Chapter 74

ALARIC'S POV

After all that, I have fallen.

The sun's light creaked through the window curtains, hitting my eyes as the sun slowly rose over the horizon. An empty feeling grew in my chest. A feeling I had since the end of the party.

Amadeus has taken action as emperor sooner than expected. He began by renovating the office to his liking. Taking out anything that is not important to him.

As his father, I feel proud. Yet there is a feeling that I haven't taught him well enough. It was a mistake giving him the crown but… I had no choice. It had to be done if I wanted him to take the crown safely.

I lay on my back and stared at the ceiling. The sun's rays attacked my eyes and blurred my vision as my mind recalled memories. There was nothing I could do now. My time will come soon.

A few gentle knocks sounded from the door. It took me out of my thoughts and brought me back.

"May I come in?" Sylas' voice came through.

"Yes, come in," I answered back with a broken voice.

He slowly cracked the doors open and entered. Gently closing the door to not make a sound. He greeted me with a quick bow before walking up to me.

"All preparations are done," He reported. "Prince Ama- Pardon me. His majesty has taken the role of emperor and began his work,"

"Heh, that's good," A smile breaks out on my lips. "He's not ready yet. Keep an eye on him after I'm gone,"

"Are you feeling any better?" Sylas asked with worried eyes.

"Not at all," I answered back slowly. "I won't feel any better soon,"

He bit his lips and looked away. "There's another subject that hasn't been talked about," He spoke up again after breathing out a deep breath.

"What is it?"

Sylas turned his gaze back to me. "Zenith was given orders directly from you. The one who beats him is his new master. After last night, it was Artorius who beat him,"

Strained chuckles left my mouth as I Sylas finished. "I already know,"

"What will we do? Let him go?"

I didn't answer with my mouth. I simply nodded.

It would keep me at peace if I knew Zenith was going to stay beside Amadeus. But I had already decided. It would be better for Zenith to go with Artorius. He needs someone as strong as him to grow stronger.

Sylas' face turned sour. "B-but he's our ace!" He began speaking louder. "If we lose him, then we are losing a big asset! He is our best man!"

"Sylas, do you understand what it means to work for the greater good?"

His face turned blank. "What do you mean, sire?"

"Let's say, Zenith never left his duty as a royal guard even after my death. What do you think he will do? Stay the same?"

He listened to all that I had to say. I looked at him as he stood a little distance from me. He blocked out the light that was hitting my face and causing me to be irritated.

"W-why won't he be?" Sylas stuttered with ignorance.

"He followed my orders only." I enlightened him. "Zenith was my pawn. A pet that would only listen to his master,"

"Then, why didn't you tell him to protect his majesty instead?" Sylas asked with a raised eyebrow.

"For the greater good," I answered.

"I'm not understanding. Am I missing a point?"

"Do you think Amadeus will be able to use Zenith the same way I used him?"

He fell silent and looked down. He understood my intentions without me blatantly revealing them to him.

"What do you see in Artorius that you do not see in your own son?" Sylas raised his head and asked.

"Amadeus is young and naive. Artorius has matured faster than him," I told him with a sinister grin. "In a sense, Artorius is like me,"

"I see," Sylas sighs. "Perhaps I haven't seen through your plan yet. It was a mistake to think that you would be so simple,"

I chuckled at him accepting fate. "I was never straightforward, was I?"

"Never. There was a layer underneath every move,"

"There always will be. Every move I had to make… was for myself. But, the last few decisions I want to take… will be for others,"

Sylas pressed his tongue against his cheeks and nodded. "I understand. That's all I had to report. I need to pay and debrief the spies,"

"Go then," I motioned with my hands. "Make preparations for the end of an era,"

Sylas bows before walking away. He leaves the room swiftly, without making any sound. Leaving me in the room to get better, something that won't happen anymore.

My rule has come to such a pathetic end.

ZENITH'S POV

The room was dark, very dark. The only light came from the candles that were lit up on the roundtable. This feels unnecessary.

The spies and I were dragged into this room by Kody and told to take our seats. Everyone in the room had an uneasy look on their face. No one knew what would happen, or what we would be doing.

Suddenly, the doors to the room open. Light from the outside world illuminated the room and blinded my eyes which grew used to the darkness. A figure stood at the door as the door stood wide open.

"Right, let's get to business" Sylas' voice came through as my eyes made up his dark figure.

The door closes behind him and he disappears into the darkness once more. To understand how dark the room was, Sylas disappeared into the darkness even though his skin was pale.

Everyone stood up at the roundtable, greeting Sylas with a good morning. Except me.

"Sit down, enough greetings," Sylas said while flailing his hand up and down.

We took our seats in sync. Everything we did was in sync.

He walked past me and took his seat where his majesty would be sitting. It shocked us all as he took the seat and gave us all a sinister smirk.

"Emperor Alaric has called this mission a success. The entire plan was to keep Artorius in his lane, and that is what we did."

His smirk never left his face as he continued to speak. The room's atmosphere became heavy and tense. Everyone was unsure about the success of the mission, including me. This was no success, we failed in this.

"Everyone excluding Zenith will be paid the amount you were promised," Sylas looked around the room as he spoke of money before he turned to me.

"Zenith, you have some other work, right?" He smiled at me. "Perhaps you should get on with it,"

Our eyes locked. He stared into my eyes as if he was trying to psych me out. But that was not enough to make me flinch. I stared back at him as he slowly leaned closer.

"Already?" I asked him while keeping eye contact. "But won't he be coming here for a meeting?"

"Hah! You really thought he would be coming today?" Sylas laughed. "He told you to meet him at his estate and you will follow orders,"

My mood turned sour as he continued to berate me. I sigh and look away from him, feeling irritated and frustrated from the lack of power I hold.

"As you say," I told him before crossing my arms and leaning back on my chair.

"Zenith, you are dismissed," Sylas continued to speak to me. "You are dismissed from the royal guard,"

As soon as he spoke, I turned to him and looked at him with eyes of fury.

"What did you say!?" I exclaimed. "What do you mean dismissed!? On what rule!?"

"Your duty has ended as a royal guard. We have no use for you in our team. You already have new work,"

Sylas' words filled me with rage. Who said he had the right to dismiss me from the royal guards? On what offense was I dismissed?

"Let me word it another way," Sylas leaned back on his chair. "You have been promoted to another job,"

"Tch," I click my tongue and stand up. "That means I have no place in this roundtable,"

I did not want to waste my own time. If I am to be dismissed, so be it. I stormed out of the room and down the hallways that led to it.

A scabbard of black and gold was still tied to my waist, along with the clothes I was given. These clothes meant nothing to me if they did not welcome me in the castle.

I tore off the tie from my collar and threw it aside. Slowly I unbuckled my sword holster and dropped it as I walked. I won't be needing these anymore.

Servants watched as I threw away my sword. They didn't dare stop me either. All they did was stare before I went out of their sight.

All these years, I stayed with the royal family in hopes of being welcomed. They treated me with kindness and let me stay. Yet, when my 'work' was finished… I was cast aside. Ditched by the same people I called my family.

Never was I told what my work was. All I did was run errands like a dog. Not even once was I given a break. Every single day, I was doing something I was ordered to do. Never once I was told for what reason.

The doors were wide open for me, this will be the last time I would step outside as a royal guard.

"Zenith! Where are you going!" Kody's voice shouted out from my right.

"Shut up! If I will be just seen as a pawn, so be it!"

I let out my frustration on Kody as I stepped outside the palace. Two guards were talking with each other as I stepped out while a brown horse stood idly beside one of them.

They saw me and froze up. One soldier had the leash on his hand, trying to keep the horse under control.

"Z-Zenith!" The one with the leash exclaimed. "Good morning!"

"Hand over that horse," I growled softly.

"Where are you going?" The other soldier exclaimed. "Are you on a mission?"

"A mission to leave? Yeah, I am," I shoved him aside. "Out of my way now!"

The one with the leash let go of the horse and looked at me with terrified eyes. The other stood frozen in place, staring at me with the same eyes.

"Zenith! Stop! Explain to me!" Kody rushed outside and shouted. "Why are you in such a sour mood!?"

"Ask Sylas!" I shouted back. "He has the answer to all your questions! I'm gone now!"

I quickly manoeuvred the horse and bolted away from the castle. The soldiers at the gate saw me speeding down the pathway and frantically opened the gate.

There's no need for me to stay if I have no use. A home where you are unwelcomed is not home, it's a prison.

The sun was still rising but the city was already awake and bustling with people. There was traffic as soon as I came down from the hill. Although, I managed to swerve around any slow carts or pedestrians.

All eyes were on me as I sped down the street. I felt the glares rub against me while speeding down the busiest part of the city, the middle district.

It was full of people on the street. I had to slow down. I had no choice. As I came to a screeching halt, I looked around to see people's eyes staring into me as I slowly traversed the busy roads.

Was there something wrong with me?

ARTORIUS' POV

"I will see you… sometime soon,"

Those words haunted me. The voice, the words and the person.

We stood across from each other. The one-way intersection where we always split up to go home. She was standing before me as the grey clouds gathered around in the sky while the wind picked up the pace.

"Do you think we can meet again?"

All she did was give me a gentle smile. "No, it's unlikely,"

My heart sank lower and lower. The first person I could call my 'friend' would leave me so soon. It hasn't even been a year… and yet, she will be gone.

"You have my contact, we can always talk if you're in an emergency," Ha Yun said with a melancholy smile. A smile that hid her emotions.

I took a deep breath to keep my emotions in check. She wasn't lying. We could still be in contact using our phones.

"Will there ever be a time we can talk face to face?" I asked, desperate for an answer that satisfied me.

She shook her head. Her hair was flying with the wind as we saw each other one last time.

"Stop asking silly questions," She giggled. "You will make this goodbye harder than it already is,"

I clenched my jaw and fist as I tried to not get emotional. "I see… Farewell then,"

"Farewell, Sung Hei," She said in our native tongue.

For the first time, I heard her speak our native language. She refused to speak in the dialect for personal reasons. But those were the first and last words she said to me in our dialect.

"Farewell…" I muttered back in our language.

I blinked once and the vision in front of me changed. She was no longer in front of me. Rather, everything around me was no longer there. I was staring at a blurry vision of a ceiling that was unknown to me.

It was a dream, wasn't it…?

I rubbed my eyes clear and looked around. I was in my room. My memory was hazy and it was difficult remembering anything. When I turned to my right, I was greeted by a crimson fox with yellow eyes, staring at me with a curious gaze.

"Gah!" I exclaimed seeing Amelia so close. "What are you doing!" I said as I jumped out of bed.

"Who's Ha Yun?" Amelia giggled in telepathy. "Was it someone you knew from your past?"

I scratched my head and looked around. "Yeah, she was my only friend at school," I replied to her, feeling uneasy.

Amelia came closer as I picked up my watch to check for the time. I slept a lot. Though I can't remember when I fell asleep, it was barely past ten in the morning.

"What work do we have today?" Amelia asked enthusiastically while rubbing herself around my legs.

"Boring work," I responded with an equally bored tone. "Some project work and talk with Zenith,"

"With Zenith?" Amelia raised an eyebrow. "Why him? Isn't he the reason Vincent nearly died?"

"He's on our side now," I said while tying my cape around my neck. "Zenith has something to say and I'm all ears for it,"

Amelia walked alongside me while I opened the door. We both started to walk through the hallways to my office. I couldn't work last night because I got distracted. Today is the day I finish the beginning of this project.

Suddenly, I hear footsteps approaching from in front of me. I prepared myself to see who it was. It was none other than Felix.

He turned the corner and our eyes met. We both weren't expecting each other. But as soon as he saw me, his emotionless face turned into a happy smile.

"Oh, Good morning!" He greeted me. "I was going to wake you up,"

"Good morning, Felix," I greeted him back. "We have some work today,"

"Will you have breakfast?" He asked as I walked past him.

"Something light," I answered. "Bring it to my office with some tea,"

He stood where he saw me. "On it!" He exclaimed joyfully before heading his way.