CHAPTER 10: Emperor

"Empires are not run by blood or bureaucracy. Empires are run by power. Thus, one cannot deny the power each Emperor wields. Collectively they form the Trinity. However, only by banding together were they able to subdue Aldren."

-Lecture Series 412, by Naomi Andromeda, Paladin 2nd-Class

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The Templar Paladinium, Kingdom State of Galiron, Eiridan Empire

Ezakem 10 AE

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"Hi everybody!" the boy greeted innocently. His bright blue-green eyes trained around the room and he gasped when he found Nash standing before him. "Lieutenant Synestra! I knew you've returned!"

Nash rolled his eyes at the adoration. He never particularly liked unwanted attention. The fact that the second prince of the empire adored him just exacerbated the injury.

"Yes, I have, Your Majesty," Nash bowed.

"No! You're my senior, please call me by my first name!" the boy said.

"It is improper," Nash paused before continuing, "Your Majesty."

The hall beyond the door from which the second prince entered bustled with activity and in walked an exceptionally tall man. His signature blue chest plate and cape, thin but stately golden crown that encircled his noticeably red hair, piercing blue eyes, and overall hawk-like but handsome facial features commanded every authority in the room. Emperor Reinhard Eiridan himself has come to visit the Order of Paladins.

Nash initially mistook the dissipating Qi incident as the High Council simply stopping in projecting it. Then the second prince's timely arrival made him doubt his initial unsavory impression of the boy for a while, thinking it was him who banished the Qi blast. Finally, it all made sense. The dissipating power could only come from Emperor Eiridan himself.

"I apologize for the boy's interruption of your proceedings, High Council," Emperor Eiridan said. "And I apologize for neutralizing your Qi without permission. Raynor just rushed ahead. I had to protect my son, after all."

'So it was him,' Nash confirmed. He had never seen the Emperor in the flesh before. He had heard stories about him. Reinhard Eiridan is said to be the most powerful Torren in the entire Empire. He wouldn't be able to wield this title otherwise. It seems true enough.

When Nash was still out in the streets in his previous life, he loathed the Imperial family. He loathed anything that has to do with nobility or royalty. To Nash, they were all entitled ingrates. That changed a little when he met Eckard. Sure, Eckard was nobility, but Eckard was different. Eckard was humble.

Then he met the second prince here in Templar Paladinium just a month ago before leaving for his last assignment. Unlike the first Prince who trained to be a proper Torren like most nobility, this second one preferred to be a Paladin. And Nash immediately despised the boy in the little time he had met him. Pampered little Raynor Eiridan thought he could do and have whatever he wants just because he's a prince.

Now, however, upon personally meeting the Emperor, Nash's impression of the nobility began to waver once again.

"Please continue," the Emperor said and he ushered his son to the side. "You may resume your Qi blast. I have Raynor with me now."

"I want to experience the Qi blast, Father!" the boy demanded. "How will I become strong if you're always there to protect me?"

The Emperor blushed and smiled shyly at everybody.

'The Emperor blushed!' Nash mused to himself. As much as he wanted to hate the Emperor, the man just seemed too genuine to Nash. It's like the same vibe he had with Eckard when Nash met him the first time all those years ago.

"You will have your chance when you're bigger," the Emperor said to his son. "For now, you will have to train your body with your teachers here before getting the chance to train your mind."

"I want Lieutenant Synestra to teach me!" The boy pointed at Nash, who winced at the attention. Beside him, Eckard snickered.

The Emperor gave Nash an apologetic smile and kneeled next to his son. "When Lieutenant Synestra comes back, he'll teach you, all right?"

"Is that a promise?"

"That's a promise."

Nash rolled his eyes.

"Please continue," the Emperor finally said to everybody. "Do not mind us."

The lead council member cleared his throat. "Your Imperial Majesty," he said, "I believe there is something that will require your attention." The Emperor was all ears.

"Lieutenant Synestra here just reported that the tendrils of Semiramis have once again crept into our borders."

The Emperor's expression darkened. The room was silent for a while and then he turned to Nash. "Where did you get this information, Lieutenant?"

"From an Akharim I neutralized near the village of Amos, in the outskirts of Hammerstain, Your Imperial Majesty," Nash replied snappily.

"And what were the exact words he told you?"

Nash could vividly recall the Akharim's hoarse, wheezing voice. "Lilith will return, The tendrils of Semiramis have begun."

The once friendly and Laissez-faire demeanor of the Emperor straightaway disappeared. His eyes scanned the surroundings and noticed the other knights waiting their turn before the High Council behind Nash and Eckard.

"Leave us."

The eight other knights simultaneously nodded, turned about, and marched back towards the entrance door. The two lead knights pushed the heavy stone doors and held them until the six others successfully marched past. When they let go, the heavy doors swung back in force and thudded loudly.

The opposite door where the Emperor and his son came was also shut from the outside by the Imperial Guards without the need for further orders.

Nash, Eckard, the High Council, the Emperor, and little Raynor were all that's left in the Chamber.

"Please put the Qi barrier back," the Emperor commanded the High Council, to which they complied and Nash immediately felt the familiar weight begin to press onto his being again. Then he felt a powerful surge. It was like standing beneath a waterfall and a giant boulder fell along with the water.

"I put my own Qi into the mix," Reinhard Eiridan said. "For security."

Nash knew the Emperor was powerful but he did not expect him to be this powerful. For the first time since he learned about Qi and Kai two years ago, he once again found himself straining to remain standing.

The council members seemed to have been affected by the surge as well. Only Eckard and the prince were unperturbed. Nash understood that the Emperor specifically protected his son, but the fact that Eckard looks unaffected relative to Nash and the High Council members said a lot about his mentor's skill.

He did not understand the necessity, however. True, his time with the Paladins was only for a year, but he still liked to believe he understood all he needed to understand.

Nash entered the Torrens Academy three years ago, earned his specialization in Templar Paladin just a year after, and graduated just last year. He has been outside on missions, primarily on his own, ever since.

'Is this matter really that grave?' he began to wonder.

"Now," the Emperor said, "if General Synestra would be so kind as to appraise us on his thoughts on the matter."

Eckard nodded in affirmation. "I personally saw to Semiramis's imprisonment in Mashashen 10 years ago. There is no way his tendrils could reach Atraidan."