We made it to the castle and let our horses rest in the stable inside the castle. The castle was a beautiful looking castle. It looked like it was made from the hardened lava itself, but that's the way the people of the past designed it. The castle was surrounded by molten lava and there was a massive volcano behind the castle.
We went into the meeting room and we all sat down in a chair. Claire looked at me then looked at Inoka. Inoka closed her eyes and smiled.
"So why did you want to talk to us in private?" Inoka asked.
"Because I knew my question would bring an uproar so it's better to ask it in private...so just in case you two decide to try something dumb, no one would know of our fate." I smirked.
"Well you certainly are a smart one, Your Majesty. Ask your question and from there we shall see what my immediate reaction is." Inoka opened her eyes.
Claire looked at me and had her hands between her thighs. She was letting Inoka do all the speaking for her.
"I come to conquer your kingdom." I started then noticed Inoka reaching for her rapier then I reached for my sword. "But before you try to attack me...allow me to explain myself first."
"This had better be a grand explanation because I am ready to strike you down right now..." Inoka glared.
"Not only have I come to conquer, I wish to marry you, Queen Claire. The reason I want to marry you is because you will still be queen and all I want is your love. The only proof I need that I conquered is a ring. I don't want your kingdom, but I want your love." I said.
Claire blushed madly and looked at me. "You...want to marry me..? H-How do I know this isn't a trick..?"
I got up then walked to her then kneeled in front of her and held her hands in mine. I looked up at her then she looked down at me. "You have my word, Claire. I may be arrogant...and a fool and many other things, but one thing I am not is a liar."
Claire looked at our hands and she was screaming with excitement on the inside, but on the outside her face was awestruck. She opened her mouth to speak. "Ye-"
A knight burst into the room and looked at us. "Milady! Princess Inoka! There is a man outside causing havoc in the city! He possesses a Dark Crest!"
I frowned upon hearing Dark Crest. I let go of Claire's hands then stood up.
"Dark Crest? Is there a such thing as a Dark Crest?" Inoka asked.
"Yes there is. People who possess them, are bad news. They give in to their dark desires, they let themselves be taken away by the Malevolent Legend who's name is Apocalypse. Those who fall into his hands no longer can gain back their humanity." I said then walked to the door.
"You're going to fight the person? I'm coming with you!" Claire stood up.
"No. You and Inoka are the people's Queen and Princess. If you die, your kingdom is gone. I am a nobody in this Kingdom. If I die, I die without a sound." I said then looked back.
"But you aren't a nobody...You're the descendant of Emperor Ascea. You're more important than you realize! You can't risk your life! Didn't you want to marry me? Please! Take me with you. If you die...I can use my Reborn Flames to bring you back to life." Claire said.
I looked at Claire then closed my eyes and smirked. "Oh alright. Come. We have a kingdom to protect."
"Yes!" Claire nodded and smiled.
Novis laughed and released multiple dark fireballs around the city, blasting down the buildings and killing a few people. "If I can't have this Kingdom...No one can have it! Rise my forces!"
A few dark fire spawns inhabited the dead people and they stood up from the ground. Novis laughed loudly and grunted then deflected my sword. I appeared in the air and grabbed the handle of my blade then slashed down. Novis glided backwards using his flames and I crashed to the ground. I slowly stood up and glared at Novis.
"Normally when I meet an old adversary, I'm usually a little cocky. A little more generous, but when it comes down to people like you...people who possess a Dark Crest, I have no sympathy for especially when you hurt innocent people." I said then my sword changed into its Yeshan Form.
Claire and Inoka got off their horses and summoned their weapons. Claire used a flame lance and had a flame shield equipped. Inoka used her Inferno Rapier.
"So...you've allied with the royals. I expected nothing less from you, but I want to fight you myself, Ryoma. After I kill you, I will kill these bitches and the Pyroc Kingdom will be mine then I will go after then Athirus Kingdom and slay Queen Azusa and her pathetic daughter." Novis chuckled.
I gripped the handle of my sword tightly. "You will not touch them."
"Hm? Why are you so defensive? Oh right, you're married to that pathetic Assassin!" Novis laughed. "In fact I will keep you alive...so you can watch me ravage your wife mercilessly and have her scream my name...then after I get done screwing your beloved, I'll kill her then move on to her daughter.."
I growled lowly and my eyes shined red then Nebula neighed loudly as she sensed my growing rage and hatred. I looked back then she shook her head. I calmed down and looked back at Novis. "You're right...I can beat this guy without my Rage Form, but I want him dead so badly. He threatened to harm Azusa and Mari. I won't let him get away with that!"
"Come at me..." Novis laughed.
I dashed to him and slashed at him. He blocked my attacks as we ended up clashing multiple times before entering a blade lock. He chuckled and looked at me.
"Your hatred for us Dark Crest wielders is unjustified when you possess one as well...Remember when you killed your first wife. You desired revenge...you desired her death! That's why the other lands hate you...You killed the descendant of the Emperor of Yascea. When you kill someone of the upmost importance...you become the nationwide enemy." Novis smirked. "Go ahead...show your beloved new wife your inner darkness. Show her the Tyrant. Show her who you really are beneath that mask."
I clenched my teeth and glared. Novis was really getting under my skin and he was making me angrier and angrier by the second, but I didn't give him what he wanted. I pushed him back then kicked him away. He groaned and slid backwards. I got in my original stance then dashed to him.
"I am not the tyrant as you all know me as so stop saying I am one!" I bellowed and slashed down at him.
He parried my attack then grunted when a clone of me struck his side. He stumbled to the side then I palmed his chest. He coughed a bit then was blown away into the burning forest. I dashed after him and bellowed.
"He's gone into the forest! We need to get to him! If he dies and I can't get to him within ten minutes, I won't be able to revive him." Claire said as she blocked an attack by one of her possessed citizens.
"Curse your Reborn Flames limitation.." Inoka said then dodged an attack then grabbed Claire's hands then ran forward.
Novis and I clashed continuously and he laughed. He enjoyed taunting me, trying to anger me to the point I go into my awakened state. He kicked me away and slashed multiple times, releasing multiple flaming cutting waves towards me.
"Come on, Emperor! Stop holding back! You know it's all true! You aren't one for the people! It is all a facade to make everyone forget what you did! You can't run from your past. You can't run from your own crimes! Accept it!" Novis laughed.
I kept blocking the flaming cutting waves then grunted and my sword changed into its Omni Protector form and I fell to one knee. "It's not my fault...I was loving towards her. She wanted to dethrone me...she betrayed me."
Claire and Inoka arrived and noticed the scenese. Novis was overwhelming me mentally and caused me to become overwhelmed physically.
"Ryoma!" Claire yelled and tried to run to me, but stopped when she blocked a cutting wave.
"This is between me and Ryoma. Stay out of this." Novis said then looked back at me. "This Emperor you so trust possesses a Dark Crest as well. He obtained it during the events of him slaughtering an entire kingdom. If this is the person you want to marry then you are a fool. He is no different than me."
Claire looked at Novis then at me. I slowly stood up and all three watched me.
"You possess it..?" Inoka asked.
"I do." I said then opened my eyes and they shined red.
"And you want to marry my sister?! What are your true intentions? Do you actually want to hurt her?!" Inoka yelled.
"Yes. Lash out at him. Call this fraud out." Novis chuckled.
"If I wanted to hurt her...I would have already done so. Wouldn't a tyrant not care about any other's wellbeing but his own? If I wanted to hurt her, don't you think I would have helped Novis destroy Pyroc? I'm not the tyrant everyone says I am. I destroyed her kingdom because she betrayed me and destroyed me. Talked down on my bloodline. She had to pay for her foolish actions...just like you are going to pay, Novis.." I said. "You want to see my awakening so badly? Heh...don't chicken out on me when I show you...The Tyrant..."
Everyone felt my aura spike in power and my Arcane Aura surged powerfully around me. Red cursed marks surrounded my body and a red symbol shined on my forehead.
"You should've thought about your actions...before pushing me too far. Maybe I would've made your death as painless as possible, but now...Your death will be as painful as possible." I said as my voice deepened a bit.
Inoka and Claire looked surprised. They hugged each other feeling my destructive aura. They stepped backwards and watched.
I bellowed and my aura manifested into red wings. I looked at Novis and lightning crackled around me. "Arcane. Let us show him...what we can really do." I said then my sword shined brightly and changed into its Chaos Mode.
"Wait...what is this form..? This form wasn't recorded in any of the events. What is this power..? His aura is so strong I can no longer sense it..." Novis said in shock.
I held my hand out towards Claire and Inoka then summoned magic barrier around them. They noticed the barrier and looked at me. I looked at Novis. "This is the form of untold legend. Mastering the Dark Crest of Chaos, I have not only allowed myself to control the Crest at will, but I have also gained the infamous Chaos Form. Do you see your mistake now? Do you see what you've done?"
I slowly walked to Novis and he backed away. His back hit an invisible barrier and he looked back. I kept walking to him slowly and my eyes emitted dark aura. My cursed markings also emitted aura.
"Who the hell do you think you are?!" Novis yelled and tried to strike me but his body froze up.
"I am a Tyrant correct? Allow me...to show you the power of not an emperor...but a Tyrant." I said then held my sword up. "The...End.."
I slashed and fractured the space around us then a light shined. A massive explosion happened and caused cataclysmic damage to the forest. Inoka and Claire looked surprised and terrified. The smoke cleared and my barrier shattered slowly. All that remained of Novis was his floating Dark Crest. I grabbed his Crest then my Crest shined. I crushed his Crest and absorbed the power.
"Tch...he knows nothing of the killer, but he seemed to know me well. I'll investigate this Crest further.." I said to myself.
"Now...what the hell..? I was never aware that Ryoma...would be THIS strong!" Inoka yelled and hyperventilated a bit.
"He did...save our Kingdom. Maybe he is telling the truth...but now I am slightly terrified of him." Claire said.
"Yeah...me too.." Inoka nodded quickly. "Very terrified now."
Nebula watched from a distance and her eyes shined a bit. She neighed and I heard it then Novis's Crest exited my body then entered her own. She snorted and gained the ability to use the Fire Element. I looked at Nebula then turned normal and smiled then fell to my knees and passed out. I was extremely exhausted since my true awakening took more energy than my normal awakening.
"R-Ryoma?!" Claire let go of Inoka and ran to me. "Crap he's out cold! He used too much energy at once it seems...Let's get him back to the castle."
"O-Okay.." Inoka nodded.