Emperor's Reckoning

"GaahH! Aaah!!!!" the chieftain wallowed in misery as his screams rendered the nearby forest speechless. His entire body wiggled, but the evident struggle was met with naught as Lyon locked his arm with his foot. The free left hand tried to reach out for Lyon's face, but Lyon's other foot immediately kicked it away.

"It is, the monster's victory," Galaeron shook his head. "This era perhaps belongs to the humans, at least, to him."

"Do you think that we have a chance to kill him, Your Majesty," asked Agist. "If he is that strong and unstable emotionally, then wouldn't it be best to stop him now? The more we give him space and time, the more likely he would outgrow us. Easier to cut down the sapling than a tree."

"He has already outgrown us, Agist," Galaeron made a wry smile. "Not even in legends that such a being exist. He is full of mystery, but with that kind of strength, surely there must be a great toll that he burdened. Nobody can gain something without giving something, and most of the time, those things are time and pain."

Connak and Agist gaped their mouth as they heard the words of their king.

(A mere human that could take down an orc of that level, who could compare to him?) thought Galaeron as he shook his head. "Perhaps, he is not meant to be settling in the Mortal World, clearly this place is too weak for him to swing his arms."

"Gah!!" a figure was sent propelling at the other side of the forest. Blood trailed his hovering figure before he crashed into nearby trees. His body fell to the ground on all fours. He coughed a couple of times and blood adorned each of his breaths. His sharp ears twitched as calm footsteps under occasionally breaking twigs were heard.

The figure turned over with his not-so-charming face looking over the huge figure approaching him. Blood trailing his lips, he said, "I can't believe it."

Graham didn't spare a dime of the word before he crossed his arms and looked down on the dark-elf.

"I'm an Anti-Mana user, yet, look at you, beat me black and blue," said the dark-elf with a grin, "I lost, no, we never had a chance to win, had we?"

"That's right," answered Graham. 

"Damn it, I was this close to opening the gate," the spat out blood to the side as he leaned toward the stump behind him. He looked at the blue sky, "Not even a rain huh, this world is really cruel."

"No, this world is just is," answered Graham.

The dark elf smiled wryly before he darted at the half-giant. "Tell me, half-giant, how can you become so strong?"

"I trained," answered Graham.

"Heh, bullshit," the dark elf shook his head. "Is it wrong to make the world original again?"

"I don't know," Graham shook his head.

"Damn it, what is your opinion then? Should the world consist only for Heaven and Mortal World? Doesn't that feel weird to you?! Why is Hell being left out?! What's going on in the Hidden Age!"

"I thought you knew," said Graham.

"Barely the surface," the dark elf scoffed. "At that age, Hell, Heaven, and then the Mortal World was eternally connected, it was truly a magnificent era. Oh how I wish to live in that era, but instead, look at me, stuck in this Mortal World and not in my original home."

"How did you know about the Hidden Age?"

"Heh, my parents talked about it all the time," the dark elf snorted a smile. "Also a book, no, a record of what's happening was written in a book."

"From that library?"

"Heh, so you know that library? Have you been there before?"

Graham didn't answer.

"You're not the chatty type I see, can you spare your enemy a moment before you kill him?"

Graham didn't answer.

"My parents are already dead, so you don't have to worry about their vengeance," the dark elf sighed. "I think that maybe there was an era where we could coexist together, you know, all races."

"Everyone dreamt the same thing, but the path they chose is often met with a crossroad."

"I have no choice," the dark elf smirked. "We need the Anti-Mana to brute force open that damn seal. For me and those orcs to go home. Tell me, is it wrong for me to seek for our home?"

"You should not ask me what's right or wrong, nobody knows what's right or wrong at the very core of it. My master used to tell me, it either feels right or not, feels good or not."

"Heh, such a simple master you have there. Well, he is a pervert," the dark elf chuckled.

"He is," Graham answered. "But if I were to be reborn, I wish he would still be my master then too."

"Woah, such royalty, whatever that young man did to you that you would be this way."

Graham furrowed his brows before his eyes softened. He looked at his rough palm before echoes of distant words whispered inside his mind.

"Can you teach me how to fight mister...?" a young boy with ragged clothing approached a couple who was eating in a corner of a deserted restaurant.

"Huh?" The man didn't turn around but instead, the young boy caught his eyes against a young woman with auburn hair who was sitting across from the man he was talking to.

"You want him to teach you?" asked the auburn-haired woman.

"E-En! I'll pay!"

"Hmm..." the auburn woman was full of doubt before she smiled wryly, "Maybe next time."

The boy immediately had his nape bend forward. His shoulders lose and hunched. His lips tightened and he was on the verge of having tears escaping out of his eyes. However, the boy toughened up and looked at the kind woman and nodded, "I-I thank you for your response."

The boy dejectedly ran outside the restaurant.

"Oh, such a poor lad," an old man came and approached the couple with his eyes darted at the boy who was disappearing into the distance.

"Oh, you know him, mister?" asked the beautiful woman.

"Everyone in this region knows him, that boy is half-giant," the old man shook his head, "Such cruel fate, he doesn't deserve the bullying just because of his birth."

"Oh... I see."

"But, hehe, I see that you two are quite the adventurers yourself, maybe, you kind souls could give him a pointer or two. In return, this meal is free of charge, and you can add for seconds or more," said the old man with a weary smile.

"Why would you do that?" asked the auburn woman.

"Heh, my life is turning to dust in each second that is passing. Though this restaurant is not as big as I envisioned in my younger days, I still must give something by the end of my days. Take it as a farewell gift to the boy."

"I see, that boy must have been a regular then."

"Yeah, I regularly give him food, if that's what you mean."

"Oh."

"Well, he doesn't have any beads to pay me, but seeing him starving still ached this old heart of mine."

The auburn-haired woman smiled wryly, "Does he have any particular weapon that he used?"

"His fists, I mean, he doesn't have any money to buy a weapon."

"That's logical."

"But wait, are you interested in training the boy?"

"Hehe, no."

"Oh."

"I will ask him instead," the auburn woman pointed at the man sitting across from her with a smile.

"Ah, yes! Young man, you've been so quiet the whole time," said the old man before he walked over to see his face. "Oh.."

"It's been a long day," the auburn-haired woman chuckled.

"Oh, haha..." the old man laughed as he saw the young man sleeping soundlessly and unperturbed. (Wait a minute, is this why the couple chooses this restaurant?! Because I got no other customers?! That can't be it right?).

Graham's vision returned before he calmly buried his fingers into his palm.

"Oh, it seems like I wake some memories inside you," the dark elf grinned.

(It was the wrong memory) said Graham inwardly before he looked at the dark elf. His chest has been sunk from the moment he had arrived.

The blow from Kesya was ruthless and eternal. His rib was piercing his own heart. That one blow alone was enough to put him at a disadvantage, but the seal of his fate began when Graham decided to pursue the matter instead of joining the slaughter.

"Are you going to end me now?" the dark elf smiled.

Graham shook his head, "Not now."]

"What?" the dark elf raised his brows before he smiled. "You sly fox, what are you planning?"

Graham crouched down before he grabbed his leg.

"Huh?"

"I want you to meet our special spectators," said Graham.

"Wa-Wait!"

Graham put one foot at the back to channel his pivot before he ruthlessly threw the dark elf against the cliff.

"Huh?" Galaeron's weary eyes snapped open just as the fabric of the dark elf's clothing touched the tip of his nose. "What...?"

The two of them crashed.