SYSTEM ASCENSION

”Numbers of casualties: three hundred people with critical injuries, five hundred and sixty four people with minor injuries, one hundred and ninety five people dead. Some bodies are still unidentified, and a hundred recorded missing so far.”

The royal steward completed the report. He stepped back afterwards.

The hall remained tense and silent.

None of the leading family said anything about it, because no one understood what was going on. Even after two days of the event, they couldn’t come to a conclusion on who attacked and why.

Only one thing was slightly clear. The barrier was made to hold back normal raiders, but to accommodate those who had gone through the blinding light experience.

Now, they all sat, and just stared at each other. Not because they know what they wanted to talk about, but because otherwise would make them look stupid.

As the silence stretched on, Rowen suddenly stood up, pushing back his chair.

”Your highness, if you’ll excuse me, I have a burial to perform.”

He didn’t wait for approval before he turned around, ready to walk out.

Lord Joran slammed the table and stood up.

”Your brother is also involved in this! If he had come clean about himself, we would not be sitting here and counting our fingers!”

”That’s enough on your part.” Rowen warned without sparing them a glance.

”You hid him, while we beat around the bushes for ages!”

”I know nothing.”

”Still dare to deny it?!”

Rowen stopped by the door, his hand itching suddenly. He turned around, expression cold.

”If you have questions for my brother, I can send you over to meet him.”

Lord Joran’s head exploded in anger. Their energy burst out of order, clashing into each other.

”You dare threaten me?!”

Rowen scoffed.

”And?”

”That’s enough.” The emperor raised a finger. ”It’s pathetic to waste your energy on baseless arguments.”

He sighed.

”Rowen, come back.”

The headmaster stared at the emperor for a moment before returning.

”There is no way Rowen would know if Zeal had experienced it or not. Afterall, they didn’t grow up together.”

A quiet realization settled.

Lord Tell raised a brow.

”I found Zeal in an orphanage when he was younger. He had been there since he was five,” the emperor continued. ”He was lucky to survive the accident, and was taken to the orphanage. Rowen was raised by me.”

They all glanced at Rowen.

”My point is,” the emperor released another deep sigh. ”Zeal was kidnapped before I could bring him back.”

”So when did he return?” Lady Anny asked.

”Rowen found him seven years ago.”

”So there is no way Rowen would know everything about someone who was rarely around,” Lady Hinger muttered. She glanced at Rowen and bowed her head.

”We misunderstood you. I apologize.”

Rowen didn’t react.

”Despite how little we know about this matter,” Lord Tell spoke. ”We cannot rule out that boy that singlehandedly wiped out over a thousand of those creatures. Thanks to him, a lot of people survived.”

Lady Anny nodded. ”Elias...was it? How pitiful.”

”We should at least compensate his family,” Lord Joe said. ”It won’t cover for his death, but it will ease their minds.”

Lady Hinger leaned closer to Rowen.

”You know him, so how can we contact his family?”

Rowen turned his head to her for a moment, and then looked away.

”His only relative died alongside him, so it’s fine.”

Another moment of silence settled like a veil.

The emperor was the one who broke it later on.

”We need to get the situation under control first. Bury the dead, oversee reconstructions, find a suitable place for the homeless. Sound league is a pillar, any destruction leak would make us prone to outside invasion. Take care of this among yourselves.”

”We’ll carry out your orders!”

”Dismissed.” He waved.

Without another word, they left the hall.

The emperor let the quiet sit for a moment before he spoke.

”Tyler.”

The air behind him rippled and parted. A foot stepped out.

”Father.”

”What did you find?”

”Those attackers are from a different world. They are called Borjas, sent to kill those who uses the system. Sir Zeal fell victim to them, but he managed to take out three among them.”

The emperor turned his attention to his son.

”Can you take out those three?”

Tyler walked past his father.

”I will handle all five of them.”

FAR AWAY FROM SALVADOR EMPIRE

She walked barefooted, rope of silver threading along the hem of her dress, each step hurried. Her hair was braided and bound.

The path ended at the cliff.

Below, the world dropped away into a chasm so deep the bottom never showed. Fog covered it, hiding secrets and memories alike.

Travellers called it the pit of doom.

Writers called it white bed with spikes underneath.

But to those who knew. Those who had the privilege of coming this close, it was called the Black empire entrance.

She didn’t hesitate. One step forward, and she leaped.

The wind tore at her robes, and hair. The cliff walls blurred past as she dropped faster, faster, the fog clearing and clearing.

She dropped out of the fog, and the Black Empire opened beneath her.

Towers of black stone, too tall to have names, their edges sharp enough to cut the clouds. Numerous bridges attached from one building to another to keep the people up.

And beneath? Crawling with unnamed creatures. Same nostalgic feeling.

She smirked.

”I’m back!”

A shadow broke through the mist.

Wings like black steel spread wide. The creature was massive, eyes glowing faint gold. It dove towards her.

Its clawed forelimb swept under her, and caught her midair.

”Thank you!” She waved. ”The palace.”

The creature shot through the sky, into the empire cutting through buildings. She watched children play on the road like bridges, a woman chatting away. No worries despite the city built into the throat of the abyss.

The creature landed on the palace’s highest platform with a low thud, set her down, bowed its head once, and flew away.

She straightened her robes, untangled a strand of hair, and walked toward the door.

The gates opened before she got to it.

Two guards stood at the threshold.

”Welcome back, your highness.” They bowed.

The woman inclined her head slightly. ”I seek the king.”

”The children’s palace.” The one on the left said. The guard on the right gestured down the east corridor.

She nodded, and went past the gate.

The children’s palace was quieter than the rest of the empire. Here the walls were high, the courtyards open to the sky, and the air carried the smell of beasts and flowers.

She found him in the training yard.

The king stood on the raised dais, arms crossed. He wore no crown. Just a plain black coat, sleeves rolled to the elbows, and scars on his forearms. Blonde untamed hair spilled across his face down to his waistline, and when he turned, his dark eyes found hers.

Below him, a line of children, no older than ten, moved through sword forms with wooden blades. Some were clumsy. One boy tripped and fell flat, then scrambled up before the instructor could speak.

A little further was a little boy, soloing seven children in a sword duel.

The king didn’t smile. He didn’t frown either.

She stopped beside him, and glanced down at the children. Her eyes found the boy beating the crap out of his cousins.

”Jordan seems to be quite energetic.”

”Stories that his elder brother could solo all the extended royal families at half his age must have gotten into his head.” Richard muttered.

She raised a brow.

”Is he being compared to the crown prince?”

”He’s comparing himself. Since the stories are making him energetic. It’s growth.”

He tore his gaze back to the training yard.

”You came faster than expected.”

”Salvador empire was also attacked by Borjas. I suspect that Torzi might also be attacked too.”

”It’s not just us,” he said slowly. ”They are really after the people taken by the light.”

”Thanks to that, security was tightened. I couldn’t—”

”It’s good that you returned,” he cut in. ”I don’t want to lose you too.”

She stared at him for a moment. How his mouth said one, and eyes reflected a different thing. No emotions. She smiled nevertheless.

”Thank you, My Lord.”

They watched the children for a moment before she spoke again.

”That boy died two days ago.”

He turned his head.

”That boy?”

”The one child bold enough to leap into the fog without a backup plan.” She pointed up.

He looked up and chuckled softly. ”That was quite an experience.

He returned his eyes to the children.

”So... Zeal is dead. I told that idiot to come back home.”