The Star of Annihilation
Chapter 75 – Wall (4)
Written by : Eleven

* * *

Coming out of the warp gate, Roy quickly adjusted his eyes to the dim lighting of sundown in the Southern Border of the Empire.

Lucius had entered the coordinates for the border city of the South, Trafilga.

The purple and yellow haze gave a tired feel to Roy as he was still feeling a bit tired from recently waking up a few hours back in the school infirmary.

The place they had warped to was near the city gates, and there were quite a lot of eyes on him and his master, but the crowded street was continuously bustling as the guards from the gate security quickly escorted Roy and his master to their destination.

Lucius had booked a caravan in advance with the Empire for the tournament and waiting at the traveling groups headquarters, was Mathilde, Roy’s mother.

As the two of them walked down the brick roads of Trafilga into the tavern where the traveling company was located, Mathilde’s eyes widened and lit up at the sight of Roy.

Jumping from the bench she was sitting on where she was making small talk with one of the carriage drivers, Mathilde rushed over to Roy.

“Roy!”

No matter how much it felt new or cheesy at times, Roy cherished these fleeting moments when his mother would hug him and show such open care for him.

The building was rather busy and bustling since there were a lot of people traveling this time of the year, but that didn’t stop Mathilde from running up to Roy and embracing her child.

“Oh honey….!”

Mathilde bent her knees slightly and came down to Roy’s eye level.

Although Roy was growing, he was still just a bit shorter than his mother as he stood at five feet and three inches tall.

Feeling the warm embrace of his mother, Roy felt a layer of his anxieties dissipate.

Familial love was something he struggled to get even in his previous life since his mother had died so early on. Being a good son was something he always struggled with and always felt that his actions were doing nothing but worrying his mother.

Roy continuously felt guiltier and guiltier everytime he made these decisions with his life on the line, but these moments of pure embrace and love were the moments he cherished more than anything.

Only in this life, did Roy start to finally see just how lonely he was in his previous life.

Only when he was able to be surrounded by friends, family and those who showed care for him, was he able to realize just how lonely he was.

Even at that moment, as several people were moving around inside the building, Roy felt alone in the world, but now he felt the presence of his mother alongside him. It wasn’t just her either…. Lucius was there too.

It was a weird feeling, and even more complex for himself to identify the emotions he was feeling as he felt his eyes swelling up as if he might cry.

Shaking himself out of it, Roy looked at his mother who was hugging him.

Her blonde locks of hair looked a bit worn as she hadn’t been taking care of herself as she used to.

The bags under her eyes were slightly present too, as the makeup she recently started wearing that she received as a gift from the first prince, did not completely erase her tiredness.

“Mom, why did you decide to come here with us?”

Roy immediately cut to the chase.

There was no way Mathilde did not know of the dangers at this point, as it would be stupid to think that she would not understand just who had recently targeted her son after witnessing the massive fight in Kerto village, where they once lived.

Coming to the central area of the continent for the Young Lions Tournament was supposed to be a neutral territory by all means, but with the very presence of the new power known as the Dragons, it was like walking into the tiger’s den.

“I just wanted to see my son. Is there anything wrong for a mother wanting to be there for her son when he has achieved so much and is continuing to achieve even more?”

Roy’s eyes widened in shock slightly.

‘Mom noticed my hard work?’

Roy had been working nonstop to get stronger. He had taken so many risks to get to where he was in this new life, and there were bound to be several more risks along the way in the pursuit of strength.

‘It had been missing…’

Roy realized just how much he had been missing this in his previous life.

While everyone around him still had families, and the few comrades he had that died alongside him in the war also had special people to them.

But Roy didn’t have any of that when his mother was killed.

He felt like something was cracking inside of him.

The hard shell that wrapped and protected his emotional self, was just barely starting to open up after so much effort.

Roy often avoided it, but he couldn’t help but question his motives.

Was he doing all of this for revenge? Probably.

But what was the point in living a revenge-filled life? Was it because he wanted to make the ones who took everything away from him, feel his pain and much more?

Roy was no philosopher or poet, but he knew this path and his thinking would surely only inflict more pain to him and others.

‘I’m so tired.’

After all of it, Roy once again felt tired.

It was so much for one person to handle.

Even now after coming so far, he still had thoughts of just giving up. It was the easy way out and he was only human.

Roy just melted as he accepted his mother’s embrace despite feeling embarrassed from all the pairs of eyes staring at them in the lobby.

“Well hello there! You must be the one with the special invitation?”

As the hug was becoming longer and longer, a voice interrupted them and brought Mathilde and Roy’s attention to the speaker.

Lucius also stepped forward with a brusque expression, erasing the slight smile he had from witnessing such a family reunion.

“Yes, we should be talking about that outside. Don’t you think?”

Lucius came forward and whispered to the speaker who had interrupted the group.

The man was a slim figure dressed in a red tunic and cloak.

His facial features were rather difficult to make out since his head was hooded when he spoke, but he immediately feigned a business-like smile and bowed towards Lucius and the rest.

“Ah, but of course. It will be a short journey, let me introduce myself as the guide that has been designated to you while I show you the carriage…”

Roy felt a bit weird as the voice sounded androgynous and was difficult to assertain the identity of their escort.

But perhaps this was also something that could be used as an advantage.

Roy realized he was already assuming that the escort’s identity was compromised.

‘The Empire isn’t useless and powerless to mess up with a single escort group…’

Roy felt ashamed of his cynical thinking that had already assumed the worst.

Wondering whether his thinking had always been so negative and quick to assume, Roy shook his head and took his mother’s hand gently.

Feeling the warmth of his hand, Mathilde looked down to see her son holding her own hand.

Although Mathilde had a lot to talk to Roy about, and was rather glad to see her son finally waking up, she decided to stay silent until they started the journey to the center of the continent.

Their journey wouldn’t be exactly long, but it would be filled with plenty of opportunities to discuss the heavy topics that Mathilde had yet to share with Roy.

Walking back outside to the back area where the carriages were kept, Roy focused on preparing himself mentally for the tournament to come.

* * *

In the Eastern Kingdom of Palest…


<Is it finally time?>

Parish, the Lord of the Dragons asked Latras while looking up at the sky from the castle that once belonged to the former King of Palest.

<Yes, M’Lord. The preparations have gone smoothly and we have started to produce more of the soldiers that you once saw. This time, they are no longer prototypes either.>

Parish looked at Latras briefly before nodding slightly.

His dignified aura was overwhelming even in subtle moments like these.

Latras trembled slightly as he recalled what had happened just a short while ago while Hanu and Mazre went to the Empire.

Although the two of them had failed their mission, the Lord, Parish, had expected it to fail for some reason.

For that reason, Parish went personally with Latras in order to search out for more of the specimens that would serve as the base for Latras’ experiment and had succeeded.

The only thing was that the Giants were much stronger than expected. Especially their own chieftain was especially formidable in Latras’ eyes.

It wasn’t that they would have been able to defeat either of them.

But it was the fact that Latras needed their corpses intact.

Yet, his worries went completely away when he witnessed Parish fight seriously for the first time in a very long time.

Although Latras had served Parish for a very long time, and had conquered most of this planet’s continents and several other planets….

Parish was getting stronger even as powerful as he already was.

The position of a Lord in the Dragon race was only given to a select few that were not yet at the level of becoming a god, but had truly gone through the second stage of Transcendence.

<It’s also time to get ready… this will be a turning point for us if we fail here.>

<…? What do you mean by that M’Lord.>

Parish spoke up as he looked slightly worried in his eyes.

Latras did not know what could possibly make the Lord worry when the Lord was already so far above any mortal.

<The Star of Annihilation. If it grows once more instead of falling here, we will have to revise our plans once more.>

<Is the boy really that dangerous?>

Latras asked carefully.

He knew that his Lord, Parish, did not speak words of nonsense. Parish was very cautious if anything and thorough in their work.

That was why Latras had decided to follow Parish in the first place.

<He is somewhat unique. It is a difficult matter to talk about since it’s not meant to be heard by mortals or half-transcendents, but I suppose I could explain a little bit.>

Parish turned towards Latras and looked him square in the eyes.

The cold crimson color of Parish’s irises gleamed in contrast with their dark surroundings on the balcony of the castle.

<If I had to word it properly…. It’s more like something our race is supposed to watch out for. All of the races that have ascended to the Upper Realms and attained godhood, are in search of one being.>

<That boy is that being?>

<No.>

Parish shook his head firmly.

<He is something that can either be the key to finding that being, or the one to bring the end to all that pursue him.>

<….Who is that being?>

Latras was only a half-transcendent despite being one of the Great Three. All of the Dragons that followed Parish were half-transcendents. But despite having such a standing, Latras had never attained this kind of information even when he was growing up in the upper realms where he had been born.

<He is not someone we are even sure exists. But… Everything we are doing, is for the sake of finding him. His identity is not something we can disclose either. But if anything, the problem is that the Star of Annihilation is something that could threaten even his existence. And what is even worse, is that the blood relatives of that boy… are also in possession of other stars that contain aspects.>

Parish closed his eyes briefly.

<I cannot talk more on this. Just know that even if we fail again here, we need to absolutely make certain that we do not fail again later when it is time to bring this planet to ruin.>

Latras shuddered as he stared up at the starry night sky with worry.

Amongst all the stars in the sky, an ominous red star was still glowing faintly as if to warn everyone watching that something was coming.

Well, that was just how Latras felt when he saw the star.

‘I’ve been getting too fickle these days. I should contact that impure-demon boy I took in since it’s almost time for the next stage of our plans.’

Chapter 75 – Fin