CHRIS POV
The lights were blinding, the room deafening with silent anticipation. Every major outlet in the empire had their cameras trained on me. BBN, Empire Daily, Global Blackwood Press — everyone was waiting. And I, Chris Blackwood, Supreme Ruler of the Blackwood Empire, stood before them, unshaken.
I adjusted the mic slightly and looked into the sea of lenses. My suit was pitch-black, my collar sharp, and the Blackwood emblem glistened on my chest like a seal of finality.
"I stand before you today not as a man desperate for power, but as the only man fit to wield it."
I let the words breathe. The silence afterward was intentional.
"In recent times, there have been betrayals. Even from those closest to me. But I want the citizens of this empire to understand — loyalty is not a suggestion, it is the law."
I could feel the heat in my throat. Amara was standing at the edge of the room, watching me. Calm. Strong. My Queen. My 02.
"Skylar Blackwood is no more."
There were gasps. Some reporters dropped their pens.
"She chose rebellion over unity. She chose emotion over order. And the result was necessary. This empire must live. It must outlast us all."
I paused and glanced at the sealed documents in front of me.
"There will be reforms. New policies. And yes… further actions. No citizen is above the Empire. Not even a former 02."
The crowd murmured, tension thick in the air.
"And to those who think the throne is shaky — look again."
I took off my crown and placed it flat on the podium.
"This crown rests on the head of a man who has bled, lost, and sacrificed everything to protect what is his. Let any man or woman who thinks they can shake this empire come forward…"
I narrowed my eyes into the camera.
"…and see how fast they disappear."
I stepped back. No Q&A. No soft talk.
The guards closed in around me as I turned and walked off the stage — Amara falling into step beside me. The empire had been warned.