The Virtual Realm (Imitai Book 4)

Chapter Thirteen

We stayed the night in this small town with plans to head out as soon as possible the next day. Hades and his men did not manage to capture Angela or me. Chances were he was going to send out another wave of his men for reconnaissance just to find me. It would be much worse if he found all my ancestors and captured them as well.

Eight men including Galius were appointed to make a decision on how to reach the castle. I was brought in to review a suggestion imposed by Emperor Midas, who took notice to the surrounding architecture. We would have to run in one by one in spread out intervals if we didn't want to alert the enemy, which I agreed with. We needed to get all nine empresses in.

Galius and the seven male emperors would follow, carrying guns which were hidden in a nearby dwelling. I could hardly understand why we would need such a thing, but my guess must have been that they wanted to help in the best way possible. Empress Pedonia then proceeded to tell me how the rebellion in her time went.

"They used to arm themselves in my time," she told me. "Countless weaponry and a collection of explosive warfare. I remember carrying two laser handguns and a photon grenade."

At this point in time I gave her an odd look. "What the hell?"

"The Ashanian Civil Revolution was a war we had to fight," Galia chipped in. "Grandmother told me a lot about it when we were still alive. When she wasn't busy shaping Ashan for the way it is this day."

"I wonder what your time must have been like," I replied.

Empress Pedonia snorted. "A lot better than my time. She hardly needed to do any work!"

"Lots and lots of writing though!" Galia quipped. "Probably why my lack of an adventure rubbed off on Bermuda."

I studied the two. "By the way, what's the order of generations? Asami's the only one who knows it by heart since she's going to be the next empress. Empress Pedonia, I know you're the first. Empress Galia, are you next?"

She shook her head. "I'm the third generation. My father Dalius was supposed to be the next, but the passed the throne to me. I'm the second leader and Empress of Ashan."

"Bermuda is the third," Empress Pedonia continued, "and her son Midas is the Second is the fourth ruler."

Okay. So Empress Pedonia, Prince Dalius, Empress Galia, Empress Bermuda, and Emperor Midas make up the first five generations of Fujia regardless of rule or not. What about the next ones? Given Empress Pedonia's date of life there had to be more than five generations.

"Empress Petria comes next," Galia continued, "and Emperor Cerian follows. Then comes Empress Floria and Emperor Saius the Second."

"Until his assassination on August 8, 1829, Empress Pedonia added. "Consider Ashan a polar opposite of thy country of residence. Many of the women hated Emperor Saius Fujia the Second so they had him killed and Ashan broke out into a brief civil war."

"Empress Yaca forced herself to swear in within hours," Galia added. "She sought the assassins and had them publicly hung in front of millions while people threw things. Our executions were a little different compared to the ones on Earth, but hazing's no longer done today."

"I could see why," I replied, cringing. "Inhumanity is no longer a solution to problems like these."

"Indeed," Empress Pedonia agreed. "Her son Prince Cavius feared his execution, so he passed the throne onto his daughter, Empress Teritia. After her came Empress Callidus and Empress Yulaka Fujia the Second. I believe thee knows the next ones."

"Empress Bermudia and Emperor Augustus Fujia the First?" I guessed.

Galia giggled. "Indeed! Now, who is the current ruler?"