King bows to no one so his people wouldn't have to bow to anyone else part 1

The battlefield was full of ash and the earth was completely black. On the ground was a gravityship that had been burned down, with its sails burning.

The emperor was all alone in the middle of the battlefield. He didn't have a single scratch on him and walked away with a disappointed look. Around him was a burnt corpse of a black earth serpent, with its husk of a corpse smoking.

Three people were among the ashes. One of them was close to a burnt corpse of a black yak, the second was a grey skin, wielding two blades, and the last was a person who had tried to protect himself with thron vines, but it was in vain.

Gadaric came to meet with his emperor. He was quiet as he walked past him, not daring to peak as the emperor was mad and annoyed.

"Go and kill king Rufus," the emperor said.

~~

Rufus woke up in his room at the capital of the Fairfax kingdom. He had drained all of his divine power and had slept for many weeks.

He looked around confused and then put on a gown. He came out of his room where everyone was waiting in the lounge.

As they saw Rufus, they looked down and didn't dare to utter any words.

"Where is count Hunyadi....."

~~

They explained what had happened. Rufus was in shock and in denial. He couldn't believe that Hunyadi had sacrificed himself for him. It was like the feeling he had when he lost his sister Harley or old man Haufen and Mrs. Jean all over again.

"We need to gather a new army now, more than ever," Amala yelled madly.

"We need to think this through and not go swords swinging," Edward said.

Everyone looked at the always bashful and ready to fight Edward.

"What the hell has gotten into you?" Doreen asked.

"You didn't meet that man.....He is almost not human...but something more."

The lounge was quiet and everyone was moody.

"Stop with this pathetic talk," Pema said and walked in front of Edward.

"Now you decide to talk?"

"Tashi was like family to me and Pema and we intend not to let his sacrifice go in vain. So stop your complaining." Amala continued

"You don't know this emperor.....but I still am willing to die for all of you. Just saying, we have never faced anyone like this," Edward explained.

Rufus then broke the silence.

"What is the purpose of this kingdom?" he asked

Everyone looked confused.

"Didn't we make this so that we could make a place for everyone? A place where everyone could be happy and safe. Why is self-determination then so important to us if we can guarantee that we can provide for our people," Rufus talked.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Amala said angrily.

"We lost four important people with thousands of more soldiers and warriors dead for a war we didn't win. Why don't we make sure that nothing like this happens? The emperor just wants us to submit to him and then we can go on about our lives as nothing ever happened."

Amala then got up and punched Rufus right between his eyes.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SAYING!? TASHI DIDN'T SACRIFICE HIMSELF FOR SUCH A CAUSE, AND NEITHER DID MY BROTHER!" Amala yelled in fury.

No one came between her and Rufus. He was silent, not able to look her in her eyes.

"SAY SOMETHING! STOP COWERING LIKE THAT!"

Rufus still was not gazing into her eyes. Amala had gotten enough and stormed out of the room.

The rest of Rufus's friends also left with disappointed looks on their faces. The last one to leave was Doreen.

"Do you think that my idea was that bad?" Rufus asked her.

"No, it's not irrational at all or a bad idea, but we never thought that you would submit. We just are all disappointed about that from you," she explained until she herself left Rufus alone in the lounge.

~~

Back in the gates of the capital city, around twenty men clothed in thick furs walked in. One of the men had a large curved blade on his back and the one in front was short in stature.

"Look, Max, what a wonderful looking castle that is. I truly am envious of this king Rufus," the shortest man of the group said and pointed at the royal palace.

"My king, the king lives in the nobles' district. He apparently wants to make the palace into a school," the man with the large curved blade pointed out.

"Oh really, he really seems like a king I could get along with."

~~

Rufus climbed up to the roof of his house to be alone.

He thought about what had transpired between him and his friends. All of them seemed disappointed with him. He was thinking would he be fine with them to hate him, but also he could be ensured that they would all be safe. Could he live with himself, he thought to himself.

He stared at the moon until he saw that some unknown people had gathered around him. They were the soul watchers.

"I am sorry, but the emperor is impatient," Gadaric said to who was behind him.

Rufus was not shocked or even terrified.

Gadaric walked next to him.

"Have you reconsidered our emperor's offer? If you take his hand, this city, along with you would be spared. He would spare all your people, including your friends," Gadaric explained who was hesitant about killing Rufus.

"How can you be sure?"

"I give you my word....."