Empire of Feor, Imperial Capital, Feori, The Imperial Palace.

Inside the throne room of the Imperial Palace, current Emperor, Maximillian Feiro II, was sitting on his lavish golden throne, it shines bright inside the almost emptied room, guards were stationed at the pillars that supported the room, that gave a serious and emptied expression on such a lavish room.

The Emperor sitting on his throne, had a depressed expression, none of the guards nor the nobles the were beside him dared to ask him about what was wrong or what he was thinking about, since it was none of their business to pry into their leader's mind.

But the Emperor suddenly asked one of his nobles that was just down the thrones elaborate pomp.

“Baron Gero, is there any response from the Alliance?”

The Noble, surprised immediate answered his question with a stutter.

“N, No, your Imperial Majesty, there is still no response from the Alliance.”

“I see, the church is really getting on the high heels of the kingdoms, another crusade, please, we have already captured the holy site, that should be enough.”

The Emperor was slowly losing his temper, to such an unbelievable request.

“I, I see, then should we decline the church’s request?”

“No, we can’t, our relationship with the church would dwindle, you know how much influence they have not only here in Melosia, but also in Prio. In fact, if they will accuse us of being heretics and they can even assemble a crusade against the empire.”

“Then-“

The Noble was interrupted by the Emperor who suddenly threw his golden chalice on the ground of the room, releasing the wine that was inside it. The Noble feeling the anger and wrath of the Emperor stopped his question and stayed silent.

“Damn it! not one good thing has happened this year! First, the civil war in the kingdom of Linoire, because of that our trade with them had Ceased! Then, the Demonic plague in the northern Continent! Now the Church wanting another crusade! Dammit!”

Hearing the tantrum of the frustrated emperor, the nobles that stood there finally decided to calm him down.

“Emperor, please stop your anger, it won’t be good for your reputation, your a very self-controlled monarch, if your people find out about this they would start fearing you.”

Maximillian, the Emperor, heard his noble’s request, to which he immediately followed, he gained back his self-control and immediately apologized.

“I’m sorry for my rude behavior, it seems I just wanted to vent my anger.”

Emperor Maximillian Feiro II, the 34^th Emperor of the Empire of Feiro, was a very caring and loving monarch to his people even ignoring the nobles request and authority and helping the lower class with problems that the Noble’s didn’t fix.

He was famous for mostly siding with the lower class citizens and lower nobles rather than those of powerful ranking, for the lower class he was a very caring Monarch, but for the Upper Nobles he was a pest that can’t be controlled.

“I’m very sorry about that, I can’t let the opposition use something against me.”

“Yes, your Imperial Majesty, if the other nobles heard about this, they will obviously use this against you. That’s why you must control your anger in front of others.”

Another Noble asked the Majesty that had finally recovered from his tantrum.

“Speaking of against, Your Imperial Majesty, about the Linoire civil war, aren’t we going to support the Liniore Royal family?”

“Well if we talk about it politically and economically, they have an abundant amount of natural resources and their population having outstanding talents is good, but their nobility is really unstable and corrupt, so most of those resources are being pulled onto their pockets rather than their citizens, the current king has been troubled because of this. Leading into massive factions neither against, neutral, or beside the king.”

He took a look at one of the rooms large window which the suns rays can be seen from inside.

“Personally, the father of the current king was a good uncle to me, if he was still alive I would definitely help, but you see our situation don't you? The alliance is also in flames because of the recent incident, I can’t do anything other than watch the war unfold.”

“Then, where shall we get our resources for a good price?”

“We don’t, we’ll follow the rules of the game and accept what price they give, our trade agreement with the kingdom of Linoire was only because of my father’s friendship with the previous king, both sides still profit from it though.”

“I, I see, then, whatever the Imperial Majesty decides we shall follow it.”

“Thank you.”

The Emperor was about to finally sit on his throne, Until a guard suddenly barged inside the throne room, pushing the door in a loud manner, taking the noble’s, throne room’s guards, and the Emperor’s attention.

“Don’t you have any respect to the Emperor?! Do you want to be beheaded?!”

A noble yelled, but the guard wasn’t able to respond as he kept panting inside the room.

“You, your imperial Majesty! I came to report!”

His body fell to the ground on both knees but he still prostrated himself on the room’s carpet.

“Speak.”

The Emperor said in a low and cold voice.

“Yes! The grand sage has awoken from his slumber!”

“What?!”

The Emperor, Maximillian, suddenly yelled, his voice could be heard throughout the room.

“The Grade Sage has awoken from his Slumber! Your imperial Majesty, He is currently awaiting your audience!”

“Finally! Baron Joba, send me the palace doctors, all of them! Bring them to the grand sage’s tower.”

The Emperor shouted at a noble, not containing his own excitement.

“Yes, your majesty.”

The noble bowed and left the room with haste, walking past the exhausted guard and left.

“Take me to him.”

“Yes, your Imper-“

The guard suddenly fainted, shocking the emperor and the other people inside the room.

“Nevermind, take him to the healers, I can just walk there myself.”

“But-“

The Emperor objected a noble’s response with a stern look.

“It had been 10 years since he fell into his slumber, I would like to meet him myself.”

The Noble hearing his majesty’s request complied and didn’t object any further.

Seeing the noble’s response, the Emperor left the room with haste, leaving his escorts and his nobles behind.

Finally! 10 years and you finally returned!

He dashed through the halls of his palace, making the guards and maids shocked at what he was currently doing, but they didn’t stop him, since, he is the Emperor.

***

Atop the tall tower of the Grand sage near the Imperial Palace’s courtyard.

The Emperor climb the steps of the tower, he was already exhausted but he kept going till he reached the top.

As he reached the last step and onto the door that led to the Grand’s sage room, he prepared himself, he took multiple deep breaths and to look as matured as possible.

And opened the door slowly.

As the door finally opened, he saw the body of the Grand sage standing with an almost hunched back, he wore his clothes from before his slumber, it was a silk light blue robe, as he stared onto the window of his room, to where he met the hot breeze of the wind.

“Ah, you’ve finally made it, Maximillian, how’s your father?”

The Sage suddenly asked the Emperor, to which his face darkened.

“Father, Father… is dead.”

“I see, everybody will die at some point, whether now or tomorrow, it is inevitable and can't be escaped.”

“Yes, grand Sage.”

As their little conversation ended, the sage turned around, revealing his long white beard extending up to his stomach, and his wrinkled face, it was no doubt he too had aged.”

“Grand Sage, you should still rest your body might collapse.”

The Emperor requested, but the sage didn’t listen, instead he asked about what happened before he was asleep during those 10 long years.

“You see, I don’t like being left in the past, Maximillian. Can you tell me what has happened while I was resting?”