Emperor's Reckoning



As Lyon stepped into the chamber, he was immediately taken aback by the mystical ambiance that enveloped the space. The room seemed to exude an aura of ancient wisdom and arcane secrets. The air felt charged with a mysterious energy, tingling his senses with a mix of anticipation and trepidation.

The chamber itself was adorned with intricate patterns and symbols, etched into the walls and floor, seemingly woven into the very fabric of the room. A soft, ethereal glow emanated from the center, casting intriguing shadows that danced along the walls, adding to the enigmatic atmosphere.

As he approached the center, his eyes locked with those of the seer, Lily. The amethyst hue of her gaze seemed to hold a captivating depth, drawing him in as if her eyes held the knowledge of the universe itself. There was an air of serenity about her, a presence that seemed to transcend the physical realm.

"Before we begin, Master Lyon..."

Lyon raised his head as he took his seat and found an amusing smile on Lily's face before she continued.

"My sister, Vivi, she told me a very interesting tale," said Lily.

Lyon raised his brows and a mischievous smirk hung on his lips. "My, I wonder what that would be."

Lily smiled, "When she tried to read you, she journeyed to a place, a place ethereal-like."

"Oh?" Lyon was taken back. 

Seer Lily's voice carried a sense of wonder and reverence as she spoke, "In this ethereal realm, my sister Vivi found herself surrounded by clouds and drawn toward a magnificent altar. A grand spectacle of cascading stairs awaited her, leading to six figures, each with their own unique presence, standing or sitting with imposing authority. And at the end of the stairs, there was a man whose face eluded her, teasing her with his mystery."

"What is this place?" asked Lyon.

Lily nodded, her gaze shimmering with a hint of ethereal wisdom, "Indeed, this realm transcends ordinary visions. It's a space where destinies intertwine, and echoes of past, present, and future resonate... at least that's my theory."

"So you're guessing?"

Lily's smile remained unhinged by his remark. "Stars, no matter how bright, we can't see them all at once."

"They say fate is predestined, but it looks like even the seers having a hard time," Lyon chuckled.

"Perhaps my knowledge is inadequate, but I am confident that my mother must know what it means," said Lily.

"Your mother...?" asked Lyon as he raised his brows.

Lily was confused by his reaction, even her smile was lost as she tilted her head a bit. "Ah... how interesting."

"What...?" asked Lyon as his brows furrowed, "I'm sorry, but I don't follow your train of thoughts here."

"Do not worry, Master Lyon," said Lily. "Tell me, what do you want to know about your future?"

Lyon was slightly taken aback by how fierce she was swerving the conversation. He paused for a moment, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts and possibilities. It was an unfamiliar sensation for him, as he had always been someone who knew what he wanted and had a clear vision for the future. But at this moment, faced with the opportunity to peer into the unknown, he found himself at a loss for words.

Lily observed his thoughtful expression and couldn't help but smile. It was not often that she encountered a client who didn't have a specific question in mind. "Take your time," she said gently, "There's no need to rush. Sometimes, the answers we seek are not yet ready to reveal themselves."

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of contemplation, Lyon let out a small chuckle. "You know, it's rather odd," he admitted, "I've always been the one with a plan, the one who knows exactly where I'm headed. But right now, I find myself without a specific question."

Lily smiled knowingly, "Sometimes, the best questions are the ones that haven't formed yet. The future is an ever-changing tapestry, and perhaps it's not yet the time for certain threads to be woven."

His mind was a whirlwind of questions and possibilities. Should he seek guidance on his path to confront the impending catastrophe, the one where his soul might collapse?

"I've faced so many challenges, but this... this is different," he thought, his brow furrowing with intensity. The uncertainty of the future weighed heavily on his shoulders, and he was keenly aware of the responsibility that came with possessing such knowledge.

For a moment, he felt a flicker of fear, wondering if knowing the future would be a blessing or a curse. Could he handle the burden of this information? Would it change the course of events or create a self-fulfilling prophecy?

As Lyon looked into the seer's eyes, he found solace in her calm and composed demeanor. She seemed to understand the weight of his decision and gave him the time he needed to gather his thoughts.

Lily asked him once more, "You want to know if you lived through this... catastrophe that you mentioned?"

Lyon nodded albeit in trepidation. He was trying to figure out if it was as maddening as the others had mentioned.

Lily extended both of her hands, showing her palms however, as Lyon extended his hands towards her, a sudden wave of realization washed over him. He couldn't help but notice the two platinum wedding rings adorning his fingers, symbolizing his deep connection with Selena and Cecile. However, the third one, the ring that belonged to Maria, was still out there, and he felt the urgency to find her.

His pupils immediately shrunk. His hands trembled slightly as he pulled them back from the seer's touch, his mind flooded with memories of Maria. Her kindness, compassion, and unwavering love had left an indelible mark on his heart, and he couldn't ignore the deep longing he felt to know her whereabouts.

"No, that's what I want..." he whispered to himself, his voice filled with determination. The memory of Maria was like a fragile thread connecting him to a world he desperately needed to find again.

At that moment, a brittle memory resurfaced the feeling of Maria's presence, her warmth, and the love they had for each other. He knew he couldn't rest until he knew the truth until he found her or discovered what had happened to her.

Lyon's determination grew stronger as he asked the seer with unwavering resolve, "Seer Lily, I seek to know the location of my wife, Maria. Please, if there's any way you can help me find her, I must know."

As Seer Lily observed Lyon's sudden change in demeanor, she couldn't help but feel surprised. She had seen many people seek guidance about their future, but Lyon's shift in focus when it came to his wife, Maria, was something different. His eyes held a mixture of determination, longing, and perhaps even a hint of vulnerability that he rarely showed to others.

Seer Lily's amethyst eyes met Lyon's, and he could sense the depth of understanding in her gaze. She nodded solemnly, recognizing the weight of his request. "I shall do my best to aid you in your search," she replied, her voice gentle yet filled with an air of mystique. "The path to finding lost love is a journey fraught with challenges, but I shall look into the threads of fate and try to guide you to the answers you seek."

Lyon nodded with absolute determination. His thought remained calling the same name over and over. He extended his hands and placed them on top of her palms. Lily nodded before both of them closed their eyes together. Her gem alighted as her senses closed.

As Seer Lily and Lyon delved deeper into their divination, the ethereal realm shifted before their eyes. They found themselves in a mysterious and breathtaking scenery - the back of a woman standing gracefully by a steep cliff. A soft veil covered her form, leaving her features veiled in an air of mystique. Her hair, hidden beneath the veil, remained an enigma, adding to the allure of her presence.

Below the cliff, an endless expanse of billowing clouds stretched as far as the eye could see, creating an otherworldly vista that seemed to exist beyond the confines of reality. Surrounding the woman were towering mountains that soared into the heavens, their majestic peaks disappearing into the ethereal skies.

The atmosphere carried a sense of both serenity and enigma as if this place existed beyond the boundaries of time and space. The woman's poise and demeanor suggested a profound connection with the enigmatic surroundings, as though she were a part of the very essence of this ethereal realm.

As Lyon extended his hand toward the woman in the veil as he approached her, a surge of overwhelming emotions coursed through him. His heart pounded in his chest as he yearned to reach out and connect with her. With trembling lips, he called out her name, "Maria..." but it seemed that his voice fell on deaf ears. The woman remained unaware of his presence as if she existed in a world beyond his reach.

In the back, Seer Lily noticed Lyon's intense emotions and realized that the divination was taking a toll on her. She apologized softly, her own strength waning under the weight of the ethereal vision. "Sorry, Lyon... I don't think I can hold on much longer..."

Lyon's heart raced with panic as he realized that the vision was slipping away. He couldn't bear to lose the connection to Maria, to the one he longed to be with. "No, no, no, wait!" he pleaded with Seer Lily, desperately trying to hold on to the vision.

As Lyon turned back to the woman in the veil, every step felt heavier than the towering mountains surrounding them. His determination to reach Maria outweighed the uncertainties and challenges that lay ahead. With each step, he pushed himself to the limit, driven by love and the desire to be reunited with her.

In one final, desperate act, Lyon leaped forward trying to reach her shoulder, and screamed at the top of his lungs, pouring his heart and soul into the call for Maria. "Mariaa!"

And then, as if time stood still, both Lyon and Seer Lily vanished from the vision. The connection to the ethereal realm was severed, leaving behind only an echo of their presence.

"Hm?" The woman by the cliff turned around, her gaze scanning the surroundings with curiosity. But there was nothing behind her, only the expanse of the mysterious realm she inhabited.