The change was so abrupt that hardly anyone knew how they should react to the suddeness. In one moment devastating pressure was hanging over Earth, and in the next, it was as though it had been washed away by the warmth of a protector.
The life and death of the warriors who had just been valiantly riding the air ship were completely unknown. Many the only person who was aware of the answer to the question aside from the men themselves was Emperor Fawkes.
The hand slowly faded from the skies, but the voice of the Emperor didn't, hanging in the air for just a moment longer.
"… Leonel, you've avoided this old man for long enough, don't you think?"
These words lingered, reverberating through the minds of all those who heard it.
Leonel himself didn't move for a long while as though he couldn't hear the words of this grandfather of his at all. Instead, he had the same thought for the second time that day. In fact, this time, it reverberated in his mind with an even greater fervor.
'Is this what power is?'
Leonel suddenly felt a small hand slip into his. This time, it didn't wash away all the discomfort he was feeling, but at the very least, it gave him something to lean upon somewhat.
His gaze shifted from the skies to the petite young lady standing to his side. Something about her presence gave him the room he needed to breathe easier.
Leonel squeezed her hand lightly.
'Little Blackstar.'
At that moment, a shadow suddenly blazed a trail by Leonel's side. Before Pisces could react, she found a hole where her heart should have been.
The little mink flashed, appearing to stand on Leonel's shoulder with a beating heart in his hands.
It looked toward the shocked Pisces, its little paws digging into the dripping heart.
Pisces watched on in horror, her body visibly trembling.
"Why… Why me…"
She never thought that a small bout of jealousy would really lead to her death in this way. She had just wanted to grow stronger. Wasn't she allowed to want such a thing…?
Ironically, Leonel ended up adding his own strokes to the cruelty of this world.
Leonel and Aina rose into the skies, leaving over the horizon. But, from start to finish, Elorin didn't make a single move.
The other Slayer Legion members who hated Leonel's guts could only watch on in fury. But, after seeing the Emperor's prowess, and even hearing that he had specifically stepped out to protect Leonel… Which of them would truly dare to move at this point?
However, hidden within his pockets, Elorin's index finger continued to twitch, illusions of slicing the little mink in two replaying in his thoughts.
**
The Palace was just as grand as Leonel remembered. Though he had only appeared before it for a moment previously, it was most definitely enough for him to never forget the impression it had left on him. And, despite the fact he was enraged at the time… it most definitely left a grand impression.
If it wasn't the overwhelming presence the Palace, Leonel would have found it far more difficult to ignore the fact a battle was still raging on below.
Of course, this battle wasn't as explosive as it had been when Leonel first stepped foot onto it, with what remaining just being petty skirmishes, but it was a battle nonetheless. Leonel almost felt bad for flying over it without lifting a finger to help.
But, something told him that he couldn't delay going to see his grandfather this time. Though it seemed that everything had already been handled, Leonel was far from na?ve enough to believe this.
The moment Leonel stepped foot into the highest layer, he felt as though he had entered an all new world. Despite the fact a war for a world was occurring below, the main core of The Capital seemed completely unaffected. It was hard to tell how someone of Terrain would react to seeing such a thing.
But, then again, they probably had their hands full wrapping their minds around the strength Emperor Fawkes just displayed.
When Leonel landed before the Palace, he found that the roads paved of wealth that led to its doors were lined with warriors, each exuding a dangerous aura. It felt that if even just ten of these men and women stepped toward to the outside world, the war would be as good as over.
Yet, they all stood here, valiantly guarding the entrance of the Emperor's home.
At the side of the grand doors, a spectacled man stood, his hands clasped behind his back. The only word Leonel could think of when he looked upon him was… Disciplined.
The man was so cleanly shaven that Leonel could almost feel the suppleness of his skin with his eyes alone. His white-gold hair was done up in an elaborate royal style and his emerald eyes hid behind a pair of glasses that seemed carved of diamond.
His dress was immaculate. Even with his senses, Leonel couldn't find a single wrinkle on his person.
This man frowned slightly when he saw Aina by Leonel's side. But, as though receiving some sort of order, he decided to ignore it.
Without a word, he turned into the Palace, leading Leonel and Aina through the grand halls. From start to finish, his steps were even and measured without even a centimeter of deviation. For a man like Leonel who was used to seeing the world as an accumulation of numbers, this was baffling.
Soon, Leonel and Aina were led into the depths of the Palace, only to make their way through another opening and find themselves in what seemed to be yet another world.
Chirping birds, rushing waters that glittered of rainbow colors, and lush greenery. The entire garden seemed to breathe with vitality, inhaling and exhaling to the rhythm of the world.
At the center of this garden sat an old man Leonel couldn't take his eyes off. No, he almost felt that it was inappropriate to call him old. This supposed old timer was brimming with more vitality than even Leonel himself.
"Imperial Father, I have brought them."
The spectacled man bowed reverentially even as Leonel raised an eyebrow.
It was only now that he understood that this almost too well-groomed individual was his uncle.