Oceanum Collis

•Chapter 8• Emperors

"They're ready for you, sir." A guard said as he walked up to the emperor. Erix put his cloak around his shoulders. He turned to another guard that stood behind him. The guard handed him his sword. The emperor turned around again. He walked up the small stairway that lead up to the 'stage' that was set up. "You all know why you're here!" Erix called out to them. He gained the attention of everyone that stood in the crowd. "I have come to you once again to ask you something." He continued. He walked further onto the stage. "As some of you may know, I am looking for a boy. A special boy. But he escaped." Erix tells them, "He went beyond the walls." He added. Some people gasped at the news. "I know that you people are very close with one another. Especially with him." Erix continued, "He gives you food, and water, and blankets. He is your knight in shining armor." He added. The emperor started to make his way into the crowd. "But he has betrayed me. He went beyond the walls, knowing very well that goes against the rules. Rules that protect us from the dangers that lie beyond." He spoke to the crowd. Some of the citizens were whispering to each other. Erix scanned the crowd as he continued to walk through. "Now, I know how much you care for him. I know you want to protect him, but-" he started. "But you want to kill him!" Someone called out from the public. Erix turned his head to the sound. "Kill him?" He questioned. The emperor let out a chuckle. "What on earth gave you that idea?" He asked. "You have been hunting that poor lad for years!" The man called out again. "Yeah, the royal guards search nearly all of our houses for him! And for what?! He didn't do anything wrong!" A woman added. "He only wanted to help us!" Another woman called. Erix holds up his hands. "People, this is not an attack. This is simply me asking your help." He assures them. "To help you find him so you can kill him!" The man from before called out again. "I don't want to kill him. I want to protect him." Erix tells them, "Like I want to protect you all. It's my duty as emperor." He said calmly. The people around him started to get closer to him. "The duty you have imposed on yourself?" A woman asked him. "Yeah, you named yourself emperor." A man spoke up.

"What is it this ti-" Hayes started. "He needs to go back." Callodir blurted out. Hayes frowned at the king. "You're letting him go?" Serena asked her father. The King looked at his daughter. "He's not going alone." He tells her. Serena's eyes widened. Hayes started to shake his head. "No, no, no." He said. Serena stood in front of her father. "I can?" She asked him. Hayes pointed his finger at his sister. "She's not going alone." He said. The King turned to look at his son. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you were the king, son." He replied. Hayes took a step closer to his father. "You want to send her out there by herself? Your daughter?" He asked him. "She's strong, Hayes. She doesn't need me, or you, to protect. He is no danger to her." Callodir pointed out. "It's not about him. It's about the others. If she takes him back to them..." Hayes started. He let out a deep sigh. "They will slaughter her." He said quietly, "And what of the others that live in the forest? Who will protect her from them?" He questioned. "Your sister is capable of handling them, Hayes," Callodir said sternly. The King turned his attention back to his daughter. "My dear," he started. He puts one hand on her shoulder, and the other lifted her chin. "You have to take him back to his people." He tells her. Serena nodded slightly. "I understand." She said. "You will take him to the castle." He instructed, "And when you're there, I need you to find me something." He said. "What do you need me to find?" She questioned. "In the highest tower of the castle, you will find a door. When you open it, you will end up in an old and dusty room." He explained to her, "You will need the boy to open the door. Cut his hand. His blood needs to touch the doorknob." He added. Serena raised her brow at him. "Why would I do that?" She asked her father. "She doesn't have the guts to do it." Hayes cut in. Callodir ignored his son. "There is magic in that realm. A spell was placed on the doorknob. It can only be opened by the emperor that built it." He answered. "Or his family." Serena filled in, "He used blood magic to seal the door." She said. Callodir smiled at his daughter. "Such a clever girl." He smiled. "But what lies inside that is so important?" Serena asked. "You will know when you see it." He tells her. He pulled his daughter into a hug. "I have faith in you, my dear." He tells her. "Thank you, father," Serena replied. She pulled away from the hug, leaving the room. Hayes folded his arms over his chest. "You're putting her in danger." He tells his father. Callodir turned to his son. "Maybe, but she won't kill him the first chance she gets. We need him, Hayes." Callodir pointed out. "For what? Some magical object?" Hayes asked him. "Something like that," Callodir replies. Hayes shook his head. "You're crazy." He said. The prince turned around and left the room.

The emperor pushed the people aside to get back to his guards. "People, you're not getting the point." Erix started. "You cast us to the side! You don't care for us!" The citizens yelled at the emperor. The guards came rushing over to them. "You only care for yourself!" A woman screamed as she was dragged away by her arms. The emperor made his way up the stage again. He turned to face the public again. He holds up his hands. "The only thing I ask for is your help to find him," Erix said calmly. The crowd continued to yell at him. Foods started to fly through the air towards him. The chanting started to become louder as it went on. The citizens were fighting the guards. One of the guards walked up to the emperor. "Sir, we need to get you out of here." He spoke. Erix held up his hand. "Not yet." He said, "I'll make them listen." He added. Before the guard could reply, Erix pulled his sword from the holster. "Get him up." He ordered. Two men of the royal guard walked up to a man that was throwing tomatoes at the emperor. They pulled the man up the stage. He was pushed onto his knees by the two men behind him. The emperor raised his sword. "Apologies, mate." He said. The man started to protest and yell, but the emperor ignored him. He forced the weapon straight through the man's chest with both hands. After a few seconds, the emperor pulled the sword out of the man's chest. The blood spurt everywhere. Every citizen that was in the public, turned their attention to the emperor. "Have I got your attention now?" He questioned. The man dropped dead onto the stage. The blood started to run down the wood of the stage. "Where...is...the boy?" He asked them again. A man at the front got on his knees in front of him. "Please, sir, we do not know where he is." He said. "Your knight in shining armor. And you don't know where he is?" Eric questioned. He started to make his way into the crowd again. "I swear on my life, I don't know where he is. He escaped, just like you said." He answered. Erix looked at him. "I believe you." He said. He raised his sword again, stabbing the man the same way he stabbed the other. When he pulled out his sword, he looked up at the public. "If anyone has any knowledge of the young lad's hideout... Step forward now." He said. Everyone stared back at him in fear. "No one?" He questioned.