After a long explanation and many attempts to wake Marc's mother, who fainted at the sight of the Emperor...
"You could try being less intimidating."
"And how am I supposed to do that?"
"Don't be here. It's simpler."
"All right."
They managed to leave Orio and set off in the direction of Erazel.
"I don't understand why the Emperor's carriages are accompanying us."
"Don't worry, Mom."
"So that's where you were going, my son, every time you disappeared."
"No."
"I don't know whether to be proud of you or not. Trading with the Turcan Emperor, what an idea."
Marc told himself that his parents might never understand him. It was better that way. He looked out of the carriage window, to see many people watching him and his family being transported by the Emperor himself. They were all stunned, trying to figure out if this was a noble or important family.
"Who are they?"
"Are they from another empire?"
"Why do they travel with the Emperor?
"Are they important?"
"What have they already achieved to have this privilege?"
No one knew. Marc didn't either.
"Do you think he really wants to help us, Marc?"
Nathanaël was watching the crowd too. From his point of view, The Emperor couldn't be a nice, powerful character. He had to have his big reasons.
"Maybe?"
Marc didn't really trust the Emperor, but compared to him, he had no choice. On the way to Erazel, he let himself sleep calmly on his seat, enjoying the light breeze that caressed his face.
Erazel was more modern than Orio. These buildings rose higher and there was a huge tower right in the middle of it.
"So this is the most prestigious school in the world. Cartillar."
The school's tower was over a thousand meters high. The rest of its buildings had at least ten floors each.
"What's the point of so much space if the admission rate is so low."
"To look pretty, I suppose."
"It wasn't the Turcan Emperor who erected this school. It was his father. Emperor Charles."
It was said that Emperor Charles had made the prestige of the Zvenne Empire and Emperor Turcan had made its glory.
"That doesn't surprise me."
Erazel, though impressive, possessed an ugly flaw: her colors. Compared to Orio, where a magnificent golden sun illuminated the city, Erazel had only black clouds to keep it company. The atmosphere was very heavy because of the weather. It rained often, and there was hardly ever a ray of sunshine. Marc noticed that the city seemed to be extinguished. The aura it exuded was just as extinguished.
"What a sad town."
"We've arrived at the place where you're staying. We'll leave you here. The children are coming with us."
Exorian may have been as polite as possible, but he seemed to be giving orders. They changed carriages to go with the Emperor to the ruins. Marie grabbed Marc's arm as he stepped out.
"Be careful."
"I will be."
Marc didn't want to worry his mother. He got out of the carriage and headed for the Emperor's carriage. The rain was pounding down on him. The only lights were those of the street lamps. A dark, orange light.
"Are you coming, Marc?"
The Emperor looked at Marc with emerald eyes that pierced the darkness. His look, reminiscent of superiority, landed on Marc's dark eyes.
"I'm coming."
The Emperor's carriage arrived at the ruins. The ground was strewn with stone. Nothing remained of the great church of old. All had been destroyed. One could still see the central statue, of which only the base remained. The other statues, whose eyes had been pierced, had been cut in half. There was no trace of the lady's presence around the ruins.
"There's nothing left here. It's all in ruins. If you see anything more than me. Let me know."
Marc and his friends walked around the church. Some stones contained engravings, but no one could decipher anything. Nevertheless, Marc could read the word Aregis in some places.
"It's weird that you can read that. Your connection with that word is pretty scary."
"Yes, I know."
"There's nothing else to take from this ruin. It's in pieces. It'll be the same with Monriv and Jacod, but we're going to see them anyway. We never know. Your parents will stay here. It's better if they don't make all the trips."
"Agreed."
They set off for the towns of Monriv and Jacod. The results were identical. None of the ruins left the slightest clue. Jacod was burnt to a crisp and Monriv looked as if it had turned to dust. Marc could only read the word. It was time to go to the last place.
"Zvenne? The capital?"
"Yes. The last ruin is in the capital. I won't be able to accompany you as Emperor if I don't want to be spotted. "
"Are we really going to Zvenne?"
"Try to be discreet. In Zvenne, they don't like strangers."
"Yes, chief."
"Stop calling me chief."
The horses were soon replaced by luxury cars.
"We'll change cars in Zirlande. We don't want to attract attention."
They went from luxury cars to what he might call normal cars. Marc didn't want to leave the fast cars offered by the Emperor, but he had no choice. Two cars left the Emperor's guard.
"Aren't you afraid of being isolated?"
"Afraid? Me? What would I be afraid of?"
Elie quickly regretted her question when she saw the emerald eyes staring back at her intensely. Looking at the Emperor, Marc thought that he too needed to work on his aura. If he could reach a certain level, he was sure he could do as the Man in Black had done the day he conjured up the sword to kill him. For him, the aura represented one's power. The more imposing, the more powerful. Which justified the fear he'd felt that day.
"We've arrived. "
Zvenne deserved the praise they were giving it. Jin's eyes, dark though they were, lit up at the sight of the city. It was simply dazzling. Buildings of an architecture never seen before. Marc thought he was seeing the future in his present. Cars seemed to be flying through the sky, buildings were floating and people were running on the walls. Worst of all, everything seemed to be done in an ancient style, making the city seem supernatural. Elie thought the city had been made with superpowers. The city's fantastic, futuristic feel was its charm.
Nathanaël described it as the most beautiful city he had ever seen. Marc's mother faints. Marc's father faints too.
"Welcome to Zvenne."
How could such a city exist? The whole group was asking the same question. The cars moved slowly forward, then took a few bends, separating from the road that led to the Emperor's castle. If they could call it a castle. An immense mansion rising almost to the clouds stood in the very center of the city. Dozens of pointed peaks, thousands of panes of glass, water all around, flowers in many places...the castle could reflect the glory of man.
"Emperor's Glory. That's the name of the castle."
A name so arrogant it suited him so well. No one could argue with this building. Marc looked at the Emperor. His aura had intensified, but it wasn't threatening. It was glorious.
"The ruins are ruined here."
Far from the castle and the center of the capital, the ruins of Zvenne's church were impeccable. They seemed to reflect the splendor of the city.
"These are the ruins that have been best preserved. That makes sense to me, given that we're in the capital. But they're also the strangest."
Marc observed the ruins. His aura was indeed dangerous. But as he watched, Marc thought he recognized an aura he'd seen before. His breath caught, his vision disappeared, a drop of sweat slowly fell down his face before falling to the ground.
"Marc?"
"Yes."
The aura vanished instantly.
"Are you all right?"
"Yes. Don't worry."
Marc told himself it was a dream, but in that last moment of doubt he looked at Elie. She was no better. Her eyes seemed to indicate that she too had seen something. She looked at Marc.
"He was there."
"Yes."
"Who are you talking about?"
"The man in black."
The mood of the group grew dull. Everyone knew who this man was, and even though Jin, Exorian and the Emperor Turcan didn't know him, he was afraid of him.
"So it was him."
"Have you seen him before?"
"No. But I felt that aura the first time I came. And it was in that ruin that a man died. Since then, I don't keep it. It's too dangerous. Prepare yourself. Exorian, prepare my things."
"Yes."
Exorian did as he was told. The Emperor had never been so serious since they'd known him.
"Marc."
"Yes."
"You remember those white beings from the other world you told me about."
Marc's eyes opened wide.
"There are some in there. They're guarding this ruin."
Jin felt the excitement rising.
"As soon as I open the door, get into fighting stance. Let's see what you've got."
The Emperor looked at them out of the corner of his eye. He was surprised to see that none of the kids seemed frightened.
"Here's your sword, Majesty."
"Thank you, Exorian. Prepare yourself too."
The Emperor moved towards the door. Slowly, he opened it cautiously. As soon as it was ajar, he understood.
"They're coming."