Followed

"The emperor loves you so he wouldn't want to put himself in a dilemma of either Killing you of letting the information spread and I assure you...the choice of killing you will surely supercede that of letting it spread...the Emperor will do anything to protect that child".

"If it's that way...then I would rather be left in the dark as his Majesty wishes"

Athena poured herself a goblet of wine and this time poured Gerald a share.

Gerald looked at it then back at her but he made no move to touch it.

The Chief knight slowly took a sip and continued.

"To know why I killed Luamisa you must know about the prophecy.Unfortunately that child is nothing but a bad omen for Delvin".

"What do you mean?"A puzzled Gerald questioned steadily fixing his gaze on her face and struggling not to look below it.

Undeniably the exposed breasts before him was a distraction one he would never let himself fall for.

"There is a prophecy on the child from the Sorcerors...The royal sorceror Sheba herself gave that prophecy...he will bring destruction on us all.Everyone in Delvin will die and as long as he lives our doomsday is inevitable,that's why....he has to die.Its one life against millions and yet his Majesty refuses to open his eyes and perform his duty to the realm as the emperor,he chooses his son over us all but we will help him open those eyes...and correct his mistake".

She stopped to watch Gerald whose face held a look of both confusion and disgust.

Gerald tried let her words sink in,but not all of it.

Despite all he had just heard his royalty towards the emperor was unwavering.He believed Tyran had his reasons or perhaps the prophecy was a false one and the emperor knew this.

"Still...the Empress had nothing to do with this ...how could you take her life?"

"She brought an abomination into this world.The imperial prince is not like us,he is not a Demon but something else.

"How could the imperial prince not be a demon when both his parents are"Gerald shook his head with a faint smile"This is so absurd".

"He is not but we don't know what he is either,no one has set eyes on him....quite alright the Empress was a demon like us but how that child formed no one knows although I did hear of a curse on the empress,a curse bestowed by the supreme being".

"The Sorcerors know about this,why then are they silent?"

"Only a few in the Royal court know and you do know that they do not meddle in our affairs right?"

Gerald gave her an incredulous stare.

"And how about you....how did you come to know of this?"

Athena didn't answer,only lowered her gaze.

She fiddled with her goblet for a while with her eyes fixed on its contents.

Gerald looked expectant with his gaze fixed on her, awaiting her next words but was disappointed when she replied in a low tone.

"It's best you don't know"

"Whatever it is...am sure the emperor had his reasons for keeping the imperial prince alive.I trust him_"

"Open your eyes...Gerald!... there is no reason to find,the Emperor Tyran is just being selfish that he chooses the boy over this empire"

"And what If this prophecy is false?"Gerald questioned as he titled his head confidently with a hand placed on his waist.

"Sorcerors don't give false prophesies...you know that!"Athena retorted.

Gerald let out a hand which his index finger was pressed against his first finger to illustrate his next words,

"What if...there was a slight chance of this being a false prophecy...then you would just be taking innocent lives for nothing...Some sorceror could just make up such nonsense to get back at him,the emperor you know has too many enemies".

Athena sighed .

Just as expected Gerald was being too stubborn, bringing him to their side might as well be impossible.

"Why do you think he keeps the child hidden?....it's because this is the truth and he must have noticed something eerie about him...also the prophecy came from none other than the Royal sorceror Sheba...tell me,what could she possibly have against the emperor?...Her descendants have been in close ties with the imperial bloodline for years now....What?...did you not study your history well back in at the academy?"

"I still don't believe this". Gerald shook his head doubtfully.

When he stooped he gave Athena a stern stare and leaned closer to her.

"Even if...even if the prophecy is true...I live and die with the Emperor....Like I said,he must have his reasons and if it's his decision to spare his son's life,then am going along with it....That...Child!...he is still a child nevertheless....he knows nothing of this and I won't stand for this!"

Athena frowned at their conversation.

It was now turning into an argument but it didn't matter as long as she succeeded.

If she didn't succeed,she couldn't bear the weight of the consequence.

"It's not innocent...it's tainted that's why we tried preventing his birth through his mother".

"You shouldn't have harmed the empress"

"We had no choice...it was the only way_"

"No!....it's not the only way.... She's gone now and you are still after her seed.Whatever the reason.....every child born was born for a reason, despite what his mother went through,he still got out.....and why he is still alive till now...there has to be a reason".

"Yes there is a reason....The purpose of his existence is to rain destru...."

Gerald raised a hand to interrupt her and stood up.

"Lady!... am done with this horse piss,I will hear no more of this"

"You might have done these things..."Gerald paused,bent over and peered straight into her eyes.

"seeing yourself as to be heroes with an intention of saving the realm as you say,yet...I tell you,your reason for taking both luamisa and the emperess's life is not justified and verily,I say to you...you will all answer to the law"

Athena shook her head and bit her lower lip.

"Having known about the prophecy and still hard at heart,your unwillingness to cooperate might cost you your life".

The emperor's knight stood up straight and looked down at her furiously, Wondering what she meant by that.

"Is this a threat?

Athena shook her head gently this time.

"No...a warning just...just be careful", she responded as she got to her feet and morphed back into her armour.

"I'll take you back to the imperial palace... seeing I brought you here so you don't expend more of your magic energy_"

"That won't be necessary!"he snapped as the Chief Knight made a move to walk towards him.

Gerald vanished with his final words leaving the Chief knight behind with hand tremors and a discorded state of mind.

****************************

Chief Knight Zero walked out the great hall leading ahead in pace with some other knights who followed from behind him,dressed in black armour as he was.

They were all chief knights.

Luckily a couple of them were taller and their backs shielded him from Gerald's line of sight.

By now he must have seen his message and with all his heart he wished the Knight would adhere to it.

The person Dark spoke to wasn't part of the attendees of the meeting they had,he had probably just appeared immediately they all left.

But was someone most of them would all meet tomorrow at this battle field.l

Whatever was Dark was planning with the heigher ups,they had excluded him from it probably because of his closeness to the Emperor's knight.

All he wanted was the Royal family dead,he never vouged for this,had no idea it would get to the point of taking the life of someone he cared about.

He cared less if anyone else dies but not Gerald.

Whatever happens at the hunting ground tomorrow,he swore to protect him.

Zero walked past a few stone statues and turned down a narrow long pathway in between two closely positioned buildings.

It was the fastest way to the courtyard and to the night quarters.

The path was a deserted route which led to a small field filled with overgrown grasses,that connected it to the knight's quaters which was just three buildings ahead but rarely did any one take the route.

Not being quite used to walking and being forced to due to the rampant magic energy shortage,he needed it,need the fastest way to his bed and needed a shut eye.

After walking a few steps down the narrow path he felt a swift movement in the air.

Zero stopped but didn't turn to look back.

He was being followed.

He had had the same feeling earlier and even on his way to the imperial palace but had discarded the thought.

Now he was certain beyond certain that someone had been trailing him, someone covered in Fripju lily since he couldn't smell him.

The demon probably knows the exact places he had visited today,knows he had been with the others at a meeting and had probably heard it all,all the more reason why he couldn't let him live.

He wondered how long he had been watched and how much he knew.

A novice tracker who surely had no idea that a mid tier Air elementarist could sense air disturbances easily especially when in close proximity to that Demon.

That was his main element,his other elements Earth and Fire had been aquired as he cultivated to higher ranks.

From the air disturbance he sensed around him,he could tell the demon's exact location despite his swiftly planned movements produced no sound.

He was being followed from the roof of the buildings.

The black haired chief knight walked ahead pretending everything was normal,he kept walking till he observed the demon had taken a few paces from above into the narrow lane,just where he wanted him.

With a wide smirk the knight appeared behind his tracker and threw a punch at him which he dodged.

In the process of dodging,he had set himself off balance.

The Chief knight took advantage of this opportunity and crouched low to slide a stretched out leg against his, throwing him off balance and letting him fall off the roof.

As he fell,the demon aided himself with air,just before he reached the ground to give himself a safe landing on his feet.

This demon could control air just like him but it didn't seem like his inborn element ,his air abilities were probably acquired via cultivation,that would explain his carelessness of following him at close proximity.

Most Demons cultivated their inborn elements first and we're usually more knowledgable about it than any other elements they possessed.

From above,Zero's fierce eyes gazed into the demon's whose face was concealed with a black mask that only exposed his eyes.

The rest of his clothing was all black as well,the signature dressing of most assassins in Delvin.

He had a sword at his side with a black head band over a black hair rolled on top of his head in a bun.

Before he took the next breath Zero had appeared in front of him and in the blink of an eye a loud clang sound from the impact of two metals was heard as both demons sword crossed each other,blocking each attack from the other as they both exchanged deadly stares mingled with a taste for blood.