Chapter 1. Assassination

The gods have decided. To erase all humanity.

In defiance, humanity fights back.

Through this defiance comes hope. An emperor rises.

The emperor cuts down the gods to pieces, scattering their remains in forests and rivers.

*****

Sharp pain erupts as the last bit of strength fades in my arms and legs. Blood gushes out through my throat.

The blade of a sinister black knife sticks out from a chest. Stench of foul odor lingers on the blade as dark blood is smeared on the tip. I slowly turn around.

And there he was, my son. Covered in blood with both hands trembling.

In his hand, lay the knife that pierced my chest.

A bit of me wanted to hold his hands in my palm.

Created from splitting a part of my soul. My eldest son.

‘Gared Ga-in’

“Your majesty”

A voice filled with fear.

Even when he faced the dragon lord, this level of fear could not be found in his voice.

One who was more brave, more proud than anyone. A shining model for knights. That was my son.

No one doubted for a moment that he would become the next emperor.

But it was he who stabbed me in the back.

No one could have foreseen this.

Blood swells within my throat.My body feels as if it’s burning.

Pain is something that I am familiar with, but not to this level. I am unsure if the knife is causing this pain or if it’s to do with the person wielding the blade.

Any normal person would have died without a sound from a single thrust.

However, I am an emperor.

I am humanity’s guardian.

One who tore the gods into pieces and scattered the remains in mountains, fields and rivers.

With a deep breath I let out a scream. Everything inside the room is flattened and the ground shakes.

Gared falls on his knees.

It seems like he is in far greater pain than I, who was stabbed with a knife.

On his knees, Gared snarls as he speaks. His rambling words had no logic behind it.

As I looked at him, there were many questions I wanted to ask.

Why are you here when you should be protecting the eastern front? How did you get past the royal guard? How did you discover a knife that can actually kill me? And after betraying me why do you look like you’re in discontent!?

But I kept silent.

Only thing that matters is that he stabbed me in the back.

Betrayal. It’s something I am familiar with but never imagined it would come from my own son.

Gared’s knife gradually sends me closer to death.

But I don’t do anything.

I could rip out Gared’s soul and have all my questions answered, but I didn’t.

With a snap of my fingers I could burn all living existences close by, but I didn’t.

Thinking back to when a god offered me immortality in the past, I didn’t take it.

I didn’t even think about how my death could diminish all efforts I put into laying down the foundation for a stable empire.

I did nothing.

I was afraid to think about future repercussions.I devoted my life to saving the human race through countless battles. Endless killing and dying. Many important sacrifices made.

The one shining light I had in my life was my family and friends.

For all that and yet betrayed by my child. The one I cared for most and loved dearly stabbed my back.

The source of my happiness betrayed me.

Maybe everything was wrong from the beginning.

“- I won’t ask anything”

I thought to myself as I looked at him. I wanted to tell him not to be afraid.

If my past actions have led this situation to arise, then I was willing to accept death.

My sight gradually fades.

The black blade squirms within my chest as if it’s a worm.

A fire starts from the stream of blood. The blade scrapes against my bone and makes an aberrant sound. A stream of burning blood flows down between my fingers.

The blood is sticky.

Ooo Ddduk!

I hear something break within me.

years since its form.

The Empire’s first Emperor, humanity’s guardian, one who slayed the gods.

‘Juan Kalberk Kenosis’ closed his eyes in death.

*****

Year 94

Ever so often in a hundred years, a great fire swept across the southern plains. In its aftermath, only dust remains and nothing else.

“– I promised myself that I would die!”

Nothing remained, except a boy covered in ash.

The child was deafeningly shouting what sounded like scream and a sob.

Letting out anger that no one else would understand.

“Which idiot brought me back alive-eee!!“