Emperor's Reckoning



"Elder Garin..." Alaric was stunned seeing the old figure kneeling outright. He had never seen such reverence from the elder before, but the doubts about their identity in his mind were getting clearer. It was a moment that transcended the ordinary, a convergence of past and present that Alaric found difficult to fully comprehend.

Lyon, on the other hand, maintained a composed yet gentle demeanor. He met Elder Garin's gaze with a quiet understanding, as if he too carried the weight of memories and unspoken stories. The moment seemed to transcend words, a silent exchange that spoke of shared experiences and a connection that spanned time itself.

"Stand," said Lyon.

Only then did Elder Garin stand, both on his feet. His head bowed with gratitude but his lips didn't smile as he looked at Lyon. His eyes were basked in tears that were held for countless years. The creases on his face were the scar of stress. 

"Y-Your majesty, m-my father always believed," said Elder Garin.

"Calm down, Garin," said Lyon. "Your father seems to know me well, where is he?"

"Dead," said Elder Garin with a tune of sorrow.

"O-Oh..." Lyon was perplexed. "He must have lived a good life."

"He tried his best, Your Majesty," said Elder Garin. "But, he held a lot of scripture of your feats, telling me every chance he could, an emperor beloved by his people and feared by his enemies, a human that created a true haven for all species."

"I see," Lyon nodded with disappointment. 

"A-Ah, I can't keep Your Majesty, here, come, come, please visit our humble abode," said Garin.

"Hold it," said Cecile.

Elder Garin glanced over at Cecile with reverence, "Yes, Empress Cecile?"

"Please drop the title, we don't want to court the wrong attention," said Cecile.

"B-But?!" Elder Garin raised his brows.

"Do as she said," said Selena.

"I... I understand," the disappointment couldn't be pacified, but he wore a smile at the end as he led the way with Alaric catching up to him.

Alaric immediately asked after a few steps alongside the elder. He whispered, "Elder Garin, is it really him?"

Elder Garin nodded, "I believe so, his name, the women's name, especially the starting auburn hair, Tell me how many women have you seen with such hair?"

"I..." 

"Not even in all Hell, that hair color is unique to the War Maiden, and then the painting, he is no doubt the emperor my father had spoken of," said Elder Garin. "However, it's such a shame, I thought that my father couldn't live to see it through."

"I.. if you believe so, but what about the grove?" asked Alaric. "I don't think that everyone would be so keen, especially not Karesh."

"Well Alaric, why don't you talk to the man himself," an irritated voice snipped in.

Karesh stood near the outskirts of the grove, his figure cloaked in an air of wariness. His sharp eyes surveyed the newcomers — Alaric and Lyon — with a cautious scrutiny that bordered on suspicion. Tall and lean, he bore the markings of one who had weathered the challenges of life, his tanned skin hinting at days spent outdoors. His gaze held a certain intensity as if he were constantly attuned to his surroundings.

A tangle of dark hair framed Karesh's face, and his features carried a sense of ruggedness that spoke of resilience and determination. His jaw was set in a firm line, and his lips were rarely seen curving into a smile. There was a weightiness to his presence, an aura of someone who had seen both the beauty and the cruelty of the world.

As Alaric and Lyon approached, Karesh's stance remained guarded, a wall of skepticism separating him from the newcomers. His arms were crossed over his chest, a defensive gesture that mirrored his wary demeanor. He held no intention of offering a warm welcome, his gaze unyielding as it met theirs.

"The grove can't bear the burden of more refugees," Karesh declared, his tone unyielding. "We've already stretched our resources thin. We can't just welcome outsiders without considering the consequences."

"Karesh! Watch your tongue!" Elder Garin reprimanded.

"Karesh, they are guests, not refugees," said Alaric with his eyes sharpened.

"Then that's even worse, they will not contribute but consume, We don't need any more of them freeloaders," said Karesh as he scanned at Lyon and the others. "You also bring a non-human here, are you trying to kill us Alaric, are you accepting the role of a cat now?"

"You!!" Alaric's eyes widened with anger.

However, as the intensity in the atmosphere heightened. Lyon calmly walked past them, getting deeper into the grove with Selena, and Cecile, following before Kesya and Karina did the same.

"O-Oi! Who gave you permission to enter the grove!" Karesh shouted.

"You have more fingers than the places that I'm not capable of visiting," said Lyon as he waved without stopping his pace.

"W-What?!" Karesh was in disbelief before he stomped and made deliberate steps as he caught up to Lyon. "Stop right there!!"

His voice startled the humans that lived inside the grove. There are simple abodes made out of simple woods, but the inhabitants grew wary after the shout. The ones inside peeked from the window but the ones on the little square got a clear view of Lyon and the others.

"Karesh!" Garin rushed despite the difficulty of using his stick to run.

Lyon paid no heed to the attention he garnered. He scanned the entire grove before he found a small clearing with tombstones on them. He furrowed his brows before approaching the place. 

It was a small graveyard where the fallen were buried.

"Oi!" Karesh caught up, "Don't act so modest!'

"Karesh! Stop your nuisance!" Garin shouted before his voice spoke softly toward Lyon, "Y-Y-Young master, may I ask who are you looking for?"

"Your father."

"I-It's the one at the center," said Garin.

Lyon quickly noticed it. The biggest one out of them all, it was written, 'The First Elder, Arvin' on the tombstone.

Lyon plucked out a wild flower before he knelt and put it on top of the center grave. His eyes were fixated on the ground but it was obvious that his mind was elsewhere. The man saw with his eyes but felt otherwise.

"Thank you," he mustered the words before his glance caught a butterfly flapping its wings freely then perched on the flower. He smirked before standing up. He turned around before catching Karesh with a face full of disagreement.