Chương 44: The Emperor

Noah and Ava left the castle together. They trusted Reverie, Cyrus, and Cynthia to handle the rest. They had to. Those three could not leave with them. Technically, Cyrus and Cynthia were not allowed to be in Álfheimr at all. If the wrong person saw them, everything would fall apart. Helheim would be blamed. Artem would suffer. And the fragile peace between nations could crack wide open. So Noah carried the only thing he needed. Medusa's head. Technically, he had killed the Black Witch.

Technically, he was holding proof. Just not her life. All they had to do now was fool the Emperor. Noah and Ava crossed the edge of the barrier. Behind them, the air shimmered. The massive dome surrounding Medusa's territory trembled like a soap bubble. Then it popped, collapsing into drifting light before vanishing completely into the sky. For the first time in a hundred years, the Black Witch's territory was open. Noah stared at the empty air. Then he laughed. It hurt.

His ribs screamed at him, and his body still ached from everything he had absorbed, but he laughed anyway.

"We actually did it." Ava looked at the fading barrier. A tired smile touched her face.

"Yeah." She exhaled slowly.

"We did it." Then her smile faded.

"But I don't know how I'm going to tell my father about Adam." Noah's laughter died. The weight of Adam's betrayal settled between them. Noah looked down at the severed head in his hand.

"I don't know either." His voice was weak.

"I'd recommend telling the truth." A voice spoke behind them.

"The truth often sets you free." Noah and Ava froze. Neither of them turned around. Every instinct in Noah's body screamed at him not to move. The pressure behind them was enormous. Heavy. Cruel. It pressed against his spine like a blade. He had felt something like this only once before. The Slaughter Witch. Ava's hand slowly moved toward her bow. Noah tightened his grip around his sword. The man behind them chuckled.

"It's rude not to look at me." His voice was sweet as honey. And poisonous enough to rot the soul.

"Aren't you my great-great-grandson or something?" The man hummed softly.

"It's hard to keep track of these things." Noah turned first. Then he saw him. The man had long blonde hair that nearly touched the ground. Crimson gems were braided throughout it, shining like drops of blood caught in sunlight. His soft orange eyes looked up at Noah with calm amusement. He was slightly shorter than Noah. He wore a white button-up shirt, and over it rested a crimson fur coat. No crown. No armor. No throne. He did not need any of them. Noah recognized him instantly. Valor Crest. The Fourth Hero.

The Hero of Revolution. The man who had been given the title God of War by the world after defeating the Fourth Apocalypse. The man who had ruled nearly the entire world for the last four eras. The Emperor. Noah's blood went cold. Valor smiled.

"So." His gaze dropped to the head in Noah's hand.

"Is that my witch?" Noah and Ava dropped to their knees at once. It was not a choice. Their bodies moved before their minds could catch up. An overwhelming fear pressed down on them, crushing the air from their lungs. Noah had stood before monsters. Gods. Witches. Crows. This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. But this was different. This was not killing intent. This was authority.

A terrible certainty that the man before them could do whatever he pleased, and the world would call it law. Noah lowered his head.

"Sir…" His voice almost failed him.

"What are you doing here?" Valor smiled.

"I heard the territory created by the child who abandoned me had recently burned." His orange eyes drifted over Noah.

"Though it seems there is at least one survivor." Noah kept his head down. Valor laughed softly.

"And to think that survivor would be chosen as the Hero." He leaned closer, studying Noah like something interesting he had found in the dirt.

"Just from a glance, I can smell Lux's horrid stench on you." His smile widened.

"It clings to me too." Noah's blood ran cold. Valor's gaze moved back to the severed head.

"I must say, I am quite amazed." His voice remained polite.

"You two managed to kill Medusa all by yourselves?" Ava's fingers tightened against the ground. Valor's eyes shifted toward her.

"Did you have any help?" The question was gentle. Almost casual. But it felt as if he was looking directly into Noah's soul. Ava answered before Noah could speak.

"The Crows appeared." Her voice was steady, but Noah could hear the fear beneath it.

"They had already damaged Medusa greatly before we arrived. We were just lucky enough to find her nearly dead on the floor." She swallowed.

"And easy to kill." It was half true. And half lie. Valor stared at her. For a moment, the forest was silent. Then he laughed.

"I see." Ava did not move.

"That would explain a lot." Valor looked toward the open territory where the barrier had vanished.

"Truly a troublesome group." Noah kept his head low, praying the lie had passed. Then Valor looked at him again.

"Noah." His tone was soft. Polite.

"Could you do me a favor?" Noah slowly looked up.

"Of course." His throat tightened.

"What is it?" Valor smiled warmly. For one breath, he almost looked kind.

"Please inform that dirty bitch next to you…" Noah froze. Ava's eyes widened. Valor's smile did not change.

"If she lies to me again, I will remove her spine and hang her with it." The words were spoken cheerfully. Lightly. As if he were asking for sugar with his tea. But his eyes were hollow. Empty. Filled with a malice so deep it felt endless. Noah could not breathe. Ava went perfectly still beside him. Valor tilted his head.

"Would you do that for me, young Hero?" Noah's mouth went dry. Ava did not move beside him. Valor's smile remained soft.

"Now, tell me everything." Noah's heart slammed against his ribs. Then Valor chuckled.

"Actually, there is no need." His voice turned colder.

"I am already quite aware of Cyrus and Cynthia's presence in my land." Noah froze. Ava's face went pale. Valor's gaze dropped to the severed head in Noah's hand.

"And of course…" He reached down and casually snatched it from Noah's grip.

"The fact that Reverie Sanguine still lives." Noah could not speak. Valor studied the head for a moment, almost impressed.

"A smart trick." Then he let it fall. The head hit the ground.

"It would fool most." Valor raised his foot.

"I am happy to see my intellect has been passed down through the generations." Then he crushed the head beneath his heel. Bone cracked. Black blood spread across the dirt. Noah flinched.

"Please," he said quickly.

"Don't harm them." Valor looked at him. Noah forced himself to keep speaking.

"You didn't care if Medusa died, right? The barrier is gone. They helped us." His voice shook.

"They helped fully." Valor stared at him for a moment. Then smiled.

"I see." The pressure around them softened slightly.

"Well, you do not have to worry about that." Noah blinked.

"I will not use this as a declaration of war or anything so crude." Valor brushed a strand of long blonde hair over his shoulder.

"Actually, I have been considering using this as an opportunity." Ava slowly looked up.

"An opportunity?"

"To open trade between our nations," Valor said.

"To allow the citizens of Helheim to visit my lands more freely." His smile widened.

"After all, two of their generals just did me a great favor." Noah stared at him. For a moment, hope tried to rise in his chest.

"That's…" He swallowed.

"That's great."

"Of course." Valor's eyes softened with false pity.

"Especially since I feel bad for what happened yesterday." Ava's fingers tightened against the ground.

"What happened?" Valor sighed.

"Truly a tragedy." His voice was light. Almost bored.

"I doubt Cyrus or Cynthia know yet." Noah's blood went cold again. Valor reached into his coat.

"Their king was recently assassinated." Silence fell over the forest. Then Valor pulled out an orange crystal. It glowed faintly in his hand.

"I heard they have not even found the killer yet." His tone did not change. Then he crushed the crystal. Something dropped from within it. A head. It rolled across the dirt and stopped between Noah and Ava. Short black hair. Crimson eyes. Small black horns. A crown still resting on his head. Noah and Ava both scrambled backward. The head stared up at the sky, lifeless. Valor looked down at it calmly.

"Truly a pity." Noah could not breathe. Ava covered her mouth. Valor smiled down at them, warm and hollow.

"Now then…" He stepped over the dead king's head.

"Shall we discuss the future?"