Chapter 18: Shadows of the Past
The battlefield stood frozen, caught between chaos and silence.
The Executioner lowered the imperial decree, his obsidian armor catching the dying embers of the battlefield fires. Behind him, the Azure Sky Sect forces withdrew in stunned silence, dragging away the wounded, their faces pale with fear and confusion. Even the proud Elder Ziran stepped back, bowing his head before the Emperor's will.
Leon remained motionless, his body trembling—not from fear or exhaustion, but from the weight of the moment. The void energy around Abyssal Fang flickered and died.
The Emperor had spoken his name.
Crimson Lotus approached him, her robes torn and streaked with blood, her eyes guarded yet gentle. "You've made too much noise, Leon," she said quietly.
Leon gave a humorless chuckle. "Wasn't planning on catching the eye of a god."
"Few ever do," she replied. "And fewer still survive it."
---
A Sudden Departure
The Executioner approached with slow, deliberate steps. "You are to leave with me at once," he stated flatly.
Garrik Kain stepped forward, blood still dripping from his beard. "He's not going anywhere unless he wants to."
The Executioner turned slightly. "Mercenary. The Emperor tolerates your group's existence. Do not mistake that for favor."
Leon stepped between them. "It's fine. I'll go."
Crimson Lotus grabbed his arm, brows furrowed. "Are you sure?"
Leon's gaze lingered on her face—soft, scarred, and unreadable. "I need answers. If the Emperor knows something about the system or my past… I need to hear it."
Garrik spat into the dirt. "We'll be ready if you need us, boy."
Leon nodded.
---
The Journey to the Capital
They traveled in silence—on foot for a time, then via a flying imperial beast, its scales etched with ancient runes. The Executioner offered no conversation, only grim silence.
As the capital's golden spires pierced the clouds, memories stirred within Leon—fleeting images of fire, betrayal, and a young boy kneeling beside a grave.
The System pulsed.
> [Hidden Memory Unlocked: Origin Fragment I]
Flashes overtook his mind.
A noble courtyard. Laughter. Then screaming. A man in imperial robes shouting, "Erase all traces!"
Leon gripped the side of the beast, his breathing shallow. "What the hell was that…?"
The Executioner glanced at him but said nothing.
---
Arrival at the Celestial Palace
The capital was unlike anything Leon had ever seen. Cultivators soared through the skies. Flying cities hovered above ancient mountains. And in the heart of it all, the Celestial Palace, suspended in the air, shrouded in starlight.
They passed through a dozen layers of security—soul-sensing barriers, divine beasts, and silent monks channeling aura from ley lines. Finally, Leon stood before an obsidian door adorned with the image of a thousand-eyed dragon.
A single voice beckoned from within.
"Enter, Leon Voss."
---
The Meeting
Inside, the air shimmered with power. The Celestial Emperor sat atop a throne of jade and flame. He wore no crown, yet authority radiated from every motion. His face was youthful—ageless—and his golden eyes glowed like miniature suns.
"You've grown," the Emperor said softly.
Leon froze. "You… know me?"
A pause.
"I knew your parents," the Emperor replied.
Leon's blood ran cold.
"They were…?" His voice cracked.
"Traitors. Heroes. It depends who you ask."
Leon stepped forward, fists clenched. "You had them killed?"
"No," the Emperor said. "But I watched it happen."
Silence. Then—
"I brought you here because your existence threatens the balance," the Emperor continued. "The Ascension System is not of this world. It should not exist. And yet, here you stand."
Leon's jaw tightened. "So, what now? Kill me?"
The Emperor's eyes narrowed. "That depends on you. There is still a path forward. A trial—not of strength, but of truth."
The walls shimmered and shifted, revealing a portal of silver fire.
"Step through, and face your origin. Only then will you understand what you truly are."
Leon looked into the portal—and saw only darkness.
But he stepped forward anyway.