Tyrant of the Ruined Sun

Leaving the meeting room, Adam had his habitual kind and warm smile upon his lips, but those who spent a long time with the ancient priest could easily tell that this one was different from those he usually wore. This one was more relaxed, while carrying a strange sense of youthful excitement. But while he was the spiting image of inner piece, his students were the exact antithesis. As Sarm who usually carried himself with a stern expression now looked even more grave than normal, but the one who held the greatest change was undoubtedly Layn, whose eyes were so unfocused and face so devoid of color it seemed as if he was a corpse walking. The same Layn who had been stealing gloating glances at his senior in the beginning, believing that he had proven him wrong, since Alexander appeared so docile and polite before their teacher. Yet he now carried a half-bred expression of growing anxiety and confusion. He only awakened from his zombified state when Isaac, the one guiding them declared "These three rooms are yours. A few servants will always remain outside, ready at you beck and call, so if you desire anything or find something to your dissatisfaction with these accommodations please don't hesitate to ask." "That won't be necessary. This is more than enough. Thank you, lord Isaac." Adam replied with a slight bow of gratitude. "Your gratitude is wasted on me, your excellency. I was merely doing as I was told. Please, enjoy your stay in Wahagen to your hearts content." Isaac swiftly replied as he bowed even lower than the ancient priest, before taking his leave. Seeing Isaac leave, Adam turned to his disciples and said warmly "Today has been quite eventful for my old bones, so I'll be retiring to my room. You two may use this time as a small break from your usual schedules and relax. You've earned it." "Thank you teacher." They responded simultaneously, as they bowed. Hearing the click of their teacher's door, Layn turned to enter his designated room, when he suddenly heard Sarm calling to him saying "Come with me." Though surprised by this, he still followed him to his room, where he found Sarm folding his arms over his chest, with the same stern expression he always held looking at him fixatedly, almost as if he was trying to see past him, as he said in a tone that forbade any form of refusal "Tell me what's on your mind." "N-Nothing senior. I was just tired from the long jou..." Layn tried to weasel his way out of this conversation, but before he could even finish a single statement, Sarm coldly interrupted him saying. "You're a terrible liar. Now stop wasting time and speak. What on your mind." Layn clenched his hand as hard as he was clenching his jaw, knowing full well that there was no escaping now, so he lashed out in a voice louder than what he intended "Alright senior, I admit it! You were right! Happy now?!" "I didn't ask you to tell me such a useless thing." Sarm replied coldly, making Layn shrink backward from the unexpected chill in his tone, as he continued "I told you to tell me what's on your mind. What you think after having met his majesty." Layn's eyes opened wide, as he felt his senior was reading him like an open book, but he still didn't wish to say what he truly thought, but seeing the expression on Sarm's face, he knew it was futile. So this time he replied honestly, not hiding anything, but yet again his voice was higher than he intended it to be "You all must have felt it too, right senior?! So how come all of you are acting so calm and casual about this whole thing?! There's clearly something wrong with his majesty! His eyes..." Layn's body shivered remembering that image he beheld a few minutes ago, as he instinctively culched his right shoulder with his left hand "There was something behind those eyes. Looking at us. Something that wasn't just the emperor, or even human. It was a burning, hungry and malevolent gaze that..." Layn cut himself off, as he couldn't the words, before continuing in a voice filled with uncertainty "Are we even sure that someone like is even fitting of rul..." "Layn!" Sarm's voice cut his coming words before he could continue, as he rebuked him saying "This isn't the Main Temple, this is an imperial palace. Even the walls have a ears here." Flinching back at his words, he began to instinctively look around him for anyone, even though he knew they were alone. Walking toward his junior, Sarm reached out his hand and placed upon his his shoulder as he said in much more mellow tone "When I first met his majesty I raised the same concerns to our teacher, and do you know what he said back to me?" Shocked by this revelation, Layn shook his head, as his eyes burned with a desperate desire to know, so that he can quench this clawing unease that has been growing like a tumor in his mind. Seeing this Sarm quickly answered saying "He said that for centuries he has been praying every single day to the God of the Underworld to bring deliverance to the nation, and bless us with a descendant of his that could raise us to the heights his late majesty, Azrael the second dreamed off. And finally after so long, our God seems to have finally answered his prayers." "But..." Layn loudly exclaimed, before instantly recognizing his blunder and regaining his bearings, before saying in a hushed whisper "But senior, There is something very wrong with his majesty." "Of course there is." Sayn replied, as if it were the most obvious fact in the world, as he continued, while completely disregarding Layn's shocked expression "After all, how in the name of all that is holy would a boy barely into his manhood possess such wisdom, strength, confidence and a petrifying presence so primal it even made ancient behemoths such the Grand Marshal and our teacher believe in him almost instantly." Pausing momentarily to catch his breath, he said with pure conviction "And that is exactly why he is the perfect candidate for the position of emperor. Because it makes no sense, how did an ordinary prince transform into that. It can only mean one thing, our God has made his move." It was then that Sarm's armor slightly cracked and from between it's splinters a small smile emerged, as he continued "So Layn, even if you don't believe in me or even in our teacher, believe in our God." ***Scene Change*** The day seemed to be in a rush today, as the sun quickly finished it's switch with the moon. And we were currently in the dinning hall, hosting a modest banquet in honor of the Archpriest, who was vehemently against the thought of wasting so much food in his name, until he finally reached a compromise under my mother's insistence. The palace chefs had toiled all day to prepare a small but rich collection of food that was truly immaculate. The long table before us was filled to the brim with these mouth watering delicacies that ranged from green salads and boiling hot soups to grilled lamb meat and pheasants. An air joviality dominated the room, as Cyrus happily gorged himself on the lamb meat, and while Alisar and Nizam were far more reserved than him, they too also looked to be enjoying themselves. And even Adam's students seemed to be happily eating the pheasants in particular, though I did notice that the younger one was slightly off, seeming to constantly zone out in his own world, but I paid it no additional focus. Meanwhile my mother and Adam hardly touched their food at all, too engrossed in their theological debates that seemed to never end. And even though I found the topics they discussed interesting, I couldn't fully focus on them as my mind continued drifting back to the tablet Adam gave me this morning. The very fact that I had no idea that it even existed in my past life was infuriating enough as it is, but the more crucial question right now is, why was it such a tight lipped secret that needed a test to pass. 'What mysteries do you hold?' I thought as began planning how I'm going to decipher this newest enigma I find myself possessing. Yet before I could even treading down that train of thought, a piercing cry of urgency cut through the festive mood of the feast "MY EMPEROR!" The dining went silent as we all sat in shock, before the doors suddenly flew open as a young man carrying a long lance in one hand and a letter in the other, and wearing the uniform of the Chimera Knight's squires barged in, saying with a palpable air of exigency "My liege, I have a message from the Grand Vizier. Your presence is requested in the capitol immediately!"