Emperor's Reckoning

The black clouds were filled with lightning as they gathered at top of the castle. The strong wind accompanied them with a force that even made the trees hanging on to their roots. With the sun still high up in the sky, the current event was quite out of place.

The sound of footsteps was heard as a hint of spark followed. This figure blast through the empty streets, straight forward to the commoner's region. His magnificent black spear caused any subjects to kneel to its divinity.

*swoosh

Princess Aelina opened her eyes wide as the figure blast pass her with a speed that only left a shadow. While holding Fenrir in her chest she muttered, "Father? Oh no."

Despite the disparity of their speed, the princess insisted to follow the figure.

Soon, the figure's vision was filled with a disastrous place and people laying down on the street. There were cracks on the paving with some of them even protruding from an impact. Gritting his teeth, the figure moved even faster.

As he had a glimpse of the used-to-be-platform, the figure reflexly stabbed the Gungnir to the ground to make his speed nil, an instant stop. His eyes opened wide as he saw a red sword was literally only one centimeter away from penetrating the spot between his weary eyes.

Lyon was standing with his body facing the side while his right hand stretched Scarlet. His hair fluttered with the wind that the king generated as his eyes slowly opened.

The king couldn't help but gulped down his saliva as he looked up at the young man who was inches away from sending him to the grave. The figure in front of him might not the strongest being in terms of cultivation level that he ever fought but he knew that he was the only one that could remind him of the feeling of fear.

"Your son has been obliterated," said Lyon nonchalantly.

The king furrowed his eyebrows and took a leap back. "It doesn't have to be this way, why you chose to be this way, young man? What happened to compassion and forgiveness?" said the king while he pointed Gungnir against Scarlet.

"Are you a king or are you a priest?" asked Lyon back.

The king couldn't retort back as he swallowed his words.

In the end, the ruler shook his head as he said, "It's a shame, a young genius like you has a wrong heart, in the name of Luderia I shall punish you for killing the prince."

Lyon chuckled at the king's declaration. "Are you that old that you already lost your mind? Or are you playing a joke? Haven't you realized that you never have the chance?"

The king could only grit his teeth as he knew the truth, he was left alive on purpose. He could have killed him from his own recklessness of moving too quickly.

"Hmm, how about we play a guessing game? You were never dying in the first place were you not?"

said Lyon as he confidently retracted Scarlet.

He put his scally hands behind his back as he confidently faced Gungnir without a single hint of fear or nervousness. There was no battle, to begin with, he already took control of the situation. There was not a single being in Luderia that could even bring a fight against him.

The king kept his silence as he heard what Lyon said.

"With that strength that you presented, you are more than capable to live longer than two generations of a whale."

"And, by announcing to your children that you are nearing your time, you purposely set out infighting between them to see who was worthy of the throne."

The king furrowed his eyebrows as he listened to Lyon's word.

"However, that was not it, it was never for the throne," said Lyon with a smirk.

The king's body twitched a little as Lyon delivered the punch line. However, it didn't end there.

"Is it true, father?"

A female voice from behind the king was heard as he closed his eyes. His daughter stood behind him with a distance while holding the sleeping Fenrir on her arms.

"His silence, is your answer, Aelina," said Lyon.

The king could only stand still, not daring to face his daughter. This matter was supposed to be a secret until the election day, but Lyon's existence changed everything.

"Then, what are we fighting for father?! Do you know how many innocent lives had died in this ridiculous dispute?!"

"I agree with the older sister here, you have to answer us the reason behind your plot," said a familiar voice.

The only prince left stood behind his older sister as his gaze fixated on the figure that ruled Luderia.

"There is no plot," answered the king with a sigh.

"You are all indeed, fighting for the throne, that part is still true," continued the king as he thought that there was no point in hiding it anymore.

"Blessed with such talent, it's a shame that Weiss had a wicked heart," said the king as he shook his head. He knew that his son had it coming, he didn't want to make the same mistake he did back then with a young man named Sean. He was only doing it because he was still his father.

"It is true, you are all fighting for the throne! However, the one that will pick who the individual will be is not me," said the king as he faced his children.

"W-what do you mean father?" asked Prince Frey.

There was no other person that had the authority to do that but the king himself. He was at the top of the kingdom's power hierarchy. His words were Luderia's rules, but the words he just said didn't make sense.

"There is indeed a need for the infighting, as it trains, your mind, your body and last but not least, your heart," answered the king.

"All of that was the preparation for-" however before the king could finish his word.

*spark

"This, am I right?" said Lyon as he held Gungnir in his hand. His figure was enveloped with lightning sparks that occasionally appeared. The black spear was humming as black clouds gathered in the sky directly on top of him.