In the vast throne chamber of one of the many kingdoms under his iron grip, the Black Scorpion sat brooding on his dark obsidian throne, draped in his usual black wolf cloak. Outside, the banners bearing his mark fluttered in the wind, casting long shadows across the scorched courtyard. The people in the streets moved like ghosts, silent and fearful. No voice dared rise above a whisper.
The chamber was unusually quiet.
He had just returned from his House of death were he just finished watching a brutal deathmatch , but for once, he found no joy in the violence. A troubling rumor had reached his ears—a whisper from the wind, spreading like wildfire through the conquered lands.
His chief informant, a sly, bent man with sharp eyes and a tongue smooth as silk, stood bowed before him.
"You brought me rumors? That's all?" the tyrant asked coldly.
"Not just rumors, Your Highness. It's being whispered far and wide. A prophecy... They say it came from Lianhua."
The name struck the Black Scorpion with brief interest. Lianhua—the flourishing kingdom ruled by Emperor Han Zixuan. It was one of the few realms he hadn't crushed beneath his boot. And now this?
"Prophecy?" he repeated. His eyes narrowed. "Speak."
The informant hesitated, then spoke with care. "They say… the bloodline of an ancient power is destined to rise once more. And that it will be awakened… by a young Seer."
That word—Seer—sent a jolt through the tyrant.
The Black Scorpion leaned forward slowly. "Who is the Seer?"
"We do not know, Your Highness," the informant replied nervously. "Even the whispers do not name them."
A thick silence followed.
The tyrant stared into the space before him. A deep frown etched into his face. Could it be? Was this prophecy pointing toward him—as the darkness to be defeated?
He rose slowly, his shadow looming.
"Bring me the Eagle Eye," he commanded.
Eagle Eye, an eccentric wanderer known across the western kingdoms, was no mere magician. He wasn't a prophet, not in the traditional sense, but he could interpret dreams, unlock riddles in the stars, and make sense of omens no man dared confront. If anyone could give sense to this madness—it was him.
Within days, the man arrived. Tall and thin, with white streaks through his long dark hair and beads clinking at his waist, he bowed respectfully.
"Your Highness called for me."
The Black Scorpion gestured with a flick of his fingers. "Speak. Tell me about the prophecy."
Eagle Eye knelt in the circle of torches and placed a handful of sacred powders on the ground, tracing ancient symbols into the stone floor. He lit the herbs and began to chant in a forgotten tongue. Smoke curled into the air, forming strange patterns.
After a long moment, he opened his eyes.
"This prophecy… it speaks of you. You are the darkness. The tyrant to be brought down. The one whose reign will end in fire and blood."
The Black Scorpion's face darkened.
"You come here and insult me in my own hall?"
"I speak only what the spirits have revealed."
"Then tell me—how do I stop it?" the tyrant growled.
Eagle Eye lowered his gaze. "There is no stopping fate. But… I saw something. A connection. Between the hero who shall rise… and a princess. She carries a forgotten bloodline. I believe she is connected to the one who will defeat you."
The Black Scorpion tilted his head. A smirk crept across his lips.
"A forgotten bloodline… a princess… and a Seer. That is all you offer?"
"That… is all I know."
The Black Scorpion's gaze turned cold. He raised his hand.
"Seize him."
Guards rushed forward. Eagle Eye struggled as iron hands grabbed his arms.
"Wait! I can help you!"
The Black Scorpion's voice was like ice. "Show me a way to destroy the Seer… or your bones will hang at the gates."
Eagle Eye gasped. "I don't know who the Seer is—but… if it is the Seer who awakens the savior, then end the Seer, and the hero never rises."
The tyrant paused.
"Are you that stupid? Didn't you just say you don't know who the Seer is?"
"Yes, but—Your Highness—you have ears everywhere! Spies! Messengers! If you give the word, the Seer will be found."
The Black Scorpion chuckled darkly. He stared at the trembling man, then slowly raised a finger. The guards let him go.
"You might not be completely useless. I want you by my side from now on. But know this—I reward loyalty. I destroy betrayal."
Eagle Eye bowed quickly, sweat pouring from his brow. "I understand, Your Highness. I will serve you."
The Black Scorpion leaned back into his throne, thoughts turning.
So… supernaturality is begginnig to stir in that kingdom.... Seer, forgotten bloodline, a prophecy also had begun to surface in Lianhua. That kingdom again!. Perhaps it was time to deal with them.
But first, he would find the Seer.
And when he did—the bloodline would never awaken.
The hero would never rise.
And the Black Scorpion would remain, as always, victorious.
The Black Scorpion leaned back on his throne silent and grim. The torchlight danced across his face, throwing shadows beneath his fierce eyes. He tapped his fingers against the carved armrest, brooding. If a young seer could awaken a forgotten bloodline, if a man long buried could rise again with power enough to destroy a worrior like me... then perhaps there were still paths left untaken. Paths to strength beyond mortal flesh.
He clenched his fist. Is there no ancient rite... no hidden technique to double my power? he wondered, his mind wandering to forbidden scrolls and buried temples spoken of in whispers. Perhaps somewhere, deep in the mountain tombs or beyond the sea of fire, lay a secret the world had forgotten—a weapon only a true tyrant would dare to seek.
He stared into the flames. If legends are rising... then I must become a legend too. One no prophecy can challenge.
"The next time that fool Eagle Eye returns," he muttered darkly, "he'll have far more questions to answer. And this time, I want more than riddles."
He snapped his fingers.
A trembling maid scurried forward, head bowed.
"Bring me wine," he ordered, voice low but commanding. "Tonight, I drink. Tomorrow, I plan the death of destiny itself."