"Ramses is_"Tyran paused his lips trembling,his chest heaving as a shakey arm put Ramses's sword in the general's open hand.
"What happened?".Ren questioned ,his eyes drifting from one person to the other,observing the chaotic and confused look on the faces of the royals around him then his gaze settled on king Maxmillian,a husband of the queen he had killed not too long ago.
Since then Ren had suspected him as one of the higher ups.Forcing the truth out of his queen back then he knew wouldn't go in his favor as those who wanted the imperial prince dead had sworn not to speak the name of another.
"He was in my arms then suddenly_"Tyran paused.
Ren's eyes settled on Tyran,his gaze serious.
"We need to talk".
"Your majesty...I shall mobilize the royal knights immediately for a search."King Maxmillian bowed and raised his head to lock eyes with those of the general,the deadly piercing stare from the scarlet prince made his limbs weak for a moment.
Tyran only nodded though he was barely listening,his mind was lost in a world of his own,his eyes bulging from shock on a face in the likeness of a wilted mask drained of light.
Ren quickly grabbed Ruel's hand and those of the emperor to teleport them to the emperor's study.
Tyran gripped Ren by his collar tightly before leaning in his face.
"They...they have him.. they will kill him Ren,they can kill him...right now,it's not the time...they they can kill him".
Ren raised a brow wondering what he meant by 'its not the time'
"Get yourself together!"he scolded."your son needs you,don't go all sulking in my face!".
Tyran slowly let go of the general and his face and shoulders fell while tugging the corners of his mouth in grief.
"He was in my arms then suddenly he was gone"he managed to say.
Ren knew about telecatch,an advanced teleportation magic which had gone extinct over the ages.Aside him,his mind could only settle of the same sorceror who could use necromancy...Dark.
"Fret not...I will find him".
"My...my knight,where...I can't find him".
"He was with me"Ren clicked his fingers and Tyran found himself on the only seat in his study.
The Sorceror prince drew closer and slammed his hand on the desk leaning into Tyran's face.
"Tell me everything!"he demanded and the emperor lowered his head.
"I_"
"Tell me what know about your new knight and what you meant by it's not time"Those impatient crimson eyes stared back at him.
Tyran looked away and sighed,his breathing slowed down as he clasped both hands together.
He told Ren about Fiona's letter and how he had been watching the knight eversince.
"I needed him close to me so I could easily monitor his activities...he is one of them".
"Keep the prince far away from your him"Rengyotsu warned.
Tyran's eyes met Ren's who had never freely conversed with him this way before,this would probably be the first and last time,he must have been deeply concerned.
"Why is that?"
Ren didn't answer but backed away from the table to lean on the wall, crossing his arms with a flexed knee.
"It's not yet time!...what does that mean?".
Tyran averted his gaze again and Ren could sense him getting uncomfortable.
"You won't tell_"
"Uhh no emmm he...he_"Tyran wondered if he could really trust the person before him with his next words.If Ren by any chance betrayed and stood against him Ramses would no doubt meet his end before he turned an immortal.
But Hades said he could be trusted,that evil creature wouldnot want to do anything that would ruin his plans,Ramses body was still one he hoped to posses when the prince got older.
"Ramses will become an immortal when he clocks ten...When his power consumes him and he dies,Hades seeks to posses his body_"
"What!"
Tyran nodded before raising a lash.
"You didn't know?_"
"No!".
"I know that would be the end of everything,he might be the end of everything..but Ramses!..my son_must live!...Hades called him a Godtier there's a prophecy that he would be our end..but I just... I can't end him..I want him to live,you might resent me for choosing my son over my people but that won't change how I feel and nothing would change my decision either"Tyran's brows furrowed"Not even you!".
"I still wish to protect him"Ren said and Tyran's jaw dropped slightly.
The general was staring at the wall ahead,his white garment by the warm glow of the candle stands in the study.
Ruel walked up to him and began pulling on his garment but the general ignored him.
Tyran's face was as puzzled as ever.Even after what he told him he still wanted to protect a child bearing prophesies of doom.
"Why?"Tyran asked,a question he knew he would not get an answer to.
Ren only clicked his fingers and sent Ruel to his father's side and Tyran noticed this.
"You can do something similar_"
"A lost skill has been recovered and learnt and many more will be... next time don't do something as careless as exposing him at such a large gathering".
"What is your relationship with Hades,I know you are from the unclean realm but you know a lot about the underworld and hades don't you?"Tyran asked and thought he saw a faint smile on the general's lips.
"You must have heard I am unlike you Semonios,Hades was a catalyst to my creation and since then,I've called him Father".
A cold chill ran through Tyran's body as he stared into Ren's eyes.
Father?
"Is that why you seek to protect him?...are you with Hades in this?".
Ren's gaze settled on Tyran.
"In a way I can sometimes hear Hades's thoughts but I don't not side with him".
"Why then should I trust you?"
Ren frowned.
"I don't care if you dont!"he snapped,his voice laced with irritation.
"The king has already ordered a search by Urah's knights but you should mobilze the imperial knights and army as well...do you trust him?"
"I trust no one!"
General Rengyotsu scoffed as his eyes swung shut.
"At least I am pleased to hear that".
He muttered to himself before his presence left the room.
****************************
"Stay here don't make a sound and don't come out no matter what you hear!"The trembling voice of his mother warned as she handed him a branch of fripju lily and pulled the lid of the large basket over him.
The terrifying dying screams of his family made him peep through a hole in the basket to know what was going on and he caught sight of his mother's trembling figure and the silhouette before her.
"Although he has fripju with him, I know you can still smell him...the Sorcerors couldn't sense any magic in him,there is no proof he had inherited such abilities"She paused before falling before the silhouette,her head bowed low.
"Ppplll...pleas..se spare him... he is just a child"She pleaded.
In an instant her head rolled off and her body dropped to the ground without the silhouette moving a limb.
Zero covered his mouth to prevent himself from voicing out the small scream that escaped his lips.
The silhouette hadn't moved yet but he was facing the basket now.
As a grandmaster tier with a heightened sense of smell,he could smell even things concealed with fripju lily,he percieve a faint smell of a semonio coming from the basket and the small scream had given it away.
He approached the basket and opened it to stare at frightened eyes of the tiny figure curled inside.
The darkness in the corner prevented him from seeing the face of the murderer of his family but the light from faint glow of the moon he had caught sight of a of his scarlet hair fluttering under the effect of the evening breeze.
As the murderer's face drew even closer to his Zero screamed in his sleep but felt a hand touch him.
"Zero!..heyyy!..heyy!!"A feminine voice called out.
And he opened his eyes to see Athena,his chest pounding,he was drenched in his own sweat.
"You were having a bad dream"she said and zero gripped his hair.
"The past,I couldn't remember much of it until now,it was really him"his hands clenched around his sheets tightly,his teeth gritting with rage.
"Uhh who?...ok nevermind just how many times will you pass out in one night are you really in good health?what happened our there?".
"I fought Lord Rengyotsu!"
"You what?!"Athena screamed craning her neck,her eyes bulging in shock"you mean you dug your own grave?!"
"I will definitely kill him with these hands"
Athena slapped her forehead as a sigh escaped her lips.
"Ok I am finally convinced... you've gone crazy...why would you fight the scarlet prince of all people why would you even dream of killing him?ok whatever the reason,... that's a dream you have to wake up from because you might end up getting yourself killed".
"We'll see about that"
"Look a lot of bad things have been happening lately,even the imperial prince was kidnapped last night,I do suspect Dark is involved in this...Any way,you are now the emperor's knight and you just have to lay low and don't get yourself involved in anything suspicious".
Zero looked interested,rather elated as a dark smile formed on his lips,his eyes sparking with excitement.
"Oh really!"
Athena raised a lash.
"Why do you look so pleased ?"
"Because Dark just caught me breakfast!"
Zero threw off the covers went over to his wardrobe and pulled out a black set of clothes.
Athena warily stared at it and quickly backed him the instant he pulled on his pants.
"Where exactly are you going?"
She asked breaking the long stretch of silence before turning slightly to peep if he was done dressing.
Zero was dressed all black like an assassin with his nose and lips concealed by a black clothing,he had also rolled his long black hair in a bun on top his head and had a different sword from the one Tyran had given him hung at his side.
"To make sure he doesn't get out alive".