The King was dead.
The King had been assassinated.
The throne was empty.
Icarus fell to his knees and cradled his father's still-warm, unmoving head.
He had died only moments ago.
A man meant for history—reduced to a number in a death toll.
And all that remained of him…
was a grieving ten-year-old boy.
Icarus cried.
A soft knock came at the door.
It was Altheis.
"My Prince, you must evacuate immediately. Morvane has breached the capital—they are coming for the pala—"
He froze.
"…Is that the King?"
Icarus nodded, refusing to let go.
He could still feel the warmth.
Maybe—
just maybe—
—
—
—
Nothing.
Altheis hurried forward, kneeling beside him.
"Maybe he's not dead."
He checked the King's wrist.
Nothing.
His neck.
Nothing.
His temple.
Nothing.
"I'll try harder," Altheis whispered.
But there was nothing to find.
Icarus pressed his hand against his father's chest—
waiting.
Begging.
—
—
—
Nothing.
The body was growing cold.
Altheis steadied himself, though his breathing was uneven.
"My Prince… they're coming for you next."
"I can't go," Icarus choked. "I have to stay."
Altheis pulled him up, nearly carrying him.
"You can't die," he said quietly. "You are Solmara's last hope."
"I should have died instead—"
Tears slipped from Altheis' eyes.
He was only fourteen.
"You're my saviour," he said. "You gave my life meaning."
"I won't let you die."
"Even if I have to."
He ran.
They reached the pier just as the sun began to rise.
Icarus looked back at the palace.
Once warm.
Now hollow.
Shouts echoed. Steel clashed.
Peace had rotted.
Altheis set him down and untied a small boat.
"If you row like this, you'll move forward."
"If you row like this, you'll move back."
Icarus wasn't listening.
"Aren't you coming with me?"
Altheis didn't answer.
Tears streamed down his face.
Behind him, soldiers in dark armour poured from the palace.
They had seen them.
"I have to stay," he said.
Before Icarus could speak—
he pushed the boat.
"NO!"
Icarus reached out as the water pulled him away.
"You can't do this!"
"You can't die for me!"
Altheis turned.
And smiled.
"I am Prince Icarus!" he shouted.
"Come find me!"
He ran.
Icarus rowed desperately.
Nothing.
No control.
No strength.
No one looked at him.
He watched—
as they caught Altheis.
As the sword pierced through him.
As his body fell—
into the sea.
The water turned red.
Icarus plunged his hand into it.
As if he could catch him.
As if he could fix him.
As if he could undo it.
But Altheis was gone.
And still—
Icarus cried.
When the shore disappeared—
he screamed.
A sound swallowed by the ocean.
The way Altheis had been.
He cried because he had lost everything.
Because he had been loved—
and could not save a single one of them.
Because every sacrifice had led to this.
He was the end of them all.
A flower in a desert—
that had once been a forest.
And he had drained it dry.
Icarus collapsed and screamed.
A man laughed beside him.
"I told you so."
Icarus shot up.
Caelum sat before him, smiling faintly.
"How do you feel now, Prince?"
Tears still ran down Icarus' face.
But his voice was steady.
"It must be difficult," he said quietly, "to live with so much bitterness."
Caelum's smile thinned.
"If only someone would die for you," Icarus continued, "perhaps it would fill that hollow space where your heart should be."
Silence.
"You couldn't save anything," Caelum said.
Icarus smiled.
Cold.
"You have nothing that loves you."
He looked out at the sea.
When he turned back—
Caelum was gone.