Emperor's Reckoning

It didn't take long before Lyon stood up and recovered from his dizziness. Facing the little old mole, he asked, "What exactly are we supposed to do in there?"

"Absorb it," answered the great elder mole.

Lyon furrowed eyebrows, "What do you mean absorb it? You just said that the thing inside there has the power to destroy the world into pieces!"

The great elder mole chuckled, "That is correct, the ball of mana in there has the power to cripple this world, however, there is another truth. The ball of mana behind this door is only a fragment of the original, the tremendous force it holds certainly be beneficial if used right."

"From the way you are saying it, it means this 'mana' behind the door is a double-edged sword," answered Karina.

"My, not only the young man but even the lady is quick-witted, what a couple hahaha!" teased the great elder mole.

However, both of them didn't even blush nor fidgeting. They were calm and collected.

"Our relationship is that of a teacher and student, you don't have to be privy about it," answered Karina.

(What a feisty woman!) thought the great elder mole before he turned around and faced the door.

Lyon looked slightly dejected as he heard what his teacher was saying. He knew how much he owed her for her first kiss, the guilt was still there inside his heart. He took a quick glance at her face before the edges of his mouth turned upward.

Under the cap was a beautiful face adorned with a reddish hue on her cheek. Furrowing her eyebrows, she noticed Lyon had a big smile on his face. "W-what are you looking at?! Get going!"

"Me? I'm looking at the best teacher in the whole world haha!" said Lyon before he quickly scurried away.

*tap

The great elder mole tapped his little cane before the door opened by his will.

The door slowly lifted upward leaving dust in its trail. When the room inside was in full view, the door stopped moving and the final dust scattered away.

Lyon's eyes opened wide in astonishment as he stepped inside the room.

The room was big enough to be called a field. It was in circular shape with only one thing standing in the middle. A white chalice as big as an adult man was holding something on top of it.

A black ball of mana that was clearly visible to the naked eyes of a common man was emanating a bone-chilling aura. Its presence alone could suffocate a pack of a beast to death.

"There is something that I don't understand," said Lyon.

Despite the horrendous aura surrounding the room, he stood calmly without any notable flinch. Not even his soul could be shaken by something like this.

"Ah, yes, I haven't been clearer. The reason that I need your aid was so that, this ball of mana wouldn't fall to the wrong hands. This mana would definitely outlive my life and with time it would surely fall to someone's hand."

"I mean, why don't you absorb it yourself?" asked Lyon.

Karina's eyes focused on the little old mole as she too was wondering about this. If that black ball was that powerful then why wouldn't the great elder mole use it for himself and the longevity of his kin?

The great elder mole sighed, "I did, otherwise I wouldn't use this little cane."

"Then, if even someone as great as you didn't make it, what makes you think I would do any difference?"

"Well, aren't you the everlasting genius?" said the great elder mole with a smile on his face.

Lyon's mouth turned into a smirk. It was clear that he also noticed what's happening to the world.

*tap

Lyon took a few steps forward before he stood in front of the white chalice. His golden sarong swayed as his hair fluttered. "So, all I have to do is absorb it right?"

The great elder mole nodded (If anyone can then it's probably you, I can't wait for the future anymore and pray that the fateful one has a lawful heart, it's better you than anyone else).

Lyon closed his eyes as he raised up his right arm before he said softly, "Come to me."

*boom

A wild shockwave suddenly hit the three of them without any mercy. The continuous rebellious wind continued pushing them away as Karina and the mole slowly dragged to the entrance.

The black ball of mana slowly shifted toward Lyon's hand, answering his call.

*ding

Lyon opened his eyes as his pupils shrunken. He looked up as he saw the black ball didn't get absorbed, instead, it was in contact with something that he never thought of.

(My ring?)

The two of them came in contact as both of them produced mana of the exact polar opposite of each other.

He gulped as he felt something really ominous was about to happen.

"Get away from there!" shouted the great elder mole from the entrance.

Hearing his shout Lyon quickly tried to pull his right hand. (Goddamn it! It stuck!).

*swoosh

A cap suddenly flew by as a golden shadow ran against the rebellious wind.

"No, wait! Young woman what are you doing?!" shouted the great elder mole that was holding on the entrance.

Her hair fluttered against the wind as her eyes were focused on the young man in front of him. Doubt was never present as she swiftly stepped like shriek of golden light.

Lyon took a glance at his right as he saw the beautiful woman, "No, Karina go back!"

"I told you to call me teacher!" said Karina with a smile before she let out a kick on his chest. Lyon was propelled backward as he rolled on the ground a few times.

"Young woman watch out!" shouted the great elder mole.

Karina took a glance behind her before her pupil's shrunken. The black ball didn't stop and crashed onto her.