novelraw Chapter 16 : The Solar Dynasty
Chapter 16 : The Solar Dynasty
Chapter 16: The Solar Dynasty
He took a deep breath.
“Follow the guidance of the gods!”
“Today, I, Apollo, chieftain and priest of the Star Tribe, hereby proclaim—”
“The Solar Dynasty is hereby established!”
The wooden staff in his hand pointed toward the sky.
“And I shall serve as the first ruler of the Solar Dynasty—the Sun King!”
“King!”
“Sun King!”
“King Apollo!”
After a brief silence, a tidal wave of cheers erupted from the crowd!
Although they could not fully understand the meanings of “dynasty” and “king,”
they could feel that this marked a brand-new and greater beginning!
With their most fervent cries, they paid tribute to the leader they believed would lead them toward glory!
At that moment, the blazing sunlight perfectly enveloped Apollo.
His white hair seemed to transform into a golden crown within the radiant light.
Sacred and majestic!
At this moment, he—
was no longer merely the chieftain of a tribe or one chosen by the gods.
but, in the truest sense…
a monarch ordained by the gods!
Everyone could not help but deeply kneel toward the altar, toward their “Sun King,” expressing the utmost reverence and submission.
At this moment, beside them, Ya carefully recorded this historic scene.
“The first year of the Solar Dynasty, Sun King Apollo was crowned before the Temple of the Star Deity—!”
Apollo’s ascension to kingship
was not merely a change in title.
It formally declared the end of the tribal era.
A brand-new age centered on royal authority, possessing writing, cities, and a more complex social structure—
had arrived!
……
After the coronation ceremony ended,
Apollo, now the “Sun King,” did not rest—instead, he became even busier.
Having mastered writing, it was as if he had opened the door to a new world.
He clearly saw that as the population grew, cities emerged, and affairs became increasingly complex,
relying solely on oral tradition was no longer sufficient to effectively govern this emerging dynasty.
Thus, he spent a full three years
engraving onto a stone tablet everything he had comprehended in his life—rules, tribal traditions, and his understanding of order—
using written language.
He named it—《Solar Code》!
Though crude, this body of law encompassed many aspects.
It even became the origin of all later laws.
To establish the supreme authority of the law, Apollo performed a highly symbolic act.
He placed the stone tablet that recorded the law inside the temple, to the left of the divine statue.
This signified that the authority of the law stemmed directly from the will of the gods—unchallengeable and unquestionable!
However, human nature was a composite of desires.
With the birth of law came inevitable violations.
There were always those who harbored luck, believing that the law was merely a stone tablet—what could it possibly do to them?
But when their violations were discovered,
no matter how they pleaded, Apollo showed no mercy, for sparing them would mean shaking the authority of the law.
In the future, the tribespeople would only treat the law as nothing.
Thus, he personally took action. Blazing flames emerged from his hands, burning the offenders.
For he hoped that this sacred fire could incinerate the filth within the souls of the criminals.
As the offenders wailed within the flames,
everyone finally realized that the once-majestic yet faintly gentle chieftain had completely disappeared.
He was no longer merely “one chosen by the gods.”
He was a ruler who held supreme authority, beneath whose law no defiance was tolerated—
a “King”!
The tribespeople began to fear him.
That fear replaced the closeness and reverence they once felt.
Even though they had once fervently shouted his name time and time again,
now, in their eyes, Apollo was no longer the divine servant who brought hope, but a cold ruler.
Seeing the unmistakable fear in their eyes, Apollo fell silent, a bitter sorrow rising in his heart.
Yet he still carried out the law with unwavering determination.
Because he clearly saw that although the enforcement of the law was harsh, it effectively curbed chaos and made the operation of the dynasty more orderly.
In the long run, it protected the interests of more people and guided the dynasty toward a better future.
Unfortunately, his tribespeople could not see that far ahead. They only saw that Apollo had personally punished their loved ones.
To be half a step ahead of one’s era is genius.
To be a full step ahead may make one an outcast—or even a tyrant—in the eyes of others.
The laws and royal authority implemented by Apollo were far too advanced for this era, whose thinking had not yet fully awakened.
People’s minds were not yet prepared to embrace a new age ruled by law and monarchy.
But no matter what, the tide of the new era had already arrived with unstoppable force!
……
At the same time, Lei, who had been traveling afar, arrived in a region the tribe had never set foot in before.
Here existed a large tribe living by a great river, with a vast population, its scale nearly comparable to the Star Tribe in its later stages.
Curious, Lei hid within the forest to observe, but was discovered by the other side’s vigilant patrol.
When Lei stepped out, attempting to express goodwill,
his golden hair shimmering under the sunlight and his pair of golden eyes
caused immense fear and hostility among the warriors of this large tribe.
They had never seen someone with such an appearance!
“A monster! A spirit from the mountains!”
someone shouted in terror.
Lei had long left his tribe to travel,
but with the power granted by divine favor, he feared neither wild beasts nor harsh environments.
Thus, facing a large tribe comparable to his own, he felt no fear.
He tried to use gestures to express friendliness. However, his approach only intensified their fear.
No one knew who threw the first stone spear, but soon, more attacks rained down upon Lei like a storm.
Being attacked without cause, anger surged within Lei.
He no longer attempted to explain. With a low shout,
blazing flames instantly surrounded his body, making him appear like a god of fire!
With a wave of his hand, roaring flames surged toward the nearest attackers, instantly melting their weapons and scorching them to the ground, their miserable screams echoing out.
This miraculous ability to control fire instantly shattered the will of all attackers!
“A god! It’s a heavenly god!”
“The heavenly god is angry!”
“Spare us! Heavenly god, spare us!”
The warriors who had been fierce just moments ago
now dropped their weapons, trembling as they knelt on the ground, begging for Lei’s mercy.
Lei looked at this dramatic scene before him and sighed helplessly.
He withdrew the flames and, in a calm voice, combined with gestures, explained:
“I am not a god! I merely… received the blessing of the gods!”
He pointed at his golden hair and eyes, then pointed to the sky, trying to explain the source of his power.
However, in the eyes of those kneeling tribespeople,
Lei—who could control flames and spoke words they could not understand—
was no different from the gods of legend.