The Emperor and the Servant: A Tale of Two Heroes

Chapter 17: Secrets

Previously: It has been three days since that great victory. Now where does fate bring the heroes who saved the world from Infinity and obtained the six gems at last?

Main quote: "The hatred of the world, into the box, held in the heart of the world, the pillar of order." (The secret of the Emperor: The Pandora's Box of the World)

December approaches.

Infinity has finally died. Evil mourns for its lost leader. Maximus takes his place as Grand General of the Dark Knight Order. Ever still do they worship their only lord, the one whose hubris destroyed his glory in that fateful battle against the Chosen One! Yet it has also been three days since they have last heard of Princess Maria and Christian Constantine, who went to search for the Hero who brought salvation. The Knights search for any trace of their fallen master but sadly, nothing can be found. In all attempts made by General Maximus to exact vengeance, he consults the Seven Dark Powers, who still watch over the new Castel d' Impera, where once stood the Dark Halls. However, they remain silent. Silence was the answer of the spirit realm when prayers were lifted for the safe return of the Emperor and his family.

It has also been a week since Marcus and Raynen disappeared.

No one was able to get in touch with Solus Tenebrae and the "excommunicated" Master Recorder.

The New Recorder claimed the name Annex Beratane from the actual Deputy killed in the name of the Imperial Secret. Carlovale overhears from his peers on the rebel and Imperial sides that there is talk of a possible conspiracy from the former Colored Orders to find out about the Imperial Secret to claim the now vacant throne. He was not a bit surprised since he himself is an operative working for the sole extant Colored Order within the Empire, which claims to serve the interests of the Emperor.

As a cover up made by the reformed government, wherein De Jure firmly takes his place as the Minister of Assessment and Grand Viceroy, it has been outlawed to mention anything related to Solus Tenebrae, who was caught in the Forbidden Area of the Palace Library, a crime punishable by permanent banishment from the city of Rome, his family and the former Master Recorders, whose records have been confiscated in connection to the Imperial Secret or the Church's involvement in the Colored Wars, save of course the ones Christian left to him in the prison no one knows about. Church officials told the Pope the Master Recorder's consistent use of an alias was meant to hide him from the burdens of government and the trust of the Empire. Accusing him of corruption, slander, fraud and disrespect to Church authorities, as shown in his records of their misdeeds, which they claim to have no basis in reality whatever, the Pope makes official the excommunication of the nameless man, whose life is to this day kept in the shadows.

Yes, the Empire was quiet and just in time for the holidays.

Cold is the winter. There is no warmth strong enough to thaw the relics of the past and bring them to light. But there was a few souls who could not keep silent what they knew was an attempt to hide the truth. Count Alfonso had to risk his position just to bring it up to the Council.

"I cannot ignore this any longer. If we leave things as they are now, the Empire will never be secure."

"We fear a power vacuum ourselves but this is no time to be rushing things." Gordon reminds him.

"I think you do not have the right to speak after we found out you were more involved into the Reds than before. After all, you spent more money to bring back the San Ricardo estate than..."

"That allegation was half a year old Alfonso and I cannot believe you would..."

But the Council was silent. They knew the truth better.