Everyone left, excluding the magistrates and the Elders.

{Note: Scholars are now magistrates from now on.}

“Higher Elders, we thank you for your help in this case.”, High Honor Adolf was grateful to them.

They weren’t confident that they could impose a sanction against Emperor Marcus even though they had the evidence to do so.

“We’ll be leaving now. Kent McKenzie will be removed from his position as the Mage Guild leader effective today. Your Imperium can deal with him. We will not interfere in his matters.”, Supreme Elder Wyngella said.

“This old one acknowledges the Elder’s decision.”, High Honor Adolf bowed.

He stood back up and saw that the Higher Elders were no longer there.

“Your High Honor, what about Prince Kane and Emperor Marcus? Should we let them do as they wish?”, one of the magistrates asked.

High Honor Adolf turned around and faced the other magistrates.

“The public will deal with them. As for the public asking justice from us, we will stay out of it and let them think we are working with His Imperia Majesty.”, High Honor Adolf planned.

They weren’t at fault about Prince Kane’s verdict in the first place. It was the Higher Elders from the Tower who imposed the sudden change. However, High Honor Adolf knew that the public would take this another way.

“His Imperial Majesty will deal with Elder Kent, and we will just support his orders regardless of what it is.”

“Even if His Imperial Majesty wants to massacre the entire McKenzie family?”, another magistrate asked.

“Yes, though I doubt His Imperial Majesty would do such a thing.”, High Honor Adolf assured.

“The Imperium would lose a great deal of power if the entire McKenzie household went extinct. You should know that they hold the top spot in terms of magical aptitude and talents in the Great Human Imperium. There are hundreds of them scattered around. They won’t go down easily if His Imperial Majesty wants them dead.”

The rest of them finally understood why High Honor Adolf sounded confident in his first statement.

“Enough of this, let’s take a rest. It’s been a tiresome day for all of us.”

High Honor Adolf waved his hands and dispersed the group of magistrates.

…

Imperium Capital City.

Zachariel carried Amelia on his back. She had long slept, tired from crying after all that had happened. Sabrina walked beside him, though silent as a mute.

She did not know what to say to him, nor what to do about Amelia neither.

Their classmates trailed behind them, along with the other class and their instructors. The other spectators and Emperor Marcus had left long ago.

Luiz was rather annoyed about what happened earlier.

`Why did they have to revoke his title anyway? It’s because of that damn Prince Kane! Hah, I won’t call him prince from now on. Fucking stupid Higher Elders, they don’t know a damn thing about what happened!`

As they traversed down the long staircase, they sighted a group of carriages waiting down below.

`Thankfully, the Imperium guards are still kind enough to give us a free ride. I hope that everyone could fit inside.`, Iria looked around.

`Good, nobody’s left behind.`

She nodded in approval.

It would take a few hours to run and walk from here back to their dorms. Moreover, it was still very dark outside.

`Damn it, when will this blackout end?`, Luiz scratched his head.

When they reached the bottom of the staircase, they saw Zachariel walking on the sides instead of toward the carriages. Sabrina was left behind, hesitating on whether she should follow him or not.

Luiz called out to him, “Zachariel, don’t you want to-“

Unfortunately, Zachariel left before he could finish what he wanted to say. Sabrina held her cold hands.

`Zachariel, I’m sorry. I couldn’t do anything earlier. I wanted to help but…`

Her regrets were founded too late. If she had only stepped up earlier, maybe Zachariel would’ve talked to her on the way down the staircase.

“Rainald, what should we do about Zachariel and Amelia?”, Cassia asked.

The senior Prospects were right behind them. Cody already departed with his father back to their household.

“Let them be for now.”, Rainald shortly replied.

Cassia was worried inside after hearing his reply, `They are only young students. Why do they have to experience such a traumatic event this early?`

“If senior Edward was here, he would’ve bashed through those guards’ skulls and executed justice by himself!”, Edgar snorted.

He was a big fan of senior Edward, and he did not like the Higher Elder’s decision earlier.

“Edgar, stop it. We should do things by ourselves for now. Senior Edward is out at the border for a few more days. Zachariel and Amelia might heavily rely on our support during this time.”, Rainald commented.

“You still consider them as Prospect candidates, senior?”, Rudy asked.

“Not as Prospects, but as a friend.”, Rainald declared.

Titles were only a farce in his eyes. Friendship should be based on one’s feelings towards the other, not because of who the other was.

“Hey, everyone. I don’t know if you noticed it but Sir Matthias seems a little bit tired when I saw him exit earlier.”, Zito interjected.

“Zito, what kind of observation is that?”, Edgar was confused.

`Is this guy interested in older men now?`

“You tiny muscled brat, I’m not interested in old men. I’m only wondering why Sir Matthias was tired after the trial.”

“Maybe he slept late yesterday or cultivated non-stop. Bah, whatever, who cares if Sir Matthias is tired? He should be able to take care of himself, right?”, Edgar shrugged.

The rest did not say anything.

The students were already entering their carriages.

Instructor Rufus did not mind Zachariel’s sudden departure. “Alright, all of you should get in now, and make it fast.”

His students were rather baffled that Instructor Rufus did not talk about Zachariel.

`Is he apathetic or is he just controlling himself?`

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Helena watched in the direction where Zachariel fled. The cold winds drifted over and her long ginger hair fluttered.

`Zachariel, please take care of Amelia. You’re the only one who could help her right now.`

Amidst her thoughts, she heard shouts near where they were. It was a group of mobs charging to their location. They held torches or conjured illuminating orbs to light the dark path.

`Shit, they’re here.`, Instructor Rufus cursed.

“Move it faster you damn brats. If you want to return well and alive, get inside the carriages now!”, he demanded.

Instructor Jaylen and Rebecca also did their best to hasten up the process.

Not a minute passed and all of them left, yet the mobs had also arrived.

“Where is the emperor? Where are those damn magistrates? How dare they let Prince Kane go after all the shit he has done! Come, my brothers! Charge!”, a mob led the pack.

“Graaghhh!”

“For justice!”

“For my wife!”

“For my son!”

“For my daughter! You damn piece of shits, how dare you let the murderer go so easily like that?!”

They all climbed the staircase to the Imperium Court but were blocked by the Imperium guards.

“Halt, you damn intruders. Get back or we will force ourselves to fight you!”, the captain shouted.

“Hah! They’re working for the emperor! Beat them! Kill them! Purge them out of existence in this world!”

“Yaaahh!!”

“Grrrrhhh!”

“Guards, protect the Imperium Court. Let these bastards know what Imperial Law is!”

Spells were thrown. Weapons were drawn and collided against one another.

The Imperium Court was filled with bright lights for a long time.

And the same event happened throughout the entire Great Human Imperium. Many of them protested and marched around each village and city.

They all demanded the same thing. For Prince Kane to be revoked of his Prospect candidacy and be publicly executed.

…

Imperium Palace, Imperium Throne.

Wille knelt below the throne, “Your Imperial Majesty, the protests are getting out of hand. We need your orders!”

“Send out an Imperial Edict! All that protests are labeled as traitors to the Imperium! They will be arrested and publicly executed!”, he waved his hands in anger.

“Moreover, the entire McKenzie family is exiled from the Great Human Imperium. Label them as criminals and put a bounty in their heads, dead or alive!”, Emperor Marcus coldly ordered.

He had enough of the blasphemy that was being displayed right in front of his eyes and ears.

“Yes, your Imperial Majesty.”, Wille bowed and quickly left the area.

`This is what happens when you defy my Imperial Power!`

…

As the tensions surged high, Zachariel calmly ran back to his dormitory. On the way, he heard people fighting against one another,

He only snorted and focused on his path, evading nearby areas that might implicate him in their fights.

He casted propulsion and shadow steps, moving agilely and quickly from one place to another. He would sometimes stop and hide when there were people nearby.

Carrying Amelia in his back didn’t bother him at all.

He ran through a narrow alley and jumped to the rooftop.

`Hmm?`

What greeted him was an Imperium guard staring at him. It was a female and her eyes glowed in dark green.

`A wraith?`

“Are you here to fight with me?”, he readied himself.

“No… My master wants to talk to you.”, the Imperium guard replied.

She extended her left hand and another figure appeared.

“Victoria, what’s the meaning of this? If you’re associated with Prince Kane all this time, I won’t let you go away so easily.”, Zachariel threatened.

He despised the entire Royal Family and the Higher Elders from the Tower after what they did to Amelia. Moreover, Victoria and Prince Kane had similar powers. He had every right to doubt her as he did not want Amelia to suffer again.

“Zachariel, listen to me. I’m not your enemy. I only want to talk to you.”, Victoria pleaded.

“Tell me then. I don’t have much time to spend with you.”, he coldly replied.

“Zachariel, I know you must be very angry right now, but I’m not related to Prince Kane in any way!”

“Then why do you have the same powers as him?”, Zachariel argued.

“I don’t know! I’m confused right now. Do you think I would talk to you like this if I wasn’t?”

Zachariel lost interest after hearing her answer.

“Victoria, if you have nothing else to say, I’m going now.”

He was about to leap when he heard Victoria mumble.

“Why…”

He stopped. Victoria knelt on the ground with a desponded look on her face.

“Why did you pull me out yesterday and fought against them in front of me? You don’t know this but I was very pained to see you bleed and bruised all over! My world stopped when I saw your chest getting ripped off by that wraith! That was then I discovered the secret power behind me! I was actually a cursed being! Someone who wields an unholy power!”

Tears suddenly formed in her eyes.

“Zachariel, I grew up in the hands of my foster parents! I didn’t even know a single thing about me being cursed! I was worried after I heard it all. Am I going to die? Will everyone hate me if they knew I was like Prince Kane? I thought you had the answer, that’s why I escaped from the Imperium Ward to look for you. But to think that you keep your secrets to me.”, she wept.

“My heart beats for you, yet you don’t have one! I don’t understand what I’m feeling right now! I wasn’t behaving like this, not until I met you!”, Victoria exclaimed.

“You know, don’t you? You already know I have this power that’s why you did it, right?! You must’ve only played me all along. You think this is a joke for me? Zachariel, tell me. Who am I really? Am I the girl named Victoria? Or am I another person? Another being?!”

“Isn’t that wraith beside you carry the answer to your questions?”, Zachariel pointed out.

“No, she doesn’t. All she remembers is that I am her master, and you carry a mark or something!”, Victoria replied.

“Then I won’t be able to help you. I only did it because you said the wraiths were familiar to you, and nothing else.”

He then leaped out of the rooftop without waiting for her reply.

Victoria was left crying, disappointed that she could not get a reasonable answer from Zachariel.

“Why, why, why!”, she pounded the rooftop with her small fists.

“Why won’t anyone tell me anything about who am I? Or what is this thing inside of me”

She could not understand why she had feelings for Zachariel, nor how she was cursed, why was she cursed, and what the curse was all about.

Victoria and Hakkusha had already conversed earlier and her confusion worsened. Hakkusha reminded her of Zachariel when the wraith said about feeling a familiar mark from a figure.

She could not blame Hakkusha either. Something inside Victoria told her that Hakkusha was as honest as she could be.

“Master, we should get back now.”, Hakkusha reminded.

Victoria stood up and stopped crying. After wiping off the tears on her face, she resolutely looked in the direction Zachariel fled.

“I don’t believe he has no answer. He has the answer to my questions! He’s just feeling selfish because of Amelia! Zachariel, I won’t let go of you until I get the answers that I want!”, she swore to the skies.

Hakkusha took her and vanished from the scene.

‘Boom!’

An explosion occurred right after they left the area.

“Cody, get out of here now! They are onto us, and will kill us all!”, a tall and beautiful middle-aged woman shouted.

Her navy-blue hair was burnt and only half of it remained.

“Mother, no! I won’t leave you here. You still haven’t told me about my sister, and what happened to her!”, Cody insisted.

“You brat, I told you to get out of here! They have already killed your father, and I will be the next, and you will be the last! If you die right now, our family’s heritage will cease to exist!”, his mother pleaded.

They did not expect Emperor Marcus to exile the entire McKenzie household and even put a bounty on their heads.

Elder Kent and the old family members stayed behind to give them time to escape. However, another group of black-clothed figures ambushed them on their way out of the Imperium Capital City.

Most of the family members were dead, young or old. No exceptions. Fortunately, the rest were away, especially the talented young ones.

‘Whoosh!’

An arrow was sent to them. His mother noticed it too late and was struck in her heart.

She coughed up blood and was driven back due to the force.

“Mother, no!”

“Cody, get out of here already! I beg of you!”, she cried out. Cody gritted his teeth in anger with tears falling in his eyes.

`Damn it! Why am I still so weak after all the years I spent in the Great Schools?!`

‘Elemental Summon: Silver-Winged Arcahorn!’

A huge gust of wind suddenly enveloped the entire area. The pursuers evaded it, while the unlucky ones became minced meat.

A large silver and winged beast with a single horn in its head appeared. Its entire body shone like metal, while its long tail flapped like a dog’s. The beast’s silver eyes stared at Cody.

The latter immediately jumped to its back, “Get me out of here!”

The beast flapped its wings.

“You won’t get out of here alive!”, one of the pursuers charged towards him.

“No, he will!”, Cody’s mother endured the pain and casted several spells protecting Cody and attacking the black-clothed figures.

“Kill that bitch first!”, their leader commanded.

This gave Cody enough time to get out of the area safe and alive. However, the pursuers did not take mercy and ruthlessly attacked his mother.

One of them gathered their palms and thrusted it to her chest, ‘Concussive Palm Thrust!’

She staggered backward and vomited a humungous amount of blood. Her chest caved in, but she did not falter and instead, retaliated.

‘Ring of Fire!’

She conjured a huge ring that instantly shrunk, pulling all the figures that were caught to the center before exploding.

‘Boom!’

“Aaaahhh!!”

6 of them died, but a lot of them remained. Cody’s mother knelt, losing her sense of balance.

This allowed the pursuers to land several attacks on her.

‘Constriction!’

Wooden branches sprouted below her and entangled her.

A burly figure dashed at her and punched her caved chest, ‘Breaking Punch!’

All the bones in her upper body were crushed. Beneath all of this, Cody’s mother no longer had the will to fight back and started regretting the things that had happened.

`Cody, I’m sorry. We couldn’t give you the life you wanted. We also hid the fact that you had a sister, and we didn’t disclose to you why she died.`

She remembered the times when she would walk Cody out of the house to their family training ground and practice with Cody.

“Wow mother, you’re so strong! Can I be like you someday?”, a young Cody with short navy-blue hair jumped excitedly.

“Yes, yes you will!”

“Yehey! Mother told me I will be strong in the future! I won’t forget what you said, mother! If I found out you were lying, I’m going to be angry at you!”, Cody cutely threatened.

His mother patted his head.

`Cody, I’m sorry, again. I hope that in the next life, our whole family would be…`

‘Immolation: Hellfire!’

Her thoughts were cut off as she was burned to death. None but her ashes remained, drifting in the cold winds of the dark Imperium Capital City.