(3rd Person POV)
By morning, Arthur's new look had already taken the city by storm.
A popular magazine hit the stands, its front cover emblazoned with an image of Arthur—seated on his striking, flame-draped motorcycle, clad in black leather and metal, a look worlds apart from his usual refined style.
Daily readers paused at newsstands, eyes widening at the bold headline:
"The Great Exiled One's New Ride — Arthur Pendragon Unleashes a New Era of Style"
Comments buzzed through the crowd.
"What kind of bike is that? Did a company just drop a new model?"
"He's wearing something totally different... looks wild."
"I need that jacket. Hell, I want the whole outfit," one biker muttered, already itching to mimic the look.
The buzz spread quickly, especially among the biker community on Hellbook.
"What's the make of that bike?"
"Is it custom-built? I haven't seen anything like it."
Within hours, forums were ablaze with speculation—not just about the machine, but about Arthur's sudden shift in style.
---
Meanwhile, the man behind the headlines sat comfortably inside a lavish villa—the private residence of Mary Nightstar, the First Princess of Horn Kingdom.
The air in the room was heavy, the kind that settled between two people who both knew the stakes.
Arthur leaned back on the luxurious couch, swirling the wine in his glass before taking a slow sip. Across from him, Princess Mary sat stiffly, her fingers clenched in her lap.
Arthur's golden eyes watched her closely, the faintest smile tugging at his lips.
"I have to admit," he said, setting the glass down on the polished table, "I didn't expect you to sign so easily."
He tilted his head slightly, voice calm but laced with curiosity. "It's been, what… weeks since I offered you that contract? Honestly, I thought you'd never agree. But here we are."
Mary's jaw tightened, her breath shallow.
Arthur leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. "What changed, I wonder?" His tone was light, but probing.
She remained silent for a beat, then finally spoke through gritted teeth. "What changed doesn't matter. I signed. That's all you need to know."
Arthur chuckled, low and amused, picking up the glass again. "So you're fine with everything? Including the part where your parents are forced off the throne?"
A tense silence followed.
Then, she nodded once.
Arthur let out a soft laugh. "Ah… so that's it. You've had enough, haven't you? Watching the royals of this kingdom bow to others—cowards, all of them." He swirled the wine. "Letting Wales dictate your fate, offering gold just to buy protection like beggars."
Mary flinched, her knuckles white.
Bullseye.
Arthur's smile deepened. 'She hates it. Hates that Horn depends on Wales. Hates that they're propped up by another kingdom's mercy.'
And now?
Now she needed him.
"Enough small talk," Mary said coldly, her voice devoid of warmth. "Help me run the HKSE. Boost my standing in the kingdom—my reputation. Only then will I support you in dethroning my parents."
Arthur leaned back into the sofa, looking utterly relaxed, fingers tapping idly on the armrest. "Simple enough," he replied smoothly. "I could dethrone your parents right now if I wanted. But doing it outright would draw too much attention—too many eyes."
Mary snorted inwardly. 'As if.'
There was no way she believed that. The Horn Kingdom wasn't some fragile state. It was protected—closely—by the Wales Great Knights, legendary warriors said to cut down armies with a single swing. Even Arthur couldn't challenge them. Not directly.
'He has no chance. Not without me.'
Only by elevating her status—gaining the people's trust—could they even dream of toppling the king and queen. But that alone wouldn't free them from Wales' grip. The Great Knights weren't just muscle—they were political leverage.
'Even if I became Queen, I'd need more than influence. I'd need power—enough to break free from every outside hand. No Wales. No Morningstar. No one.'
Arthur rested his chin on his hand, watching her. He could feel her doubt, her silent amusement. But he didn't mind.
"Even with the Wales Great Knights stationed here," he said calmly, "I could deal with them. But the fallout? That's not something I'd take lightly."
Mary's eyes widened, disbelief flashing. "You... know about the Great Knights?" she blurted. "They're not even public knowledge!"
Arthur chuckled softly. "They're just swordsmen. Strong, yes—but to me? Ants."
Mary's brow furrowed, her eyes narrowing. 'Where does this man get such confidence?' She couldn't believe it. 'He's just a filmmaker. An inventor. Yet he talks like he rules the world.'
Her respect faltered.
'Naive.' She almost laughed. 'I thought I could take him seriously.'
But then her thoughts shifted. 'No matter. If he's really this foolish, I'll have the upper hand. Controlling an idiot is easier than I thought.'
She straightened, her composure steady, quiet confidence blooming in her chest.
Their conversation deepened, and Arthur laid out the foundation of his plan.
He would modernize the Horn Kingdom Stock Exchange—transform it into a fully digitized, internet-powered market. A leap ahead of any stock exchange in the world. With Hellfire's resources backing the transition, and Arthur's oversight ensuring its precision, HKSE would outpace all rivals.
"In just a few days," Arthur said, his voice steady, "Hellfire will move in. I'll handle the shift myself."
Mary's eyes flickered with cautious hope.
---
Meanwhile, Hellfire's newly and widely promoted film, Star Wars, finally released its first trailer on television. The moment it aired, viewers were pulled into a world unlike any they had known—a world beyond their understanding.
It opened with silence.
Then stars.
Suddenly, a colossal starship filled the screen, chased by another, smaller vessel, both exchanging fire in the void.
A voice, deep and resonant, spoke.
"There's a battle between good and evil, that rages on across the galaxy."
Scenes flashed in rapid succession—unknown planets, strange creatures, glowing swords clashing in the dark.
A desert world under twin suns.
A city of metal, alive with machines.
Warriors in white armor storming a narrow corridor.
"There's the story of a boy... a girl... and a universe."
A glimpse of Alissa, standing tall, a symbol of defiance amidst chaos.
Ships soared through hyperspace, beams of light trailing behind.
"It's a big, sprawling space saga of rebellion and romance."
Clint Foster appeared briefly, blaster in hand, standing beside a towering Wookiee.
"Of heroes and villains, of aliens from a thousand worlds."
The music surged—bold, otherworldly.
A hooded figure ignited a glowing blue sword.
Then, the towering silhouette of a masked man appeared, breathing heavily, each sound sharp and metallic.
"Star Wars. A billion years in the making. And it's coming to your galaxy… this summer."
The trailer ended with the golden STAR WARS logo blazing onto the screen.
---
The world was stunned.
"So… the story isn't set in our world… but beyond?" a man whispered, staring wide-eyed at the screen in a bar in the U.S.E.
In the Ottoman Empire, an elf leaned forward in his apartment, eyes fixated on the lingering image of the glowing swords. "Such strange attire… weapons of light… and ships that cross worlds. This must be the work of master dwarves."
The buzz spread like wildfire. Discussions exploded across Hellbook. The outside world was a mystery, but Star Wars dared to venture there.
And just as the fire of curiosity burned, Hellfire stoked it further.
A second trailer dropped days later.
The screen was black. Then—a breath. Slow, mechanical.
A shadowed figure emerged, cloaked in black, his mask shining under a crimson light. He raised a glowing red sword, his voice low and chilling.
"You do not know the power... of the dark side."
Speculation ignited.
"Who is the masked man?"
A report surfaced from a small entertainment media outlet—one claiming an anonymous insider at Hellfire had leaked a detail: that the one behind the mask of this mysterious figure, Darth Vader, was none other than Arthur Pendragon himself.
No one could confirm it.
Hellfire Studios declined to comment.
But the rumors only added fuel to the fire.
Could the legendary director and entrepreneur really be stepping into a role like this?
No one knew for sure.
But the mystery only made Star Wars more irresistible..
---
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