind.
"Something precious to you."