Emperor's Reckoning

The carriages came out from the vortex that led toward the Dark Continent before the pair of guards guarding it, glanced over. Their eyes were gleaming to see the luxurious carriage before two others quickly emerged from the same gate.

"Oi you," said Kesya toward one of them.

"Y-Yes?" one of the guards rubbed their hands as he approached Kesya with the smile of an evil merchant.

"What's happening in this continent?" asked Assid.

"Ah, sir, it's you, do you remember me?" asked one of the guards.

"No," answered Graham.

The guards had black lines over their heads but refrain to say something ill.

"Hahaha," laughter emerged from inside one of the carriages before Lyon stepped outside. His nose rumbled as he ruthlessly took a deep breath. "Same old, same old."

The guards glanced toward the young man before they opened their eyes wide. "Ah, you're!"

"Hm? What's the matter with you, you've seen a ghost or something?" Lyon furrowed his brows.

The guards gulped at the same time before they nervously looked at each other and then nodded altogether. They both darted their glance back toward Lyon before one of them asked, "Are you, Lyon Torga?"

"Yes," Lyon nodded. "What's wrong? Whatever it is, if it's something bad, I didn't do it."

Luna who overheard his words had her smile twitching. "Oh, that's right, after that assault from the orcs we immediately departed from this place."

Lumina sighed before she watched over the window.

"You know my name?" Lyon raised his brows.

"What are you talking about brother? Everyone knows your name!" said one of the guards.

"Everyone?" Lyon asked.

Cecile opened the carriage door before stepping down. She had a smile on her face before teasing Lyon, "Well, you're famous now."

"He is more than famous, he is really the inspiration of many!" said one of the guards with firm nods.

"Hahahaha!" Lyon let out a prideful laugh at the sky with his hands by his waist.

"Alright, tell us what you two know," asked Cecile.

The guards gulped, "R-Right, well, words have it that you have slain a pack of devils."

"Pack of devils?" Lyon raised his brows. "You mean like a demon hunter?"

"Are you a demon hunter?"

"No? Well, depends on the definition of a hunter," Lyon smirked before bouncing his brows twice.

Cecile chuckled before her eyes sharpened the moment she heard the third carriage open its door. Their eyes crossed whilst the guards were bewitched by the unknown beauty.

Selena paid no heed after the flash of a staring contest. Her chin was raised despite her smaller stature. She asked the guards, "Who spread the rumors?"

The guards gulped before one of them said, "The Three Great Families did, well, Young Master Porealus to be exact."

( Oh, that guy ) Lyon had his smile twitching inwardly as he remembered the brown nose young man that presumably admired him but not in the way Zet did.

"Who?" Selena frowned.

Cecile chuckled, "He is one of the young masters from the Three Great Families. He did have a robust way of presenting himself or whatever his agenda is."

"Darling, is that man your enemy?" asked Selena with a smile before her twin took a step back almost immediately. The radiation of her killing intent splurged out and made Lyon's throat a bit dry.

"No, he is not my enemy," Lyon smiled wryly. "He has a unique charisma that made people listen to him, perhaps it's because of his nobility."

"Ah, noble-born," Selena grew disinterested. "They better hope not to raise their chin too high, I might give in to the temptation of severing the bare neck."

"Okay!" Lyon immediately covered their attention. He looked at the guard and found a split second of nervousness in their eyes. "Did any of the heaven come here?"

"Did any of the what?" said one of the guards as they curled their brows.

"Then it's not," Lyon muttered. "How have things been going?"

"Not much, brother," said one of the guards with his head shaking. "Besides you, there is nothing special in particular."

"Yeah, your achievements soared like a phoenix!" said one of the guards.

"Hahaha!"

"You better calm down with your praises, I don't want my husband having too much weight inside his head," Cecile chuckled.

The guards looked at each other before scratching the back of their heads with a wry smile.

"Alright! This is a nice stop, but I'm afraid, I have to go," said Lyon before he looked at the endless sky.

"Yes, yes, certainly, we are not going to halt you here, sorry to bother you brother, be safe on your journey," said one of the guards.

"Is that a threat?" Selena frowned before the two guards turned rigid.

Cecile tapped her shoulder before the freezing killing intent loosened the guard's skin. "Let's not make a ruckus anymore."

Selena snorted, "Fine! Because darling wants it that way."

Lyon nodded with a proud smile.

Lyon got in the carriage last before he sighed.

"You sighed a lot," said Lumina as the carriage started to travel the roads again. She saw the waving hands from the guard throughout the window behind Lyon but paid no heed.

"Is it really that apparent?"

"She is right, Lyon, you've been sighing a lot," said Luna. "Don't you know that sighing brings bad luck?"

"Is it?" Lyon raised one of his brows. "So far, I've been lucky."

"That's not the point," Lumina shook her head, "Something is in your mind, something with weight."

"Woman and their sharp intuition," Lyon smirked.

"No, this one is quite obvious, a dog would notice," said Lumina.

"Hahaha," Lyon laughed before his brows raised, "Wait a minute, that reminds me, I wonder how Tuey and Fenrir are doing?"

"Fenrir, we better check up on him," said Luna. "I've heard that he too had fought bravely, during the orc invasion."

"Yeah, I've heard it from Jugen," said Lyon letting out a long snort as he looked away. "A wolf."

"Emperor," Assid called from the coach seat. "Apologies, I meant, young master."

"Hm?"

"Empress Cecile asked where we should be heading, oh, apologies, I meant, Miss Cecile," said Assid.

"I don't know Assid, Empress  Cecile sounds perfect, to be honest," Lyon made a short laugh.

"I agree, in fact, we are all," said Assid.

"Do we know where Karina is at?" Lyon asked. "Because she might not be resting right now, she is as healthy as a horse."

"Lyon! Stop saying nonsensical things!" reprimanded Luna. "Don't compare her to a horse."

Lyon smiled before waiting for Assid's answer.

"She perhaps awaits at Garuda City," said Assid.

"That's the highest chance," Lyon nodded. "But man, we kinda make that city our own, didn't we?"

Luna and Lumina nodded at the same time.

"Haha, they should erect a statue for me," Lyon jested.

"Oh, speaking of which," Luna claimed. "There is a nice surprise waiting for you in the Phantera Kingdom."

"What?" Lyon raised his brows, "What surprise? Is it erotic?"

"No!" said Luna frowning.

"Lyon, you need to keep your perverted thing inside your pants, honestly, not in this era or the previous, you are still...hm!" Lumina flustered.

"Okay, okay," Lyon shrugged, "It's not like you don't know who I am at this point, jeez," Lyon rolled his eyes before darting his attention toward Luna. "What's the surprise? Don't do 'it's not a surprise if I tell you' thing."

"Well, I think you will still be surprised even when I tell you," Luna answered.

Lyon sharpened his eyes, "Now you got my attention."

"They made a statue out of you," said Luna.

"Statue? Oh, I should have guessed it," Lyon tightened his lips." Hmm!"

"That one was pretty obvious," remarked Lumina.

"I know right!" Lyon said before sighing.

"There you go sighing again," said Luna with her eyes rolled.

"So do they get my good side or is this just a prank?"

"That would be an expensive prank," Luna answered before straightening her back, "Father made you a statue to reenact the way you slay that dragon that once killed mother, and also to 'wake' mother from her slumber."

"Holy! Nice!" Lyon grinned from ear to ear before he put his hands by his waist, "I think it's well deserved!"

"That line's supposed to be from a third party, not you," Lumina sighed.

"Hahaha!" Lyon laughed and trailed off as he peeked his head out toward the window. The wind mercilessly kissed his face and fluttered his hair.

"What are you doing Lyon?" asked Lumina.

"Hey Cecile!" shouted Lyon before Assid accelerated and parallel the speed of the carriage with the designated one.

"Hm?" Cecile looked toward the window.

"I have a statue!"

"Huh?" Cecile raised her brows before Assid accelerated and went to Selena's carriage.

"Hey, Selena!"

"Yes, darling?" Selena stuck her head out of the window to the surprise of her twin.

"I have a statue!"

"I'm so proud of you!"

"Woah, I want to see!" said Kesya.

"Hahaha!" Lyon laughed before Assid led the carriages.

Lyon looked at the horizon with a grin on his face. ( I don't know what's going to happen next, but I can't wait! Seven levels of Heaven, seven depths of Hell, then the mystery of the Mortal World itself! More importantly, Maria ).

"I'm going to find you, Maria."

Lumina frowned as she noticed tears coursing through his left cheek.