[Completed] Legend of the Five Knights I: Rise of a Guardian Angel

Episode 34: The Imperial Palace

Tetsuya could feel his cousin's gaze on him as he covered his golden eyes with his right arm.

"You're going to crash if you don't look," Serrano said in a stern yet gentle tone.

The brunette young man removed his arm from his eyes, whose whites had turned red. Why did the meeting have to fall on the day of his father's death? It wasn't like the king had no idea, considering he knew his father.

Couldn't the king have changed it? A one-day delay wasn't going to cause issues, was it?

The two descended as they reached the gates to the imperial stronghold. It towered above all the other structures around it. The skyscrapers themselves, which already threatened to pierce the sky, struggled against its enormity. Even still, the doors of the building itself were a mile away, separated from where he was by orange and purple gardens. Seeing the sight washed some of his sorrows away.

"Surprised?" Serrano asked, chuckling. "I was too. I mean, it already looks enormous from afar, but when you're up close, you start to wonder if this was even made by people."

Tetsuya nodded. "All of this wealth, it's amazing."

Did Papa feel the same way when he came here? Dad, are you proud of me? I know it took a while, but as I showed you at your tomb, I can now use an angel tool. Though I wish that the one in my possession had been Aventine. Or one you made, after all, you did promise to make me one just like Taku's.

Serrano patted Tetsuya's back. "Cheer up, buddy. Like Kuroshi told Tere, uncle Tekeshi would be sad to see you like this."

Tetsuya nodded.

I got to try my best for my dad's sake. I am part of his legacy. If I don't reasonably present myself, I'll dishonor his good name.

Serrano tapped his cousin's head lightly and chuckled. "Let's go in. Wait until you see the inside, it's as amazing as all this."

Tetsuya followed after him, but two lances slid down in front of the gate. Serrano turned around briefly but didn't seem especially alarmed as he continued on his way.

"What purpose do you have here?" one of the guards asked as she pointed her golden lance at him.

Tetsuya showed her the letter that Rosa had sent him and the bracelet on his right hand. "I was called here," he answered, flashing her a smile.

She snatched the note and skimmed through it. "Seems authentic but just to make sure..." She gave him back the letter. "Hold it, and don't get scared." She backed away from him and struck the seal on the note with her lance. An orange barrier manifested as the tip of the weapon came within an inch of the letter. "Wow, so it was real...um, I mean, go on ahead."

Tetsuya sighed as nervousness washed over him. It felt the way he did during his first day of school back when he was a kid.

He ran through the garden, paying little attention to the thousands of species found throughout it. It wasn't until he came upon a familiar smell that he stopped. Just a few feet from the front gates of the palace was a small field of lavender.

The young man choked back a cry as the scent of the flowers brought back a faint memory. He shook his head and averted his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward and pushed open the palace gates adorned in gold leaf.

Tetsuya gasped as soon as he was on the other side of the doors. His cousin was right. The inside of the palace was just as impressive as the outside. Various white marble statues posing as if they were models were displayed throughout the expansive room. It reminded him of a museum he'd once visited with his family. Except, the quality of the palace statues was greater than anything he had seen on display there.