Chapter 4:The Mother Planet: The Emperors' Chessboard
While the elders of Emperor Iskandar's mercenaries led the way, the scene shifted to the Mother Planet. Emperor Shamal Ned and the Central Chamberlain headed toward the Imperial Palace to protect the Seventh Prince, Edward. Upon reaching the palace gates and descending from his ship, Emperor Ned found a small army of Empress Nur's guards blocking his path. They were all powerful warriors, standing with a haughty aura as if they were the true masters of the palace.
The Chamberlain stepped forward before the Emperor, unleashing his pressure aura until the guards were on the verge of kneeling. He barked, "Since when does the Emperor allow slaves to stand at his door?" A beautiful woman emerged from their midst and said, "We are only here to assist with security." Ned looked up and recognized her as Empress Nur's personal maid and guard. He snapped, "Take your slaves and get out of my sight."
Emperor Ned then descended behind him, his spear still stained with the blood of monsters from the recent battle, a murderous aura radiating from his very being. The moment his foot touched the ground, everyone present fell to their knees, unable to lift their heads. His voice boomed across the Mother Planet: "I am here as an envoy from Iskandar and a guest in his palace. Whoever wants something from me, let them come themselves—do not send insects!"
With his first step, the guards and the maid began to bleed from the sheer pressure. The maid remained on her knees, head bowed, until a voice echoed from inside the palace: "Enough playing, Ned. Come in. They are guests here; leave them for my sake." Ned laughed and said, "Oho! Is that the voice of the Teacher, the former Chamberlain? Have you finally come out of seclusion?"
Ned rushed inside, for the Teacher was a friend of his father and had trained him in the art of the spear. But as he entered the majestic court, he found himself before a tall woman of brilliant, pale beauty. Her hair was as white as clouds, and she wore a crimson dress adorned with rubies and coral. She held a magic staff carved from the World Tree, topped with the most expensive magic ruby in existence. On her head sat the crown of the Central Empress—a majestic relic over ten thousand years old.
Ignoring her, Ned walked straight to the Teacher, showing his respect. "How are you, Teacher? I see you are as strong as ever." The Teacher laughed and said, "Little Ned, you look just like the former Ruler of the North. How have you been?"
Ned replied, glancing at Empress Elizabeth: "I am well, I am well." Then, directing his words at Elizabeth, he added, "I know you do not like the throne room; it is far too bloody for you." She laughed, though she looked disgusted by the blood on Ned's clothes, and replied, "Even if the throne is bloody, it is my husband's pride. And meeting the Teacher is an honor for me, as he was once my teacher in the court as well."
The Teacher stepped in to stop the verbal sparring before it escalated. "Your Majesties, you are my students and high-ranking officials. You must think of the consequences of your bickering. You have been this way since you were children." He continued, "I have some tea gifted to me by the Ancestor of the Eastern Continent, five thousand years old. Shall we sit and have this old man's tea?" Ned agreed immediately, "It would be an honor, sir," and Elizabeth added, "One cannot refuse your tea, Teacher."
The Teacher struck his staff against the ground, and they were instantly transported to a small pavilion within the Imperial Garden. As a servant prepared the tea, the Teacher turned to Ned: "I know you are holding your tongue only out of respect for me. But listen—you are here to secure your son-in-law, and I am here to maintain the court in my master's absence. Drink your tea and go to him without trouble. No one will touch this court while I am here." He then turned to Elizabeth: "My child, I do not know why you came, and I do not wish to know. Drink your tea and return to your palace until my master returns. Whoever has a problem can discuss it with him."
Both agreed without a word. With a voice full of power, the Teacher summoned, "Chamberlain, come to my palace!" In the blink of an eye, the Chamberlain appeared. The Teacher ordered him to take Ned to his son-in-law.
The Teacher then looked at Elizabeth and said, "I do not know your involvement in this crisis, nor do I want to. But as long as I am the guardian of this court, the Prince is under my protection. My advice to you: do not return until the storm has passed. Go, and may peace be with you, my Lady."
The scene shifted to the room of the Seventh Prince, Edward, who lay in a coma. Beside him stood Ned, the Chamberlain, and the Imperial Physician. Ned sighed, "Ah, my little son-in-law. Even you, who only wanted to live in peace and train, could not escape the blood of the throne. Poor boy." He turned to the physician: "How is he?" The physician replied, "His internal injuries are severe, but the real problem is the poison. I have never seen anything like it in my life. All the palace scholars are searching for an antidote."
The Chamberlain remarked, "It is a tragedy. He was a genius without equal. This is truly disastrous." The physician then asked the Chamberlain to step out, as he needed to speak with Ned privately. After the Chamberlain left, Ned placed a soundproof barrier around the room.
The physician said, "There is a message from the Prince, and news you must hear. When he briefly regained consciousness, he left something with me for you." He continued, reciting Edward's words: "Uncle, you must keep this secret from everyone except my father. And the secret of my wife: your daughter is three months pregnant. I do not know if I will survive. Take my wife to the coordinates of the planet found on her necklace. There, you will find everything my mother prepared for my son. My mother's Dark Army will protect and assist us, and her first disciple will finish the rest. The Nano-Vaccine is my mother's gift to your grandson; keep it safe until it reaches my mother's assistant. And remember, father-in-law, no one must know of the pregnancy except you, my father, and the physician."
Ned sat in silence, processing the weight of the news. He sighed deeply and told the Chamberlain to bring him a secret communication device.
The scene then shifted to a majestic palace in the Western Continent, built entirely of black crystal. In the center of the throne room, a man sat upon a throne made from the skull of a Black Dragon. This was the Western Emperor. He looked up at the ceiling, which was decorated with white diamonds set in black crystal, resembling a star-filled sky. He asked his Chamberlain, "What is the news?"
The Chamberlain replied, "Sire, Ned has returned to the palace. But with the Grand Teacher present, nothing significant happened. The Prince's room is guarded by the Teacher's aura. We have lost contact with all our spies; the moment the Teacher took over from the Chamberlain, every spy was eliminated."
The Western Emperor hummed, "That old dog refuses to die. What of the battle? We received some footage." Upon watching Emperor Iskandar in battle, the Western Emperor remarked, "That mad lion still has sharp claws. And the Eastern Emperor? What is he doing?" The Chamberlain answered, "He is watching the spectacle with the Elf Prince."
The Western Emperor laughed. "My cousin still hasn't moved. We must be wary of him; he is a cunning old wolf. I shall return to my seclusion. Do not wake me until Iskandar returns to the Mother Planet. I am saddened for my sister... Ziehahaha, my beautiful sister is missing."