The Imperial City

After Arvad turned around and started to run, he never once looked back. But, he could feel the strong breath coming from the behemoth chasing him as if the world depended on it.

'Why is it that all I am doing is running from the moment I came here? Just when I thought I was going to show off, this bastard arrived.'

"Give me a break damn it. Ugh, I can't even confront this wild demonic beast properly, and here I am, surfing in the home territory of a Grade 9 beast."

Arvad could clearly feel his hamstring muscles pulsate from each step he took. Even though he tried his hardest the entire day, luck seemed to be against him.

The frustration was devouring him second by second, and there was a crazed look in his eyes.

He looked at the beast behind him provokingly, and in front of its blazing eyes, he took its child's leg closer to his mouth, and chewed on it. There was a creepy smile on his face as he did so, almost at the brink of madness.

The taste of raw meat was even more disgusting than he ever imagined, but it still gave him the boost he needed.

A wild roar echoed loudly throughout the silent forest, and Arvad could feel the ground shake below him. He quickly threw the ripped leg at the beast's face which made it stop for a fleeting second, before it continued its chase.

The solid sound waves sent chills down his entire spine, and he seemed to have dazed out of his crazed state. It made him realize all over again-the horror of the enemy he made.

Despite trying hard to maintain his pace, he noticed that the beast was getting closer and closer. It seemed to have gone berserk by his naked provocation.

'I don't think I can run anymore, I really want to sleep right now…'

At this moment, the vision before his eyes was getting blurry, and only instinct kept him going. He wasn't sure how far he had run, but it seemed that he had treaded much deeper into the forest.

The trees were thicker there, and the breath felt more rejuvenating than ever. Few of the senses which were still alive made him notice that the forest had turned unusually quiet.

Generally, Arvad would have avoided the deeper area of the forest due to the scarier creatures, but at that moment, he did not really have a choice. There was certain death on the path before him, and a slim chance of survival in the darkness ahead.

To his dismay, Arvad found that his pace was getting slower and slower, and at this rate, he wouldn't be able to hold on for much longer.

Haah! Haah!

'I really can't.. Fuck it. I will just fight it to death.'

Even though the beast seemed to be at the peak of Grade 9, it was not impossible to win against it. But, after the entire day of being pushed around, he was tired.

Just as he was getting ready for the battle, a strange thing occurred. The beast behind him rapidly started losing its pace, and came to a halting stop. When Arvad turned around, he noticed that the insanity due to his child's pitiful state had already left him, and it was instead replaced by dread.

It looked around hesitantly, and gave him a final angry roar before turning around to leave. Arvad did not know if it was his illusion but the speed of the beast seemed to be faster than the time it was chasing him.

'What just happened?'

Although he could not fathom why it would suddenly escape like that, a wave of relief washed over him. He let go of the sword, and finally relaxed his stiff body.

Sigh!

Arvad noticed his stiff hands which were tightly holding the sword were twitching. To his dismay, his vision was getting more and more burry, and he appeared as if he could faint at any moment.

Looking around the dark and unpredictable forest, he knew the battle was less than over. He desperately walked through the thick bushes in hopes to find a safe shelter which could help him pass the night.

Who knew if luck was finally on his side, Arvad found a huge cave below a mountain range. However, before he could even check the surroundings, the vision before his eyes turned dark, and he fainted on the spot.

—-------

Somewhere in the west of the Artidus Empire.

Large clouds hovered around the dark television sky. Only the wind cheered them from time to time, hurrying them to their next destination.

Amidst the silence, as if someone had suddenly flipped the switch of television, the view of the dark night changed.

A cloud was pierced by a large airship. It seemed to be rushing towards the most flourishing city of the Artidus Empire, the imperial city.

The insignia of Artidus, which was a dragon spewing fire at the heavens, could be peered on the middle of its metal body. It signified that someone of a high status from the imperial family was traveling, and he was not to be provoked.

Even the terrifying flying demonic beasts feared the ship, and did not dare cross its path. It flew unhindered through the vast expanse of land, while the citizens below cheered loudly whenever it rushed above a town or village.

Inside the Imperial Airship, a frowning man sat with a glass of wine. He had deep sunken eyes and a stature too small compared to the dilemma he suffered.

Consciously or unconsciously, he kept looking at his empty sleeves, which used to be suffocated by his muscular arm not long ago.

Everything happened so fast that he could not catch up to reality that had slowly unraveled around him. Those gray eyes and blazing red hair kept flashing before his eyes.

And the thing that irked him the most was that his body jerked everytime he remembered that terrifying memory.

'What's this dread inside of me? I don't feel that even in front of the Emperor. King Aeron can't be left alive….. can't be left alive.'

He kept muttering that over and over like a song on autoplay.

The past few days had been very hard for him. The nightmares drove him to the brink of insanity countless times. The worry for his forthcoming faceoff with the Emperor ate him like maggots.

It was not the hand he had lost, he lost the respect of the Emperor himself. It was skinned layer by layer, under the watchful gazes of countless peoples. He could still remember the contempt and pity hidden in those eyes.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!"

Bang!

The wine splattered all over the floor as the shards of glass flew everywhere. The attendants beside him rushed forward, and cleaned everything in a well-practiced motion.

After all, it was already the 20th time they were doing the same maneuver in the past few days.

Shortly, under the gloomy aura of the Imperial Envoy, they finally landed at the Imperial Palace of the Artidus Empire. It was nothing like what they had heard in the tales; in fact, it was majestic and far more magnificent than anyone could ever imagine.

Instead of a castle, it was more like a city made inside the city. Every inch of it was made with the rarest of materials, some of which had gone extinct over the years. It was said that the top artist of ancient times took years to build this masterpiece.

Every inch of the palace was clad with pure white stones. And even after eons, there was not a shred of blemish on their surface. The thick roots grew out of the land, and encompassed the fort. They spoke of the countless years that had passed; they signified the bond between the land and the man of the high castle, and how it had perfectly molded according to its owner's wish.

The Imperial Envoy slowly walked out, and found that tens of soldiers were standing respectfully for his welcome. However, instead of feeling happy, he felt a pang of pain in his heart.

'It used to be more grandeur and majestic before… How the times have changed. Indeed, they say right, the favors in the royal court could flip at any second.'

After shaking his head, he sighed and his gaze fell on the man beyond the end of the landing pad. The man had a giant mole on his cheek, which could not be ignored even from a distance. It allowed the Imperial Envoy to immediately discern his identity.

He could notice that everyone's gazes were fixated on the empty sleeves that fluttered under the fierce wind. 'The same gazes filled with pity.' He clenched his fist, and gritted his teeth in frustration.

Taking a deep breath, he calmed down and elegantly strolled towards the man who seemed to be waiting for him. The confident demeanor returned to him as easily as business to a merchant's son. After all, he could not afford to show any more weakness than his empty shoulder socket already had.

The man's clothes had a striking resemblance with the background of white. Even his head was covered in a white gauze, and whatever of his shiny forehead was out in the sun sparkled with blinding lights. He maintained the same poker expression as if nothing could move him in the world.

"You have come.. It seems your journey has not been a happy one." The man nodded slightly, and spoke, his softly uttered voice echoing lowly in his ears.

"Indeed, it wasn't a pleasant one, but it was a fulfilling one." The Imperial Envoy smiled calmly, and his expression was that of an elegant one. "After all, what could be more important than accomplishing His Majesty's desires?"

The white-robbed man squinted his eyes for a long second, and then his poker face broke into a smile which it did not seem to be capable of. "Haha, that is for sure. What a loyal servant he has got. You seem to have even achieved more than what he could have hoped for. From the sluts in the brothel to the free man in the wilderness, everyone seems to be talking about it. From what I heard, it didn't seem to be a feat fit for His Highness's taste."

The Imperial Envoy's face took a dark shade when he heard those words, and the hand hidden behind his sleeve was tightly clenched. However, he could only refrain himself.

Despite the fact that the man before him appeared like a harmless cow, he was one with the sharpest fangs in the Imperial Family.

He had already lived for well over a century, but with the shrewdness and careful plotting he had hidden himself well, and no one knew the depth of his strength. And the one thing he had learned from his years was that such men were more terrifying.

Seeing him remain silent, the man did not pursue the matter, and continued as if he was talking to himself. "How strange are the creatures called humans. They might not remember you for the good things you have done, but a single error can plunge you into the limelight. And a bad one at that."

Suddenly, he waved his white sleeves, and turned around. "Follow me. The Emperor has been waiting for you."

Quietly following him through an intricate pathway filled with artistic walls and precious antiques, he finally reached a gloomy alley. Despite seeing not a single silhouette the entire way, he could feel countless gazes creeping up on his back.

No matter how many times he experienced it, he was unaccustomed to his feelings. He never liked to be watched, especially by strange men. The ones who could slay him over a slight exaggerated step.

At the end of the alley a giant door. It had been carved black and it was the only spot which was other than white in the entire castle. The reason behind its striking black color was in fact an interesting and helpless one.

Being the center of all the formation in the entire castle, it had the most amount of energy supply, making it the strongest spot in the entire castle. It had taken the baptism of an unimaginable amount of spiritual energy, and turned dark as a result.

Initially, the ancestor of the Imperial Family changed it from time to time, but then he grew tired of it, and considered it as the representative of the emperor's fate.

The strange inscription on it wriggled as if they were alive, and thick spiritual energy which had almost turned into liquid could be seen circulating through it.

The Emperor had full control of all the formations in the castle, and he could manipulate it from his study room itself. However, no one knew its full capabilities since the founding of the Empire, no one had been able to break even a single layer of the castle.

'No matter how many times I come here, this otherworldly technology always seems to amaze me. And that fool of a King Aeron wants to go against such a behemoth. Should I call him foolish or brave.'

"I shall leave you to it from here on." Suddenly, a voice woke him out of his stupor, and he met the eyes of the man before nodding a farewell, and walking forward.