In just an hour, Lord Helretum would meet with the High Emperor to discuss the fate of the region Asderia. If it went well, Asderia would remain independent, however, if it did not, the Emperor would expand the Syronian Empire to Asderia, putting even more users of magic in danger. I cannot do this, I will mess it up. Lord Helretum refused to go to the Citadel, where the Emperor expected him.

‘My Lord,’ There was a knock on the door, ‘The Emperor will see you now.’

‘Tell him I have fallen ill and that I cannot attend his meeting. Perhaps another time, after the Trevulian Solstice?’ He was running out of lies.

‘I am afraid he wishes to see you now, no matter your condition or health. It is an urgent matter according to His Majesty. As the new ambassador for Asderia, it is a requirement that you come.’ The Sentry burst in through the door. ‘Please, Lord Helretum.’

‘Fine.’ The man skulked, dreading what would happen to the region he had once called home. It would be ruined if the High Emperor got his way, just like Razgaroth had been. He could not risk that, not after the Queen of Asderia had gone through so much to reduce the probability of that happening. I must let this go smoothly, for the Queen.

The corridors were nothing like he had seen in Queen Hilyun’s Palace, these corridors were coated in all sorts of luxuries. Rubies were stuck to the torches instead of flames, famous paintings hung on the decorated walls, and drawings made from golden silk laced the stone walls. The carpets were red as the petal of a rose, covering the marble floor. He may have designed it this way to entice me. I must stay cautious and focused. I am here to benefit the welfare of Asderia. No matter how many luxurious things he has put up, I should not forget why I am here.

‘Good afternoon,’ The Emperor smiled at him as he entered through the door. The Sentry remained outside to ensure that the safety of the Royals would not be breached. Only Royals were allowed in the room though, which made it even more dangerous to be in there, for the Sentries, in the act you were being attacked, were forbidden to enter, no matter the circumstances.

‘Good afternoon, High Emperor.’ Lord Helretum bowed down to him.

‘Rise, child,’ Lord Helretum stood back up,’ Today, we discuss the fate of Asderia. Last winter, Albert Asthyrn, the King of Asderia died peacefully in his sleep. Queen Hilyun Asthyrn was the sole leader of Asderia because of this. However, I found her body in the Tunnels of my palace. I asked the finest doctor in the kingdom to examine the body. Doctor Edward Therald, you are permitted to come in.’ Lord Helretum stared at the wrinkled figure in the door, who was clad in a jacket he had seen scientists wear. Doctor Edward Therald bowed down to each person in the room, before speaking.

‘Thank you, High Emperor. After examining the body, both myself and my team have concluded that Queen Hilyun is dead. My team of specialised doctors checked the body for any signs of poison and found none. There were no marks on Queen Hilyun’s body, so I believe she was not murdered. I believe that it was a suicide.’ Lord Helretum almost jumped out of his seat with rage.

‘Why would a queen kill herself?’ He accidentally let out his innermost thoughts to the people in the meeting. ‘I was her servant, so I knew her best. She told me everything. If Queen Hilyun was thinking of the idea, I am sure that she would have told someone who devoted his life to serving her. High Emperor, I request for this madman to be taken out of the meeting immediately.’ He pointed at Doctor Edward Therald and sat back down.

‘That will not be necessary, Lord Helretum. This is the best doctor in all of the kingdom, a doctor that I sincerely trust with this complicated matter. I understand that the death of Her Majesty has put you on edge but that does not make it right to lash out at someone who is just trying to investigate the matter.’

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‘On edge? All of us have been on edge since the rise of your empire. You do not give a shit about Queen Hilyun, the only reason you called this meeting was to try to negotiate with me, so your twisted and corrupted empire could expand to even further numbers! Do you want to know why nobody has tried to overthrow you? It is because they fear you! The people of a city should not be afraid of its leader! Your ruthless reign is coming to an end, isn’t it? You hope that by ruling Asderia, people’s trust in you can be restored!’

‘Lord Helretum, that is certainly not the case. Asderia is without a ruler, which leads it open to anyone who wants it. This meeting must achieve Asderia with a ruler that is deemed fit! Queen Hilyun conceived no heir, and her distant relative would not be able to rule Asderia.’ The Emperor retorted.

‘Why not? Is it because she threatens your reign there?’

‘No! It is because the distant relative is the fugitive known as Aurora Arkov. She has committed multiple crimes and should be imprisoned. If the Sentries were not so useless, she would have been in my possession by now and could attend this court meeting. The girl has no future, which means if she becomes Queen of Asderia, Asderia will not have one either!’ The room was silent. Nobody had ever seen the Emperor this frustrated, not in almost a decade when his father died. The Duke of Lyther, a place committed to the Empire, stood up. He cleared his throat.

‘I was going to say that a citizen of Lyther spotted her in the Knalrak Desert two nights ago. She was with someone else, sitting on a rooftop. The place was rumoured to be the Outpost of the Resistance, but I deemed that as folly.’

‘Who was that citizen? Where are their whereabouts? Give me more information about this citizen immediately. If they have seen the fugitive, we could locate Aurora Arkov.’ The Emperor grinned widely. It was the same grin he had used when the Empire had started all those years ago.

‘I do not understand,’ Lord Helretum expressed a look of confusion; he was perplexed. ‘What is so important about this Aurora Arkov? Does she pose a threat to the throne?’

‘No, Aurora Arkov is the leader of the Resistance, a group dedicated to destroying the Empire. If you kill one rat, all the others scurry away. We have a chance to end the Resistance, that is why, Lord Helretum.’

‘No, it is to save your empire from the only threat that poses against them. You are scared of them, you fear them. You fear that they could end your perfect rule. I mean, fair enough, they did take down ten Sentries at once before. You are the High Emperor, surely, you must not be afraid of a group who could be taken down in a matter of seconds, are you?’ The Emperor blushed, embarrassed that a petty ambassador had insulted him like that. It could have been classified as treason, surely?

‘Sentries,’ They came into the room as soon as they heard their names, ‘Take this ambassador back to the Palace, for he will be locked in the Spire of the South for the rest of his life. It is only fair, Lord Helretum, that you pay for your insolence.’ He laughed as the Sentries took Lord Helretum away.

‘The Resistance will end you, they will burn your fucking empire down!’ Lord Helretum shouted as he was taken to the Emperor’s Palace. That conniving bastard. He does not want the other Royals to know that his empire could end, for he wants to form alliances with each of their kingdoms.

‘Also, Asderia is now part of the Empire, which means that my empire will become even more advanced!’ Lord Helretum could kill him for that, and if he ever escaped the Spire of the South, he would.

‘Asderia is an independent region! I am its ambassador, which means you cannot finalise it without my consent!’ Lord Helretum was relieved, for his kingdom would not be made part of the Empire whilst he was ambassador.

‘There’s where you are wrong, for the Ambassador of Asderia cannot do anything for Asderia whilst he is in prison!’ Lord Helretum cursed under his breath as the Sentries took him outside of the Citadel, and into a carriage which would lead to the Emperor’s Palace. That man had played him like a deck of cards. How could he have been so stupid? Since he walked in the door, it was obvious that the Emperor was up to no good, yet he had dismissed it as not being that important. Well, it was that fatal mistake which made him lose Asderia for good, for if the Empire ruled somewhere, it was improbable that they would give it up. This was not what Queen Hilyun would have permitted. She would have stood strong and protested against it. She would not have let it be given up this easily, not without a fight. Maybe it was meant to be, maybe I am not a good ambassador after all. I practically gave the High Emperor Asderia. I have to escape the Spire of the South before it is too late. Asderia needs me. The carriage passed through the forest. Lord Helretum opened the carriage door.

‘Where do you think you are going?’ The Sentry tried to put him back in his seat, but Lord Helretum kicked him and slammed the carriage door shut. ‘After him!’ He shouted to the other Sentry, who got out of the carriage. The other Sentry did not chase after him, he only stood there and let him escape.

‘What are you doing?’ The Sentry asked the other one. ‘You let Lord Helretum go! The Emperor will kill us!’

Lord Helretum ran faster than he had ever done in his life, for today, he had defied the High Emperor and had lived to tell the tale. Now, he would have to go to the East, to ensure Asderia had allies. The Emperor could not claim that land at all costs. However, he still thought Lord Helretum was in the Spire of the South, which meant that he could take over Asderia any day. Lord Helretum would be ready. Asderia would not be conquered, not if Lord Helretum had anything to say about it.