Chapter 76: When the Ocean Sings

Emperor Kelmont Derianis Jalozi wore a terrified, shaken expression as he paced around his Imperial Chamber. His clear, skyblue eyes were wide and stupefied, and his silver bangs, like magnets, were glued to his sweat-filled forehead.

His hands, clasped behind him, trembled insufferably.

Why now of all times? Why did that masked monster choose now to return to Jalozi? To Rindell? Where was he all those years ago when he needed him? Those times when he didn’t know why the hell he ended up on the throne as an Emperor?

Kelmont gritted his teeth, halting in place. He affixed his gaze toward the window at the northern end of his room, watching the dazzling golden glow of the evening.

When Blank had come the day before, the first thing the masked man had asked Kelmont about was information concerning a young man known as Maxwell. The same Shining Star who the Kelmont, the Emperor had once set his sights on. The same shining star who had turned down his proposal.

Kelmont could still remember Gelru’s downcast, downtrodden expression that day when he reported his failure to recruit Maxwell. But, as a way of apologizing to Kelmont for his failure, Gelru had properly investigated the water mage’s background with his squad, learning everything about the young man — where he was born, how he was raised and treated by his family, how he ended up in Ludia... Everything about him.

And... Kelmont ended up telling Blank everything Gelru had told him, even giving the masked man papers that Gelru’s background research had produced.

Blank’s red gaze had been cold while gathering that entire information. And Kelmont hated that cold gaze of Blank’s. Blank was a fiery man, the kind of man who wore his passion on him like sleeves.

Suddenly seeing the swelling heat of such a passionate man dwindle, dull, smolder and replaced by cold had just been... wrong.

Except... except Blank’s entire demeanor was all just a mask he wore to hide this true nature of his? Was he really the passionate, fiery man Kelmont knew, or was he something else... an ice cold machine?

Kelmont’s mind began to spiral. He really hated this. He hated his own mind. It was too soft, too loose, too cowardly.

But — Kelmont just had to admit it,

— there was a point to these might-be-exaggerated thoughts of his.

That day when Blank, still bearing the name of his other persona, Charles Liam Flameworth, had killed the Immortal Emperor himself — that ancient man who’d been corrupted by the being known as Lucifer, Kelmont could still vividly remember that historical day... He could remember the aloof look on Blank’s face as he fought Jolari, the Immortal Emperor.

That ice cold look, like all his anger, hatred and heartedness had been refocused and sharpened into a cold, repurposed iron will.

And just a few minutes ago, after a full day spent researching further on the documents of Maxwell that Gelru had handed Kelmont, Blank left Kelmont’s chamber. And because the Emperor was one of the few people on Cryst who knew his true face, Blank was without his mask during the entire duration he spent in Kelmont’s chambers.

See, the reason why Kelmont was in such a frenzied state was because he knew Blank. The last time that man had shown himself in Jalozi, he had killed an Emperor. Seeing him here the other day, Kelmont had assumed Blank came for him. But, blessedly fortunate for him, he was proven wrong as Blank gave him an order to avoid war with Ananca. And... the question the masked man had asked him the very moment he came... About Maxwell...

That look, unnervingly resembling the day he killed Jolari, he had on his unmasked face just before he left, after researching Maxwell for a whole day...

Not to mention his last words before he left, ’Kelmont, this might very well be the last time you see me. You’ve done well, champ. You’ve held this Empire together all these years. I commend you. But you will need to do more to keep this Empire alive. Hold those Nine that call themselves a court, they rampage like unfed dogs, eager for a bite, a taste of power,’ he had said. ’Do you know that there’s a particular time that all the Elves love? They say it’s a time given to them as a blessing from the mother tree.’

’What is that time, Honored one?’ Kelmont had asked, holding Blank in high regard.

On Blank’s cold, emotionless face, Kelmont had seen the faintest sign of a smile as he said:

’The time 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑶𝒄𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝑺𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔.’

He’d said the Elves were the only ones capable of listening to the singing ocean. And like that, he’d left Kelmont all alone in his room.

Just... it all confused the Non-mage Emperor.

What exactly was Blank talking about? What did he mean? Why did he always speak in ridiculous riddles?

Was the masked man going to die?

Kelmont’s heart kept pumping, hitting.

He forgot about Blank’s other cryptic statements. What the man had said about that Court of Nine confirmed Gelru’s...

Grrrrrrrrrr–—–!!!!

The Emperor’s chambers trembled, the ground where he stood shaking furiously. He had to find and hold the edge of his bed to stop himself from falling.

The trembling didn’t stop. It all felt like a...

What was happening? Was that an Earthquake? But earthquakes never happened in Levaria...

Flash––!

Kelmont had to close his eyes as a dazzling brilliance streamed into his room through the window, almost blinding him.

With an arm raised to eye level, he slowly, hesitantly, opened his eyes. Squinting as he gazed outside the window, he held on to his bed for orientation.

And, right there, right then, Kelmont Derianis Jalozi saw the most beautiful sight he’d ever been privileged to witness in his entire life.

Jaws slackened.

A convergence of four brilliant lights. Blue, Red, Yellow and Green, all combined, painting the horizon.

Just what in Hubolt’s name was happening in Rindell?