Let us in...

It was dawn and the imperial palace was agog with activities as usual,the servants rushing in different directions to do the will of their masters, knights leading their students to various training centers,some lords on their way to meetings and some others who sat doing nothing but gossiping.

Rengyotsu walked past the imperial courtyard where he was greeted by some knights and palace guards along the way but he ignored them.

He saw some female servants gossiping ahead,they were looking in his direction, probably talking about him.

As he walked past them they curtsied,he ignored as well.

Wondering why people still kept paying their respects to him when they knew he would never answer.

Had been left for him,he would have teleported all the way to the imperial palace but they were short of human essence nowadays every one conserved their energy they were low on spiritual energy and even he wasn't an exception plus there was a hunt coming and he knew the emperor would never want to go without him.

He didn't bother looking back,they probably were still staring his way but he didn't care.He never cared what people thought of him.

Many had an awful impression of him,many feared him and others avoided him but caring what people thought about him was the last thing he ever thought of doing.

General Rengyotsu had been summoned by the emperor,he was rarely seen around the imperial palace let alone walking,that should explain the suprised look on their faces.

He passed few stone payments and arrived at the imperial garden,he was close to the knights quaters now,it would take a while before he got to the Emperor's quaters bit he wasn't in a hurry and he hoped Tyran wasn't as well.

Passing through the garden he paused for a moment and inhaled deeply to take in the beautiful scent of flowers around him then he walked on.

At the garden he saw few children playing with two maidens guarding them some distance away.

As he reached where they were they cutsied and as usual he ignored them and kept walking.

Ren stopped in his tracks when a small ball landed in front of him.

The two maidens gasped,each coving their mouth with their hands and before they knew it,the child was running in his direction to pick up the ball.

"Oh flotty!come back here...you can't go his way"he heard one of the maidens call out but the boy was already standing in front of him and staring into his eyes.

For some reason Ren's red eyes held his attention instead of picking up his toy.

The maidens held their breath afraid of what would happen next.

Ren stopped low and picked up the ball,eyed it for a while and handed it to the boy.

The child grinned and it irritated him.

"Thank you mister"the boy said and ran back to his company.

"Everyone says he is scary but turns out he is good with children" the maidens whispered.

Idiots!I had to fight the urge to break this thing's hand back there

He wanted to say but instead kept walking.

Having passed through the garden he took a detour and arrived at a long hallway.

He more closer to the knights quaters now.

Then before walking down the hallway he percieved a familiar demonic scent but didn't sense any movement.

The scent wasn't there before .

The person had probably just appeared.

He walked on,not caring.

Whoever it was was probably here waiting for him and that person was wasting his time here waiting as well,he didn't care for questions,never attended to them and if he was intent on attacking,no one would dare attack him unless one with such great a folly.

He reached the end of the hallway and took another turn when he finally caught sight of Athena.

She had her back leaned against the wall,with one of her legs flexed and the other straightened.

He stared at her for a while as he walked past then averted his gaze.

"I know u can breech the barrier"came her voice.

On hearing this Ren took a halt, peered at her from behind then he ignored her and kept walking.

"General Ren pls help us!"she called out again but Ren still didn't stop walking.

Athena teleported and stood Infront of him pointing her sword at his neck in attempt to stop him from taking any further step.

This time,those scarlet eyes met hers.

Athena felt cold blood rush to her head,for that brief moment she felt frightened and tried as much as she could to hide it but she knew Ren could sense her emotions,he could sense her fear.

Now she wondered where she had picked up the courage to approach him in first place let alone point a sword at him.

Ren's eyebrows rose in rage and his eyes widened,at that moment the sword broke into two.

Athena gasped and took few steps backwards,her whole body trembling from the thought of what he might do next, knowing she had angered him by pointing a sword at him but that was the only way she could think of to get him to listen.

His eyes met her's again and this time a force sent her flying across the hallway and Landing on her back to the wall.

The general didn't take another look at her but kept walking.

Athena just sat on the floor and watched him go.

Ren arrived at the Emperor's quaters and found him alone in his cabinet going through some old scrolls and books.

He bowed and Tyran didn't bother offering him a seat for he knew he would decline.

Ren sat on the floor at the other end of the cabinet.Then Tyran dropped the scroll he was holding.

He peered at the general for a while who wasn't looking at him,he was staring at his feet as usual.

Tyran leaned back and cleared his throat.

"Ren...what took you so long?"

Tyran watched him not expecting an answer, knowing he want getting any.

Ren barely spoke to him and never spoke to anyone and Tyran was used to it now.

The emperor had tried his best not to see this as disrespect,he knew that was part of him,that was just him.

In actual sense,Tyran knew nothing about the demon before him,not his family nor where he was from in Delvin nor what he was capable of or the level of his spiritual energy,for he had never told any one.

But Tyran was certain about Ren's indubitable love for him.

General Rengyotsu was one of the demons in the realm he trusted though not enough to entrust his son's secret to him.

This demon was an exceptionally different kind, something Tyran didn't know about, something that drew his attention plus those those scarlet eyes,sometimes Tyran couldn't help but stare.

Usually a demon's eyes turn blood shot in beast form but Ren's pupils were red in his stable form.

Tyran's had never seen him transform,this demon was so powerfu that he never transformed even when met with a very powerful foe.He never used his his full powers.Tyran sighed cutting off his thoughts.

If he was going to dwell on this demon's nature,it wasn't going to be today, apparently he had lots of things to do.

"Rengyotsu we will be going hunting in a few days".

Rengyotsu raised his head and their eyes locked but he didn't utter a word.

Tyran noticed the questiongly expression on his face then continued.

"Not the usual hunting you know...due to the energy shortage we are experiencing we will go to the human realm and hunt for savages.we will make use of their essences".

Ren looked suprised but still didn't respond.

"You are the first I am telling this,there will be a meeting with all six kings and this will be addressed.Its our only hope now...we will leave in two days time and I will partake in the hunt as well as knights and some generals but I would like you and Gerald to be by my side as we hunt...it would be a very dangerous one as we would visit their den itself then the captured savages would be taken in cages through the portal back to Delvin but we will have to kill kill as much as possible".

Ren only nodded and averted his gaze.He got to his feet and turned to leave when he heard Tyran say

"Ren...do you trust me?"

The general eyed him from the corner of his eye wondering why he had asked that question.

Of cos he did,he had always trusted him, always loved him but Ren still felt there was more to the question Tyran had just asked.

For a couple of minutes he didn't respond just stood with his back facing the emperor till finally he said calmly,

"Yes"

Tyran felt as though he was walking on air for having heard Ren speak,for some reason it made him smile.He heaved a sigh of relief then dismissed him to get ready for his next meeting.

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

From above Gerald could hear some knights arguing with women in front of the imperial gate.He descended and they all turned to look his way.

The gates flew open as he walked towards it,the three woman stepping aside to allow him pass.

As he walked,their eyes followed him,

One of them made a move to walk in but a knight shot at her.

"Don't you dare do what you are trying to do or I'll have you regretting it!"

Gerald threw a quick glance their way without stopping.

From their dresses they were all commoners, maybe servants but what could they be looking for at the gates of the imperial palace wasn't something Gerard should concern himself with.

"I beg of you,it's his imperial majesty's he gave it to us and asked us to come to the palace with it for a reward we are from Sentah, after spending a lot getting here,we can't actually go back".

"You cursed bitch...I asked you to leave you even had to go to the extent of making a fake of this,the emperor never takes his off that we all know"A knight said

Gerald stopped.

His imperial majesty's....

He turned their way, ignoring pleasantries from the knights at the gates.

"What's his imperial majesty's?"Gerald asked and Mia held out the necklace on the pendant.

The emperor's knight nearer for a closer look and his eyes widened.

He recognized it.He could recognize it anywhere the emperor always wore this and he was crowned with it on his coronation day.

Gerald had even held it in his hands before,it was made of pure gold and decorated with precious stones.Gerald turned to the knights on each side of the gates with a frown on his face.

"Don't any of you know pure gold if you see one or a fake if you see one?"

"We do bu_"

"Then this is pure gold and this is the emperor's"He motioned for the ladies to come in through the open gates."you all come with me".

As they followed Gerald through the courtyard,they told him how they had met the emperor and helped him.The knight took them to a well decorated room and ordered some meals for them.

He sat closer to the door on a wooden chair as he watched them eat but one of the servants that never took her eyes off him made him made him restless with her stare.She never even took a glance at the food in front of her which she barely touched.

Gerald stared back admiring the way her huge blue eyes twinkled in the afternoon sun.

She had a pretty face which was concealed mostly by her sun patched skin.She was a servant no doubt probably a servant to a lower official and was not properly taken care of or properly paid,her clothes said it all.

Her reddish brown hair was packed in a bun as few strands fell down both corners of a face which held a lip filled with all manners of tiny sores.

"You there! whats your name?"Gerald didn't know why he asked but he had already done so so he awaited an answer.

"Mia"she said quietly still staring at him.

Gerald thought he saw the other two girls smile as they quickly looked the other way.

"Mia... would you mind concentrating on the food you are eating?it's going to get cold while you're busy doing something so creepy".

Mia's face flushed and she lowered her gaze to her food.

"Your imperial majesty..."Gerald called out to Tyran via a telepathic link.

"Gerald...am listening".

"Your majesty three ladies came by the imperial palace gates today,they had your eagle pendant... according to them you asked them to meet with you for a reward".

Tyran paused to recall.

"Ah yes!I have been expecting them,all the way from Sentah but right now am in a meeting...I will see them after this meeting till then stay with them".

Stay with them?why do you have to turn me into an adult baby sitter.Gerald thought.

But didn't say that to Tyran,instead he responded.

"Alright your imperial majesty on your command am with them now"Gerald said grimly.

"Good knight...stay put!"Tyran said and disconnected the link.

Gerald sighed and looked towards the ladies,he noticed mia still secretly stole glances his way but he pretended not to see her.

How long did he have to endure this.