crown of self-interest

Zaros Valen sat in the quiet solitude of his personal chamber, his mind turning over the events of the past few days. The citadel was alive with activity—his subordinates, his pawns, were busy preparing for the next stage of his ascension. He knew they worked tirelessly, each of them driven by their own desires: ambition, fear, a thirst for power, or the hope of surviving the new world he would create. But beneath their hurried movements and eager obedience, Zaros sensed a shift.

The subtle current of rebellion had begun to stir. It was as delicate as the first breath of a coming storm, barely noticeable, but unmistakable to someone with his level of insight. He didn’t know precisely who was involved, but he didn’t need to. He had been here before, more times than he cared to count. Power always attracted those who sought to either bask in its light or take it for themselves. It was only a matter of time before someone made a move.

As he gazed out of the narrow window, his mind wandered to the distant past, to a time when he had not yet claimed his place as the most feared and respected sorcerer in the land. There had been a time, long ago, when Zaros Valen had not been the master, but the student—the apprentice to a greater power, striving to carve out his own destiny.

---

Zaros had been born into a world that was merciless to those without strength. His childhood was a blur of deprivation and survival, spent in a land torn apart by warring factions and a struggle for control. The concept of "loyalty" had been meaningless then—no one cared for a street orphan unless they saw some use in him. And Zaros had quickly learned to make himself useful.

His first teacher had been an old sorcerer, a man who ruled a small enclave on the edges of a great empire. The sorcerer had seen something in young Zaros—potential, perhaps, or maybe just raw ambition. Either way, he had taken Zaros under his wing, teaching him the basics of magic, knowledge that most people in those days would kill for. But even then, Zaros had never been content to simply learn what was given to him. He hungered for more, always pushing, always seeking out the forbidden knowledge his teacher had hidden away.

The old sorcerer had tried to hold him back, tried to keep certain doors closed. But Zaros, even in his youth, had known that power was something to be taken, not given. In the end, it hadn’t been difficult to remove the old man from his path. A simple betrayal, carefully timed, and the sorcerer had been left vulnerable. Zaros hadn’t hesitated. His teacher had taught him one final lesson before his death: trust no one, not even those who seem to have your best interests at heart.

From there, Zaros’s rise to power had been swift. Without the sorcerer’s restraints, he had thrown himself into the study of magic, exploring the darkest and most dangerous arts, forbidden by the empires of men and the laws of the gods. His appetite for knowledge was insatiable, and with each new secret he uncovered, his power grew. But so too did his understanding of the world. Power, Zaros had come to realize, was not simply a matter of strength. It was about control—control over others, over circumstances, and most importantly, over oneself.

And so, Zaros had built his empire carefully, piece by piece. He had surrounded himself with those who were skilled, those who had something to offer him, and he had bent them to his will. His subordinates had come to him willingly, each of them believing they could gain something from him, just as he had once believed his old teacher had something to offer. But Zaros knew the truth: they were all disposable. Their usefulness was what kept them alive. The moment that usefulness ended, so too would their lives.

Now, as Zaros reflected on the faces of his current followers, he could see the same patterns emerging once again. They were loyal for now, but only because it suited them. Some were driven by fear—fear of him, fear of the unknown world that would come after his ascension. Others were drawn by the promise of power, believing that by staying close to him, they would be able to share in the spoils of his victory.

But Zaros knew better. Ambition was a treacherous thing. It could drive men and women to achieve great things, but it could also lead them to destroy everything around them in the pursuit of more. Somewhere within his ranks, someone was already plotting their next move, biding their time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

---

The flickering light from the brazier cast long, dancing shadows on the walls of the chamber, and Zaros closed his eyes for a moment, letting his mind drift further into his past. The memory of one particular betrayal came to the forefront, as sharp and clear as if it had happened yesterday.

There had been a time when Zaros had taken on an apprentice of his own—a brilliant, ambitious young sorcerer, not unlike himself in many ways. The boy had shown great promise, and Zaros had seen in him a reflection of his younger self, full of fire and a thirst for power. For a time, the boy had served him well, learning quickly and performing every task Zaros set before him with efficiency and loyalty.

But Zaros had known better than to let his guard down. He had seen the hunger in the boy’s eyes, the way he looked at the ancient tomes in Zaros’s library, the way he studied his master’s every move. It was only a matter of time before the boy would try to seize power for himself, just as Zaros had once done to his own teacher.

The boy had been clever—he had waited, watching, learning, growing in strength. And when he had finally made his move, it had been with all the cunning and ruthlessness Zaros had taught him. The boy had gathered allies in secret, fellow students and minor sorcerers, promising them power in exchange for their loyalty. He had plotted to overthrow Zaros, to take his place as the master of the citadel.

But Zaros had seen it coming long before the boy had made his first move. He had allowed the plot to unfold, watching from the shadows as his apprentice gathered his forces, biding his time until the moment was right. And when the boy had finally revealed his hand, Zaros had crushed him without mercy. His apprentice had learned a valuable lesson in his final moments: no one could outmaneuver Zaros Valen.

Since then, Zaros had never taken on another apprentice. He had realized that allowing someone to grow too close, to learn too much, was a risk not worth taking. His subordinates now were useful, but none of them were truly indispensable. They were tools, nothing more, and tools could be replaced.

---

As Zaros opened his eyes, the weight of the past faded, replaced by the cold clarity of the present. He would not allow himself to be taken by surprise. Whoever was plotting against him—whether it was one of his more trusted subordinates or a newer recruit—would find that Zaros was always several steps ahead.

He had already put measures in place to ensure his dominance would remain unchallenged. Spies within his own ranks, subtle enchantments that would reveal treachery, and of course, his unmatched magical power. Whoever dared to betray him would find that they had miscalculated, just as every other fool who had stood against him had done.

But Zaros also understood the delicate balance of power. He couldn’t simply eliminate every potential threat outright—it would undermine his authority, weaken the very structure he had built. No, he needed to handle this carefully, subtly. He needed to let the plotters believe they still had a chance, to let them play their hand so that he could crush them in full view of the others. That was how true power was maintained—not through fear alone, but through the demonstration of absolute control.

---

Zaros rose from his seat, his dark robes trailing behind him as he left the chamber. The citadel was quiet, save for the distant murmurs of his followers going about their tasks. He could feel the tension in the air, the growing sense of unease among his subordinates. They were waiting for something—for him to make his move, or for one of them to betray the others.

In the end, it didn’t matter. Zaros would be ready for whatever came next. His ascension was inevitable, and no amount of scheming or betrayal would stop him. The universe would bend to his will, and those who stood with him—or against him—would all learn the same lesson.

As Zaros descended deeper into the citadel, toward the chamber where the final preparations for the ritual were being made, his thoughts remained fixed on one simple truth: power, real power, was not something that could be taken. It was something that had to be earned, through cunning, through ruthlessness, and above all, through absolute, unwavering control.

And Zaros Valen had mastered them all.