Chapter 5

"When someone you love becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure."

"Richard, Marry so tell me what are they up to now?" Said emperor Julian while doing paperwork in his study.

Richard,"your highness the young lord Erick is struggling, he keeps hurting himself with his sparring partners since they were told never to show mercy ,they've done nothing but as they were told. Still he's managing well to his combat skills, weapon training and everything else but the lack of sleep was a concern but dr.faust is diligently monitoring his vitals. I think she has some kind of agenda every time she just says marvellous,remarkable and this feverish curiosity about his anatomical biology. The prospect of starting school haven't been appealing in his eyes lately."

"What about you marry?" Ask Julian seemed a bit pleased that he is not trying commit suicide.

"Well her ladyship is working on her recovery your highness, I've suggested to get a therapist and she's responding positively, also she talks with her brother and everyone in the estate she memorized all their names , they play music together and that seems to be helping her come to terms and to look forward. She's been very interested in the culture of the empire. She asked to go and see the capital but after informing her and her brother that they need your permission, young lord Erick nearly killed sparring mates."

"The kids are restless your highness." Said Richard with a little worry in his voice.

"Fine. Where are they thinking of going?"

"Well your highness glory requested to go and see the capital. We both have anticipated your answer and made the necessary arrangements, but won't implement them without your will." Said Marry hesitantly. The emperor was impressed with their initiative and gave them permission to carry on while going back to his paper work.

*Mean while at the estate…

As the siblings sat around a pile of papers and books they've brought from the library. Marry and Richard both brought their food trolleys to the study hall, filled with drinks and snacks for the brother and sister.

"Hey I've finished the fundamental on hardware repair and software development, my coding is getting good…" said Erick with some pride in his voice.

"You got long way to go baby brother and besides why did you refused dad when he tried to teach you way back?"

"I liked my laziness back then no worries about anything."

"Hmhmhm take this, it's advanced application of coding. Ask me tonight if you've got any questions."

"Marry can you please prepare me a bath, I'm smelling from all the sweat of my workout….huuufffff. That's bad."

"Yes my lady."

As she walked out of the study hall,"look we'll be heading out to the capital so don't be surprised."

"You think the old man would let us out of here, I was starting to think that we might've become prisoners." Said Erick while glued to his book.

"You need to eat supper my lord, and I was informed by her highness to keep track of your routine…" as Richard got interrupted by a knock at the door a guard entered the study,"Sir Richard we have guest sent by her highness the empress. He said there is a message that the lord and lady needs to see."

"Let him in." Erick was intrigued what kind of message brings someone in the dead of night.

"What did the old lady say, probably our day out is being canceled I'm guessing." The guard was caught by surprise that someone had the audacity to utter those words but he quickly gathered himself and handed over a small storage chip.

" sorry my lord I'm not aware of other messages with the exception of this chip."

"Thanks. And Richard you're relieved of duty for the night."

"Excellent wording my lord. I'll see you tomorrow morning." Said Richard while escorting the messenger out. As he took a second glance at the chip it picked his interest by red classified stamp on it's front. After putting it in the port he only found a single page report and a video file with the title Guardian Jathan report.

A roar unlike they've never heard tore the estate in half, the guards at the study bursted in thinking the worst but the just found a boy hitting the wall as hard as he could. Bleeding from his hands and two set of tears on his face with blood splattered, just kept hitting….

"Erick stop what are you doing…?" Said glory while intercepting his bloody punch and redirecting it, after being flipping and hitting his head on the smooth floor he passed out.

"What happened Richard…"

"There was a late night message from her highness a chip with the word classified printed on it,that one…"said Richard while pointing at the computer.

"Everyone except marry and Richard stay, take my brother to the infirmary." Ordered glory curious to find out what drove him mad. After viewing the contents of the chip glory was stunned and started to cry. As she kept viewing by the time at the end of the video she got so angry, after wiping her eyes" thank my grandmother for me and I'm looking forward to the shopping spree that she promised." Said glory while standing up went to the infirmary after her brother.

The city of Belie jewel of Celestia, is a city unlike any other in the country named after the first warrior queen who dueled with the founder of Celestia then became the first empress. Emperor Bradley had designed the city when he formed his first court.

"Now children let me take you to the tour of the city and we'll go shopping while we're at it ok." Said the empress enthusiastically while the siblings came down of the royal ship.

As the royal entourage descended into Belie's heart, they were met with a breathtaking fusion of history and modernity. The cobblestone streets, lined with ancient stone buildings, coexisted with gleaming skyscrapers that reached towards the heavens. Medieval towers and gothic cathedrals stood as proud reminders of the past, while contemporary high-rises reflected the city's progressive spirit.

"Welcome to Belie," the empress announced, " I know the white marble building might give you a little vertigo but it'll pass. Our first stop is the historical district, Erick I know both of you have some questions, I'll answer them as best as I possibly can."

The tour began in the old queen's quarter, where ivy-clad walls and ornate facades adorned the centuries-old buildings.The oldest and bustling artisanal markets, one the first performing arts theatres, antique shops,stores and anything old era. As they stand all building preserved and modernized yet reminds one that how much history has been brought forward, remembered, celebrated.

As they moved towards the modern sector, the scenery transformed into a bustling metropolis. The empress pointed out key landmarks, including the state-of-the-art educational institutions and tech hubs that symbolized Belie's innovation. Erick while he wallowed in his saddened with the unfortunate loss of mother's guardian, Glory in turn was impressed by what she kept seeing new places, people and can't help but how there was so many differences. As her home was started as prison continent which flourish in to what she knew today.

The siblings marveled at the public transport system, where maglev trains zipped alongside horseless-drawn carriages and vintage bicycles. Parks provided serene green spaces amid the urban hustle, a testament to the city's commitment to preserving nature within its modern infrastructure.

"Now, let's indulge in some shopping," the empress suggested, leading them to a high-end district filled with boutiques and international stores. The siblings explored the shops, Glory's spirits lifted by the vibrant atmosphere and the promise of new clothes and those portable intelligence systems(P.I.S) that he was allowed to touch finally.