(Meanwhile, within the Eastern Province of the Valdrak Empire, Drew Dawnriver’s POV)
StepStepStep
The sound of polished leather boots striking against smooth marble echoed throughout the silent halls of Dawnriver Palace, as Drew Dawnriver walked with both hands clasped behind his back and a heavy sadness lingering within his eyes.
Every servant who crossed his path immediately lowered their head before quietly stepping aside, as none dared disturb the Patriarch as he wandered aimlessly through the palace long after midnight.
The Dawnriver Palace was still every bit as magnificent as it had been centuries ago.
The marble columns remained flawless.
The intricate carvings decorating every arch remained untouched, while the expensive Aether lamps continued illuminating the corridors exactly as they always had.
However, despite all its grandeur, the palace had also never felt so empty throughout its illustrious history, as it did over the past few months.
"I’m surrounded by hyenas and vultures.... Fucking scavengers! Every single last one of them!"
Drew mumbled under his breath as he slowly made his way through the eastern wing, where he passed one grand chamber after another, each one lavishly furnished, meticulously maintained, and completely unoccupied.
"I won’t let this slide.... As long as I have strength in my bones, I won’t let this slide...."
Drew continued, as walking past this section of the palace made him feel the pain of losing his children even more intensely.
These rooms were not supposed to be empty.
These rooms were supposed to house the scions of House Dawnriver, the brave Ascendants who would take over the house after Drew stepped down, however, they were all empty instead, because the enemy had silently killed them all.
"How did I not see it sooner? How could I be so foolish?"
Drew wondered, as he paused outside the chamber that had once belonged to his eldest son, Drake.
Drake was a powerful Ascendant who had lived for over fifty years before falling while leading an Imperial campaign against a horde of Demonic Ascendants in a distant province.
Back then, Drew thought it was just an unfortunate accident.... However, some recent events made him question whether his son truly died in a tragedy? Or was that a set-up too?
StepStepStep
He continued walking, only to stop outside another chamber, this one belonging to his second son Dante, who had mysteriously succumbed to an illness that not even the finest Imperial physicians had been able to cure.
"He’s just weak bodied they said.... HE CAN’T TAKE THE MEDICINE THEY SAID!"
Drew cursed out loud, as he recalled the events that had happened in the past, wondering as to how he had been so stupid to not see through their plot back then?
Sigh
As he let out a disappointed headshake and continued to walk, only to stop outside the last chamber.
The chamber belonged to his third son, Romeus.
After the death of his two brothers, Romeus had been destined to inherit everything.
However, since Imperial law only allowed for great houses to pass on the mantle of their house to a recognised noble, Romeus had been forced to attend the Imperial Academy like his brothers had before him.
However, in an unfortunate turn of events, Romeus, despite being an outstanding student, was reported dead inside the academy, poisoned by some lesser noble children, in what marked the end of the DawnRiver bloodline.
As it was only then that Drew became suspicious and began investigating into the death of his children, and realized that none of their deaths had been ordinary.
One death was unfortunate.
Two invited suspicion.
Three...
Three formed a pattern that only a fool would continue calling coincidence.
Clench
Drew slowly tightened his fist behind his back.
"So...this was your plan all along... you wretched Emperor!"
He muttered as he ground his teeth hard, as only after losing his final son had he finally understood what had truly been happening.
Unlike ordinary noble families, the Four Great Houses possessed the privilege of choosing their own successor from among every qualified member of the bloodline.
The Emperor had no say in that appointment, not while Drew still possessed legitimate heirs.
But now...
There were none.
No sons remained.
No Dawnriver heir stood ready to inherit the house built by his ancestors.
So if Drew stepped down tomorrow, the position would almost certainly pass to one of the subsidiary clans sworn beneath House Dawnriver, many of whom had spent years cultivating close ties with the Imperial Court.
"RATS! RATS AND WORMS!"
He yelled, as he thought about how this was the exact outcome that the Emperor was now hoping for, since he was the one who was most definitely responsible for killing Romeus.
KAKAWWW
A bird screeched in the distance, as Drew immediately felt as though the vultures had already begun circling overhead.
Some hid behind polite smiles.
Others concealed themselves behind years of loyal service.
However, they were all waiting for exactly the same thing.
For him to grow old.
For him to die.
For House Dawnriver to finally become theirs.
"Not while there’s still Aether flowing through my veins!
The Emperor wants to make House Dawnriver his puppet?
Oh hell no!
Not my house....
No!"
He declared, as after standing silently before the chamber for several long moments, he finally resumed walking before eventually arriving outside the doors of his private study.
Inside, stacks of official reports already awaited his inspection.
Normally, he would have ignored them until morning.
However, tonight, since sleep had abandoned him once again, he decided to go through them at once.
At first, the documents were routine.
Tax records.
Military reports.
Border disputes.
Requests from subsidiary clans.
One document after another passed through his hands without leaving the slightest impression.
Until...
His fingers suddenly stopped.
The seal pressed into the wax belonged to someone House Dawnriver had quietly financed for decades.
The Imperial Anatomist.
However, this was the first letter that the Anatomist had sent in over five years, as just looking at it, Drew’s tired eyes narrowed ever so slightly before he calmly broke the seal and unfolded the letter.
"To the Patriarch of House Dawnriver.
I’m happy to announce that your funding behind my project for all these years....."
The letter began, and as Drew continued reading, one of his eyebrows slowly rose.
"Interesting...."
He muttered eventually, as the emptiness within his eyes gradually disappeared, replaced instead by something that had not been seen there for months.
A desire for vengeance.