Chereads / The Legendary Emperor King / Chapter 17 - Chapter 17 - Titan's Ascension

Chapter 17 - Chapter 17 - Titan's Ascension

Asu Continent, Mandarin empire…

 Group of mountains, Mount Shizukesa…

 Top…

- Arthur Treadway (bloodied but defiant, rises from the ground. His core shattered, yet his spirit unyielding. He faces Butler, the ancient sage who has witnessed centuries of battles)

- Arthur Treadway (in pain, gets up. Gets into a combat stance and thinks of the people he loves) "Like father Pendragon said, die fighting!": I am the Ultimate Dragon Lord! Come on, fight me! (gritting his teeth)

- Butler (with a melancholy look that hides centuries of wisdom, he advances. He knows this is a defining moment, not just for Arthur, but for everyone's fate)

1 month later…

 Mount Everest…

 Top…

On the highest peak in the world, where the sky kisses the earth, Arthur faced Butler.

- Butler (fighting Arthur, with pity) "It's not you…" (parrying Arthur's blows)

- Arthur Treadway (throwing punches, determination unwavering) "Weakness? I'll prove them wrong! Say the weak, I am strong!"

- Butler (dodging) "He is the first to come so close after a thousand years…"

- Arthur Treadway (with the power of The Light pulsing through his veins, he throws punches with a strength that seems to shake the mountains themselves): Let's go! My people need this. (eyes glow gold, and golden runes appear through his body and his strength and speed begin to increase)

- Butler (narrowly dodging, surprised) "I don't believe this!": Stop! (orders, recognizing the danger of such uncontrolled power)

- Arthur Treadway (confused, stops): What?! (panting)

- Butler (smiles, puts his hand on Arthur's shoulder): There's one last training session. You have to get all the bad feelings out of you. Forgiveness and humility are for the strongest, also because if the Essence of Light encounters competitive things within you, it will understand that you are an enemy and will make you disappear, those bad feelings strengthens the darkness...

- Arthur Treadway (goes to the waterfall, squats, looks at his reflection in the water, gazes at himself): Butler, I don't even remember why I was so angry... (to himself): Why was I so furious, so sad?

- Arthur Treadway (sighs, looks at the sky): Light, I met you through a village, through people. And now I know that I'm not perfect, I know I have flaws, mistakes, and I'm a nobody, so I forgive them all. I forgive my mother and above all, I forgive myself. (sighs of relief): I know that I won't be the same person after this, but it's necessary. I will trust you my body, mind and people, take good care of us…

- Butler (smiles, goes towards the Cave of Kings): I tell you now, you are stronger than many, even though you don't have physical strength. Anyway, great, now let's go! The Light is waiting for you…

- Arthur (following Butler) "Why do I have to sacrifice my life? Won't I be just a herald?"

Asu Continent, Mandarin Empire…

 East coast, Protoss Island…

 Royal palace, queen's office...

- Princess Alexia Aesir (in royal robes and a tiara, nervous, enters): Did you call for me, your majesty?

- Queen Andromeda (sitting and reading some letters, looks at Alexia): Yes, sit down! I want to talk to you...

- Princess Alexia Aesir (heart racing, sits down) "What have I done now…?"

- Queen Andromeda (sighs, puts down the letters, looks at Alexia): Daughter, I want to talk to you about you and your brother's wedding issue. (leans on the chair)

- Princess Alexia Aesir (trying to hide her joyful smile, looks at the queen): Yes…

- Queen Andromeda (looking fixedly at Alexia): That will never happen! You two are like brothers. And you are twenty-two years old, he turned eighteen recently, four years apart. I'm sure you two don't feel that way about each other and that's horrible, the law of Pendragon forbids incest, am I wrong?

- Princess Alexia Aesir (changes her expression, hiding her emotions) "Oh…": No, you're not wrong, my Queen…

- Queen Andromeda (smiles): Are we understood then?

- Princess Alexia Aesir (with a subtle smile): Yes ma'am…

- Queen Andromeda (smiling, sighs) "That's a relief...": You can go, I know you have to take care of the library...

- Princess Alexia Aesir (smiles): Yes… (gets out of the office)

In the corridor…

- Princess Alexia Aesir (walking, with tears filling her eyes): … (cleans her face)

Euro Continent, Greece empire…

 Gods' province, city of Athens...

 Royal palace, training room...

 Bathroom…

- Princess Athens Olympus (facing her own demons, looks in the mirror. Seeing her scars, on her arms and legs, with fear) "I don't want to see him again…"

Days later…

 Throne room…

- King Zeus (sitting on the throne, sees Athens enter, smiles): My daughter, how are you? Can your old father count on you in this war? "(reclines on his throne, eyes fixed on)

- Princess Athens Olympus (annoyance etched on her face, stares back at him): No! I will not be present!

- Prince Ares Olympus (clad in battle-worn armor, interjects with a smirk): It would be a great pleasure to fight alongside you like we did centuries ago...

- King Zeus (leans forward, his patience waning): Daughter, you no longer love your father, is that it? You've been weird for a long time...

- Princess Athens Olympus (annoyed, without facial expression): I don't care! (floats out of the room)

- King Zeus (annoyed, slams his hand on the arm of the throne): AHH! With Athens in battle, we would have a strategic advantage...

- Prince Ares Olympus (laughing): If that's the problem, it can be solved...

Asu Continent, Mandarin empire…

 Group of mountains, Mount Everest…

 Top, Cave of The Kings…

- Arthur Treadway (lying on the floor, opens his eyes. Sees himself in the middle of a white room, realizes that he is shirtless, sighs): This must be a joke, where did Butler go? And my tunic… (sees a man materialize in front of him)

- Arthur Treadway (surprised): Who... Who are you?!

- The man (white hair matching his attire, in a tunic and cloak, his hands behind his back, staring at Arthur): Who do you think I am? (looking fixedly at Arthur with his red eyes, penetrating his soul) 

- Arthur Treadway (analyzing the man up and down, surprised): It's not possible!! You are me? You have golden eyes, my face, my body… Only years older, pale skin, golden runes in your body, a well-muscled body and taller, may taller… (raises an eyebrow)

- The man (looking at Arthur, extends his hand and appears in a garden, sits on a rock): You really are a genius child. You climb a mountain, train for months and then get here, and ask these kinds of questions?

- Arthur Treadway (surprised, looks around): You... Where are we? If you are not me, who are you? Why do you look so much like me?!

- The man (sitting, sighs): I am Tyron, we are inside the Essence of Light, or the King's Force as your kind calls it. I used this body to not scare you, we thought it would speed up the process...

- Arthur Treadway (without facial expression, remains stoic): The truth is always better. But what are you exactly? And who is we?

- The man (smiles, changes his appearance to a young adult with white hair, red eyes, and muscular body): Is it better now?! I am the King of the Titans, or I was at least. My name is Tyron Zephyros. There was a war in my world, and I had to leave everything behind, and one of the Titans sealed our realm. When I arrived here, my ship collided against mount Everest, this is how the Cave of the Kings appeared. The impact was so strong that I ended up dying, but I remained alive through the Essence of Light. I continued to live inside him. Choosing the heralds of The Light, or champions, or users, you choose what you want to call them. I chose them from time to time, to have a third of the power of the Light. We as me and The Light.

- Arthur Treadway (raises his right eyebrow): Really, weren't you immortal? How did you die? (holding his laughter)

- Tyron Zephyros (looking fixedly at Arthur): I know you're making fun of me child and I didn't say I'm The Light. What do you want?

- Arthur Treadway (meets Tyron's eyes): I came to take The Essence of Light!

- Tyron Zephyros (smirks): Funny, you know that when your ancestor came here, I tried to scare him, but I didn't even need to. He recognized that he was in the presence of someone superior to him, and he was already king and much older than you. Now you, a child that doesn't show the slightest respect for someone six thousand years older, is your entire species like this? Maybe I should ask the Light to give the elves the opportunity to have the Essence of Light, or the dwarves, the giants, the orcs, the Phoenixes… (thinking)

- Arthur Treadway (his resolve solidifies. He faces Tyron): Listen! As we speak, entire civilizations die. Kingdoms and peoples devastated by a war that without the Essence of Light will not have a pleasant end, so if the Titan Lord here, liked my ancestor, grant me your power so that I can fight for them, help me prevent my world from having the same end as yours…

- Tyron Zephyros (seated with casual elegance, smiles cryptically. Leaning back): You don't know what you're asking me. Are you sure you want this to your life? You truly think you'll just have to face Zeus? Your father, Pendragon, almost died several times. He had no idea about the things that were out there, if he didn't die it's because The Light truly protected him, so I'll ask again, are you sure that's what you want?

 - Arthur Treadway (decided, stares at Tyron): It isn't about what I want, but what's necessary! (his gaze hardens)

- Tyron Zephyros (his sigh carries eons of weight and age) "You don't know what you're doing, little one…": You won't be a herald, you'll be the King of the Titans. I died a long time ago, and I have to stop meddling in the problems of other generations, so I'll pass my position to you. Don't let this power blind you, my son. You will have many responsibilities, and they will charge you a high price for your actions, and I forgot to say, you are now the Guardian of the balance, the Equilibrium, meaning that you are going have to be strong enough to control the Titans, and maintain the balance in the universe...

- Arthur Treadway (looking at Tyron): Guardian of balance?

- Tyron Zephyros (eyes gleam): One of the many sacrifices you will make to have the Essence of Light, you will lose your feelings slightly. You will receive intelligence and wisdom to hold this position...

- Arthur Treadway (looking at Tyron): Right… "Why is he so excited…?"

- Tyron Zephyros (leans in): You will have the conscience of all users, including all the Titans of Light, now something you didn't know. Alfred only regenerates living cells, when you fell from the top of mount Everest, do you think you survived? But if you didn't survive, how are you still alive? If Alfred only regenerates living cells? (gets up): Let's go now...

- Arthur Treadway (his confusion deepens): Wait, what?! How do you know about Al… (his consciousness slips away)

- Tyron Zephyros (looking at him while he loses consciousness): Remember, Arthur, my descendant. Wielding the Essence isn't merely about power, it's about understanding the cosmic symphony. Each note carries weight, and every secret unraveled reshapes destiny. Proceed with both reverence and courage...