Emperor's Reckoning

The huge fowl immediately caught the people's attention as she hovered near the huge rumbling waterfall, with screeching caws. The superb feathery wings pierced through the rainbows as brazen wind fiercely fluttered Lyon's hair and droplets from the thundering waterfall sprayed his face.

The cultivators that lived in Garuda City and visitors from outside of it had their eyes looked up.

"Is that?"

"That's gotta be him!"

"That haughty bearing, it can only belong to Lyon!"

"They have returned!!"

The cheers from below soon occupied with gasped as the huge fowl descended into a large open space. The fowl furled her wings before Lyon got off.

Lyon closed his eyes as he let the whisper of the wind soothe his soul, trickling his peace. He was poised before a faint call of his name reached his ears. He opened his eyelids and immediately saw a purple hair fluttering from the distance. Her hand waved with the sweetest smile on her face. As she was inching closer, his pupils dilated and his lips pointed a wide grin. He could see the ruddy complexion on her face, the beaming, and also the glow in her eyes.

"Luna!" Lyon smiled as he closed his eyes and opened his arms.

...

"Eh?" He felt no embrace before he opened his eyes and saw her stop a few distances from him. (Why did she stop?).

Luna looked away as she scratched her cheek with a wry smile, "I-It's a bit embarrassing."

(All that build-up for nothing) said Lyon inwardly before he approached her with a sigh. He placed his hand on her shoulder before their eyes met, "Sorry, you must have been worried."

Luna's face turned even more ruddy as she pursed her lips and meekly nodded. A rustle was heard from her robe before her eyes were petrified as her cheeks crashed onto his chest. The thumps of his heart rhythmed against her ears, gradually getting slower and slower before reaching a steady state. (He is so... calm...) Luna closed her eyes.

"Eh-hem!" Cecile made a light cough before Luna snapped her eyelids open, but she didn't budge, she couldn't budge, as Lyon deliberately tightened his embrace.

"Lyon, I think my father and the rest want to hear your triumphant story," Cecile chuckled before Lyon raised his brows and noticed Jin and the rest standing not far from him with wry smiles.

"What? Didn't Sir Verdu tell you?" Lyon raised his brows.

Jin sighed, "He just told me a moment ago and missing most of the important details, like how things escalate and such."

"Good day, young master Lyon, may I ask where is my son and my grandfather? And of course, the rest of the team."

"They are taking their time in Alchemy Union, though, I have no idea what they gonna do there with the First Hall in ruins and all," Lyon shrugged his shoulder.

"What?!" Yunesia jumped out as the rest of them gaped. She immediately inching closer to him before asking, "Lyon, are you certain? The Alchemy Union's First Hall is in ruin?! What happened?"

"Someone destroyed it," said Lyon as he sighed.

"How can this be?! Who would be brave enough to offend the Alchemy Union! Oh, what bad luck! Just as the Mortal Team won too."

"Well that person is now enjoying himself," Lumina remarked.

"Eh?" Yunesia raised her brows as he saw Lyon laughing against the sky (Don't tell me...). "Are you serious...?"

"It's a long story," said Cecile before she darted at her father, "What's going on father? Where is mother?"

"Hm? Your mother is at home."

"Are you two fighting again?" Cecile raised one of her brows.

"No, we're not, I was at home just yesterday, it's just that, there is some unsettling news that forced me to come here."

"I don't know, you're not the type of person that could be forced just by anyone, mother must have roped you into this," Cecile smirked.

"Correct, you are entirely correct," Jin sighed. "I don't want to deal with this thing to be honest, I'm done, I'm old."

"What is it?" asked Lyon.

"I think it would be best if we find ourselves a better place to talk," Garuda smiled wryly as he noticed the crowd started to accumulate in an earshot.

...

The group gathered in the same room as the previous four had.

"I know you just came back from a triumphant victory, and I truly regretted having this meeting with you, but this is an emergency that we thought you should know," Garuda bowed his head.

"Alright, don't start this meeting with something heavy like that, light up will you," Lyon waved his hand.

"My son-in-law is right, relax Garuda, Verdu, there is no point in rushing," added Jin.

"But brother Jin!" Verdu raised his brows, "This is of utmost importance."

"I know, but chill out," Jin waved his hand.

(Wow the two of them are really in sync with each other, are they really not related?) Yunesia frowned.

"Excuse me," Ayumu entered the room whilst pushing a tray.

Lyon raised his brows as he recognize the only woman in his memory that was pink, "Ayumu, long time no see!"

"It hasn't been a month, Lyon," Ayumu twitched her brows as she served the table with a nice fragrance of tea.

"Oh... right," Lyon laughed. "I guess so huh, wow things are moving so fast, I can't believe it, the landscape changed so much."

(That's because of both you and your red-haired wife!) screamed everyone.

"Well, we are receiving a lot of visitors these days," Garuda nodded. "But that's not important right now. The Mortal World perhaps is going to go a massive change."

"Huh?" Lyon raised his brows. "What do you mean?"

"Father?" Ayumu raised her brows.

"It seems like you can't seem to catch a break Lyon," Cecile chuckled.

"The situation is quite complicated Lyon, I'm sure you know that the Mortal World is practically divided into two," said Yunesia. "Those where the humans are the majority, and those where the demi-humans are the majority."

"Two?" Lyon raised his brows. "So like, these little hundreds of worlds that's being connected by that other world gate or whatever it called— I forgot — can be grouped into those where the majority ruled by humans and those by demi-humans?"

"You just repeated what I said, but yes, that's right," said Yunesia. "However, there are worlds where the two of them reached peace or some sort."

"That's not very convincing," Lyon had his lips twitched. "Nostria did it—" (Though, I wonder how is that silver queen holding up).

"Yes, I once visited that kingdom, it's a nice place," Yunesia nodded. "You're apparently regarded as a legend there."

"They think I'm dead?"

"What? No that's not what I meant."

"Oh, okay— I hope you didn't dig deeper in that kingdom though."

"Oops~" Yunesia covered her giggles with her hand.

Lyon twitched his brows (She definitely knew what happened to me then!!). "Anyway, what happened? What's going on with the demi-humans and humans? I mean, my journey with my father-in-law here included one of their island, or country... or guild, I forgot its name. The people there are nice enough, there is this one dog-girl called Tuey, she is a nice pup too."

"Then you have met the beastmen," said Yunesia. "They are particularly kind with humans, the troubles we are facing with are orcs, and perhaps the high-elves."

"Orcs? Woah I never met one of those, but about the elves, yeah the one I met was kinda haughty until I smashed his head into the wall."

The party gawked as they looked at the laughing young man. He seemed to truly have no bounds on his action.

"So, what's wrong with the orcs?" asked Lyon.

"I've heard some unsettling news that they are going to attack the humans," Yunesia sighed.

"Can't you handle orcs?" asked Cecile as she narrowed her eyes.

"Wait Cecile, I need to know something first," Lyon sharpened his eyes. "Why do they want to attack the humans in the first place?"

"Because of the bitter past," Yunesia sighed.

"The bitter... past?" Lyon furrowed his brows.

"Humans with rotten hearts used to buy slaves for their own enjoyment, this practice still going on in some places, especially those that are reclusive and usually, under Treas's influence."

"What?!" Jin and Lyon exclaimed before they turned to Cecile.

"Why are you surprised father," Cecile chuckled.

"Err I mean, your mother never told me these things."

"Nor did she tell me," said Cecile as she shrugged.

"But you know that this has been going on?" asked Lyon.

Cecile shook her head, "The nobles following that old bones—or should I say old ashes —are many and numerous, it would be just a waste of my time to unplucked them one by one. Besides, by the time I realized this, it was already too late."

Lyon gaped his mouth slightly before he darted to Yunesia.

"That's not even half of the story, Lyon," said Cecile. "You see, this slave-trading, it goes both ways."

Lyon had his pupils shrunk.