Within the grand hall of the Imperial Wind Palace, Emperor Qi Hawk's imposing form sat upon a throne crafted from pure gold and studded with glittering amethysts. The throne rested atop a raised dais of white jade.
He braced his feathered head against his right hand while tilting his head slightly, exuding an air of calm confidence that only those who have lived and battled for millennia could truly appreciate and replicate. But beneath this placid exterior, Raphael and Lu Jade could sense a current of danger – a subtle ripple of power that permeated the very air. This powerful entity, it was both fascinating and terrifying.
They stood before the Black Wind Emperor, anxiously awaiting his judgement as their eyes nervously darted around those intricately carved pillars that surrounded his throne and those jade wind chime that hang above which gently resonated to an unheard melody.
And as silence stretched, a thought surfaced in Qi Hawk's ancient mind as he observed his guests.
'Hm… A Nightmare Calamity 7th Stage… almost an Emperor Calamity. And the little serpent… Great Ordeal 4th Stage… I can sense he's suppressing his true strength. That aura… a power that resembles my late daughter's abilities. Intriguing.'
He smirked to himself, then concluded, "They might have a chance at succeeding."
The air in the throne room crackled with unspoken anticipation.
WHOOSH!
Then, in a blink, Qi Hawk vanished from his throne and materialized directly before them. His movement was so swift, so effortless, that Raphael could only stammer a confused, "Huh?!"
"Don't be alarmed, newcomers. I simply dislike wasting precious time on trivial pleasantries." Qi Hawk's voice came out calmly as he raised one wing in a reassuring gesture that seem to have the opposite effect upon those trembling before him.
"First, allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Emperor Qi Hawk, Calamity of this domain and those beyond. And as such… I extend my sincere welcome to my humble abode." He bowed slightly with those magnificent silver wings folded neatly.
The spectacle left Raphael speechless and Lu Jade feeling that he was about to pass out for the second time today. Such humility from such a potent being, It was baffling.
"Now tell me, what are your names?"
Raphael shook his head. It seems he wasn't the only one struggling to reconcile these recent events. "I… I am Raphael."
Lu Jade finally recovered his senses. He quickly bowed his head in a sign of respect that he had been taught to perform countless times by elders of his lineage, but never had he considered performing such a humble act to one outside his species, he shuddered.
"Lu… Lu Jade. It is an honor to be in your presence, Your Majesty."
"Hmm. Excellent." Qi Hawk clapped once then turned towards the enormous black door they had entered moments before as his wings expanded and pulsed in sync with his thoughts.
"Now for the true reason for your presence…"
Then a dome of translucent, iridescent white energy began to materialize, encompassing them entirely. They felt isolated from the outside world as if within their own pocket universe.
Raphael instinctively glared around suspiciously, "What are you doing?"
Qi Hawk saw their reaction and smirked.
"Don't be alarmed. I've simply erected a sound barrier for privacy. What I'm about to share, it's sensitive information, not meant for those tiny ears out there."
"You're a careful Emperor. I respect that."
Raphael's words weren't an actual compliment, more like shock laced with those anxieties he was now very well acquainted with.
"First… I extend my gratitude for the events of this night. Your battle with Lu Ignis, it had very… interesting repercussions that wouldn't have happened had I stayed within those safe walls of mine and allowed the world to crumble around my peace."
"Hmm? Your gratitude?"
This was a twist they hadn't anticipated. Even Lu Jade, whose knowledge of such matters rivaled the most knowledgeable elder serpent in Yama Yaguai, was confused.
Qi Hawk's right eye glowed a milky-white color as those feathers ruffled.
"Yes! Gratitude. Your flight across my territories with that serpent on your tail, it… forced my hand, you see? I was compelled to protect my realm and its inhabitants from that imbecile's wrath. And in doing so, I discovered something wonderful. Something I thought had been lost to those cruel flames of fate long ago, but…" He chuckled with a joy that shook their very being.
Then as if recounting a dreadful memory with excitement lacing those whispers. He explained:
"That confrontation, it reignited an ancient grudge. As we battled. I called upon a power I've rarely used since those flames stole a part of my vision. I've called upon my Void Eye, a gift I was bestowed with at birth. With it, I can see beyond the limits of physical reality."
Hearing those words had Raphael's brain reeling. A power that can see beyond the limits of reality?
"Nevermind… just tell us. What have we done, that's so damn important? Surely you didn't drag us to this fancy palace just to tell us bedtime stories of your glorious past."
"Yes, please tell us, your Majesty." Lu Jade hissed softly in curiosity.
Qi Hawk revealed, "I've utilized my Void Eye power to pierce his scaly defenses. And it was in those moments of chaos that I sense it. An echo so distinct. I would never forget it even if a thousand more years pass. It was faint. A mere whisper, yet… It's unmistakable! He still has it!"
"Has what?" Raphael asked.
"Lu Ignis still has my other 'Void Eye', the one he ripped from my face millennia ago. He never destroyed it! I thought… I believed I felt it vanish, but I was wrong. The old bastard must have kept it all these years, thinking he could unlock its secrets. Perhaps he even thought he could use it to defy Sindoll. Hahaha! Foolishness. He might be a powerful serpent. But MY 'Void Eyes' will only respond to my commands."
What was he getting into now?
"So…" Raphael coughed, trying to collect his thoughts. "What do you want us to do about it? You don't expect us to… rob that old tyrant, do you?"
"That," Qi Hawk said with a sly smile, "is precisely what I'm proposing."
"WHAT?!"
Both Raphael and Lu Jade were stunned. The audacity!
"You want us to sneak into Lu Ignis's territory and retrieve your stolen eye?" Raphael shook his head. "HAHA! You're crazy if you think I'll go on a suicide mission, into Lu Ignis's den no less! Do you have any idea how brutal that old bastard is? My hooves will be ripped off as soon as I set a golden toe across that wretched territory. This mission… it's a death sentence! There's no way we can do it."
"Yes, yes. Big Brother Raphael is right. I'm not a strong snake, but even I know that's impossible. Even if we could somehow get past those guards and those legions of serpent warriors, Father is always surrounded by his most trusted advisors. They're all Calamities, every single one! We'll be crushed like insects before we even reach the treasury!"
Lu Jade was terrified, the very thought of stepping foot into his father's lair now filled him with a dread far more potent than those beatings he'd suffered in his youth.
Qi Hawk's calm demeanor returned. He understood their fear, he thought. He had to convince them.
"Fear not my allies. I'm not sending you to your deaths without a reward. This mission, if successful, will grant you untold power, untold riches. Trust me, you won't regret it."
Those last words were more a plea than a statement. His tone had softened a little, which didn't impress Lu Jade who thought, 'Easy for you to say, Emperor. You're not the one risking your hide.'
Raphael, however, found his curiosity piqued. "Hmph! If your mission is truly so lucrative then spill it! Tell us, Emperor Qi Hawk. What is it you have that will warrant a death sentence for simply setting our eyes on Lu Ignis's treasure?"
A spark of hope flickered in Qi Hawk's expression. "Excellent." He spread his majestic white wings and leaned forward conspiratorially.
"Let me paint a picture for you…"
As he spoke, moving images appeared on his feathers. It was truly breathtaking to witness. He could manipulate those scenes to his will in terrifying detail that was captivating and hypnotic.
"In three months' time, something momentous will occur, something that every beast dreams of witnessing. I'm speaking about the Great Divine Tribulation."
"The Great Divine Tribulation?" Raphael scratched his head with a hoof. This phrase was unfamiliar. The memories he'd absorbed from Shao Jin weren't helpful. This bull never cared about events like this, for it was a lone wolf, choosing to hoard power and those treasure it gathered from slain enemies.
"A-ah! I know this event!" Lu Jade's tone held a boyish excitement. "Once every ten thousand years, beasts from all across Yama Yaguai gather to test their might against each other. The victor earns the blessing of Void Emperor Sindoll."
"Void Emperor Sindoll…? Hmm…" Those words and those titles echoed through Raphael's fractured memories as if coming from the depths of hell. He'd heard it earlier when Lu Ignis retreated, or to be more specific, halted in his mad march to crush both himself and Lu Jade into fine paste.
"What's so special about Void Emperor Sindoll's blessing? Is it stronger than yours, Emperor Qi Hawk?"
This time it was Qi Hawk who answered. "Stronger? Ahahaha!" His laughter had those feathers ruffling once again before those moving images shifted to a scene of countless butterflies ascending to heaven.
"Her blessing is the ultimate prize, the most coveted treasure sought by all beasts. Imagine having your Solar Consciousness evolved by five hundred thousand years! FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND!" He spread those wings wide to reveal a serpent and bull basking in an ocean of golden light that dripped essence and power!
"Think about it! You, Raphael, you'd ascend to a realm of power unimaginable! You'd stand amongst the strongest Calamities in Yama Yaguai! And you, Lu Jade, you'll become a Calamity."
"I'd be… a Calamity!" Lu Jade almost fainted from shock! This… this was… unreal.
"Precisely!" Qi Hawk nodded. "It is a power beyond even your wildest dreams, but gaining entry is no easy feat. The selection process is brutal. Only the strongest, the most cunning are chosen by those of us who rule these lands to represent our territories. Countless beasts perish in those trials. But," he gestured with a grand sweep of his wing, "You, my allies… I will grant you safe passage."
From beneath his wings, two gold-plated invitations came into existence with a rainbow glow surrounding them.
"Those…" Lu Jade was stunned. These were the treasures he'd always longed for.
"These are Special Invitation Passes to the Great Divine Tribulation. With these passes… You can skip those Selection Trials. You'll be granted direct entry into the grand event itself. Consider it a token of my trust in your abilities."
Lu Jade watched the Invitation levitate towards their faces. "That'ss a wonderful opportunity. A gift beyond even a thousand lifetimes. Big Brother Raphael, I think we should…"
"Are those Invitation passes… ALL you offer?"
Those words, spoken by Raphael had Qi Hawk baffled! What kind of idiotic, arrogant, and ungrateful creature dares to question his generosity?! He had just offered them ascension! Power! An opportunity no one but himself could grant!
Qi Hawk flinched internally and then quickly recovered with a smirk. It seems he was thinking that both would beg and prostrate themselves in gratitude for this gift he was willing to bestow upon them.
His anxieties quickly died as another speculation filled his ancient mind: 'Perhaps he's simply considering those risks involved. The Great Divine Tribulation is a brutal proving ground where only the strongest survive. He must be thinking, even with my blessing, what if he fails…?'
"Fine." Qi Hawk's tone softened as he explained.
"That's not all I offer. In the remaining time before the Great Divine Tribulation. I shall give you both rare cultivation materials from the imperial storehouse to aid your ascension. And to appease any concerns about being taught the arts. I will instruct the most knowledgeable elders to guide your progress personally."
"Wow, wow, wow… Big Brother… thissss iss too good… surely…"
Lu Jade was stunned! This bounty. Those treasure beyond value! It was hisss!
"I think… We… I mean, WE accept. Yes?" Those words came tumbling forth as Lu Jade looked toward his friend for reassurance that they weren't being tricked again. This all seems too unreal!
"Good… Good! I knew you would see the…"
"Is that ALL? Are those trinkets and treasures enough to overcome those dangers that lay within? Surely you are aware of this."
Qi Hawk coughed a bit. He'd never encountered such audacity, even when those dragons from the south came asking for favors, they weren't this bold. But the question was valid, so he answered.
"Indeed. There are dangers within the Great Divine Tribulation that are far beyond even those we have witnessed. But your power, your abilities, and that bond I witnessed during those chaotic moments with the snakes. It is a valuable asset."
He then let out a frustrated huff, "But to answer your question directly." He then turned around to pace for a bit while thinking on what would finally appease them, however, no new ideas came to mind.
"Oh! RIGHT!" He snapped his talons as if having a great epiphany and returned to face the imposing bull. "I will also ensure your safety until the Great Divine Tribulation and those beyond its calling. If you are victorious. Your wishes… I shall grant them with a snap of these feathers. Wealth, fame, power, knowledge, treasures from those distant realms, even access to the Imperial Harem and those maidens that yearn for a powerful bull such as yourself… they are yours!"
"Whoa! Big Brother, let's do it! Accept now! It's an honor!" Lu Jade was sold. He would do anything to become a Calamity, to never have to fear bullies like before, to have those powers… this opportunity might never come again.
Raphael, however, was in deep thought. There was a saying he'd heard back in Tajmani's castle, that was always whispered because it was forbidden and yet held power that even those knights trembled before.
"Free lunch… they're often laced with poison."
He had to ask,
"Is there anything… ANYTHING ELSE?"
But the Emperor, now growing agitated by this ordeal replied quickly, "Look! My last offer. I'll give you one of my most lavish palaces within these heavens. That should be more than enough."
Raphael pondered for bit. If he refuse, this emperor could easily kill him, so might as well he take this gamble, and if it pays off, he will be one step closer to his goal of becoming stronger.
"Those treasures and opportunities… they're… tempting, Your Majesty." He paused, making sure his next words would not offend. It was one thing to be arrogant and confident with lesser beasts, but an Emperor Calamity, that was another story all together. "But one question remains. How will we… I mean, how can I even set foot in Ho Eastern without being targeted? Those snakes… if they recognize this bull's form. We're doomed. Surely you are aware of those dangers? They want my head on a platter."
"Big Brother is right." Lu Jade added his concern.
"Hmm…" The Emperor snapped his claws together and exclaimed. "Leave those concerns to me, I have a solution…"
"Reality Thwart – Prosopagnosia!"
BOOM!
A blinding white light shot from Qi Hawk's Void Eye.
Before Raphael or Lu Jade could react, they were enveloped in the Emperor's energy. The world blurred before their vision. They felt a tingling sensation across their hide and scales, followed by a disorientation that made them both stumble.
Then as they blinked back into reality…
"Behold!" Qi Hawk said with a proud smile as he gestured towards their transformed figures.
"Those pesky serpents won't recognize you now. You'll blend in perfectly."
They looked at themselves and gasped. No longer were their forms golden or emerald, rather they were those of massive black serpents!