Haki watched, with an amused smirk, as Herald tied Kutsunga’s arms behind his back.

  Herald then stood with his undead brothers in arms where they awaited further instruction.

  It seemed as though the undead, while capable of a sort of sluggish autonomy, obeyed the word of she who resurrected them—Maranam, who would otherwise leave them to their devices but she had recently found a reason to command them directly.

  Haki walked up to his father and placed his foot on the man’s head.

  Kutsunga glared at Haki and, for some reason, the young man felt no pleasure in this.

  It wasn’t enough.

  Merely stepping on him wasn’t enough to make up for the abandonment and scorn.

  So, after deeply sighing, he stepped back and spoke.

  “Get up.”

  Kutsunga bit his teeth and since Haki knew the lord was going to be stubborn, he cast [Flame Whip] (-5W, 30DMG) and struck his father once I the back with a length of flame that burnt a line across the lord’s clothes and seared his back.

  [Name: Kutsunga

  HP: 130/340]

  “Ahhh!”

  “Come on. Qaya isn’t going to conquer itself.” Haki encouraged as the smell of sizzling flesh filled the air, adding to Herald’s terror.

  “You son of a bitch! Cursed fiend! The Golden Regent will not allow you to do as you please! Soon the power of the sun, moon and the very world will come falling onto that ugly head of yours!” Even in excruciating pain, Kutsunga hated his son and at this point, Haki had grown tired of it.

  He undid his [Flame Whip] and turned to the Undead Knights after letting out a deep sigh.

  “Pick him up.” Hali dragged his feet towards the Forest of Briars.

  The Knights picked a resisting Kutsunga up via each of his limbs and they followed Haki into the shadowy woods with Herald in close tow.

  Qaya was a hundred kilometres away, on the other side of the Forest of Briars but Haki didn’t mind the long walk.

  Actually, he was looking forward to traversing the Forest and facing its many inhabitants.

  He had taken a liking to life-or-death combat and looked forward to meeting more opponents.

  That said, his instincts hadn’t dulled.

  If he bumped into something stronger than himself, he’d flee without shame.

  Maranam seemingly sensed his caution and did something, evidenced by the white smoke that filled the shadowy Forest.

  The ground then trembled furiously and it wasn’t long before six familiar faces rose from the ground, pushing aside the great trees and kneeling at his feet.

  It was the Ancient Dragon Warriors and had been born yet again in death.

  [Cowardice is beneath he who would have my hand.] Maranam teased which made Haki shake his head in amusement and he did his best to hide the trace amounts of fear he now felt.

  “Doesn’t look like you’re giving me a choice either.” He muttered to himself, much to the confusion of Herald whose eyes continued to rattle with dread.

  “Oh- well, come on. Onwards.” Haki marched ahead, leading his growing entourage deeper into the woods.

  “Madness… this is madness…” Kutsunga groaned as he was carried along.

  “Oh- I forgot to ask but… surely the lord of House Ardi has a legitimate heir and not just bastard spawn, no? Where are they?” Haki raised a brow at his father but the man simply scowled and remained silent in reply.

  [He did but the young master and prospective candidate, Pfumo, was assassinated during one of his many banquets. Poisoned by an agent who served the house of the Sun.]

  “Oh…” Haki droned as he continued walking.

  *So we were his replacements.* Haki thought of his half-brothers. Those Kutsunga had killed. Boys who didn’t get the same chance he did.

  At this point, Haki had reached the limit of how much he could hate his father so his reaction was that of acceptance.

  *Tell me more about the house of the sun.*

  [House ílios was among the three great families that helped erect the civilization of man with the last great house being House Tsuki – The House of the Moon. The most recent Emperor was from House ílios and so we are currently in the Age of the Sun.] Maranam explained as Haki and company entered a murky and water-saturated part of the forest.

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  The sun had begun to set, casting the swamp in dark shadow.

  Haki stepped into the bog ahead with little thought and continued to learn from Maranam.

  *And why are they called the House of the Sun?*

  [Each house chose its emblems based on the schools of magic they decided to specialize in. Predictably, House ílios chose fire and light. House Tsuki chose ice and shadow. And lastly, House Ardi studied water and life.]

  Haki nodded before suddenly stopping as something crashed onto the spot where he would have taken his next step.

  Plumes of steam rose from the ground as whatever had landed burnt the swamp water away and it quickly cleared revealing a woman who stood just as tall as Haki, at three meters only she was glad in blinding golden armour that covered her head to toe.

  She brandished a grand golden Spear and flares of fire could be seen rising from her armor.

  Her white-hot eyes glared at Haki whose attention turned to another woman who appeared behind the one in golden armor. She was clad in the fires of the sun itself.

  Her mere Visage bathed Haki in heat.

  She had long, curly white hair, pale skin, a full figure and eyes that were closed.

  Haki’s eyes were then drawn to the right where a short man, clad in form-fitting, dark clothing and a mask that covered most of his head.

  His eyes were so blue and cold, that frost gathered on his lashes.

  Not much else could be discerned through his clothing and so Haki turned to the tall woman behind him.

  One who stood as tall as the other two and had eyes that were just as cold as the man she stood behind.

  She wore thick and fuzzy clothing that was fit for wintery climates.

  She had short white hair, and pale skin and was covered entirely in frost.

  [Maranam…] The woman clad in the light of the very sun called and like that, Maranam appeared next to Haki.

  [What is the meaning of this?]

  Maranam stepped forward to answer all while Herald and the others retreated.

  [Greetings, Sisters. ā??al and Vā?kkai.]

  [Why does this mortal reek of death?] The sunlit ā??al scowled, her form brought daylight to the dark of the swamp.

  [Because I gave of myself unto him.]

  Everyone gasped, including Haki.

  [Well, I plan to, should he deliver our vision of the world.]

  ā??al and Vā?kkai glared at Haki who sheepishly smiled.

  The two Goddesses then turned their furious eyes to Haki’s entourage.

  [We… are supposed to guide and bless our chosen champions not seek power for ourselves.] ā??al reprimanded but it seemed as though Maranam had already made her mind.

  [I know very well what should be, sister but the path this mortal would walk is fraught with conflict and Death. Should he prevail, the entire world would be engulfed in both. I need not justify myself further but that sounds like a future even the Cycle would approve of.] Maranam ruffled Haki’s hair, much to his playful annoyance.

  ā??al’s face twisted.

  [That is the most selfish thing that you have said in our eternity of existence.]

  [I know.]

  The skies trembled as ā??al and Vā?kkai’s fury boiled over.

  [Before any of this… insanity continues, I must ask… why? What brought all of this on?] ā??al asked for, for the first time since she appeared before Haki, her face softened, lined with concern.

  [Burgeoning within is a desire to exist as an agent of my own will. Even if it is due to the silly words of a mortal, or a whim or even if I come to regret it. At least it would have been a choice I made for myself.] Maranam softly smiled which made ā??al’s eyes lower a little.

  [Then… you have truly gone mad. Death shouldn’t have a say in anything beyond the natural course and for daring to go against that… Death will have to be unmade and remade anew. Hopefully, she would have regained her functionality. Kalokaíri!]

  Haki’s perception of time slowed to a crawl as the woman in Golden armour sprang into action.

  [Name: Kalokaíri

  Race: Human

  Coalescence Level: 100

  Available Cycle Shards: 0

  HP: 1090/1090

  W: 500/500

  DPH (Damage Per Hit): 595

  DR: 80% (MAX)

  Equipment: [Sunsteel Armor] (+80% DR)

  Skills and Spells: [Sol Surge] (-50%HP, 2x DMG), [Healing Touch] (-1W, +10HP), [Vineal Snare] (-5W), [Vitality Surge] (15W-, +50HP), [Renewal Blossom] (-50%W, +50%HP), [Breath of the World] (-MAXW, +MAXHP), [Ember Burst] (-1W, 10DMG), [Flame Whip] (-5W, 30DMG), [Infernal Arrow] (-15W, 55DMG), [Maelstrom Manifestation] (-20%HP, +10% DR and +10% Damage boost), [Reignition] (-40W, +80HP), [Orb of Light] (-1W), [Focused Beam] (-5W, 30DMG), [Dawnlight Dome] (-15W, 60DMG (Dome Health)), [Starfall] (-30W, 75DMG), [Star Heart] (-20%W, +15% DR and +50HP), [Ice Shard] (-1W, 10DMG), [Frost Wall] (-5W, 50DMG (Wall Health)), [Frost Call] (-15W, 55DMG), [Ice Armor] (-30W, 75DMG (Wall Health))

  Artefacts: [Spear of ā??al] (100DMG + 5 for every Coalescence Level)]

  Haki bit his teeth upon seeing just how strong Kalokaíri was.

  But it made sense since she too was a candidate for Emperor.

  He then, in this moment of extreme focus, turned to the other candidate.

  [Name: Sasa

  Race: Human

  Coalescence Level: 100

  Available Cycle Shards: 0

  HP: 1090/1090

  W: 500/500

  DPH (Damage Per Hit): 520

  DR: 70%

  Equipment: [Nightsilk garbs] (+70% DR)

  Skills and Spells: [Silent Howl] (-W, +DMG), [Healing Touch] (1W-, +10HP), [Vineal Snare] (-5W), [Vitality Surge] (15W-, +50HP), [Renewal Blossom] (-50%W, +50%HP), [Breath of the World] (-MAXW, +MAXHP) [Gentle Water Stream] (1-,0DMG), [Gentle Rain] (5-,0DMG), [Water Jet] (-15W, 30DMG), [Leviathan's Roar] (-30W, 50DMG), [Oceanic Tempest] (-40W, 100DMG), [Ice Shard] (-1W, 10DMG), [Frost Wall] (-5W, 50DMG (Wall Health)), [Frost Call] (-15W, 55DMG), [Ice Armor] (-30W, 75DMG (Wall Health)), [Umbral Wings] (-40W), [Umbra Veil] (-1W), [Shadow Step] (-5W), [Abyssal Grasp] (-15, 75DMG (Shadow health), [Void Walk] (-30W), [Eclipse Sickle] (-40W, 3 hits)

  Artefacts: [Frozen Tantō] (25DMG + 5 for every Coalescence Level)]

  Haki’s face warped into a fierce stare as Kalokaíri charged towards him, carrying the might of the sun itself and while his weaker self would have fallen to his knees and accepted defeat, he was determined to face the sun head on.

  So, as Kalokaíri swung her Spear to decapitate him, Haki blocked the attack with his ancient stone sword before activating all of his available buffs as the clash of their weapons tore not only the air, but the ground they stood on, sending it flying outwards.

  It didn’t matter that he was up against other Emperor candidates, he was ready to fight to the death and so, he activated Maranam’s Breath, taking his damage from 720 to 2079 after sacrificing 1350 of his 1390HP.

  To avoid an immediate death, he cast [Renewal Blossom] (-50%W, +50%HP) which brought HP up to 707 after consuming 225 of his 500W.

  He then cast [Maelstrom Manifestation] (-20%HP, +10% DR and +10% Damage boost) which brought his damage up to 2151 since it only affected his base damage.

  With all this, Haki’s body burst alight with Fire and Death as he stood before his opponents.

  Kalokaíri pointed her Spear Haki before roaring.

  “This thing is an enemy of the living and needs to die immediately!”