Emperor's Reckoning

Lyon was sleeping soundlessly with his chest heaving up and down. The serenity was further amplified by the gentle winds kissing his face.

One small beast was peeking over from a hidden rock. Its cold-blooded eyes were looking at the burnt great wyrm. The host of the peak was beyond dead, however, the said beast was darting his glance toward the sleeping young man before it suddenly run away with its little legs begging to survive.

The shimmer of dusk passed by as the great twilight died down. The night had thus arrived with thousands of stars to show, however, the sleeping young man didn't flutter his eyelids. No beast dared to near him and the rustles of the grass were not enough to gain his consciousness back.

...

Sakya was already at the foot of the peak. The sky had worn its gown thus she furrowed her brows. She turned around and looked up. She had never thought to find a mysterious person like that at the peak of the mountain.

"What kind of monster is he?" she wondered. "He bested a Great Ivory Wyrm with what? Words? Nobody in the guilds or other guild leaders is going to believe this."

She shook her head. There was no way that anyone would believe her words. The corpse itself was already burnt from her short spite moment, even then, there was no proof that mere words killed it.

She sighed. At the end of the day, she couldn't tell anyone at all despite what happened was all reality. "And here I am getting excited to tell someone."

"However, that begs the question, why is he a vagrant adventurer?" Sakya pondered as she made her way out to the main road, passing a warning sign pole.

...

The night moved. No matter how hard the moon tried waving itself toward the sleeping young man, the latter didn't budge at all.

...

Soon, the night took off its gown and dawn raised its curtain. The start of the daybreak hence comes forth.

In Farvan City, Di was waiting at the gate with his hands behind his back.

"Going back so soon?"

Di squinted his eyes a bit but didn't turn around to see who it was, "Very rare of you to send me off, White Perch."

"I was keeping an eye on you, might as well give you goodbyes," said the White Perch.

"Keeping an eye on me? What makes you think that I'll become your threat?" asked Di.

"Stop joking around," said White Perch. "Why leave so soon? The sun is still peeking out."

"I have to make a trip," answered Di.

"A trip? So early?"

"Yes, White Perch," said Di before he sighed. "Perhaps you might want to go back to Myriad Devils as well."

The White Perch furrowed his brows. "What are you implying?"

Di raised one of his brows as his goosebumps gradually rose. He frowned before fighting back the killing intent that White Perch exuded. "Calm down, it's not something that I'm controlling."

"Then say what you meant to say," said White Perch.

"I'm afraid you have to go and find out yourself," said Di. "Either something happens or you will hear it too late."

"Tch! You and your mind games," White Perch scowled and retracted his killing intent back into nothingness. "What do you want to do in Myriad Devils anyway? I thought you have a sentimental value in this city."

"I have, but I also am a man of my word," said Di.

"You are fulfilling a promise?"

Di nodded. "Else, why would I want to go for the hassle."

"Heh," White Perch smirked. "Why are you taking someone's promise that far? You will get into trouble that is more than you can handle eventually."

"Over the course years of my experience in living, there had been no problem that doesn't fit in my hand, at least, until now," said Di.

"Interesting, mind telling me who can make you this way?" asked White Perch.

"Hahaha, you know who, after all, his subordinate made you stand like a statue in your home," laughed Di.

White Perch had his eyes opened wide before his brain simultaneously brought out an image of cloaked people passing him by from behind. It lasted no longer than a second before he asked, "So you know, what are they planning to do? Are they a threat?"

Di shook his head, "It's hard to tell if they are a threat or not, however, your question is the same as the sun hovering at the east right now."

White Perch furrowed his brows.

"The sun is a threat, generally speaking. It could collapse at any moment without any warning. The land would be scorched for perhaps eternally if that were to happen, however, we never see the sun as a threat, because it was hovering endlessly to illuminate our dirt, but the chances are never zero," said Di.

The White Perch turned solemn, "Then I need to know what they want, no, the whole town needs to know."

Di pondered before he and White Perch heard the cantering of horses. A luxurious carriage was upon them with the galore of the Flame Guild attached all over it.

"I'm sorry for my terrible timing, Sir Di," said the driver.

"You're timing is impeccable," Di smiled before he looked at White Perch. "Perhaps telling you is not breaking the promise."

The driver opened the door and bowed despite Di still talking to White Perch.

"I'm going to meet the Leviathan Party," said Di.

"What?" In a surprise, White Perch raised his brows, "W-What are you planning?"

"It's just a message to the fang of the beefy party," Di smiled.

"The fang? Zelena?!" White Perch exclaimed. "What message?"

"That is crossing the line, White Perch," said Di.

"If it's Leviathan Party, crossing the line is hardly anything new," said White Perch. "We are talking about a group that could subdue you and me altogether here!"

Di furrowed his brows, "Are you talking about the Leviathan Party or the Cloaked Guys?"

"Both!" White Perch glared. "You have experienced it yourself, how powerful those newcomers are though the Leviathan Party is still upping them."

"That's a bold claim," said Di.

White Perch snorted. "They might be powerful, but they are still a league away from Leviathan Party."

"That's pretty subjective," said Di. "I won't be surprised if the newcomers are actually able to fight the number one party, toe-to-toe."

"That's absurd," White Perch strongly disagree, "I've seen how they fight, and how Zelena moved in battle, simply uncatchable."

Di merely smiled at White Perch's strong front. It was quite evident that he was a fan of the number one party. "Good talk, White Perch, I'm afraid I have to go now." He turned before entering the carriage.

"Wait!" shouted White Perch.

"Hmm?"

"You know how Leviathan Party don't want to talk to strangers, what makes you think that they would give a damn about them?" asked White Perch.

"Well, maybe not all of them, but one of them for sure," said Di with a smile before the driver closed the door.

The latter bowed at White Perch before saying, "Excuse me, White Perch, but Sir Di has business to attend."

White Perch didn't even look at the driver and furrowed at Di whose face was by the window. He didn't speak a word as the horse started cantering away from the gate. He watched them go along the main road that was used many times by the merchants and adventurous alike before he turned and closed his eyes. ( Something is happening, and most likely it's out of my control ). He shook his head before entering the city.

The horses started to gallop as the carriage was being pulled at high speed. The pair of horses were relentlessly sprinting as their mane fluttered against the wind. Di was looking at the green scenery from his window. "The timing is impeccable, soon there will be a banquet held in Myriad Devils with Guild Link as the hosts."

"Is something the matter, Sir Di?" asked the driver.

"No, nothing, just focus on the road, " said Di without looking at the driver's back. "Something wild might happen in a couple of days."

"Ohh?"

"Yeah, but I need to meet the guild leader as well," said Di. "This matter, she got to hear it from me and only from me."

....

Meanwhile at the inn.

Lumina was tapping her feet against the wooden floor. She hugged her own elbows as her foot tapped the wooden floor. Her glance was fixated on the sky full of clouds. Her tongue also clicks every so often.

"It's been a day," Lumina asked before she started walking back and forth.

"I know," Cecile answered, "We all here are waiting the same amount of time as you are."

Luna smiled wryly at the side before sitting down on the bed and darted her glance beyond the window as well. Everyone was waiting patiently.