Emperor Has Returned

Juan’s face swiftly turned. Nigrato, no Lars was blankly staring down at Juan.

[What are you doing there, your highness? Where are the other knights? I……]

“Lars! Do not look anywhere else! Look only at me!”

Lars was looking at his arms and legs, and the wreckage around him. Then finally, Lars turned to look at the knife that Juan had inserted into his chest.

[I see, your highness.]

“Don’t blame yourself for this. Lars. You’re…..”

[Your highness has again killed everyone, as you’ve always done.]

Juan paused.

“What?”

[Your highness’s life has been nothing but slaughter. You were born to slaughter, and you ended your life to slaughter. Even in death, your name has inspired others to slaughter. It had never stopped and it seems this still holds true in your resurrection.]

“……….”

[Lets see. How many have you killed till now? Even though I am an incarnation of death, I cannot but think it’s hard for me to compare myself to you and the exceptional killings that you’ve committed since you’ve returned.]

“Shut up.”

[The many civilians at Tantil, the no name soldiers, the knights that gave up their life for law and order, the scouts…….it’s hard to pick them all out. I am truly proud to be your son. The son of an extraordinary murderer.]

“I said shut up.”

[What compels you to kill so much? Ah, right. Do you need a reason to kill? No. You kill to kill, you kill to end their time here. You have my admiration, your highness. But on one hand, I can’t but feel….]

Nigrato sniggled as he whispered close to Juan’s ear.

[Maybe the real reason why brother Gared killed you was to stop your killings.]

Juan’s face darkened. His flames flickered in the wind.

[Brother Gared was the most considerate and virtuous of us. I would guess your highness had the same thought and considered Gared the most likely to be next in line. But then, why would such a person stab you behind your back? I couldn’t help but be curious.]

Nigrato sniggered as he tickled Juan’s inner emotions.

All death in history had been engraved to Nigrato. Every death associated to assassinations left scratches on the soul of the perpetrator and the victim.

Nigrato was currently digging into the scratch left behind that day.

The fact that Juan was now so close to him was an opportunity. Now that Juan was close enough to kill him, Nigrato was trying to make Juan kill his child with his own hand.

Greed started to spark inside Nigrato. Juan was a captivating target to consume.

More than Lars or even Ethan, with his soul, if he was able to extort his strength, if he was able to summon undeads with his body, then he would no longer need to repeatedly die in order to become stronger.

[And now, aren’t you going to kill me?]

Juan’s flames started to become weaker and weaker.

Nigrato realised his whispers were striking deep into Juan’s inner heart.

Maybe if one was born an emotionless killer it’d be a different story, but if a person had even a touch of doubt, then it wasn’t possible to not be shaken. Especially right now, as Nigrato was dealing with Juan who had been killed by one of his closest people.

[Did you ever want to die?]

Juan flinched. Seeing this, Nigrato felt assured that his thoughts had been correct.

Not a few months ago, Juan lived, in search of death.

Nigrato was a being that was associated to death more than any. And had Juan’s thoughts changed? No.

Nigrato had the feeling that Juan hadn’t changed fundamentally. He still wanted to die. Only now, he was postponing it.

[For what reason are you repeating this life full of death? Your highness. Don’t live your life for the sole reason to kill. You have more than enough right to rest. What you’ve longed for so long…….Remember yourself who so desired to die.]

“I……..”

[Eternal sleep that you’ll never wake from. I will forever protect you from awaking. Take what you’ve always wanted. Eternal sleep away from betrayals and killings.]

Nigrato began to grab Juan who’s flames were flickering on its last end.

Nigrato’s hand clutched tight around Juan’s body. White pale fingers wrapped around Juan.

But then, Nigrato found a smile on Juan’s face.

“Did you really think I’d fall for your provocation. You fiend.”

Suddenly, Juan’s body erupted into flames.

Nigrato let out a scream at the sudden burst of heat.

Juan had only been acting deceived in order to buy time to recover after using blink too much.

Knowing that he’d been deceived, Nigrato lashed out but Juan didn’t move an inch.

Right now Juan wanted to scream. Blood inside him was burning and steam rising from his body was proof of that. From Juan’s eyes and breath, flames were flaring out.

He felt a sudden disappearance of mana that formed his body and in turn slightly losing his lifesource.

‘I don’t have too long.’

Nigrato’s chest began burning just from being so close to a fire as hot as a smelting furnace. His skull was almost to the point of being scorched just from the rising smoking.

But Juan’s body wasn’t taking the heat too well either. Some parts of his body were also losing strength and slowly breaking off.

‘At least Lars…..Away from here.’

Ethan’s sword began to brighten even further as it blew up flames.

Nigrato wrestled to get Juan away from him but his hands vaporized before it could even touch Juan.

“Arrogant. A god, trying to provoke me…..”

[Fool! I was trying to give you a painless death. Now you’ll get to know how much more painful it is on your soul rather than your body.]

In an act of kindness, Juan ignored Nigratos bellow.

But strength wouldn’t flow into his fingers. Juan panicked before once more mustering some strength into his hand. His body simply wasn’t listening.

Then, Juan saw the end of this hand break off after turning into ash. The pain quickly spread throughout his body.

‘Now of all times….’

Juan now knew that his body had reached a critical point. Just as he finished thinking this in his head, other areas of his body began to fall apart.

Before he’d even noticed, one of his feet had already disappeared into dust. His body wasn’t moving as he wanted. One side of vision became dark. It seemed one of his eyes had failed him. He was at a point where it wasn’t possible to sustain his body by only consuming mana.

Nigrato was going mad at seeing Juan’s body slowly turn into dust.

[Tired are we? Taste of your utmost arrogance, your highness.]

“If you think I can’t take you along with me, you’re well mistaken.”

Nigrato’s expression twisted. The flames rising from Juan appeared deadly.

There was a chance that Nigrato’s essence could be dealt with, considering the fact that he hadn’t yet fully returned.

With every strength Juan could find within him, he made his move to stop him.

But now, his consciousness was even starting to dim.

*****

“Kueek, ha….ha euk……..”

“Sina kyung!”

Clutching her left eye, Sina currently had her freedom to move restricted. To see her condition, Camille forcibly took her hand off her eye. On seeing what was happening beneath it, she flinched.

The tattoo above her left eye was burning bright in a gold tone. The heat from it was so great that even Camille was able to feel it.

“Sina kyung, what on earth is…….”

“Right now, he’s fighting……….”

“Fighting, who? What are you saying?”

Sina weakly pointed towards the darkness. Inside, a spark of fire was consuming Nigrato’s darkness.

The flames stayed the same size, and didn’t get bigger or spread like a normal fire. Sina wasn’t too sure what was happening.

But she knew one thing. That this fire was related to Juan.

‘Juan.’

Juan’s thoughts, Juan’s power, Juan’s frustration and condition. Everything was being transmitted into her head. Even Juan’s determination to kill Nigrato and turn his body into ash.

Sina shrugged off Camille and tried to head towards the darkness.

“Sina! It’s too dangerous!”

“Let me go! I must go. If I don’t help him…….”

Help? She was surprised after realising it came from her own mouth. She knew Juan was doing his best to help them. But was there a reason for him to be doing this?

Juan had killed Sina’s comrades and turned her home into a fiery pit.

But it was hard to ignore his volition. Sina questioned whether the real reason Juan put the mark above her eye was to brainwash her.

Then, someone made their way and stopped in front of her. It was Anya, the Vice commander of the Hugin knights.

Anya stretched out her hand and placed it over the left side of Sina’s face. Along with a sizzling sound, smoke rose from beneath Anya’s hand. Sina freaked out and abruptly slapped Anya’s hand away.

“What are you…….Is your hand alright?”

Without a change of expression, Anya looked into her palm.

“The emperor’s dog.”

Sina flinched. She was referring to the mark above her left eye. Anya continued her gaze before finally opening her mouth.

“If you’re the emperor’s dog, instead of jumping into the fire alongside the owner, shouldn’t you be thinking what you can do to help?”

Sina had an expression on her face as if she’d been knocked in the head. What she can do to help…… If she went into the darkness, she wouldn’t be doing much but only increase the number of undeads by one.

Not being a paladin, there really wasn’t much that she could do. Just as she was resigning herself to her uselessness, one thought popped into her head.

She could bark.

Sina turned her body and immediately rushed towards Bishop Rieto. She grabbed and shook Bishop Rieto who was still lying down lifeless.

“Rieto! Bishop Rieto nim! Wake up!”

“……..When the day comes, the emperor will return with the army of the earth…….”

Rieto was quietly mumbling a prayer. Seeing Sina’s abrasive acts, Camille tried to stop her.

But Sina grabbed Rieto up by his collar and shouted out loud.

“If a bastard like you is the emperor’s servant, then you should know that right now isn’t the time to be dazing off!”

At this moment, a spark of flames bursted from Sina’s left eye. The small spark of fire flickered on top of Rieto’s face.

Everyone in the area stood up as if they’d been shocked. When Sina had shouted, the voice had belonged to a being beyond their realm. They’d heard it once before so they were confident who it belonged to.

It was the emperor’s voice.

Bishop Rieto’s pupil refocused. With eyes wide, his face contained an expression of unbelief as he looked at Sina.

Not realising what she’d done, Sina went up to Bishop once more.

“I said wake up. Bishop Rieto!”

“The voice…….just now……..”

“Right now, the emperor’s biggest enemy isn’t humans but evil beings. They are trying to return. We need the power of the emperor, now more than ever! Rieto!”

Unlike before, Bishop Rieto couldn’t feel the emperor’s presence in Sina’s voice. However, his volition had more than been recognised.

Rieto looked at Sina’s left eye that was burning. He had twice heard the emperor’s voice that he’d not expected to hear in his lifetime.

Bishop Rieto felt he was closer to the emperor now more than he’d ever been in the past.

“Todays the day.”

Rieto stood up from the spot.

Camille tried to help him up, but Rieto brushed her hand away and powerfully strided forward.

Rieto, who was now facing the darkness in front of him, looked towards the small ray of flames flickering inside like a lighthouse.

Same colour as the colour burning from Sina’s eye, but gradually fading.

Rieto tried to grab his rosary but felt nothing. He remembered how previously, Juan had smashed it into pieces. However, he could still perform a miracle without it.

“Brighter than the sun, burning hotter than a smelting furnace, our emperor, Kenosis……..”

Rieto’s prayer wasn’t fast but it was overflowing with conviction. Right now, Rieto could feel for some reason that he wasn’t off to his split mind. No, he was smartly praying in one single voice.

And in this new unity he found, lights started to form into a group above the dark sky.

“Here lies a servant that needs your merciful power……”

Sweat began to appear on Rieto’s forehead. The prayer he was reciting was far more burdensome and dangerous than the prayer he had tried to make to bring Mananen Maclir’s beast. It went against the principles that he’d lived by.

But Rieto strangely felt he was acting like a Bishop more than he’d ever had in his life.

“To your soldier, to your land, please grace us with your strength.”