SYSTEM ASCENSION

”Irue? As in Elias? You’re that simpleton’s father? I guess children do take after their parents.”

The air suddenly forsake them. Tiana’s smile faltered. All the students stopped breathing at once. The leading family all turned back.

”...”

Tyler’s eyes twitched.

Richard’s eyes slowly traced the voice, and it stopped at Bora.

The silence continued to stretch.

Bora standing her ground on her insult, and Richard blank’s stare.

Rowen slowly turned his eyes to Tyler, then raised a brow.

The prince immediately raised his hand and struck her face so hard she almost tumbled over the building.

They all gasped.

”Apologies for my sister’s behaviour,” Tyler wiped his hand on his cloth. ”She has mental issues.”

Tiana nodded with a solemn expression. ”It’s been getting to her lately.”

”It’s her dying wish to visit the black empire. That’s why we brought her along.” Claude added.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

As for Bora, she was mentally caught in the slap, that she just stood like a doll.

”...”

Richard turned his eyes back to the city, trying to see if he could catch a glimpse of where Elias had gone.

The children finally breathe.

All this while, Carlel had been staring at Richard without reacting to whatever had been happening. Now that silence had settled, she stepped forward.

”You...”

All hands reached for her, and pulled her back before Richard turned.

He only saw all the students smiling like freaks, while hiding someone behind them.

He turned his attention to Rowen.

”Did you know that he was injured?”

Rowen’s expression dulled. He knew Richard was talking about Zeal.

”I did.”

”Did he tell you?”

”No.”

”I see...” he turned his eyes to Tell.

”And why are you here?”

All eyes turned to the man.

Tell innocently shrugged. ”It’s not everyday you get a free trip to black empire.”

”Do you know him personally?” Lady Anny whispered.

Tell shrugged again.

Then, Richard’s eyes finally settled on Joran. He didn’t look at the man’s face, but was staring at his stomach, where his vital core is located. His dark eyes bore into the man, so long they were sure he saw something.

Joran shifted slightly.

Carlel finally broke free from the students. She ran forward and stood before Richard, breaking his attention from Joran.

She smiled. ”You’re like me!”

Another deadpan silence followed for a moment, then they all palmed their faces.

”Another one...” Lady Hinger muttered.

What they didn’t expect was Richard leaning down to her height, to look at her forehead.

She took two steps back, stood with her legs straight, raised her left thumb over her head and pressed it on her forehead.

”What’s she doing?” A student muttered.

Richard slowly leaned back. He raised his hand and bumped a fist on his chest twice.

Carlel laughed afterwards. ”I never thought I’d meet another one.”

”Is that a greeting?” Lady Hinger muttered. ”Isn’t she the girl that came for sightseeing?”

A gryphon screech grew their attention. They all turned around and moved sideways as the creature took the space.

It was ridden by a man in a dark mask and uniform wear. He held a sword.

”I have completed my mission.”

”Raise the bridge.” Richard told the man. He turned around and got on his own gryphon, before flying away.

The man jumped down and yelled.

”Raise the bridge!”

”The bridge?” The children looked around.

They heard a liver being pulled and locked into place. Then the place shook. From both sides, iron bridges began to rise out of the fog beneath. As it rose, water spilled off it.

They realised that the structure they were standing on was built on water.

As the bridges finally clicked into place, the man turned.

”I’ll be your escort. This way.”

They all exchanged glances, then began to move. One by one, they climbed the bridge and moved to the other side.

The children were wary about looking down, while those who dared felt their spirits leaving them.

Creatures with razor sharp teeths.

The ones with numerous eyes.

The ones with too many limbs.

Black empire wasn’t a place for a fun visit, but a walking terror.

As they finally crossed the bridge, they walked down stairs and finally stepped on land.

A student collapsed. ”I didn’t die!”

The rest took a deep breath.

Quil slowly looked around. The vital energy in the air was getting thicker.

”I think we should protect ourselves with our own energy.” He said.

”What?” All eyes turned to him.

”Am surprised you noticed, boy,” Tell grinned. ”The energy in the air can interfere with yours, and even crack your vital core.”

”What?!”

They immediately began to colt themselves in their own energy.

”If you’re lucky, you’ll end up only paralyzed on this trip.” He added.

Lady Hinger sighed. ”Tell, you’re not helping their fears.” She turned to Rowen. ”Why didn’t you announce it before?”

”If you can’t tell if something is harmful to you or not, better end up paralyzed.”

They shivered at the headmaster’s cruel words.

”You could lose all your students.” Lady Anny said.

”Even better.”

”This is the way to the palace.” The escort man bluntly said.

It was uphill, and rocky. At the very top, sat the palace. It was a fortress without a gate. As they approached, a few students began to find it hard to keep a steady pace. The energy was denser than it had been on the way.

”One question.” Lane raised his hand.

”Yes?” The man didn’t turn around.

”Do children come here at all? The energy is terrifying”

”Even an infant lives here.”

Lane lowered his hand and cleared his throat awkwardly.

They finally arrived at the gate, and it was pulled open.

The courtyard was alive with bustling and chatter. Guards stood rigid, but still had freedom to exchange manly words. Maidens were chatting and cleaning, while some were leading a group of children into the children’s palace. Officials were hurrying into the main hall.

They looked around.

The black empire crest was carved into the ground, dark and ineffable.

”This is a bit...unexpected.” Lady Hinger mumbled.

She turned around and addressed all the children.

”As you all can see, we all have learnt a lesson from Bora....her highness’s incident,”

All eyes turned to Bora. She was still clutching the side of her cheek, staring into nothing like a doll.

”Let’s control what we say and who we speak to, from now on. We don’t want any casualties like that.”

”Yes! Lady Hinger!”

She nodded.

They were finally let into the main palace building. The air inside was quieter than the buzz around the palace. It was more refined, covered in unique arts, and strange scriptures.

A student pointed.

”The language...”

”Black empire has its own language.” The escort replied. ”Although, we do use your world language, a lot of us are not fluent.”

”But you...”

”I leave the black empire from time to time.”

”Oh...”

”His highness, the prince is on his way. I’ll take my leave now.” The man abandoned them and walked out.

At the sound of the prince, Bora snapped back to reality. She remembered her goal in this place. Her plan is to make the prince fall for her and wrap him around her fingers.

Her mood brightened.

She hadn’t begun to fix her clothes when the door creaked.