17 What is the Truth?

  John strokes his chin with a smile saying, "I don't think it's ever too late to start cultivating. I'm sure your son would love for you to live longer, at least."

  Anna's body shakes as she leans on the table. "Maybe, but our inheritance has long been broken."

  "Oh? But I saw you use one of the Emerald families phrases to burst forth with might earlier," he questions with a raise of his eyebrow while reclining in his seat.

  "It's one my father knew." she sighs. "He always told me it's dangerous to use a phrase that's not your own. I wouldn't have used it if it wasn't to save Franklin." Anna rubs her head with frustration before continuing, "Honestly, I don't even know if my father was given his own phrase or if like me, he learned it from someone else."

  "I think that's likely so." The older man wisely nods. "From what I know, there is quite a unique ceremony were those with the blood of the Emerald family would learn a phrase best suited for them." He holds up his hand as he sees the woman's eyes flash with hope. "I, of course, know nothing of the details."

  Her head sinks to the table with sorrow. "Yes, there's no reason why you'd know such a secret. Perhaps only the Emerald king remembers."

  "Honestly, I haven't heard many good things about the Emerald king. Perhaps you shouldn't put so much faith in him," John looks to the distance like he sees the long-forgotten past. "There is only death on that path." Pausing, he looks Anna in the eyes. "Is that truly what you want for your son?"

  "Of course not!" Anna yells, clenching her fists. "Yet there is no future for us like this. How much farther can we run?"

  "You could always return to the Emerald family," John replies while eyeing the lass.

  Anna's eyes burst forth with hatred. "Those traitors and bastards besmirch our ancestors!" she cries, flinging the table away in a rage. "When the Emerald king is unsealed, where will they hide!?"

  Watching the tantrum, John can only feel depressed. "Truly, even after all this time, the hatred burns so brightly. I don't understand the obsession with the Emerald king." With a flip of his hand, the table flies back into its position. He gestures for the enraged woman to sit back down. "He's been gone so long even when I was alive. It was only rumors and legends."

  With a harrumph, Anna grumpily sits down. "It's true that someone like me knows nothing. Still, I know he was powerful!" She gestures violently to punctuate her point. "Not even the strongest powers could subdue him. He was only sealed due to the betrayal of those bastards."

  John smiles, "such determination. What you said seems to be the truth, for the most part. However, I know not the details." With a wave of his hand, a set of teacups appeared. "Here, calm your nerves. If you'd like, I could tell you what I do know of this ancient powerhouse."

  As Anna moves to grab her cup, she notices her hand is still shaking with agitation. She grabs her arm and lets out a breath settling her nerves. "I would love to hear about my heroic ancestor," she says, smiling while taking a sip of tea.

  John shakes his head. "Heroic may be a bit much for the man. He indeed was powerful, though." John pauses to glance at the woman. "I think you may find him quite detestable if you met him." John puts his hand up before she can retort. "From all tellings, he didn't have the passion of his ancestors. He was a cold man that would follow contracts to the letter."

  John waves his hands, sending them floating in a void before a scene of a city appears. A young man in a black cloak appears. Before anyone knows what is happening, the slaughter begins. The man in black slaughters the warriors and citizens with ease. Not even a child is spared.

  A contract floats down on to the table. Kill all those in the Polad city. Next, a scene plays out where an immense empire is smashed to bits. A second contract lands on the table. Leave no stone upon another in the Hist Immortal Empire.

  Lastly, in space, the man in black views a small blue planet. He holds out his hand and closes his finger into a fist. The planet collapses, shattering into pieces like an egg that is squeezed too hard. The final contract says to destroy the Bluglen outer world.

  Anna can't speak as her jaw drops. John can only sigh. With a stomp of his feet, they return to the tranquil setting with their quaint table and chairs.

  "Even when I was alive, these were only rumors and legends. It's funny. The emerald king has long been lambasted as a liar and cheat by his enemies. Yet, in the end, they could only force him to seal himself up with a contract," John explains with a smile. John then continues while absentmindedly taps the table, "If he were such a despicable untrustworthy person, wouldn't he just break the contract?"

  Anna mulls over John's words before stating, "I think that he was probably not a great person." Anna nods with a sharp look in her eyes. "Yet, he was a powerful man. My father told me not to look up to him. Still, even if we must sign some devilish contract, it'll be worth it to destroy those bastards."

  John leans on his elbow as he watches the impassioned mother. "Spoken just like a model Lamenter. I have a slightly controversial view of the man myself," John remarks.

  With a wave, John points to the distance. Again the black-clad man walks at a steady pace. Every so often, some beast or enraged man would attack him. Yet each time they were dispatched. Then armies come one after another, leaving bodies piled like mountains. Planets now stood in his path, but they to were destroyed.

  Finally, the Emerald king was surrounded by men who were so powerful John couldn't even honestly picture them. Everyone had an aura covering their features as if even imagining how they looked would profane them. Yet still, even these peak experts couldn't subdue the black-cloaked man. The black-cloaked man looked out into the distance as if looking through time directly at Anna.

  As Anna views the man, she always viewed as a heroic figure. What she saw was a haggard man. She couldn't help but gasp. This man looked as if he was exhausted by many years of life. The heavens could not contain his might, yet fools still flung themselves at him as if asking for death. In the end, the Emerald king shook his head and sighed, signing the contract to be sealed away until the seal is released.

  "Who can say the truth, though," John says. "I've heard more than my fair share of stories about him. All were lambasting the man. Yet even in those stories, there were still small grains of truth. As if us weaklings weren't able to fully suppress him even in our own minds."

  Anna shudders. "I think you may have guessed right. I always wondered why such a powerful man would agree to be sealed," She whispers.

  "I know that even still, you will follow the path of a Lamenter." John frowns while looking sadly at the lady. "I won't stop you, and I will even continue to teach your son. Still, let me tell you one more tale. This one is about me and my past dealing with Lamenters!" He shouts the final word, and the whole dreamscape shudders as the world began to change.