Emperor's Reckoning

"Now then, where is she?" Lyon looked left and right. The bustling town with the festive atmosphere hindered his sight. With the loud laughs and the toss of glasses, he couldn't use his ear that well. It was a different mood compared to what happened inside the Guild Link Hall.

"Took you long enough."

"Huh?" Lyon raised her brows before she saw Zelena walk past him from behind, from the corner of his eye. "Hah, they just want me to stay there a little bit longer."

"Heh, you think so?" Zelena smirked.

"So, what did your sister tell you about me?" Lyon grinned.

"You seem so proud of yourself, you know I still haven't gotten my payback after what you've done, right?" Zelena frowned.

"What? What did I do?"

"Don't force me to say it, you know what you've done!" Zelena sharpened her eyes before she noticed the pair of guards at the entrance was listening to them.

"Eek! I, I see nothing, wow such a pretty bird! I think I'm going to take a closer look there," said one guard as he immediately walked away.

"O-Oh? Where are you going? Don't leave your deaf friend here behind," said the other guard before the two of them moved away.

Zelena darted her glance back toward Lyon who was pondering.

"Oh, that time where I took your bra out?" Lyon raised her brows. "S-Sorry! Hahaha, it was a habit of mine, you know what, I will make it up to you."

"Huh?" Zelena frowned. "You want to give me your head?"

"I'm wearing underwear right now, you wan—"

A momentum greater than a meteor falling from the sky suddenly struck Lyon's cheek before he was sent rolling in the air and fell to the ground, "Guha!!"

"You're as disgusting as she said," Zelena snorted and raised her chin. "I can't believe how did she even fall in love with you."

"Oof, you have the same heavy hand as her," got up with his hand cherishing his cheek. "That's some powerful blow."

"Hmph!" Zelena looked away.

"Well, let me reintroduce myself, my name is Lyon Torga, your brother-in-law," Lyon proudly pointed himself with his thumb. "I don't know how many things that she has told you, but, I take it that she told you that I'm an awesome guy, right?"

"She told me that you're stupid."

"Oof, straight to the heart."

"You're stupid, careless, a lost cause pervert, like to go against the odds, break rules, and got into some of the most unnecessary problems that no sane man would have."

"Wow, my chest stings."

"You're also a bit narcissistic, love attention— especially from beautiful faeries, screw loose in the head, love to laugh a lot the more desperate the situation is, you hardly sit still, you always look sleepy, you love good food, a good meal, good companion, and most vital of them all, you can't tolerate a single sip of a wine without getting drunk."

"Woah, those are a lot of words to digest for one's brain," Lyon laughed. "But then again, it goes to show you how she loves me, right? Gahahahaha!"

"Ugh," Zelena looked away. "How did you even meet my sister anyway?"

Zelena's pupils shrunk as she saw the rapid change in Lyon's expression. The man was looking at his empty palm as gentle winds stroked his fluttering hair. He was smiling, "It's a funny story, you know, I met her before I met everyone else, I was thirteen at the time."

"Thirteen?" Zelena frowned.

"Nah, you won't get it, the story will get complicated real fast because I didn't meet her for a few years after that time, perhaps I will tell you another time."

"Hmm," Zelena squinted her eyes.

( I guess she didn't tell her the whole reincarnation thing ) Lyon smiled wryly. "Why are you becoming an adventurer in the first place? With your talent, you can become something more."

"I'm just bored," said Zelena. "I find it amusing that I can explore the deepest of the depth of the Dark Continent."

"Well, going too deep and you will find yourself in Hell, hahaha," Lyon laughed.

Zelena frowned, "Have you been there?"

"Been where? Hell? or the farthest part of Dark Continent?" Lyon raised one of his brows.

"Both."

"Of course," Lyon shrugged. "Hell is not as bad as you think, they are the same place as the Mortal World, but they have an abundance of Anti-Mana roaming there, well, of course, they would, that place is the source."

Zelena frowned, "How much do you know about the Three Worlds? Do you know something about the Hidden Age?"

"The what?" Lyon raised one of his brows.

"The Hidden Age," Lumina answered as she walked close by. "There is a rumor floating around that there was an age at which Mortal World has equal power to Heaven and Hell, the hidden age."

"And you are?"

Lumina closed her eyes and refused to answer her question.

( Hmph! Cocky! ) scoffed Zelena.

"The hidden age, eh?" Lyon pondered, "Funny if I recall correctly, that dark elf also mentioned something about the hidden age. Wait, was it him or someone else? Meh, it's not that important."

"Well the hidden age has a correlation with you," said Lumina.

"It does?" Luna raised her brows.

"Hmm, this is rather complicated," said Lyon as he crossed his arms. "Looks like something major happened after I was gone."

"What are you talking about?" Zelena shook her head with her brows furrowed.

"Looks like she didn't tell you everything," Cecile smiled.

Zelena darted her glance toward the source. The auburn woman was taller than her but she could very well tell that she was not a slow beauty.

Cecile didn't stop before she stood right in front of her with a gap of an arm.

"Hmm," Cecile furrowed her brows, and curiosity was reflected in her eyes. She took her chin up before turning her head to the right and then toward the left.  "Woah, not even a mole and you got the same hairstyle too."

"Kh!" Zelena pushed her hand away. "Stop doing that!"

"I just did it once though," Cecile chuckled. "But that's alright, little sister."

"I'm not your little sister!" Zelena glared.

"Alright, alright, Zelena, what are you up to now?"

"What? Don't you think that question is kinda odd?" Zelena frowned.

"It's not, we are here for a visit, and here you are," Cecile smiled.

"No you're not, you're here because of her," said Zelena.

"You're smart too," Cecile smiled. "Where is she?"

"She is not in the Myriad Devils," said Zelena.

"What? Then where is she?" Lyon exclaimed. "I thought she said to meet me here."

"She said to go here, not meet her here," said Cecile. "You said it yourself."

"Oh did I? Hahaha!" Lyon laughed.

"She is roaming at this time of day, but she lives in the Twin Tower at the far west of here."

"Twin Tower?" Lyon raised his brows. "Was there any?"

Zelena turned with a solemn face, "There is the Twin Tower at the far west of here, where powerful beasts roamed free and fight each other."

"Like Bahamut?" Lyon remarked.

"Not just Bahamut, Behemoth, Great Wyrm, Venom Serpent, even Hydra are there."

"Woah, is she alright?" Lyon raised her brows.

"Physically, yes, but I don't know what's running inside her mind living dangerously like that," Zelena shook her head. "Thus why I never bothered to address the floating rumor if I have a sister or not, they couldn't even find her nor our differences, such a waste of energy."

"Have you ever asked her why she would live in that dangerous place?"

"She said it's the perfect place for hiding, she never told me hiding from what though."

"Unnecessary attention," Lyon snorted a smile. "Typical Selena, her prowess is so great that she couldn't help but attracts. Though, perhaps the matter is more dangerous than that."

"She is a bit arrogant like you," Zelena remarked. "But that place is not just an ordinary place for us. It's our parent's legacy."

"Legacy?"

"Our parents were suave and rich, thus they get ahead of themselves and build two towers in celebration of our birth at the far west. It was well populated before, but The Swarm happened. We were little girls back then, no older than ten."

"What about the adventurers?" asked Lyon.

"Dead, all of them, it was the appearance of Great Hydra leading the Swarm. None of them could straighten their legs when they stood. Even those so-called Seven-Stars Adventurer didn't last long."

( Ah I see, perhaps that's why she is a vagrant ) thought Lyon.

"Then, how did you survive?" Cecile asked.

"Because Selena," said Zelena. "She grabbed my wrist and won't let go even though my legs couldn't move anymore. However, it was her eyes that astounded me. Even though the adults were screaming their lungs out, she was composed and her focus was impeccable. Not even a break of sweat was there on her forehead then."