Athena froze as the words resounded severally in her head.
Kill the emperor's Knight? How long have they been planning this?
She had feared killing Gerald would only be the beginning of the blood shed and
the first drop in a tide of blood yet to come. And now, that grim premonition stood before her, unfolding with terrifying clarity right before her very eyes.
Another murder operation for another innocent person,another knight of the emperor.She had also previously silenced her squire to keep this cursed operation a secret and the memory still clinged to her like a shadow she couldn't erase.
How many more would have to die?
Just how long was this going to last?
And how far were they willing to go?
"Do—dont you think this is another meaningless bloodshed,I mean he isn't our target here...why would you want to get rid of him?"She blinked severally before titling her head,her voice flattering despite her efforts to steady it.
"All these while he has been silent about everything.We don't know Zero's objective,that is the reason why keeping him alive is dangerous".
"Did the higher ups agree to this?"
"No,this is just my own thought although I intend raising up this issue".
Athena leaned back into her chair and clasped both hands looking serious.
"I can assure you he detests both the emperor and the so-called crowned prince...we have the same objective,that you can be certain of".
"Dark told me what transpired at the hunt and I've been looking into his file trying to confirm his identity,A young orphaned knight who died a mysterious death bears the same last name,In the end I could only find what lead to a dead end"
"What did he tell you?"
"He's someone seemingly too strong for his magic level,Zero saw through his death trap, this means he has death's very eyes and that is not what an ordinary Semonio would possess not even someone above his magic level"
"Death's eye?"Athena queried.
"Whatever that is,who ever has it can master some terribly catastrophic unimaginable spell...I do not know what this spell is either,my men are still researching on this"Lord Tydor raised a grey lash"You have noticed something different about him, correct?"
Yes,he is a sorcerer and she had seen him use dark magic once,his death's eye was probably related to this.
And his threats—You know nothing about me,I'll kill you the moment you start getting curious,You can't beat me.
Made it so evident he was stronger than she was,a sorcerer in the same magic level with her would be as they had the ability to manipulate a dangerous aspect of magic,dark magic easily unlike other Semonios.
The emperor's Knight was hiding something,a lot of things.
She had always thought the same but had decided not to get too curious about his identity.
But mostly importantly,why was he asking her this?
"Why?"Athena asked wryly.
"I heard you both have gotten close recently, have you by any chance also fallen for his charm?"
Athena titled her head taking in his words.
"Well...you are—mistaken...I can assure you.I have no feelings whatsoever for him,we are simply colleagues".
"Really..."Lord Tydor eyed her doubtfully."My sources tell me otherwise"
"Perhaps he hovers around me because those are his feelings not mine".
Athena regretted the words as soon as she spoke them.
She knew more than anyone the knight had no such feelings for her but now she knows his men were watching them she had no choice but to coax him into feiging such affection for their sakes.
However, how Zero would react to this—
Athena felt cold shivers run down her spine, raising goosebumps along her skin.She discarded the thought immediately before they could take root.
"You said it yourself""Athena said tapping lightly on her chest."He's strong since he can cast highly destructive spells,is this your way of telling me to commit suicide?
Tydor's lips curved faintly, his eyes gleaming with something unreadable.
"If what you said is true,then I suggest you put your feminine charm to good use,that will help you get rid of him easily".
Lord Tydor dropped his wine cup, wordlessly watching the chief Knight whose gaze was afixed on the marble floor.
"Why did you tell me you were looking into Zero's identity?".
"Because its obvious you know nothing about him"Lord Tydor leaned in,his gaze serious"Pick your side Athena...and do so wisely".
****************************
The Emperor's Knight eyes flew open with a loud yawn to stare out the open window,the early morning pale light spilled across the room,bathing them in its glow.
Cold air hung around the room and seeped into the bed space through the open bed curtains that had been pulled and firmly secured against it's four wooden pillars, allowing both the chill of the weather and the unseen presence of whoever lingered outside to drift freely into the space within.
His arms were wrapped around a tiny frame, one that rose and fell with an unusually shallow fragile rhythm of breath.
Zero looked down to see Ramses,cuddling him tightly and drooling in his sleep.
He swallowed the small scream that almost escaped his lips then gently but with hurried precision,he pushed the child toward Carolene,who lay on the other side of the bed.
He felt a sudden unexplained warmth bloom within him accompanied by an unfamiliar peace as he glanced over at the silver haired prince for a while.
For a moment,all his hatred for this child had disappeared and was replaced with warmth,peace and an attraction he could neither place or understand.
His hand reached for the prince's hair but stopped midway,fingers trembling slightly in the air when he realized what he was doing.
Zero abruptly rolled off the bed to sit on its edge,he turned in the prince's direction again.
What was this warmth he was feeling,this peace,for a moment he felt drawn to him,attracted was it?was the cursed prince playing some nasty trick on him?—No,the child was clearly asleep.
His glanced over at the scarlet prince who had been staring all along.
Ren had been carefully watching them throughout yesterday and had been awake throughout the night.
His eyes followed Ramses wherever he went like a vigilant watchman and whenever he touched the prince he couldn't shake off the general's heavy suffocating gaze on him.
Zero abruptly got to his feet,clearing his throat.
"General"he motioned towards the barrier"I must leave now"
Ren stretched out a hand and the barrier opened.
Zero raced out the barrier without looking back,vanished to appear in his room and quickly began undressing quickly.
He wasn't about giving Tyran another opportunity to mock him.
****************************
Sheba dropped her pen the moment she sensed a sorcerer's presence.
From the candle lit area where she did her paper work,she approached the long stretch shelves of book shelves into the looming darkness ahead.
A flame flickered to life in her hand,casting wavering shadows around her as she followed the aura threading through the air.to bring the figure clearly into view.
"Who's there!"She called out.
When no one responded she appeared at the exact spot fumming.
"I said who—"her voice trailed off,jaw dropped when she saw him.
The sorceror prince rested against a book shelve with a flexed knee as he turned to her.
"Your highness"she bowed slightly.
"Mother"Zero said with a wide boyish grin."I have missed you".
"I told you not to call me that!"Sheba's snapped,her brows furrowed deeply.
Years ago,after his family was killed the sorceress had hidden him away and raised him but always got angry whenever he called her mother.
Until now he never understood why someone bound to serve the imperial family that destroyed his home would save him.
Probably she had done so out of her obligation to the royal family of sorcerer city or perhaps she had seen the prophecy earlier,she knew what was coming and had saved him to contend for the imperial crown.
To purge delvin and save it from destruction.
But ever since she had made it clear to him that a sorceror should not rule Delvin.
"Don't you dare desire that crown"She had warned him as a child."Delvin's peace will only continue with the imperial blood line on that throne".
After hearing this he had never mentioned this to her,never dared to ask why.
Zero laughed.
"You never change do you?"
"Why are you here?"Sheba asked him.
The emperor's Knight eyed her,his smile broadening.
"What?... haven't you missed me all these while?"he asked.
"I would rather not see more of you as that which I have seen all these years will suffice".the sorceress scoffed."If you're not here for an important matter you may leave...I've had enough of that face"
Zero's frame straightened up as he faced her.
"I need your help"he started.
"I need to get stronger!"
Sheba turned and walked away in the other direction.
"You want him gone don't you".
She froze.
"The imperial prince...I can get rid of him"
"I didn't raise you to despise the imperial family".
"This is not about revenge"Zero muttered."it's about delvin's future".
"Is it?"Sheba turned his way,her expression laced with doubt.
"I need to get stronger,only this way can I get rid of him....I am just an upper middle tier but those who protect him are extremely powerful".
Sheba abruptly looked away as Zero watched her from behind.
"I need to increase my cultivation,I know there is a way".
The room fell silent.
He could tell she was contemplating,no clearly debating her already made decision.
The sorceress was one of the council elders, people who always played by the rules but would protect Delvin at all cost despite they being sorcerers.
"There is a way"Sheba turned and a small scroll materialized in her hand.
She handed it to him.
"This is forbidden text,the council personally hid this away centuries ago".
Zero's eyes widened as he read,he looked back at her.
"Devour a Semonio's essence?...bu..but that is unimaginable it's sacrilege".
He would never do that.It is a power that would definitely demand a sacrifice.
"What is the catch,what consequence"
"Corruption"Sheba replied."your soul would be corrupted....as you know our kind are naturally evil and have been cursed by the creator himself for our sin...It is the same as adding curse to curse,heaping that which is another's burden upon yourself...to increase your cultivation you must devour a demon at your own level of cultivation at first only then can you devour the next level of cultivation extremely increasing your mana as you do,but you must take heed"A small smirk tugged at the corner of her lip.
"There is only an extent of power your body can contain,if you devour more than you can,you will be destroyed".
"By destroyed you mean?"
Sheba strode towards her desk to take her seat before clasping her hands in front of her.
"You will disappear forever so will everything you ever loved or care for,you will simply cease to exist anywhere in time,the past or even the future"
Zero frowned.
Although everything he loved was taken from him,that wasn't an ending pleasing to any ear.
"To do so you must take this"She tossed a small transparent vial over to the side of the table which contained a purple liquid and the knight picked it up.
"What is this?".
"A booster...the only one there is".
His eyes drifted from the vial to the sorceror who pulled a scroll over,picked her quil and resumed writing.
"I don't intend on dying just yet.Isnt there another way?".he asked.
The sorceress ignored him,her pen dancing restlessly on the scroll which she stamped and put aside.
The knight wordlessly watched her for a while but she never raised her head to look at him.
"Tsskkkk!"
Zero hissed before fading from sight and for the first time her gaze landed on the spot she had kept the vial.