Dreu couldn’t believe what he was hearing. To rule over the humans was never something he ever hoped for. It was something so unachievable his mind never even considered the possibility. Rowan sounded so sincere that he knew this wasn’t a trap. He was a single yes from becoming arguably the most powerful human on the continent. All that when he was only fifteen too.

“Snap out of it, Dreu!” shouted Bayard. “Don’t believe a single word from this snake! He will dispose you as soon as he deems it convenient!”

“I think we are all tired of your opinions!” said Azorius as he casted a spell on Dreu.

Dreu felt something like chains tighten around him. For a few seconds, he struggled to breathe. When the discomfort disappeared, the young man’s eyes widened as Bayard, Guiot and Rohese vanished into thin air without a word. He reached out hoping to revert what just happened. Yet, his hands touched nothing but air.

“That should be it for them,” said Azorius.

Opening the Recall Unit screen, Dreu could see no mention of his summons. He scrambled through the other screens but he was only greeted by clean slates.

“There’s no use,” said Rowan. “Xemir had tolerated the thorns by his side long enough and granted his Left Arm the ability to permanently wipe out the roster you inherited from the former emperor. It’s not all bad! Once you learn how to use the Emperor Class, you will have summons who are not only loyal but are fully aligned with your visions. Bayard and his crew are relics from a past best left in the past. They were merely holding you back from your full potential!”

Dreu tried unsuccessfully a second time to find any mention of his summons. Yet, he only saw empty pages as if he had just unlocked the Emperor Class. The companions he traveled with throughout the demon invasion were gone. With that knowledge, he felt tears struggling to break free. Fighting against his emotions, he refused to cry before the ones responsible for his losses.

“Let me also make this point, Dreu. You are now defenseless. The demons are vanquished. Your summons are gone. Your blade cannot save you against us. I think the choice is obvious. Serve Xemir and you will have no regrets. Refuse and only death awaits you! Don’t expect this generous offer to last indefinitely.”

Dreu felt anger and fear tearing him apart. Forcing himself to take several deep breaths, Dreu looked up with as calm of an expression he could maintain.

“Right Arm of Xemir, let me ask you two questions before I give you my answer.”

Rowan gestured to Dreu to proceed.

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“During the golden age of humans, what will be the fate of the other races? What designs does Xemir have in mind for them on a continent ruled by humans?”

“That’s a simple one! They will be enslaved by the superior race. They should be honored to serve the humans as that gives them a purpose in life. Otherwise, they will be discarded like trash. I’m certain the Purificator has already achieved much of that for us. Some expeditions will be sent out to clean out the rest but Ittoroth is already ours.”

“My second question involves the small town of Lullin. The town was known for the peaceful coexistence between humans and non-humans. Then, reports claimed the town was burned down but the culprits were never found. By chance, do either of you know anything about this?”

“Lullin,” said Azorius after a laugh. “That town was filled with traitors to my kingdom. I ordered it burned down to crush all those who were corrupted by hostile forces. My kingdom needed the trash from that town. Good riddance!”

“My family died that day!” Dreu stood with his blade ready. “I won’t forgive you!”

Before the young man could make his suicidal charge, darkness formed beneath Rowan and Azorious pulling them into the ground.

“Go through that portal now!” shouted a voice with much urgency.

Dreu first turned to see Eglallin shouting at him. The demoness was still on one knee and she looked like she was barely staying conscious. He then followed her gaze to the portal about twenty meters away. The portal looked similar to those atop the walls when the demons were teleported in for the attacks earlier. With an idea of where they led to, he dashed towards the portal. It didn’t take long before he felt a presence quickly gaining on him.

“You’re a fool, peasant! I'll be sure to let you join the trash you call family.”

Azorius’ voice sent shivers down Dreu’s spine but the young man kept running. He refused to let fear stop him. Yet, he could feel their gap closing rapidly while he was only halfway to the portal. As he felt a hand reach for him, an unknown being appeared between him and Azorius.

“Don’t stop to look! Keep running!”

Urged on by Eglallin, Dreu resisted his curiosity and reached the portal. As he stepped through, he caught two scenes. One was Rowan delivering the final blow to Eglallin. The second scene was Azorius crossing blade with the being responsible for Geoff’s death in the Cleric Fortress of Ujun. Before he could register anything else, the portal closed behind him and darkness embraced him. As he floated in the darkness, Dreu felt a presence approaching behind him. He struggled awkwardly to turn around and was stunned at the sight of Eglallin.

“I know what you’re thinking,” said the being, “but Eglallin is now dead. With the last of her powers, she opened the portal and summoned me as your guide.”

“What now?” asked Dreu.

“Someone in the Demon Realm can help answer that.” A short pause later. “Eglallin did want to leave a parting gift. You may learn a single spell from her arsenal. Pick one and I’ll teach it to you. I know this will take awhile to figure out but-”

“I know which spell.”

“Oh,” said the being as its eyes widened.

The surprise turned to a devious smile when the being heard the described spell.

“Now I see why you inherited the Emperor Class. There might be hope after all!”