Emperor's Reckoning



Under besieged, Niamh found no essence of worthwhile strength to even think about countering. His heart found no pride, his weapon fluttered into nothingness mist. 

Mortal World, the place he was supposed to have been able to live as a god turned out to be the place where he was beyond humbled. His cultivation level was supposed to have reached a place that those who lived in the Mortal World could only imagine, yet he was treated like a wild animal.

His lips uttering words as every tone begged for the mercy of the lady whom just mere moments ago, he tried to kidnap and plot. Words truer than truth, his face was disheveled as he presented nothing from Second Heaven. Returning Jade Stone was an option he quickly extinguished from thought, his only hope was her.

"I see, " Cecile pulled her face back and contemplated with her fingers on her chin. She smiled a smirk. "My husband has never been the best whenever he took on the low-profile role."

Assid who was standing by the side had a cup with belied truth of his true self for it was dirty and rogue. His brows were furrowed as his eyes spelled death. "Drink this, filth."

Niamh who had his entire body trembling opened his jittery lips.

Assid tilted the cup before slamming it toward his entire face with rage seeping in as it zip the air. The shock of blow fluttered Niamh's hair. It was just plain water and a plain cup made out of clay, but the force of Assid's palm effectively broke his nose. 

"A—"

His wail of pain was immediately cut with Kesya's hand pinching his throat. Her eyes still didn't show any shred of mercy. "Talk, only when the Empress lets you." the tone matched her cold glare.

Niamh couldn't hide his fear, his begging. He was pulling his face as hard as he could as to not offend anyone anymore. The thought of revenge never crossed his mind, as the thought to survive was lingering with a small hope he couldn't even imagine. He nodded albeit being shaken all over.

He was never treated like a prisoner before, in fact, he was living the high end of the social spectrum. He was respected, he was glorious, and he could do anything he wishes. Yet, one simple travel to Mortal World changed it all. 

Cecile continued in the midst of the horror he felt. She chuckled, "You've said that this Drogan used some sort of runes to amplify his power? He is going to use that to rule the Second Heaven and beyond?"

Niamh didn't answer before Kesya shook him. "Are you deaf? Or do you want to be?"

Niamh immediately nodded repeatedly. "Y-Yes, Your Majesty, Drogan is leading toward this goal every single day."

Cecile sighed, "I never thought someone would be so stupid."

Niamh raised his brows and widened his eyes. The runes were incomprehensible to the eyes of Second Heaven, but the tone of the lady signified entirely the opposite. The Mortal World was supposed to be a speck of dust of those who were unfortunate enough to be born here, yet the knowledge of the lady before him had implied otherwise.

"The runes will not be able to out-strength my emperor," said Assid. 

"You're just stating the obvious here," Kesya grinned. "But, I'm edging to kill Drogan right now."

"Let's not wreck the Second Heaven for now," said Cecile.

( Wreck..? ) thought Niamh as he gulped. He knew he was weak in front of them, but to challenge the entire Second Heaven was a whole other thing.

"Don't worry Empress, I will try to shake only half of that place."

"The answer is no," said Cecile firmly. "He has something he desperately needs to do, otherwise, his mind would be too occupied to handle his own supreme identity then."

( Supreme identity..? ) Niamh was at a loss. He had a hunch that Lyon was different. All words he heard had led him toward the thought that Lyon was not in fact from the Mortal World. The word supreme might be catered toward a place far beyond heaven and one place made him shiver, for if he came from that place then not only would it all make sense, but Second Heaven shall bear the price.

"I'm sorry!!" Niamh wailed before Cecile raised her brows. 

She raised her chin and listened to the plea. 

"I-I didn't know... I didn't know... I swear! Would I have known! I would have never tainted his name with these woeful lips of mine..!" said Niamh his lips quivering.

Cecile furrowed her brows. "You know who he is?"

Niamh made a huge gulp as he raised his chin. "The esteemed one is from Paradise, right?"

Cecile relaxed her shoulders the moment she heard his answer. She snorted a smirk and shook her head. She was caught off guard by how little the people that knew his true identity were, even Paradise itself warded off his existence.

"Huh..." ( Why is she laughing? ) thought Niamh. He knew what he just said was crazy, but it was justified considering his capabilities. Lyon had battle prowess far exceeding his scope, sudden arrival, sudden burst, it could only mean that Lyon is a Paradise-born cultivator that happened to be in the Mortal World.

"Don't be ridiculous..." Graham answered behind him. "Paradise doesn't deserve my master's presence. Only the Mortal World, the connector of two other realms is deserving of his footsteps."

"He is a human born in Mortal World, well... was," said Cecile. "His legacy was too bright even for Paradise, even when they have closed their eyes."

Niamh had no longer counts the seconds when his jaw slacked. He didn't know whether the beauty spoke the truth or was just overselling, however, he knew that as the cloud traveled fleeting so did his chance of surviving.

"Now then, what should I do," said Cecile as she laid her back against her comfy and reigning chair. 

"Big sister, can I go to Second Heaven? I want to watch him battle it out," said Kesya with her tone getting lighter.

"You have witnessed... enough," said Cecile. "Let the Empress of The Void have her fill, after all, I at least owe her tha—...." Her brows furrowed before smiling, "Zelena, if you want to come in, just rotate the doorknob and pushed it open."

"I know that!" a jolly sound was heard from behind the door before it opened revealing a beauty of ultimate resemblance to the one in Second Heaven.

Zelena's attention was immediately led toward the man that was kneeling on both knees facing her sister-in-law. "Who is he?"

"A filth," Assid answered but Cecile didn't deny it, she gestured a smile and gave a soft nod.

Zelena furrowed her brows. 

"I'm sorry that my room is too small for the crowd," said Cecile, "After all, I only have me and my husband in mind when I blueprint this room."

"I want you to teach me," said Zelena as her words broke the room's atmosphere.

Cecile raised her brows. She never would have guessed that her reason was that. Cultivation-wise, Zelena was still stronger than Cecile.

"I refuse," said Cecile.

Zelena widened her eyes as she parted her lips.

"Your roots are the Void, a dangerous path that you undertook much like your stubborn cold twin. At her highest level, she could unleash a hundred thousand sword hymns in a wimp and hide them under the sleeves of the space. One call was enough to perish an entire league of Paladins... and you want me to outclass that?"

( One hundred thousand... sword hymns?! And what's a Paladin? ) Niamh shuddered.

Zelena's pupils shrunk. Sword hymn was said to be the peak level of a sword master, far surpassing sword intents and her sister could accumulate one hundred thousand at a wimp.

"That level of mastery can only be achieved by the Void, for it occupies your mind and soul with emptiness," said Cecile. "There is no way that you could pull that off, without mastering the emptiness."

"But... how..." 

"By understanding yourself," said Cecile. "Who you are, what you want to let go, what you want to gain."

"That... doesn't make any sense," said Zelena with her face at a loss. 

Cecile smirked, "You're already one step into the correct path."

"Huh?"

"Leave," said Cecile. "Don't ponder here, ponder elsewhere."

"Ugh.." Zelena left dissatisfied.

After Zelena left no sense of her presence, Kesya looked at Cecile with a smile on her face. "Big sister, are you sure? Empress Selena is not a woman to be taken lightly, and her sister might be the same."

Cecile chuckled as her auburn eyes turned sharp. "Why are you doubting me now, Kesya? Do you think I can't beat those who mastered the way of the sword to such a high degree?"

Kesya grinned. "Doubting you, I would have never."

"Good answer," Cecile smirked. "What's the Empress of the Void, to a War Goddess?"