CURSE OF THE THRONE : RISE OF THE LOST PRINCE

Mumbai, 2013. It was a still night, but the city never really slept. The neon signs of the city glowed on the streets of Bandra, casting their lights off the rain-soaked roads.

In a tiny flat, Room No. 401, Dr. Viki sat on his couch, daydreaming. The wall clock ticking and the far-off hum of cars were the only noises in the darkened room. He glanced at his watch. 10:30 PM.

A knock on the door.

Dr. Viki got up, pushing his glasses up his nose before opening it. Marvin, one of the young researchers under his care, waited outside, wearing a proper suit but appearing a bit tired.

"Sir, we have to go," Marvin said, trying to force a tiny smile. "The last tests are at midnight."

Dr. Viki nodded and took his coat. "Let's go."

The two walked into the night, the chill air filled with the smell of damp soil. Marvin's car, a silver sedan, was waiting by the side of the road. They entered, and Marvin turned on the engine.

The roads were less crowded than they normally were, but the occasional headlamps swept past as they headed towards the research center.

"I feel something good about tonight," Marvin said, looking at Dr. Viki.

Viki smiled. "Let's hope your intuition is correct. The hypersonic missile project is in its final phase. We can't make any mistakes."

Marvin nodded, holding the steering wheel tightly.

The city lights whizzed by as they drove at high speed through the roads. Then, as they approached an isolated highway section near Worli Sea Link, a peculiar shiver ran down Marvin's spine.

Something was… a miss.

The very next moment—blinding headlamps.

A truck, traveling at top speed, cut into their lane.

"Marvin, watch out!" Dr. Viki cried out.

But not in time.

A shuddering crash. Metal deformed. Glass cracked. The universe whirled. Then—silence.

Darkness. Then… Light.

A chill wind. A fragrance of blossoms and damp soil.

Marvin's lids opened. His head pounded, but the aching dissipated at once. The sky overhead was a purple and gold shade, unlike anything he had ever beheld. He blinked, his brain fighting to comprehend what occurred.

The crash. The truck. The impact.

A sharp, burning pain shot through Marvin's chest. His vision blurred. His head lolled to the side, blood trickling down his forehead. I'm… dying.

His breath came in short, ragged gasps. Every part of his body screamed in agony, but the pain wasn't just physical. It was something deeper—something he had never felt before.

Why?

Why did this occur? What did I do wrong? I was merely driving… merely conversing… and now—now I'm going to die?

A lump in his throat, not from anguish but from remorse. Why him? What had he done wrong? He had aspirations, undone business, a future ahead of him. But now? Now it was being taken from him.

Tears spilled over into his eyes.

I never even had a girlfriend. He managed a half-hearted, bitter laugh, but it sounded more like a strangled breath. There was someone he had liked—really liked—but he never spoke up. He kept pushing it aside, promising himself there would be time.

But now? Now there was no time.

His fingers jerked as he attempted to move, to grasp something—anything—but his energy was slipping away.

This can't be the end.

Darkness consumed his vision. His heartbeat decreased. His dreams, his regrets, his love—all dissolved into nothingness.

And then.

Silence.

System Massage Detected Confirmed.

Building body for host… Successful.

"Huh?" The voice echoed through the void, far away yet distinct.

Resist Cold… Successfully acquired.

Distinctive skill "Constructor". Successfully acquired.

Transforming additional skill "NeoMentor" to distinctive skill "Lumina"… Successful.

"Wait, what? Who's speaking?" Marvin attempted to shift. Nothing. He attempted to open his mouth. Nothing.

Shit.

His body was absent. No heat, no air, only cold eternal. But… he wasn't hurting anymore. Just drifting.

Cognitive processing… Altered.

Neural pathways integrated. Done.

A voice—not a person's, but something entirely more sophisticated—spoke directly within his mind.

[Welcome, Host. I am Lumina, your integrated cognitive support system.]

What the bloody hell was this? Some sort of AI? A dream? He had no idea.

But one thing was definite…

He wasn't dead. Not yet.