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King’s Illusion.

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Synopsis

Chapter 1 - Chapter 1: The Beginning

Chapter 1: The Beginning.

The Empire of Rome, the empire that have conquered the most land out of all the existing empire of this planet. An intercontinental power house that boast both military and economic power. An empire that is governed by a family favored by the divine.

And as of now it is ruled by Kristoff Pontifixus Aurelius the current emperor monikered as the Emperor Seated to the Blood Throne or Bloody Emperor.

He was a ruthless man who gained his power through cutting flesh and spilling blood, crushing bones and burning bodies of his enemies, a ruthless and cold-blooded man and that man is my father.

I am Marcus Pontifixus Aurelius Bartholomew, the youngest son of the Bloody Emperor but unlike my brother who lives in the Imperial Palace I live in the outskirt of the Empire in some backwater village.

Why you may ask, the answer to that is thst me and my mother were exiled when her Fatherland was destroyed.

My mother you see is the princess of the Barthol Kingdom and she was bethroted to my father who was at that time was still the prince of Rome.

When my father succeded the throne he married my mother but unfortunately due to the war that Barthol was in, it was destroyed, removed from the map.

At that time no one knows that my mother was pregnant with me so with no kingdom to back her up and no heir to give she was exiled.

"Cough! Cough! Cough!" In a bed made out of cheap cotton a women on her late thirties lie sick.

She had violet hair and calm blue eyes, she was beautiful but she was sickly pale. That women is my mother who is struggling against her disease.

"My little Marcus…" She said weakly and I walked closer to her bed and kneeled on the side, she held me in my face gently and gave me a loving and motherly smile. Despite her sickly appearance she still smiled.

"I- I'm sorry my son,"

"Please forgive this foolish mother of yours,"

"I- I didn't raise you like a proper mother should,"

"I'm sorry for raising you up as a weapon," She said weakly with great sadness on her tone.

Despite her pleading and her dying appearance my face remained stoic. I did not show any emotion even though right now I'm feeling like my whole world is collapsing.

Seeing my unchanging face my mother looked at me sadly yet at the same time proudly.

"I truly taught you good, for you to not even change even when your mother is dying haha," She jokingly said.

"Haha it's good that you still uphold my teaching to you, but you can for the first time my son, let out your emotion," She said to me.

At that word my facade began to crumble, the stoic face I had was shattered and replaced by face filled with fear and worry. Tears broke out from my eyes as if a dam was broken.

My mother hugged me whilst I was crying while patting my back, it was her who was dying I should be the one comforting her but instead it was the opposite.

"Yes there we go my little one, cry as long as you want,"

I don't know long I was crying but by the time I was done dawn was already breaking out, and when I was done my mother looked more sick but she still hugged me tightly.

She stood from her bed despite the struggles and slowly walked to the drawer and pulled something out, it was a coin with a golden eagle embedded on the middle with leaves carved on the corner surrounding the eagle.

She handed it over to me and said.

"My son go to the capital of the empire and proclaim your right as holder of the Roman Royal Blood,"

"Join the coming of age ceremony and figh for the throne," she said and once again laid back on the bed.

Her eyes was slowly closing and her breath was slowly running out I knew what was happening yet I could not accept it.

"I'm sorry my little Marcus,"

It feels so wrong. I was raised in the outskirt of some backwater village and was taught how to kill, how to scheme, how to survive for every single moment of my seventeen years of living, my right to live in the palace, and my right as the prince and now my right to live with my mother was taken.

Before I could complain another, the beat of my mother's heart stopped, I knew what it was and once again like dam broken tears flood out.

"Rest mother, you have taught me well, just watch me in the afterlife become the emperor,"

***

In the capital of the Empire.

Inside the royal palace, the emperor of the empire Kristoff Pontifixus Aurelius sat on his throne with three young man in front of him kneeling.

That three was his son.

Gabriel Pontifixus Aurelius, the oldest son.

Nero Pontifixus Aurelius, the second son.

Maximus Pontifixus Aurelius, the third son.

"Tommorow will be your coming of age ceremony, do not dissapoint me." Despite being a father talking to his son the emperor was cold, he didn't show any fatherly love to them and instead it was like a boss looking at his employee.

There was no paternal relation, there is only bussiness.

"Yes your majesty!" The three responded accordingly.

The emperor then waved his hands at them dismissively and the three stood up with their heads still down and walked out of the throne room.

"Are the preparations ready?" The emperor asked the man beside his throne.

"Yes your majesty, everything is prepared, I have sent invitations to all nobleman of the empire there is nothing to worry about." He said respectfully.

"Hmm I see, then I guess there's no more work for me to do for today." He stood up from his throne and walked away. He paused for a moment when he thought of his sons, he remembered that he still have a son from a foreign princess which he personally exiled.

A frown appeared on his face.

'God bid me well that nothing troublesome happen tommorow.'

***

The day of the coming of age ceremony has come and the entire empire was in festive mood.

Banners can be seen on every streets, people were merry as they are walking around. People exchanged pleasantries with a smile.

While the common people were having fun outside inside the temple was the opposite.

A tense atmosphere can be felt inside the temple.

And in the temple at the capital all people with high ranks gather. From low nobleman from high dukes of the empire all of them gather for one event.

And that is the Dictum Deus. Where the children of all nobleman would present their offspring in the altar of the gods to be claimed by them and be picked to be their avatar.

In politics usually with kings and emperors, the ruler would include in his speech or when he is giving order this words "By the power invested to me by the gods!"

Usually that is just sophistry but here it is real.

The Dictum Deus is where the gods of the pantheon they are worshipping would pick their avatar from the noble children and would bestow them gifts.

This gifts can ranged from special ability, divine items, fortune and blessings to divine familiars. It can ranged from anything depending on the gods that chose them.

It's a simple event that makes the people more faithful to the faith.

it may look like that om the surface but this ceremony has a purpose.

And that is to commence the start of the battle of succesion.

In every pantheon there is what you would call a Pantheon Chief or the King of the Gods. Inside every pantheon there is still a heriarchy but any gods can still claim the position of Pantheon Chief. There was many myths how this position is gained from stories and legends but the only way for a god to become a Pantheon Chief is to make his avatar or chosen one the ruler of their Chosen Domain.

The Major Arcana or the Elder Gods will pick their avatar from the current ruler's heir and the winner of that battle would sit on the throne of the empire meaning if his avatar became the emperor then he too will become the Pantheon Chief.

This was a system favored by all pantheons to keep incompetent gods from having the throne and hoarding all the power.

And that's why the Dictum Deus is a very important event as it is not only the commencation of the battle for the mortal throne but also the divine throne. But take note that this aplies to all kinds of civilization not only the Romans.

Inside the temple all of the empires young heir gather around.

From offspring of lowly baron to the children of the high duke. All of them was there mingling or waiting with varying expression present. Some were anxious, some were happy, some were scared, and many are excited.

As the nobleman and the children were chattering around suddenly the giant door of the temple swung open and entered three young man with distinct golden hair.

They were wearing lavish clothes only available to royalty, their militaristic robe laced with gold at each step they took the sound of their footstep hitting the marble floor resounded throughout the temple, they strode with confidence and smug smile.

Murmurs can be heard when the three entered.

"Oh the Princes!"

"Such dignified pose and walk!"

"Hmm they are truly the children of the Emperor."

"Such regal aura!"

"Kya! Look at prince Gabriel! So hot!"

The three took their seats with a smug face and looked around haightily soon later the emperor entered.

Upon his entrance all of them either duke or baron all of them knelled down and paid respect.

Once the emperor was on his seat he said.

"Let the Dictum Deus commence."