Emperor's Reckoning

Chapter 1315: The Beginning Of It All

The air was thick with the weight of destruction, flames dancing furiously as if fueled by rage itself. A colossal house burned amidst the chaos, its silhouette defiant against a darkened sky. The sun’s light struggled to pierce through the swirling storm clouds, creating an eerie twilight. The clash of blades echoed in an unholy rhythm, and the very ground fractured under the force of the battle. Streams of shattered ley energy carved chaotic canals into the earth, leaving behind trails of devastation.

"We were under attack from both sides," Aleysius began, his voice grave. "Both Purgatory and Paradise converged on us. I fought with all I had to shield the clan, but even I couldn’t hold forever."

"You fended off both factions at once?" Lyon asked, his brows furrowed.

Aleysius nodded grimly. "I did... but in doing so, I was blind to what was unfolding within my own home."

"I remember," Simak said quietly, his gaze distant. "I was just a boy. You were only a baby, Lyon."

Inside the blazing house, amidst the storm’s deafening roar, a woman of unparalleled beauty stood resolute. Her robe shimmered with dignity and authority, marking her as the Torga Clan’s matriarch. Yet, in that moment, she was simply a mother, cradling her infant son with unwavering tenderness. Her hands trembled as she caressed Simak’s cheeks, though her smile remained steady.

"Mother..." Simak whispered, his young voice quivering.

"You must be strong," she said softly, her words laced with unyielding resolve. "Take care of your little brother, no matter what."

"Mother, what are you—?"

She silenced him with a gentle kiss on his forehead, then turned toward the door, her expression hardening. Behind it, she could hear the guttural roars of combat and the desperate cries of the wounded. She clenched her fists, her body trembling not with fear, but with fury. Her husband fought a battle impossible to win, and now, so would she.

"Stay here," she commanded, stepping forward. Her robe began to rise, lifted by an invisible torrent of energy. The air vibrated as ley energy surged, coalescing into a vortex of elegance and destruction.

Far above, Aleysius faltered mid-air, a chill running down his spine. "What—?" His momentary lapse earned him a brutal strike that sent him crashing to the earth below. He groaned, blood pooling in his mouth as he wiped his lip.

"This is our chance!" roared the progenitors of Purgatory and Paradise, seizing the opening.

But Aleysius was not easily undone. "You’ll regret that," he growled, surging back into the fray with renewed ferocity.

Back in the burning house, Simak watched as his mother sang. Her voice was haunting, laced with power incomprehensible to him. The swirling energy reached a crescendo as ley magic brand carved themselves into the air.

The baby stirred in his blanket, his tiny eyes fluttering open. They were pure black, vast as the void, holding an uncanny stillness. He blinked, his gaze fixed on his mother’s back.

"Ma... ma."

The single word shattered her resolve. Tears welled in her eyes, but she didn’t falter. Her breath hitched as she pushed forward, summoning the strength to continue.

The door burst open, revealing two seraphs clad in radiant armor, blades gleaming with divine energy. They took one look at her and sneered.

"What are you doing, woman?" one spat.

A pulse of energy rippled through the room as a magic brand etched itself beneath the baby’s blanket. The seraphs lunged, blades driving into her stomach. Blood sprayed across Simak’s face as he screamed.

"Mother!"

"I’m fine!" she snapped, her voice defiant despite the agony.

The seraphs recoiled, astonished. She gripped their hair with ironclad strength, her eyes blazing. "And I am not just a woman. I am Vigilia Torga!" The sky itself answered her fury, forming an enormous brand visible across the entire battlefield.

Aleysius, mid-strike, froze. He looked skyward, his face contorted with shock. "The Song of Destruction... Final Incantation."

The seraphs panicked, sensing their doom. "Stop her!" one bellowed, wrenching his blade free, sending a fresh spray of blood from her wound. Spotting the magic beneath the baby, he redirected his blade. But as he thrust forward, Simak shielded his brother, the blade carving a vicious gash from his shoulder to his waist.

"Simak!" Vigilia roared, her fury igniting the spell. The seraphs convulsed, blood pouring from their eyes and ears as their bodies crumbled under the spell’s merciless grasp.

"M-My mana! It’s... slipping away!" one gasped, collapsing.

Outside, the battlefield descended into chaos as cultivators, devils, and angels alike fell victim to the magic’s unrelenting reach. Aleysius wiped blood from his nose, realization dawning. "This... is indiscriminate destruction."

The progenitors hesitated. "What have you done, Torga?!"

Aleysius smirked darkly. "You wanted to kill me, right? Then let’s see who dies first."

Though they retreated in fear, the cost of survival weighed heavily. Aleysius fought on, but his focus wavered. When the magic brand finally dissipated, he rushed to his home. The ceiling caved as he crashed through, only to be met with his worst nightmare.

Vigilia sat cradling her children, her eyes closed, her body lifeless.

"Vigil!" he cried, pulling her away to reveal her serene smile. She was gone.

"Father..." a soft voice echoed. Aleysius turned to see Simak, or rather, his translucent soul.

"She... she saved me," Simak murmured, his voice broken.

Aleysius looked at his youngest, Lyon, who stared back with unsettling stillness. "I see," he whispered. "She used her last ley to separate your soul... to protect you both."

Bending over the baby, Aleysius touched his tiny hand. "I never got to teach you how to walk."

"Da... da?" the baby cooed.

Aleysius took a deep breath before putting him back. The baby snuggled in his blanket but didn’t seem to be in any discomfort.

"Simak, I will make your brother dormant, with every last remaining bit of Ley that I have," said Aleysius.

"Dormant?" asked Simak.

"He will be asleep as if nothing happened, he won’t need to eat as if nothing happened, and for him time will stop until either the Ley diminished completely, or a third party broke the seal," said Aleysius.

"You’re sealing him?!" asked Simak.

"I got no choice," said Aleysius shaking his head, "I’m sorry, my son, it seems like I’m not as omnipotent as I thought."

"Father..." said Simak.

"You should leave this place," said Aleysius, "They will come back to finish the job, they will not hesitate to end the Torga bloodline."

"What should I do then? What’s the next thing should I do?" asked Simak. "I’m lost father, I’m just a kid, I’m still weak."

"Then grow strong Simak, live." said Aleysius.

Aleysius closed his eyes and weave the Ley inside his body. He wrote : "Celestial Magic : Dormant."

The baby slowly sleep before he was encapsulated by a translucent crystal. Aleysius gave the crystal to Simak.

"Father...?" asked Simak.

"Go Simak, Now!" said Aleysius before seeing his sons running away. He could see the tears dropping as the elder brother ran, carrying his little brother.

"If fate has it..." Aleysius slopped down, hugging his wife in his embrace for the last time. "Let them live happy." his conciousness whisked away,

Just then, a root protruded out of the ground, then joined by several others.

"My dear Aleysius, I will not have my greatest champion lose, I need you to win." Yggdrasil voice echoed.

Aleysius exhaled deeply, his voice steady but heavy with the weight of memory. "And that... is what happened."

Lyon, silent for a moment, tilted his head with an amused glint in his eyes. "Mother was a total badass."

The unexpected remark left Aleysius momentarily stunned. He blinked, his usually stoic demeanor slipping. "W-What?"

Simak chuckled, breaking the tension. "He’s not wrong, Father. She truly was. And, I have to say, she shares quite a few traits with Lyon’s wives."

Aleysius rubbed his temple, half in exasperation and half in reluctant agreement. "If that’s true, then I fear for the sanity of anyone who crosses paths with them."

Simak smirked. "You should."

Aleysius turned back to Lyon, his tone shifting to one of curiosity. "But tell me, what exactly is she preparing, Lyon?