SYSTEM ASCENSION

The sun rose the next morning, and the students almost thought they were back at school. This was because they were all awakened by a bell.

The children filed out of their rooms murmuring inaudible words.

At the very edge of the hallway was a little girl. Blonde curly hair, and the signature dark eyes. No one made a mistake in addressing her, because no doubt, she was a splitting image of Richard who they had slowly realised that he was the king.

”Good morning.”

Her English came out differently. It was obvious that she wasn’t fluent in speaking it.

”It’s time for training.”

”Training?!” They all chorused.

”The first two hours of the day are for training. No one is excluded.” She strictly said.

Although the students weren’t pleased, they didn’t argue much. Training in the great black empire didn’t seem like a bad idea.”

They all followed her out of the fortress. As soon as they came out, the calm atmosphere greeted them. It was even more fascinating in the morning. The rocky ground and spiky buildings.

Many winged animals mounted on the top of those needle buildings, a few occasional screeches filling the air.

What fascinated the students better was the aircraft. It was almost silent as it was piloted past the fortress.

A student tapped the girl’s shoulder.

”Little girl, can you tell us about that—”

”Call me little girl one more time and I’ll chop off your toes.”

The student flinched, and moved back.

”Call me Rona.” She turned around and continued to walk. ”That aircraft is the newly upgraded version made after father returned with a new blueprint.”

Tyler asked a question. ”Returned from where?”

”Another world?” She shrugged. ”Father loves to travel.”

”Wow...” the children chorused.

”How strong would he be?”

”But he’s scary.”

Rolarza walked out of the team and bent down beside a flower she came across.

”What is this?”

Rona glanced at it. ”Nyanl. It’s a calming flower that contains a lot of natural energy. Too much inhaling can cause hallucinations though, so stay away.”

Carlel raised her hand. ”Does it not apply to your father?”

They all stopped and looked at her.

”When I went close to him, he was giving off a strong scent of this Nyanl flower.”

Rona scoffed slightly, a hint of pride showing in her eyes. ”Father can probably see us clearly right now.”

All eyes swivelled towards the palace, several feet away. Even if someone was watching from the palace, the distance would make them appear tiny.

”His senses are absurd.” She explained. ”Elder brother Irue didn’t tell anyone that you were coming. Father noticed all of you before you even got to the pit.”

The students gasped.

”His senses bridge worlds?” Tiana muttered.

”It’s almost terrifying.” Claude muttered.

”Almost? He’s not human!” Kael yelled.

”A few nyanl shouldn’t be a problem to him then.” Fayera shrugged.

”Can I ask a bit of a sensitive question?” Tiana asked.

”If I can provide an answer.” Rona replied.

”Okay, why do black empire keep rejecting an alliance with salvador empire?”

”The last time we considered an alliance, my elder brother got lost for twelve years and only came back yesterday.”

A few of them coughed. Guilty as charged.

”Besides, there is already an alliance.”

”What?!” The students chorused.

”Who signed it?” Tyler asked.

Rona tilted her head. ”Someone named Zeal. He signed it when he was fourteen, I heard.”

The students exchanged glances.

”Who is Zeal?”

”The previous sound league master.”

”The faceless?”

”I heard he’s a copy of sir Rowen.”

”If he hadn’t signed an alliance, a war would have broken out when your people dared to keep my brother captive.” Rona said.

They finally arrived at the children’s palace. She pushed the door, revealing a spacious courtyard.

By now, Ume’s legs were visibly shaking. She bit on her lip repeatedly and fumbled with her dress.

”For a moment, I thought the stories I heard were true.” A male student said.

”What stories?” another one asked.

”Apparently, someone said the stories about our history weren’t true and that the Salvador empire was at fault.”

Rona stopped and turned around.

”Stories?”

”Yes.”

”Tell me about the original version of the tale.”

The male student exchanges glances with his mates, before speaking. ”Two friends, Rodio and Muon, came together to unite the Aoi continent. They built the Salvador empire and later decided to split it.”

”Second story?” She bluntly asked.

”I heard a portal appeared a few years after Salvador empire was created. S ranked. A huge invasion. The first king, Rodio, wanted to abandon the downside, while his friend, Muon decided to risk his life to clear the portal. He picked trusted people and they followed him. That’s how black empire was formed.”

By the time he was done, Rona was visibly disgusted.

”First of all, address lord Muon like that again and I’ll have your tongue.”

The boy moved back.

”Second,” she folded her hand over her chest. ”Both stories are false.”

”What?!”

”That story began during the Salvador empire founding, but you don’t seem to be getting something,” she stretched her hands wide and smiled. ”The black world is not an empire. This world. Everything in it, is us.”

The students suddenly felt like shrinking into themselves.

They remembered holding debates on the winning side, if both empires happened to clash. Now, the past felt stupid.

”So black empire and Salvador empire don’t share a matching history.” Davon muttered.

”Not one bit!” She scoffed. ”Lord Muon visited the Salvador empire before apparently getting lost. He ended up helping in building it, before returning home. He doesn’t need the help of a mere human to clear an S ranked portal.”

A girl raised her hand. ”If black empire is a world, then Mu...Lord Muon is not the first blackened. But in those drawings in the monastery, he was there...right?”

The rest nodded.

”Lord Muon is not the first Black-eyed, but he founded this particular district,” Rona gestured vaguely at everything. ”A word cannot be governed by only one person, so there are several empires in this world. This place is the heart.”

”The heart?”

”We sit at the rules of everything. Everything comes through here and back here. Lord Muon united the Black-eyeds.”

”Oh...I see...” the girl nodded.

A few others accepted this explanation, while some were actually thinking.

”Lord Muon sounds like a great person,” Rolarza said. ”But I see no reason why his drawings were in salvador empire. Not just Salvador but basically everywhere in Qld.”

”From the start, you have no idea what the drawings mean,” Rona said. ”Those drawings are the disciples of Omeo, lord of the void.

They are immortals. Also known as the first generation syndicate.

The reason why an alliance wasn’t approved between Salvador and black empire is because the syndicate families signed a pact to stay out of each other’s lives.”

Coco’s fists subconsciously clenched.

”But how does that affect us?” Kael asked. ”We’re not the—”

”Don’t you get it? It means the syndicate family is residing in the Salvador empire.”