A taste of the future

I'm not going to give any context as to where or why this happens, except that it will. King of the Dead will continue for a VERY long time, as I have four books planned.

I walked down the narrow hallway, past every empty cage, except for two. I stop, timidly looking at Luna. She stares directly ahead at her sister’s prison, doing her best to ignore me. I see a shimmer of pain in her eyes: I reflect it right back.
Shaking my head, I do my best to once again assure her, “I do this for you. Your merciful methods may have worked in the past, but they can no longer sustain such a bountiful kingdom. Do you not see this? Every enemy you have faced, has come back for revenge. I want to protect you. I don’t want you in here, I want you at your rightful place.”
She angrily looks away from me, “And is my place at your side, or you at mine!?” I sigh, “One day you will see. I have only your safety in mind. I will free you of this burden you carry.” Her head snaps back to me, tears in her eyes. She can’t stop herself from screaming, “You’re not doing it for us, you’re doing it for you! You feel disrespected! You feel displaced! I am no stranger to these feelings! But you should have come and talked with us! Not go behind our backs with your warmongering, then strip us of our magic with the very thing you promised never to use against us!” She bows her head sobbing.
Her words surround me as if I had jumped into a frozen lake. I begin to get angry, “I am not a villain. I am here to save you. I will do what must be done, something you cannot bring yourselves to do!” Celestia speaks to me with a flat tone, without eye contact, “Funny how the villain always sees themselves as the hero.” I stare at her, she shifts uncomfortably. Luna does her best to compose herself, “If you really think imprisoning us is kind, then you are not the man I...I thought I knew. You really are the King of the Dead.”
*****
I walk up to one of the royal guards, and unbind his legs. He stares at me confused. I hand him the keys to the prison. He looks at them, once more at me, then takes off. I pull out Luna’s silky scarf and tie it around the arm of her throne. I don’t deserve it anymore. God, what have I done…
I sit in the throne of my former King: the halls are as lifeless as I. The walls reflect the gloom in my soul with nothing but shadows dancing on them. There are more torches to be lit, but I don’t bother. I get up and take a few steps off the throne. I tear the crown from my head and hurl it at the wall. The orange gem falls out and bounces out, coming to a halt on the floor. I slowly walk up to it, angered by what it represented. It lays before me, weak and helpless as I am. I shatter it with my heel. The pain and guilt resurfaces, and I fall to my knees in agony. The shards of the gem dig deep into my skin: there is not a part of me that cares.
********
I stood before the orb, with my sword out. I turn the sword to face my stomach: may they find peace in my death. I hear Luna shouting, “Raiden! Stop!” Her voice is angry and direct.
“I will use my life t refuel what I have taken from you. Perhaps one day you can forgive me for what I’ve done.” I raise the sword higher, preparing every muscle in my arms. “You are a coward Raiden!” I stop, and turn my head, “A coward? I am prepared to atone for what I’ve done!”
She glares at me with a strange fire I’ve never seen before. “You take the coward's way out! Rather than live with the guilt like a warrior, you take the easy way out! If you really do feel as bad as you claim then you will do what it takes to make it up to me! You really think I’ll take solace in the death of the man I love?!”
I had spent many years sharpening this sword, and yet her words could slice deeper than it ever could. Ice creeps into my veins. I had not stopped to consider how she would feel after. I had not once remembered that she cared. I feel lost; the ground I had built my life on, crumbled around me. I lower the sword, and hang my head in shame.