Emperor's Reckoning

Lyon already had his fingers rustled against the hair at the back of his head as he looked over the shoulders of a towering woman in front of him. The dragon-braid of her hair was dangling left and right as she swayed her way toward a nearby pond.

The fishes were curious about the beauty and gradually swarm to her side. Her smile through the reflection of the calm water soon waved away into distortion as stupid mouths gasping for air replaced it.

Cecile turned and looked at her easy-going husband. He might look like a lazy bum and would laugh at just about the weird stuff that she hardly notice, but his perception was no joke.

"You know, this matter does not concern you in the slightest, right?" Cecile sighed.

Lyon raised his brows as he darted at her auburn eyes. "Not really, unless you want me to?"

Cecile nodded, "In the small scheme of things, this does not concern you at all, you shouldn't bat an eye, however, in the grand scheme of it all, it might just be that it would concern you."

Lyon narrowed his eyes before putting his hand down to his waist. "What do you mean?"

Cecile turned as she strolled with Lyon playing catch up. "You already know where anti-mana comes from right?"

"It comes from Hell." (I never thought I would use that term so lightly).

"That's right," she nodded. "And where does mana comes from?"

"Heaven... right?"

"That's also right."

Lyon frowned. "Why are you asking me these questions?"

"Well, you see Lyon, not everyone knows the existence of Hell just like we do."

"You start to drift me apart here, dearest," Lyon jested with a chuckle.

Cecile smiled. "I'm sorry, the gravity of this matter is more complicated than you think. Forget the pettiness of the orcs wanting revenge on the humans, as the humans also want their revenge against the demi-humans. They insult each other, ripped each other, and scavenged each other."

"Why do they hate each other?"

"Do you know how heavy your question is?" Cecile smiled wryly before she darted at the blue calm sky before going for the distant huge waterfall.

Lyon smiled, "This city has greatly changed, I wonder what happened." He raised his brows repeatedly at her but she was having none of it.

"The great change aside, some humans don't actually hate demi-humans just like not all demi-humans either."

"I already know that," Lyon muttered. "But what makes them want to pillage one another? Power?"

"Fear."

"Fear? Fear of what?" Lyon raised his brows.

"Power. Anti-mana and mana generally canceled each other out, so no mana-based magic work on anti-mana cultivators and vice-versa."

"I notice that they are practically the opposite of each other. Wait, is that why they want to kill each other? Because they canceled out one another?" Lyon furrowed his brows.

"Delve deeper Lyon," said Cecile as she turned and faced him. "A baby orc and a baby human, which one is stronger."

"Ah, I assume it's a baby orc?"

Cecile nodded. "A baby elf and a baby human, which one is more beloved by nature?"

"You mean magic?"

Cecile shrugged. "Does it matter what it means?"

His pupils shrunk before he felt his skin crawl. "I see! It really doesn't matter is it?"

Cecile shook her head, "No, it doesn't matter. And as they each reached adulthood, without mana, humans are powerless."

"Then what about the elves? Don't tell me that their fuel is also from Hell?" Lyon creased his brows.

"The elves used mana just like the humans, however, they have innate intelligence despite lacking in the muscle department."

"So humans are the most balance then," Lyon crossed his arms.

"Wrong, humans are the weakest among all races," Cecile shook her head.

"What?" Lyon unfurled his arms. "How can that be?"

"We have no specialty Lyon unless we grind our cultivation to the next level, humans are powerless on their own."

Lyon shook his head, "That's can't be true, I disagree."

"Then, let me ask you this, would you make it this far without mana? Without cultivation?"

His mouth immediately gaped as his pupils shrunken. Without mana where would he be? The first time he was summoned, that was the first time he venture into this world without mana, and that one didn't go well until Selena broke the space apart and give him the strength he needed.

"The orcs, they have the muscle, the dwarves, though they are half the size of regular humans, their muscles and their intellect in crafting weapons are second to none, even to this date. Elves with their innate sharp eyes and thus ranged weapons become their deadliest ally. Beastmen, depending on the beast, have their own uniqueness. Then there are many more races that dwell in heaven like your grandfather, the True Dragon, or the Devil Ape or the Calamity Goat and many, many more."

Lyon gulped as he looked at how sharp Cecile's eyes were. "I-I guess you're right, if we stripped all mana and anti-mana in the world, we are just talking chickens..."

"Being balanced means that we are the weakest on paper and has the slowest advancement, but it also has its strength," said Cecile.

Lyon furrowed his brows. "Woah wait, so are you changing your mind or something?"

Cecile smiled. "I want you to see both ways. We can be both the strongest and the weakest since we are so balanced in the first place. However, fear gripped those of us that are weak-minded thus this situation happened."

"Fear, eh, never thought that slavery would originate from fear," said Lyon snorted. "So what now, I see Nostria and other kingdoms are trying to connect humans with demi-humans and live a peaceful life with each other."

"There is no perfect kingdom Lyon," Cecile shook her head.

"At least they tried," Lyon shrugged.

Cecile smiled, "Do you see why I want to talk to you alone? And tell you this without other ears stretching?"

"Because they won't believe you," Lyon smiled.

Cecile nodded. "Who would want to admit that they all started from fear? They would brush it off and said that demi-humans are just heretics that need to be pulverized denying their ancestral horror."

"So in fear, we raised our arms, and fight to the death with each other," Lyon sighed. "Well, I can't say that I don't understand that." Lyon pursed his lips, "Though I wonder what the demi-humans think about their own fellow that tried to live harmoniously with the humans."

"Bitterly," Cecile smiled.

"Hahaha, of course," Lyon nodded.

"What are you going to do now?" asked Cecile. "Are you seeking world peace?"

"World peace? Nah," Lyon turned and put his hands inside his pockets. "I don't want world peace, I want my own peace."

Cecile's lips slowly stretched to the side and made her cheeks sink a pair of dimples. "Then that means, that you will only involve yourself when those who you hold dear are in the scope?"

"Exactly! HAHAHA!" Lyon laughed at the sky. "Though..."

"Though?"

"I can't wrap my head around something that I just recently remembered," Lyon tilted his head as he scratched the top of it.

"What would that be?" Cecile smiled. "Perhaps I can answer your question."

"You know Karina right?" Lyon turned.

"The blonde woman that thought she could teach you arts and by arts I mean the Shattering Palm? The one that saved you from a giant ball of dark energy, which is actually coagulated anti-mana that holds itself together in order to resist the surrounding mana? The one that has a little brother called Jugen, isn't she the one you promised to bring to Hell? The one that kicked your stomach and sent you through multiple walls when your cultivation was shallow?"

Lyon gulped as he inevitably took a step back. (Uwah... that is so detailed and manually tailored!). "A-Are you sure that Selena was the desirous one among the three of you?" he muttered.

Cecile chuckled seeing his flustered face. "You have to find that out by yourself later once you regained your memories."

"Alright, alright," Lyon took another step back.

"So, what about her?" Cecile asked.

(She really does seem to know something that even I don't, even though I met Karina first) Lyon gulped. "I was wondering since her cultivation was reset and she became an anti-mana cultivator afterward, how can she enter through the gate of worlds without being repelled?"

"Oh that," Cecile chuckled to his confusion.

She walked past him and uttered as she glanced over her shoulder. "Promise me not to ask further, but I will give you a hint."

"Huh?"

"Mana originated from Heaven, Anti mana originated from Hell, well now, only one place is left out.." Cecile posed a peace sign before she left Lyon with his pupils shrinking.

"You mean?!" Lyon's mouth gaped as he felt his toes crawling. "How can I not think of that! Crap! Now that leaves me with more questions!"