The Sinful Life of The Emperor

(A/N: This chapter deals with plotlines mentioned in Volume 1 and the start of Volume 2.)

Kiba felt Pythia scrutinizing him. He could sense temporal fluctuations from her eyes as she observed him. He was ignorant about time-based abilities so he wasn't sure what she was doing.

"There are things you truly must know from both the past and the future," Pythia said, her expression heavy. "But you must understand I need payment so that I can bring food on my table. Give me five jars of Spatial Golden Sand and I will help you."

Kiba looked at her for a long time before nodding. Spatial Golden Sand was created in the core of a galaxy. It was a priceless commodity on Earth but he has it in good amount thanks to Immortal Devourer Serpent.

He pointed a finger on the table. Clusters of white light surged out of his finger. The lights fused together before transforming into five jars filled with Spatial Golden Sand. Each grain of sand was twisting a vortex, emitting a terrifying sucking force. If not for the reinforced glass jar, the entire shop would have been destroyed just from the force.

Pythia smiled at the sight of the jars. She tapped the ring on her right hand. The surface of the ring radiated a stream of light that enveloped the jars. The next moment, they disappeared and transferred into the storage space inside her ring.

"Place your hands on the table," Pythia raised her head and said. Kiba did as she asked and she then placed her hands on his.

Bright streams of red temporal currents swept out of her body and wrapped Kiba. Ashlyn silently overlooked without any emotions on her face. She would only interfere if she felt any malice from Pythia, otherwise, she has no intention of interfering.

Pythia closed her eyes tight and Kiba did the same. Their consciousness merged into temporal waves and swept through the River of Time...

-----

When Kiba opened his eyes, he found himself in a cave. He observed his body and realized he has no actual presence to speak of. He was just an incorporeal form of temporal currents.

Next to him, Pythia was standing. She checked the cave surface and noticed the cave mass was created from soils of the alien world.

"Where are we?" Pythia wondered aloud.

Kiba didn't reply. He observed the surface of the cave carefully and saw the runic designs engraved on it.

He was trying to understand their meaning when a loud bang voice came from above. Kiba raised his head to see the ceiling of the cave shatter apart.

A girl fell through the layers of stone and soil. The girl collapsed on the floor, her knees and ankles scratched.

Kiba and Pythia looked at the girl. She was wearing dark goggles that matched with her short raven hair and fair skin.

"Her features seem familiar," Kiba carefully observed the girl but couldn't recall this 13-14 years old girl.

At the same time, the gap on the ceiling automatically started filling up with a new mass of soil and stones. The girl was frightened and she unsuccessfully tried to leap through the rapidly disappearing hole in the ceiling.

She took out her cellphone but noticed no network. She tried to find ways to leave the cave without any success.

The cave has no gap, no doors, no holes. There was no lack of oxygen though it was impossible to determine where it was coming from.

Hours passed, and the girl's expression was filled with despair. She cried and screamed for help but nothing happened.

More hours passed. The girl was looking for means to escape when she unknowingly tapped on a hidden runic engraving on the wall surface.

The runes on the surface became visible and a dark stream coursed them. The runes flashed into blinding radiance, and the same moment, the girl disappeared.

Kiba and Pythia faded along with the girl. They arrived in a region where there was no sky or ground. There was just darkness with orbs of cosmic light floating in the air.

Kiba checked the area. He couldn't use his powers to observe in details as he was just an incorporeal form.

The girl was stunned to find herself in another area. Her heart thumped violently as she realized the change in location was nothing good for her.

She rose to her feet and walked around. After walking for almost an hour, she arrived in an area where thousands of ominous, grotesque-looking skeletons were lying around.

None of the skeletons were humanoids in shape. Some skeletons were as large as hundred-stories buildings while a few were the size of a tree. Crowns, pearls, and other treasured items were lying between the skeletons.

There was an air of sinisterness around the skeletons that send chills down her spine. She felt the fine hairs on the back of her neck standing up in fright and she instantly collapsed.

Even Pythia and Kiba felt terror despite their strength as Alphas and their incorporeal existence. They were sure they would be no better than the girl if they were in her shoes.

"Supreme lifeforms from Celestial Elysium Plane," Pythia muttered to herself. "Some of them must be royalty of that destroyed world."

She was sure the fate of the girl would be tragic. After all, given her young age, she hasn't awakened her abilities and there was no way she could fight the terrifying aura by herself. Even their fate would have been the same, much less her.

The girl was frightened out of her wits. She couldn't even stand much less escape. Her eyes moistened and tears rolled down her cheeks.

The girl's breathing turned difficult and her vision turned blurry.

"I don't want to die," The girl bitterly mumbled. "Mom, dad, and brother... they would be worried."

Just as the terrifying chills of death enveloped her, she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. As soon as the hand touched her, the coldness instantly melted. Her body was filled with vitality and the sinister aura retraced in fright.

She raised her head to look at the owner of the hand. She found herself in the presence of a man who was clad in a pitch-black dark robe.

She was not sure if her eyes were seeing it right, but she felt the robe having sentience. It was as if darkness has wrapped itself into a rob.

No matter how she tried, she couldn't see the face of the man. She did notice long, dark hair but nothing else.

Kiba and Pytha were in worse condition. They could not even make out the outline of the new entity as if his very presence was interfering with the temporal flow.

"This is no place for a human," An emotionless voice filled with faint surprise came from the mouth of the mystic man. "And definitely no place for a young girl like yourself."

The girl was thinking of a response when she found herself back on her feet. She opened her mouth to speak but by now, the man was taking steps ahead.

Startled and afraid of being left alone, the girl ran behind him. She no longer felt any fear from the ominous skeletons. Unknown to her, the skeletons were cowering in terror.

"Do you live here?" The girl innocently asked as she caught up with the man.

"No," He answered without any emotion.

"Then where do you live?" The girl enquired further.

"..." He stopped in his path and looked at her more carefully. There was a look of melancholy in his eyes as if he was remembering an event of a distant past.

The girl looked back at him, her face no longer filled with fear. She waited for him to answer her question.

He let out a soft sigh before answering, "Nowhere."

"You don't have a place to stay?" The girl gripped his hand tightly and said, "You can live with me then. My family has a large house in the city. There are many empty rooms and you can take any of them."

The man was amused by her response.

"You wouldn't mind?" He asked her.

"Nope," The girl instantly replied with a smile. "You can stay for free without any rent."

"I see," The man nodded his head.

"But you will have to clean your room though," The girl quickly added.

"........."