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3.

Today, the weight of this curse pressed down on Alex more heavily than ever. He stood in the grand hall of his palace, surrounded by advisors, generals, and the elite of his kingdom. They were discussing the latest intelligence reports, the movements of enemy factions, the state of the universe under his control. But Alex’s mind was elsewhere, clouded with the whispers he had heard earlier, whispers that now echoed in his ears.

"They say he’s losing his power."

"Without a bride, we are doomed."

"How long can we survive with a king who cannot protect us?"

These were the voices of his own people, the ones he had sworn to protect and lead. And they were doubting him. Doubting his strength, his resolve, his ability to rule.

The whispers had driven him to rage, and now, that rage boiled over. With a mighty swing, Alex smashed the glass orb he had been holding—the Orb of Command, a symbol of his absolute authority. It shattered into a thousand pieces, the shards scattering across the polished metal floor like stardust.

The hall fell silent, all eyes on their king. The air thickened with tension as everyone waited for his next move. Alex’s chest heaved with anger, his glowing eyes narrowing into slits as he stared at the fragments of the orb.

"Silence!" His voice, deep and resonant, cut through the room like a blade. "I will not tolerate this insubordination!"

His advisors flinched, and the generals shifted uneasily, but none dared to speak.

"They dare to question me?" Alex continued, his voice dripping with venom. "They dare to doubt my power? My reign?"

The room remained silent, the tension palpable. Alex knew what they were thinking, even if they didn’t say it aloud. His power was waning, and they all knew why. The prophecy was clear: without a human bride, his full powers would remain locked away, out of reach. And now, his people were losing faith.

"I will not be made a fool of," Alex growled, his metallic hand clenching into a fist. "The prophecy speaks of a union, a marriage that will unlock my true power. They think I cannot achieve this? They think I will let my kingdom fall into ruin?"

He slammed his fist onto the armrest of his throne, the impact reverberating through the hall. "No! I will find this human. I will fulfill the prophecy, and I will crush anyone who dares to stand in my way."

The advisors exchanged nervous glances, but no one dared to question the king’s resolve. They had seen his wrath before and knew better than to provoke it further.

"My lord," one of the advisors finally spoke, his voice trembling slightly. "The human world is vast and primitive. Finding a suitable bride among them... it may take time."

"Time?" Alex’s voice was a low growl, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "We do not have time. The universe is on the brink of chaos, and my kingdom stands at the edge of destruction. We must act now."

He turned to his generals, his gaze burning with intensity. "Mobilize our forces. I want every resource at our disposal used to locate this human. Scour the stars, search every corner of their insignificant planet, and bring her to me. I do not care how it is done, but it must be done."

The generals bowed deeply, their metallic armor clinking as they moved in unison. "Yes, my lord," they replied, their voices steady despite the gravity of the command.

As the generals prepared to carry out his orders, Alex’s mind raced. He could not afford to fail. His kingdom’s fate, and his own destiny, depended on it. He could feel the weight of the universe pressing down on him, the expectation of countless beings who looked to him for protection and leadership.

But there was more. Alex had never truly known fear, not in the conventional sense. He was a king, a warrior, a being of unimaginable power. But the idea of being bound to another, of depending on a mere human to unlock his true potential—this unsettled him in ways he had never experienced before. It was an unknown, and in the vast expanse of the universe, the unknown was something even he could not control.

Suddenly, a ripple of energy pulsed through the hall, a signal from the outer reaches of his empire. Alex’s eyes snapped to one of the monitors that lined the walls, its display flickering to life. Streams of data scrolled across the screen, and within moments, the source of the signal became clear.

Earth.

Alex’s metallic brow furrowed as he analyzed the data. It wasn’t just any signal; it was a message. A message from the very planet that held the key to his power. It was weak, barely discernible among the noise of space, but it was there, reaching out across the stars.

"Your majesty," one of the scientists who monitored such communications spoke up, his voice tinged with awe. "It appears to be an unintentional transmission. We’ve detected a surge of energy coming from the Earth, possibly the result of a scientific experiment or..."

Alex’s mind was already racing. Could this be it? Could this be the sign he had been waiting for? He knew that the humans were an unpredictable species, constantly meddling with forces they did not understand. But could they have inadvertently opened a gateway? Could they have discovered something that would lead him to the human he sought?

"Trace the signal," Alex commanded, his tone leaving no room for hesitation. "I want to know exactly where it came from and what they were doing when they sent it."

The scientist bowed quickly and began typing furiously on the console, his fingers a blur of motion as he worked to comply with the king’s order. The room buzzed with tension, everyone on edge as they awaited the results.

Minutes passed, each one stretching into an eternity, until finally, the scientist looked up, his face pale.

"My lord, the signal originated from a research facility. It seems they were conducting experiments related to communication beyond their planet. They’ve been searching for signs of life… and it appears they’ve found something."

Alex’s eyes glowed brighter, a predatory gleam in them. "And what have they found?"

The scientist hesitated, as if unsure how to frame the answer. "It seems they’ve detected signals… from us, your majesty. They know we exist."

For a moment, the room was silent, the implications of this revelation sinking in. Alex’s mind raced with possibilities. The humans were aware of them. This could complicate his plans, or it could make things easier. If they were aware, perhaps they could be persuaded—or coerced—into providing what he needed.

Or perhaps, if the right human had already been found...

"Prepare the fleet," Alex ordered, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "We will make contact with these humans. And we will do whatever is necessary to bring the one I need back here."

He rose from his throne, his form towering over those in the room, the energy radiating from him like a storm about to break. His golden horns gleamed ominously in the dim light, a reminder of the power that lay within him—power that would soon be fully unleashed.

As the preparations were made, Alex found himself pacing the grand hall, his mind consumed by thoughts of the future. He could feel the stirrings of change in the universe, a shift in the balance of power that would either save his kingdom or doom it to oblivion.

The humans had no idea what was coming. They were about to face a force beyond their comprehension, and in doing so, they would unknowingly play a role in shaping the fate of the entire universe.

And as for the one human who would become his bride… Alex could only wonder what she would be like. Would she be strong, capable of withstanding the weight of the cosmos? Would she fear him, as so many others did? Or would she rise to the challenge, unlocking the power within him and sealing their fate together?

He shook his head, dismissing the thoughts for now. There was no room for doubt. He was a king, and he would do whatever was necessary to

secure his kingdom’s future.

As the fleet prepared to depart, Alex stood at the edge of his palace, gazing out into the infinite expanse of space. Somewhere out there, a human was waiting—unaware of the destiny that awaited her, and the role she would play in the survival of an entire kingdom.

And as the stars shimmered around him, Alex made a silent vow: He would find her. He would bring her to his side. And together, they would reshape the universe.

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