An 5 years old Henry was listening to a bedtime story about Royalties and Emperors. It was his favorite book.
"Father, Father, are we also Royalty?"
Asked a young Henry at his Father. The innocence in his and the curiosity within are crystal clear.
"Yes, in a sense."
His father answered while flipping the book.
"Yey! Then does that mean I can also be an Emperor someday?"
Henry asked with a radiant and joyous smile. Expectation could not be hidden in his eyes.
"Hahaha of course, of course. As long as you work hard"
His father said without any seriousness. He thought it was just a child's silly mindset. He disregarded it as a childish behavior.
But for Henry it was different. For the first in his life he had a dream. Hope had bloomed in the young boy's heart as he listened to the story about the Emperor for the hundredth time.
From age 5 to 12 he was homeschooled so he didn't have friends. He was taught about etiquette, dancing, painting, how to play instruments and most of all basic military training.
Henry came from a household with a Military background. His ancestor led the crusade to unify the Marya Continent. He was the descendant of Douglas Barden Stratenheid. The greatest General and the right hand man of the first Mutant King.
In his early training he had already known that he wouldn't become an Emperor. His destiny was to serve the Royal Family. At first he was indignant. His dream was shattered. But he never gave up hope. Just because he wouldn't become an Emperor doesn't mean he couldn't become one.
'An Emperor is someone who gains his crown by obtaining the people's trust through the merit and goodwill he perform'
'As long as I do good and perform well I could become an Emperor'
The naive little boy thought.
But reality was far too cruel for the weak minded.
(Henry, 13 years old)
He was about to go home from the academy when he heard a scream from a nearby classroom.
When he reached the age of 13 his father decided to send him to school to socialize with his pears and make connections.
The scream was muffled but he was still able to hear it.
Curiosity got the best of him and checked it out.
'It's probably a teacher. Maybe they needed some help with something'
"nglees elp….ngn one lees help"
Said the muffled voice.
When he got close he peaked at the slightly open door. And there he witnessed it.
A youth was in the middle of defiling a young girl. Her clothes were torn and she had bruises all over her.
There were also three other male students just watching. One was a skinny youth while the other two was chubby. They were laughing as they filmed the immoral act.
"Wha- "
"WHAT HELL ARE YOU GUYS DOING?!!"
Said Henry as he barged in the classroom.
The four were startled but when they saw who it was they heaved a sigh of relief.
"It's just Henry. Whew~ you scared the soul out of me man"
Said the skinny boy.
"Watch the door closely Richard! What if a teacher comes!"
Said one of the fat one to the skinny one.
"Relax guys. I've already bribed the teachers they won't come here even if they needed to."
Said the youth who was committing the act as he got up from his position.
The girl covered her face and whimpered as she was released.
"Y- You're the Crown Prince yet you commit such atrocities!"
Henry said as he pointed at the youth.
"It's actually because I'm the Crown Prince that's why I can do this. And atrocity? Hmmp! This bitch should be grateful that I had taken a liking to her"
Henry didn't have a good impression of the Crown Prince way before back then but he still couldn't believe that this young man was capable of such a vile act.
He met the Crown Prince when he was ten years old. The Crown Prince was two years older than him, he had a head full of curly blonde hair and the Borin signature eye color, pale gold.
Henry saw how the Prince would look at the commoners. He would always smile but his eyes can't hide the disgust he felt towards a commoner.
The Prince was friendly, kind and overall your typical good guy. He would correct something if he saw that it was wrong. He had a strong sense of justice.
But it was all a facade. What he truly is was a disgusting creature in human skin. He had a hobby of defiling young maidens. He likes bullying the weak. He likes torturing commoners.
"Do you guys realize what you're doing?!"
Asked Henry.
"You guys? Ha..Haha..HAHAHA"
"Did you hear what he said? To think someone lower than me would address me as such!"
Said the Prince as a baseball bat manifested in his hands.
"Hold him down for me!" He ordered his followers.
Henry knew what was about to happen.
Before the kids could gang up on him he already attacked them. He broke their arms and their feet. He also knocked the Prince unconscious.
Because of being pampered, these youths didn't have any battle experience that's why Henry was able to overpower them easily.
He then took their gadgets for evidence and escorted the girl to her home.
"I'll obtain justice for you don't worry."
Henry promised the girl with righteousness.
He headed home and immediately reported the crime to his father. He went to his office but before he could knock. "Come in" He already heard an approval.
"Father, I have something to report" he said as he proceeded to explain the events that followed.
He was proud of what he had done but when he saw his father's expression he felt something was wrong.
Bang!
Henry smashed against the bookshelves!
When he thought his father would praise him for his good conduct, what he received instead was a punch to the face.
"DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU'VE DONE?!"
Asked his father.
"I-..."
He was about to answer when he was interrupted by a soldier barging in the office.
"Sir the Emperor summons you"
After reporting the soldier left the office immediately.
"Come with me. We could still salvage the situation"
When they arrived at the Palace they were immediately escorted by the Royal Guards to the throne room.
The Emperor was sitting at his throne with a stern gaze. The Crown Prince was beside the Emperor. And below them was a family of three kneeling.
There was a middle aged man. A middle aged woman and the young girl Henry saved.
When they arrived. Henry and his father immediately kneeled.
"Your Highness" they said in unison.
"What happened?" Asked the Emperor, not beating around the bush.
"Royal Father, I have been helping this girl when she fell down stairs when suddenly Henry assaulted me from behind."
The Prince said with a wronged look.
"HE'S LYING!!!" Shouted Henry.
"What do you mean I'm lying? Ask the girl if I'm lying or not before you accuse me."
"Is what my son said True?"
Asked the Emperor towards the young girl as he emphasized the word 'true'
The girl flinched and tears rolled down her eyes. And with a heavy heart she said…
"Yes… Your Majesty…."
" Wha- No! Tell them the truth I have evidenc-"
Before Henry could finish his sentence his father grabbed his head and smashed it against the carpet. He was now bowing his head down while blood slowly flowed out from his forehead.
"Your Majesty please forgive my son's foolishness. He is but a child and still yet to understand what right is from wrong!"
Said his father as he also bowed his head down.
"I understand. Raising a child is hard. I'll pardon you this once. Don't let this happen again"
"You are dismissed"
"Thank you, Your Majesty for your benevolence"
His father got up and dragged the dazed Henry out of the palace. Henry looked at the Prince and saw him smile at him. That was the most revolting smile he had ever seen.
"Why?"
He asked his father as they arrived home.
"Because that's how the world worked. Let this be a lesson to you. Only the Powerful can have the final say in the grand scheme of things. Only the Powerful can dictate the fate of the weak."
"You are weak and so am I. That is why we follow the rule of the strong"
Said his father with sadness. He knew his son did nothing wrong yet he had to reprimand him. 'It is for his own good' he thought.
Henry sat in his bed with blank eyes. The events that happened this day kept replaying in his mind.
'I did nothing wrong...yet I was in the wrong?'
'What kind of joke is this?!'
'The Prince! The Emperor! The whole Empire!'
'It was them that's wrong! Not me!'
His faith toward the Empire crumbles as he remembers the tales and good deeds of the previous Emperors.
'Where was the righteous Emperor, the bearer of Justice, the epitome of benevolence?'
'Dead'
An answer resounded at the back of his head.
'Where is the Empire that cared for its citizens?!'
'Ruined'
'Where's the officials that enforced the law?!!'
'Corrupted'
Deep deep hatred began to appear in his blank eyes. He clenched his fist so tight it began to bled.
"Those garbage need to be disposed of!"
'Yes'
'This Empire has fallen!'
'Yes'
'It needs a new Ruler!'
'Yes'
"And it should be me!"
This time the answer came from his own lips.
"Yes"
"It is I who can change this Empire. It is I who can rebuild it and make it glorious once more!
He then remembered the words said by his father...
"We are weak so we follow the strong? Hmmp! In that case I'll just become stronger!"
Ambition started to bloom from his innocent heart. Corrupting it. Making his hidden emotion erupt like a volcano, jealousy!
"That joke of a Prince doesn't deserve to inherit the throne."
"He knows nothing about ruling! He's weak and corrupt like everyone else! He gets anything he wants just by wanting it. Even the throne would be his just because he was born as a Royalty!"
"Yet I have to work hard to get something I want! He's not fit to be the Emperor! I am!"
"HAHAHAH YES! YES! I CAN SEE IT
NOW!"
"MY THRONE!"
"MY EMPIRE!"
"MY….PRECIOUS!"
(Author: can't help it XD)
Henry then began his conquest in building his ideal Empire.
After he graduated at the age of 19 he enlisted to the Military and achieved merit after merit.
He was promoted again and again.
By the age of 31 he was the highest ranking official in the Military. He has full control of it, that it only follows his command. Not even the current Emperor could control it anymore.
He didn't plan a coup because that would only scare the populace who strongly believed in the Royal Family.
He could rule with an ironfist but that's not the kind of Emperor he wanted to be.
So instead he started corrupting the Nobles.
He promised them benefits as long as they supported him. He got some support but the majority of the Nobles were loyal to the Royal Family. He then started spreading rumors and horrible facts about the Noble Families who didn't join his camp.
Slowly but surely he was destroying the image of the Noble houses. Creating doubt and mistrust among the commoner.
When he turned 40 he created the Union and two factions now contended for the right to rule. Because the current Emperor was incompetent he was able to stablish as much power as the Royal Family.
Henry then orchestrated the death of the Emperor. But since the Emperor has a daughter, he changed his plan by having his grandson marry the Imperial Princess.
If he seized the throne by force then that would be the same as revolting against the Empire. The civil war it would create would surely kill billions hence he ceased that thought.
Henry was doing this for the good of the Empire after all. Killing the people he would use in the future is definitely not a good idea. And an Empire without its citizen is just like an Emperor without his crown.
Everything was going smoothly until the Black Sun appeared. Now there are three powerhouse who had the power to dictate the fate of the Empire.
.
.
.
.
"Where...did I go wrong…?"
That was Henry's last thought as his life left this world.