Chapter 4: The Illegitimate Son
As Riven squared off against Zenia in the training ground, there was a subtle shift in his demeanor, a flicker of animosity that danced behind his eyes. Despite his duty as her retainer, there was an underlying tension in his movements, a hint of aggression that belied his usual stoic facade. Zenia couldn't help but notice the change in Riven's demeanor, she had always sensed a certain distance between them, a barrier that seemed insurmountable despite their shared experiences and the bonds of duty that bound them together. As they clashed swords, Zenia found herself on the defensive, the weight of Riven's blows driving her back with each strike. His movements were swift and precise, his attacks relentless as he pressed the advantage, his eyes burning with an intensity that sent a chill down her spine.
Despite her best efforts, Zenia found herself struggling to keep up, her movements clumsy and uncoordinated compared to Riven's effortless grace. It was as if he wasn't holding back. As the spar continued, Lysandra's gaze flickered between her sister and her retainer, her instincts urging her to intervene. But she held her tongue, choosing instead to watch from the sidelines, her concern growing with each passing moment. Deep down, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Riven's animosity than met the eye.
With each clash of steel, the tension between them grew. And as they continued to spar, Zenia couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Riven's hostility than met the eye. As Riven pressed his assault with the sword, Zenia's frustration grew. She knew she couldn't match his skill with a blade, but she refused to back down. With a determined glint in her eyes, she made a split-second decision and dropped her sword, opting instead for hand-to-hand combat. Closing the distance between them, Zenia relied on her agility and speed, ducking under Riven's strikes and countering with swift punches and kicks. Her movements were fluid and precise, a huge contrast to the brute force of Riven's attacks. Surprised by Zenia's sudden change in tactics, Riven faltered for a moment, his expression registering a mixture of surprise and annoyance. But Zenia didn't give him a chance to recover, pressing her advantage and unleashing a flurry of blows that forced him onto the defensive.
As the intensity of their spar reached its peak, Zenia's instincts kicked in, and she found herself catching Riven's blade with her bare hands, the sheer force of their clash sending shockwaves rippling through her arms. With a resolute glare, she crushed his sword. "Stand down, Riven," she commanded, her voice firm and unwavering. But instead of yielding, Riven's aura began to glow with an ominous red hue, his eyes mirroring the same unsettling crimson, and a heart appearing on his chest with the same crimson light. A chill ran down Zenia's spine as she recognized the danger, but before she could react, Lysandra's urgent voice pierced through the air. "Zenia, jump back!" Reacting on instinct, Zenia leaped away from Riven, narrowly avoiding the burst of energy that erupted from him. As the dust settled, she landed in a defensive stance, her heart pounding with adrenaline as she braced herself for whatever came next.
As Riven channeled his energy, a surge of power coursed through the training ground, enveloping him in a swirling vortex of crimson light. With each passing moment, the air crackled with intensity as the arcane energies converged.
"By the blood that flows within me, tainted by the legacy of our ancestors, I call upon the sin of determination. Let my blade be a beacon of envy, my symbol of hate in the face of my curse. With every strike, may it remind me of my position, my illegitimacy, and my unwavering animosity."
As Riven spoke the incantation, the air hummed with arcane energy, swirling around him and coalescing into the form of the Blade of Determination. With each word spoken, the blade grew brighter, pulsating with power. As the incantation reached its climax, the blade materialized in Riven's hand. Suddenly, from the heart of the tempest, a blade materialized, its form gleaming with an ethereal glow. It was the Blade of Determination, a weapon that was supposed to be only Zenia and her fathers bloodline.
As the Blade of Determination materialized in Riven's hand, the knights stood in stunned silence, their eyes wide with disbelief. This was a power reserved for the royal bloodline, passed down from Emperor Kousaku himself. The fact that Riven, a mere retainer, could wield such a weapon sent shivers down their spines. Lysandra's voice broke through the tense silence, her confusion evident. "Father, what is the meaning of this?" she asked, her gaze flickering between Kousaku and Riven. But before Kousaku could respond, she noticed the fury simmering beneath his usually calm exterior. It was a rare sight, one that sent a chill down her spine. Something was amiss, and Lysandra couldn't shake the feeling that they had stumbled upon a truth best left buried.
Before Kousaku could respond, Riven lunged forward, the Blade of Determination gleaming in his hand as he aimed a swift strike at Zenia. Reacting on instinct, Zenia barely managed to dodge the attack, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and confusion. She had never seen Riven like this before, his usually composed demeanor replaced by a wild, almost feral intensity. "Riven, stop!" Zenia called out, her voice tinged with desperation as she scrambled to defend herself against his relentless assault. But Riven showed no signs of relenting, his attacks growing more ferocious with each passing moment. As Riven's onslaught continued, his attacks fueled by hatred and bitterness, he finally spoke, his voice dripping with venom and malice.
"You think you're better than me, don't you?" he snarled, his eyes blazing with fury as he locked eyes with Zenia. "You and your precious sister, with your royal blood and your lofty titles. You have everything handed to you on a silver platter, while I'm left to rot in the shadows." His words hung heavy in the air, each word laced with the weight of his resentment and envy. And then, with a cruel twist of fate, he revealed the truth that had been festering within him for so long. "You're not the only ones with royal blood running through your veins," he spat, his voice trembling with barely contained rage. "I am your half-brother, born of the same father but denied the same privileges and opportunities. I've spent my entire life in your shadow, forced to watch as you basked in the glory that should have been mine."
The revelation hit Zenia and Lysandra like a thunderbolt, shattering the illusion of their idyllic family and leaving behind a trail of devastation in its wake. They had never suspected that Riven harbored such deep-seated resentment towards them, let alone the truth of his parentage. As the truth of Riven's words sank in, a sudden surge of power erupted from within the training ground. Multiple Blades of Determination materialized out of thin air, their gleaming forms surrounding Riven and pinning him to the ground with unyielding force. "Enough!" Emperor Kousaku's voice thundered through the training ground, his authority cutting through the chaos like a knife, glowing the same color as Riven. With a flick of his wrist, the Blades of Determination dissipated, releasing Riven from their grip and ceasing the red glow from him. At that moment, Empress Miku appeared on the scene, her eyes flashing with concern. Without hesitation, she pulled Zenia away from Riven, ushering her to safety. As the dust settled and the echoes of the confrontation faded into the distance, the reality of their fractured family hung heavy in the air.
As Empress Miku's gaze locked onto Emperor Kousaku, her eyes blazed with a fiery intensity, her anger visible. "You have some explaining to do," she hissed through clenched teeth, her voice laced with a dangerous edge. With a swift motion, she took both Zenia and Lysandra's hands, her grip firm yet protective, and in an instant, they vanished from the training ground, leaving behind a stunned silence in their wake.
Emperor Kousaku's expression darkened as he watched his family disappear before him, a mixture of regret and frustration churning within him. Turning his attention to Riven, his anger flared to life once more, his true form beginning to emerge as a primal rage consumed him. "Riven, you have disgraced our family with your treachery," Kousaku's voice would carry a deep sense of betrayal and disappointment. "I may have kept your lineage hidden, but that does not excuse your actions. You will face the consequences of your betrayal, branded as a traitor to this empire." With a wave of his hand, Emperor Kousaku commanded the Imperial knights to apprehend Riven and escort him to the dungeons. As the knights moved to carry out his orders, Kousaku turned on his heel and took off towards the castle, his powerful wings unfurling as he launched himself into the sky.
Empress Miku, Zenia, and Lysandra found themselves in a secluded chamber within the castle. The weight of the recent revelations hung heavily between them. Miku's usually composed demeanor was shattered, replaced by a simmering fury that radiated from her every pore. Her eyes blazed with righteous indignation, her voice trembling with a mixture of rage and betrayal. "Kousaku," she spat out his name like a curse, her fists clenched at her sides, "how could you?"
As Empress Miku's fury reached its peak, the air crackled with tension, her aura swirling around the chamber like a tempest unleashed. Furniture rattled and ornaments trembled as her power surged, threatening to engulf everything in its path. Sensing the danger, Lysandra sprang into action, her instincts honed by years of magical training. With a flick of her wrist, she erected a shimmering barrier around herself, and Zenia. Inside the safety of the barrier, the sisters watched with wide eyes as her mother unleashed her fury upon the chamber, her heart heavy with the weight of their family's turmoil. Lysandra reached out a hand, wanting to offer comfort but unsure of how to console the tempest raging within their mother's soul. Zenia and Lysandra exchanged a wary glance, their minds racing with uncertainty as they watched their mother's emotional turmoil unfold before them.
Miku took a deep breath to steady herself and calm the aura storm. "I didn't know," she admitted, her words tinged with anguish, "I didn't know that Riven was Kousaku's son. He deceived us all." Miku continued, her voice laced with bitterness. The revelation hung in the air like a heavy fog, suffocating in its implications. Zenia and Lysandra struggled to process the truth, their minds reeling with the discovery of their half-brother and their father's infidelity. Miku's voice trembled with emotion as she spoke, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I should have seen it," she confessed, her voice filled with regret. "But I trusted him, I trusted that our love was enough to keep us together."
Zenia's heart ached with the weight of her mother's pain, a sense of betrayal gnawing at her insides. "What do we do now?" she whispered, her voice barely above a breath. Miku's shoulders sagged with the weight of her guilt and anger, her gaze dropping to the floor. "We confront him," she declared, her voice laced with determination. "We demand answers." Lysandra reached out and placed a comforting hand on her mother's shoulder, her eyes filled with empathy. "We will face this together, Mother," she said softly, her voice filled with resolve.
As the tension in the chamber eased slightly, Lysandra's keen magic senses caught a familiar presence nearby. She turned to her mother, her eyes narrowing with determination. "Mother, I sense Father's aura in the throne room," she said, her voice filled with urgency. Miku's expression hardened at the mention of Kousaku's name, her resolve strengthening. "Very well," she replied, her voice firm. "Let us confront him together." Before they could proceed, Lysandra hesitated, her gaze flickering between her mother and sister. "Mother, may I?" she asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "I would like to be the one to teleport us." Miku considered her daughter's request for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Of course, Lysandra," she said, her tone softening slightly. "Take our hands, and let us face this together."
With a determined nod, Lysandra reached out and took both her mother's and sister's hands, her magic swirling around them as she focused on their destination. Closing her eyes, she channeled her energy, and in a flash of light, they vanished from the chamber, ready to confront the truth that awaited them in the throne room. Miku's fury boiled over as she stood before Kousaku, her eyes ablaze with a mixture of anger and betrayal. With a trembling hand, she raised her palm towards him, channeling her magic with a raw intensity. "You have betrayed everything we stand for," she accused, her voice quivering with emotion. "You have tarnished our family's honor."
"Auric forces of ancient blood, heed my call," Miku intoned, her voice ringing with authority and conviction. "By the power vested in me, I seal the bloodline that courses through your veins, binding it with the chains of remorse and regret." As she spoke the words of the incantation, tendrils of magic surged forth from Miku's outstretched hand, weaving a web of enchantment around Kousaku. The air crackled with power as the seal took hold, rendering Kousaku's bloodline ability dormant. But Miku's rage was not yet sated. With a swift motion, she brought her hand crashing across Kousaku's cheek, the sound of the slap echoing through the throne room. "How could you?" she demanded, her voice filled with anguish and disbelief. "After everything we've been through, how could you betray me like this?"
Kousaku recoiled from the force of her blow, his own emotions roiling within him. He knew he had made a grave mistake, one that had shattered the trust between them. As he looked into Miku's eyes, he saw the pain and heartache he had caused, and he felt a pang of regret deep within his soul. But amidst the turmoil, a glimmer of hope flickered between them. With a heavy heart, Kousaku reached out to Miku, his voice trembling with remorse. "I am sorry," he whispered, his words a desperate plea for forgiveness. "I never meant to hurt you." Miku's anger began to ebb, replaced by a profound sadness. She knew that their relationship would never be the same again, but she also knew that forgiveness was possible, if only they were willing to work through their pain together.
Taking a deep breath, Miku reached out to Kousaku, her hand trembling slightly as she touched his cheek. "We have much to discuss," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "But for now, let us find peace in each other's arms." As Miku's words hung in the air, a distant explosion shattered the tranquility of the moment, its thunderous roar echoing through the palace walls. Instantly, the tension returned, snapping the royal family back to the harsh reality of their duties and responsibilities. "We must attend to this threat," Kousaku declared, his eyes blazing with determination despite the seal upon his abilities. "Our people need us now more than ever."
With a focused expression, Lysandra began to incant a spell, her voice weaving through the air with a melodic rhythm.
"By the power vested in me,
Grant me vision, clear to see.
Grant me wings to soar on high,
To survey the land, the sea, the sky.
Grant me insight, beyond the veil,
To discern truth, to never fail.
Sight of the Quiet One."
As the incantation reached its crescendo, a shimmering aura enveloped her, and her form began to levitate off the ground. With a swift motion of her hand, she cast her gaze outwards, her senses extending beyond the confines of the palace walls. From her elevated vantage point, Lysandra could see the sprawling expanse of the empire laid out before her like a living tapestry. She surveyed the landscape with keen eyes, searching for any signs of danger or distress. With each passing moment, her awareness expanded, reaching farther and farther until she could sense even the faintest tremors of magic in the air.
Finally, she caught sight of the source of the explosion—an encroaching army, their banners fluttering ominously in the wind. With a gasp, Lysandra relayed her findings to her family, her voice filled with urgency. "We have company," she announced, her words a grim warning of the impending danger. "An army approaches, and they mean to strike at the heart of our empire." As realization dawned upon Emperor Kousaku, his features contorted with a mix of shock and disbelief. "Organization Homa," he muttered, the name heavy on his lips as he turned to Lysandra, his eyes searching for confirmation. "It's them isn't it?" Lysandra nodded solemnly, her expression mirroring her father's concern. "Yes, Father," she replied, her voice tinged with worry. "The army bears their insignia. It seems they have betrayed us."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone