Last Son: Book One

Chapter 14 Emperor's Palace and Samael's 1st (Big Fight)

As Samael crossed the threshold into the emperor's palace, his eyes fell upon an army of Aza imperial knights. Without hesitation, he assumed his battle stance, raising his sword high. With swift determination, he sprinted towards the Aza imperial knights, their swords clashing against his own. Employing his teleportation technique, Samael fought valiantly, but the Aza imperial knights proved to be formidable adversaries, showcasing their strength and skill. Amidst the chaos of the battle, one of the Aza imperial knights bellowed, "You shall die!" Abbie materialized on Samael's right side, her voice filled with concern. "Adventurous! There are so many Aza imperial knights!" Samael remained undeterred, a glimmer of confidence in his eyes. "Hmmm... there may be many, but they will all meet their end." Another Aza imperial knight sneered, "Haha! We have the power of our emperor!" Samael smirked, his resolve unshakable. "Yes, and I wield the power of my sword." With unwavering determination, Samael charged into the heart of the battle, his sword striking down the Aza imperial knights one by one. However, the dark-hooded man interrupted the skirmish with his chilling laughter, asserting his authority over the scene. Seated upon his throne, the dark-hooded man exuded an air of control and cunning. He rose gracefully, descending the steps towards Samael, his words laced with arrogance. "Welcome to the Aza kingdom! Men, fall back!" Displaying his magical prowess, the dark-hooded man unleashed his power, striking down his own men. He continued to speak with a hint of malevolence, declaring his intention to seize control of the entire Aza world and beyond. Samael's frustration grew, and he demanded answers. "What do you mean?" The dark-hooded man's lips curled into a sinister grin as he replied, "I will make the universe tremble in fear, but first, let me regale you with a little story. It's quite poetic." Abbie appeared on Samael's left side, her voice filled with urgency. "Adventurous! You don't have time. You must defeat him before it's too late!" Samael nodded, his anger fueling his determination. "I have no interest in hearing your fairytales. Ahhh!" Samael lunged towards the dark-hooded man, but the emperor employed his magic, sending an unseen force that pushed Samael back. "Very well, let the fight commence," the dark-hooded man sneered. The battle raged within the walls of the emperor's palace, their swords clashing, and Samael utilizing his teleportation technique to gain an advantage. However, the emperor countered with his force magic, effortlessly hurling Samael across the palace. "You are destined for greater things, son of Azazel," the emperor taunted. Samael rose to his feet, gripping his sword tightly. "Haha! It seems a dead man can rise," he replied with a steely resolve. "I may be filled with hatred, but I am alive and ready to end you." The emperor reveled in the intensity of the fight, relishing in the animosity displayed by Samael. Samael, fueled by determination and adrenaline, charged into battle, evading the emperor's sword swing with a swift teleportation maneuver. He appeared behind the emperor, their swords clashing with intensity. Using his teleportation technique, Samael skillfully evaded the emperor's deadly swings, parrying and striking back with precision. With a powerful leap into the air, Samael aimed for a devastating blow, but the emperor countered, utilizing his force magic to hurl Samael away. As Samael slowly rose to his feet, the emperor taunted him, declaring that his time was up. Undeterred, Samael smirked and defiantly replied, "I will kill you!" Samael charged towards the emperor, but the emperor leaped into the air, causing the ground to shake and pillars to rise. "You were lucky, adventurous. The ground almost swallowed you up!" the emperor sneered. The fight continued on the unstable pillars of the Aza palace. Samael had to be cautious as the pillars could collapse at any moment, leading to certain death in the darkness below. Abbie appeared on Samael's right side, voicing her concern. "Adventurous! You cannot stay here for too long!" Samael acknowledged her warning, knowing he had to keep moving. "Yeah, I know! Just show me the best way out of here." Abbie quickly replied, urging him to go. The pillar beneath Samael was on the verge of collapse, so he leaped onto another pillar, continuing his precarious journey from pillar to pillar until he reached a large, stable one where he could resume his battle against the emperor. "Aha! You have survived the collapsing pillars," the emperor exclaimed. Samael stood firm, his eyes locked on the emperor. "There is no escape for you, emperor!" Samael paused for a moment, then asked, "By the way, why did you lead me to the cave?" The emperor let out a wicked laugh, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Ah, now the young adventurous wants answers. And your question shall be answered," he taunted. The emperor continued his wicked laughter before responding, "I led you from the cave to this place because I wanted an outlander to witness the immense power I discovered within the ancient cave." Samael's curiosity piqued, and he pressed further, asking about the nature of this power. The emperor chuckled darkly before revealing, "Ah, I shall tell you the tale of the ancient cave, which held hidden powers over 2,000 years ago. This power reigned for a short period, but I have rediscovered it and found a way to control it." Eager for answers, Samael interjected, "What kind of power do you hold?" The emperor's wicked laughter echoed through the air as he responded, "Theia! She is an ancient beast that soars over this world, using her powers to strike down those who intrude upon her domain. Many have met their demise under her wrath." Samael questioned if the pendant worn by the emperor's men represented Theia. The emperor confirmed, explaining that the pendant symbolized Theia and bestowed strength upon his people. Confused by the emperor's actions, Samael pressed further, asking why he was leading his kingdom towards madness. The emperor vehemently denied the accusation, declaring that his kingdom was not going mad but rather growing stronger. He criticized the weakness of the ancient Pterodac kingdom, claiming that its leaders lacked true power, except for one. Curiosity piqued, Samael inquired about the identity of this powerful figure. The emperor drew closer and revealed, "My father." Samael quickly asked for his father's name, to which the emperor replied, "Azazel!" Samael immediately sought to understand who this Azazel was. The emperor smirked and responded, "My father is known as the first high priest of the Pterodac kingdom!" Samael, taken aback, exclaimed, "A high priest? But only one can hold that title!" Thoughts raced through Samael's mind, contemplating if the emperor's father could be the same high priest and the same father, or if there was another high priest with the same name. The emperor chuckled and cryptically stated, "Let's just say my father was a leader in the land of Barak." Recalling his father's tales from his childhood, Samael asked about Barak and what the land was like. The emperor described Barak as a powerful land that struck down any who violated its sacred laws. Only high priests possessed the ancient powers bestowed upon them by Barak's sacred land. The emperor claimed that his father, High Priest Azazel, was the reason for the prosperity of their kingdom. However, corruption had taken hold of the Pterodac kingdom, leading to its downfall. The emperor accused the leaders of succumbing to darkness and having their souls corrupted. The kingdom was divided, and war broke out among its people. The emperor declared that his father anointed him as the chosen one to fight against those who defied Barak's holy laws. Samael, still seeking the truth, questioned the emperor about his true identity. With a wicked laugh, the emperor replied, "If you wish to know who I truly am, then fight me, and all shall be revealed!" Without hesitation, Samael charged at the emperor, their swords clashing fiercely on the trembling pillar. As the pillar shook violently, the emperor disappeared from the battle, leaving Samael to leap off the crumbling structure. In mid-air, Samael found himself saved by Keina, who flew beneath him, rescuing him from the fall. They soared away from the danger zone, and as Samael looked back, he noticed a colossal creature in the distance, shrouded by the night sky. Determined to uncover the emperor's true identity and the mysteries surrounding Barak and Azazel, Samael vowed to continue his pursuit.