Shadows danced across the cold stone walls of the throne room as he sat slumped on the ornate chair, the weight of a crown feeling heavier than ever upon his brow. A distant whisper suddenly pierced the silence, dragging him into the recesses of his mind, where memories twisted and morphed into grotesque shapes. He saw a reflection of himself, not as the mighty king he was meant to be, but as a wretched creature a hideous beast with matted fur and hollow eyes, roaring in a cage of his own making. "Look at you," he muttered bitterly, fists clenching until his knuckles turned white. "What king is this? A monster… unworthy of the throne, unworthy of the love I sought." The anger bubbled within him, but it was fuelled by a deeper despair, each thought sharp as a dagger, a reminder of the darkness that clung to him like a second skin. He slammed a fist against the armrest, the sharp noise echoing in the vast chamber. "I don't deserve this power… this title! I am nothing but a failure!” His voice cracked, the facade of a ruler fracturing as the reality of his own reflection consumed him, teetering on the edge of a breakdown, desperate to escape the monster he feared he truly was.