Chapter 844 Rise
The hearts of Daneel, Elanev, and Faxul were still beating furiously as they saw the two who had almost succeeded in killing them, or at least leaving them with grievous injuries disappear among the crowds in the Headquarters.
They had to take a few moments to calm them down, and even then, they kept staring at the silhouettes of the two who didn't seem to have a care in the world.
It was almost as if they had done the most casual thing, and seeing the way that they were even laughing and chatting between themselves while browsing the stores on the streets of the headquarters, Daneel got a surreal feeling.
Had it really happened, or had it actually been his imagination?
He received the answer to this right away, when the system gave him the reply for the question he had just asked.
[The attack that host barely escaped from would have resulted in severe grievous injuries even if all countermeasures were activated. The power level of the two who attacked is easily at the peak Champion level, and there is a probability that they have also gotten some headway into the Hero realm, allowing them to tap into that realm's powers."
Now… It all made sense.
So this was what the revenge of the top members of the Order would be like? They would be targeting Daneel and his team members in each and every mission they tried to take?
When he thought about it, it was actually ingenious - as members of the Order, they would inevitably have to do missions which involved teams, and no one could ensure that they would partake in missions where they always had control of all those who were participating.
In such a situation where someone was being targeted by unknown people whose power was clearly unfathomable, normal people would have felt panic, or even fear.
Yet, all Daneel felt… Was the thrill of a challenge.
Talented members, huh? Well, show me what you've got!
If they really thought that they were going to have a cakewalk in this attempt of bringing him down, then they were very, very mistaken.
They would have to wait, though… As Daneel had something else on his mind at the moment.
Giving one last look at these two, Daneel sent a silent message to his sovereigns and interacted with the obelisk for a bit before the three of them teleported away.
The moment they return to his quarters, Elanev burst out, saying, "Did you look at their smug faces? Damn, it was so infuriating! Daneel, promise me that we're going to get back at them!"
Faxul didn't say anything, but the tightening of his lips made it clear that he was also quite pissed.
In response, Daneel said, "Of course-have we ever taken a blow lying down? We will get revenge, and then some, but first, let us take care of the talented lady in a dungeon."
After fuming for a bit more, Elanev finally assented, and together, the three of them went to the room in which all of the sovereigns were waiting.
Seeing them look quite shaken, Eloise asked what the matter was, but Daneel simply shrugged and said, "Oh, it was nothing. Just a small hiccup, which we will sort out soon. I got what I went for, though."
Saying so, he held up the round object that he had just taken from the obelisk as the reward for the 4-star mission that he had finished.
It was a strange looking trinket - it almost looked like a ball, but there was a place where a button could be pressed.
Daneel pressed it now, and in an instant, half of the silver colored ball disappeared, showing a cavity.
In a weird motion, he put this on the one beside him, who happened to be Aran.
Caught by surprise, Aran struggle for a bit, as anyone would feel weird if they had their head surrounded by what was almost like a fishbowl.
Yet, Daneel said, "We talked about this. You're the best one to test it out."
Calming down, Aran sighed and nodded.
With that, Daneel pressed the button on the trinket, and it immediately began to glow.
After a few moments, this glow stopped, and after removing the trinket and placing it on the table in front of him, Aran nodded.
This made relieved smiles appear on all those present, and Daneel declared, "Perfect, then. I've never seen a plan come together so quickly, but I guess we should give the credit for that to everything that we have done these past few weeks. It's time for the final step, now. Sovereigns…I feel proud to be doing this with you. Let's go."
…
In the enormous chamber beneath the weirdly shaped rock that had come to be worshipped by many over the years, a man was comfortably sleeping in a cocoon made of a shining material.
He frowned often, especially when certain scenes came into his mind.
A creature larger than a continent looming over the home he loved dearly.
His subordinates, friends, and family turning into monstrosities that started to massacre everyone around them.
His mind being fractured by a temptation to let himself go, and him entering a slumber that lasted thousands of years during which he slowly recovered.
Every time he saw these scenes, he would be struck by the darkest of emotions.
Yet, the cocoon, like a mother's womb which comforted the child within, would sweep these memories away and allow him to regain a pleasant expression.
Only…even when his mind was blank, he would keep feeling as if something was wrong.
This way, in every waking, and even, sleeping moment, this man would be haunted by something or the other, and this meant that he never had an instant of peace.
The only joy he obtained was when he instructed passionate individuals and saw them flourish under his guidance, but even this would often be marred by an inner voice that would keep saying that he only ruined everything he touched.
At the moment, the cocoon had just managed to sweep away another one of those bad memories, but suddenly…it disappeared, leading him to wake up and look around groggily.
The chamber that had become his home had quite a few people present, and although they looked familiar…he could remember none of them.
Over time, he had come to learn that he knew them, but didn't remember because of the state of his mind. This happened even when he was in his teaching duties, too, but it would often be passed off as eccentricity.
So, getting a gracious smile, he used the tactic he had learned.
"My old mind fails me. Can I ask who all of you are? If you are my disciples, please ask me anything about the Path, and I will try my best to help!"
His words brought a strange reaction upon those in front of him.
There was one man who stood out- his face held the most emotion, and it was so heartbreaking to see that the old man couldn't help but go forward and console him.
Even now, flashes of memory reappeared in his mind, and often, it was these that he used to help him out in sticky situations. This time, he remembered one of the men, who always appeared as a projection. He knew that he was someone special whose instructions he should follow, as he had passed something before and taken some oath. Yet, now, he ignored him as his eyes were firmly fixed on the man with the sad face.
After reaching him, he said, "Worry not, young man. Despair is a part of life. Did you lose someone dear to you?"
He asked this while looking at the man kindly, but for some reason, his words caused the sorrow to only grow. Tears even began to swim in the man's eyes, but he wiped them away and said, "No. Well, yes, actually. There is a man whom I admire very, very much. In many ways, he is responsible for all of us even being alive, at the moment. But…his present state is very sad to look at, and he doesn't deserve it. He helped me a lot, and I wish to repay him."
Puzzled, the old man asked, "Then rejoice! Why are you sad?"
After a few seconds during which the man seemed to think of something, he said, "I'm sad because even if I help him, it will only improve his condition by a bit. I cannot fully cure him yet. Also…it might seem selfish, as I need something from him, too. I know that he will be willing to help, but others might think that I only repaid him because of that need."
The old man didn't even need a second to respond.
This was him- whenever he saw anything he could help with, his face would fill up with so much happiness that the entire room would light up. In that instant, he would forget everything plaguing him, and he would just enjoy the moment.
"Young man, how does it matter? In the heart of your heart, you know the reason behind why you are doing what you are doing. If you believe in it, that is all that matters."
His simple, yet timely advice made a smile finally crack to life on the young man's face, and seeing this, he beamed.
Yet…what happened next made him feel extremely shocked.
The man took out a strange, silvery bowl out of nowhere and placed it on his head, and everything went blank.
The old man was about to object, but suddenly…a memory entered his mind, and his vision.
It was something that most would never remember in their lives, but for some reason, it felt so…personal.
It was that of him comfortably sleeping in a dark, but joyful place, and he could feel himself enveloped by love and care.
Only, these memories flashed by very quickly, and the moment he exited that place…they changed to show a cruel world.
The old man connected profoundly with each memory. They felt oh, so familiar, and he became so engrossed in them that he started to place himself in the position of the one who had experienced them,
That man had been born in a slave mine to a miner, and he was raised in the harshest of conditions, with barely enough food to live. He became a slave, too, but as he grew…he discovered the potential that was sleeping within him.
Unwilling to keep playing the hand that the World had dealt him, he trained while taking multiple risks that sometimes almost got him killed.
He kept hiding his power…until he let it erupt at once to kill the owner, and the strongest person in the mine.
That was his first taste of leading people to victory and freedom, and he was instantly addicted.
He led an illustrious life- he slew dragons, enemies, and sometimes even friends who betrayed him for greed.
His childhood caused him to have a psyche where happiness wasn't something he could really enjoy, but he still managed to find bits and pieces of that elusive, yet extremely treasured emotion.
Everything was going well…until his curiosity resulted in the disaster.
He tried to stop it, but alas…he failed.
The memories ended with him making a backup plan to store them for the future.
With that, the strange trinket was removed, and suddenly…a mirror was placed in front of him.
Wait…why was the image in the mirror so familiar?
After thinking for a bit, he got the answer, and it was an extremely surprising one.
Wasn't that the man whose memories he had been seeing all this while?
So…was that why he had felt so much connection to everything? Had that been his life?
The old man was completely stymied- he thought back to the memories that flashed into his mind when he slept which he vaguely remembered, and what he had just seen.
With that, slowly, a change started to come over him.
Was that how they had come to be? Was that what had happened?
He went through it all carefully, and the more he did so, the more they embedded themselves into his mind.
Even if they weren't very firm, they stayed, and slowly…he began to transform.
His elderly face lost the doubt that always accompanied him. His brow became devoid of a frown.
His wide, strong shoulders were thrown back, and the mist that had been present in his eyes since a long, long time finally began to clear.
All those who watched him started to feel a natural urge to bow, or at least show respect.
None of the elementary particles were moving- no, this was all because of his image.
As one, they all bowed, and the Emperor looked at them all with a stoic gaze.
Before he said anything, the young man made a sword appear in his hands, and with his head lowered, he respectfully offered it.
"Welcome to the World of the Present, Emperor Fenoras. By giving you back your memories, I have managed to restore you, for a little bit of time, to the man you once were. Your mind was fractured due to the aftermath of the usage of the Grand Inheritance, and it resulted in it turning into a shadow of what it once was- it could only hold in place fleeting memories, or draw upon a certain store of knowledge to impart. I did this to thank you for everything you have done…but I also need you. This is the trinket you created which makes Heroes swear an Oath that even they cannot break. Over time, it has fallen into the hands of others, and they have bound it to them using indirect means. Yet…a trinket never forgets its true master. I beseech you to free it of its chains, and allow me to wield it in your name. I need you…to rise. Rise for the respect you are owed. Rise for the grandeur you have always commanded. And rise…for the Empire I shall build that will immortalize you. Draw your sword, Emperor, and make the World bend knee to you again!"