Emperor's Reckoning

The news spread wide as the people heard them in horror. The dwarves' proudest prison bars had failed to hold a single human. Not to mention that no mana could enter the cave either. Only a capable person would able to do it and now, that very person was looming in their hearts. Instilling fears as vengeance kept their eyes woke.

"Hey, do you think he will exact revenge on us?"

"There is a high chance that he would, however, how far can he go against the entire royal family."

"But it's been three days since his escape but we saw nothing happening."

"I-I've heard that the Golden Dragon family will visit us to take the princess's hand."

"Oh my, things are going to get busy around here."

Their chattering varies as much as their point of view. Some of them believe that nothing would happen while some believe that something even bigger will happen. However, the ones that were really restless were none other than the royal family themselves.

The emperor was furrowing his eyebrows as he contemplated in the throne room. He grunted before the empress gently hold his hands, "Dear, what's wrong? I've never seen you this restless before."

"That human is planning on something, but I cannot fathom it. I could have never believed that someone could actually escape that prison. Even I with the Jade Dragon bloodline running through my veins couldn't bend the bars."

"Hmm, maybe you are overthinking this a little too much, maybe he bribed someone to open the lock? One of the dwarfs maybe tried to revolt and offered him something in return?"

"No, no, you don't understand Daliea," said the emperor before he continued, "I personally hold the only key to that prison, in fact, it's in my hand right now."

The empress looked at the key that was shown to her by her husband. Just as much as the prison, the key was unbreakable as she felt the key in her hand. 

"Then..."

"I'm sure he will do something but the silence over these three days is a sign of something bigger."

Daliea smiled, "C'mon now dear, he probably ran away and fled."

"We put him on a cross Daliea!" shouted the emperor to his wife's disbelief.

"Not to mention the monkey that suddenly disappeared right under our own empire..." the emperor raised his eyebrows, "Of course, how can I be so blind, they are one and the same."

"Father, I can hear your restless voice from my study room, what so in the matter?"

The emperor took a glance against his eldest son, "Julian, you are the smart one, so you know what I'm talking about."

"It's the human right?" said Julian whose hair was as jade as his father but longer than his little brother. 

"Yes, indeed. The human or monkey or whatever he is," the emperor stood up.

"Then sister might know something about it?" asked Julian.

"You know it yourself that she won't speak about the matter and we can't force her to answer it either."

"Then father, may I ask why are we waiting until she returned home? You know she had been stuck in that island for many years that mortal couldn't even count."

"Because we can't, she had grown so much power that we couldn't capture her without utilizing massive force that would give a huge chance for the humans or other power to attack us, however, luckily for us, she is still attached with the island where she met that human. Thus we lay wait, either until she gave up or the human came, and as you know, the latter was in prison."

"But father, there is still something that bugs me."

The emperor furrowed his eyebrows, "What is it?"

"How come he looks so young?"

The emperor looked at Julian's curious eyes before he turned and walked back and forth. He put his finger against his lips as he contemplated. Those six words of the question made him realize something crucial that he overlooked. A human couldn't compare themselves with the likes of a dragon that had natural prowess, however, they do indeed cultivate just like the rest of them to compensate their unfortunate common bloodline.

"However, I'm very certain that his cultivation was a mere Divine Realm, nothing to be wary about."

"Maybe, he concealed his cultivation levels?"

"No, no, no, to conceal one cultivation level, not even Godhood Realm cultivators could do it, only the..." 

The emperor stopped his tracks as he looked up. His eyes opened in disbelief as his lips trembled. He slightly shook his head, "That is impossible, there is no way such a strong being would be in this tiny world. They would rather have a swim in the heavens rather than here."

"But father, if we think it logically, the time where sister met him versus the present. It is the only explanation."

"You are dismissed Julian," said the emperor.

Julian wanted to speak before he let the words stuck in his throat. He took a bow before he left the throne room. Leaving the distressed emperor who sat on the throne.

The emperor was sweating from his forehead as he gulped down the saliva. The console of his wife didn't do him any good as his eyes looked forward at the huge door. 

"When will he make his move, only four days left before... no way, he couldn't possibly wait for that time!" muttered the Emperor before he slammed his hand against the armrest of his throne.

The face of the empire was at stake. The looming danger of a human called Lyon had made the strongest demi-human in the empire sweating his brains out. He couldn't predict what will happen but he very much knew when will it happen. The man was put on a cross, a peaceful amend would do nothing but fart against the wind. 

The emperor took a deep breath before standing up and took a deep breath. 

"Dear?"

"Tell all of my people to gather, I need to make a speech."

He didn't know if it will work but he needed every eye he could get. Locating the human was first and foremost before doing anything else. Surely the commoners couldn't fight against someone who escaped the inescapable prison but they sure could notify that can.

-----------------

It didn't take long before the nobles and the commoners of demi-humans gathered in the square. The emperor stood straight and the sweat on his forehead was no more. Though his heart was quite agitated and shaken he couldn't show his fear to them.

"As you all now know, the incident three days ago that we sentenced a human to death by the cross. However, things led to one another and he was put into prison."

He noticed that the people started to chattering and gossiping under his eyes before he said, "And as you may all took concern about the rumors. It is indeed true, the human escape out of the prison."

The people immediately looked at one another as worry planted in their faces.

"Do not be worried," though his words didn't calm all of them they did calm some of them.

"We must work together in this, and put our sides differences, whether you are nobles or not. Keep your eyes sharp around you and notify the guards if you caught a glimpse of the human. No matter how very little clue you found, it would be beneficial for all of us."

"For I believe in all of your strength, this empire wouldn't be standing like this if it weren't for all of you! Glory to—"

*boom

A house suddenly exploded right in the middle of his speech. It was a fancy house amongst the noble region. The world was shocked, as their eyes opened wide and couldn't fathom what was happening.

The emperor opened his eyes wide as a figure dropped right in front of him. Blood was churning nonstop from his back as he kept coughing out blood.

"I-is that S-Sief??"

The emperor furrowed his eyebrows before he knelt down, "What's wrong Sief, who attacked you?!"

Sief's eyes couldn't even move to look at the emperor as he muttered, "I-I'm a Godhood C-cultivator."

"Sief snapped out of it, what happened?!" asked the emperor before the latter suddenly looked at him with his eyes widened. He gripped the emperor's collar, "He ripped.. my wings.. HE RIPPED MY DRAGON WINGS, Your Majesty!! HE TORE THEM OFF WITH HIS BARE HANDS!!"

"What?!

"He is not a human! He is, he is....!!" His eyes bulged as he let out his last breath. The emperor turned his body around before he noticed Sief's chest has been caved in with the shape of a palm.

He gritted his teeth here Sief before he looked in the direction where Sief's house was. He spread his jade wings before he jumped and glide toward it.. The army soon followed him, including his two sons and the empress herself.