Chapter 74: Truth Untold
The eastern borders of Amanécer.....
They had arrived at the borders adjoining the human realm. The portal that connected Amanécer with the human realm was under the control of the Alchemist tower and the imperial house.
"You're late!" Canute reprimanded his little brother's tardiness.
"There was slight... change of plans?" He said sweating when Canute frowned and looked back at Octavius standing behind Cornelius.
He bowed to him when he saw Canute's eyes at him.
"What's he doing here?" He asked irritated.
Cornelius knew that both of them were once rivals mostly from his older brother's point of view for Luciana's hand until Helios chose Octavius over him.
Canute tried to persuade the princesses to win over Luciana but when he saw that she was very much in love with his rival he eventually supported her happiness.
Cornelius shrugged and told him the reason but it was only adding fuel to the fire.
"I wished my sister in law was here." He sighed.
"Here." Canute took out a leather pouch and place on his hand.
"The things you requested to formulate." He told him.
"I almost forgot about those. Or I would've worried the princess."
"So where's your next stop?" Canute inquired about the itinerary they had picked up.
"The brief stop at Achaemenid at west and then at Maya in the south east; the closest to both Zhonguo Republic where the portal directly takes the caravan to Wahrheit."
"A long journey ahead." Canute tapped his finger.
"What can we do? The portals used by Blue Van traders can only teleport us through shorter distances. We may be at disadvantage if it comes to time but better than nothing."
Both agreed simultaneously. When the owner of Blue Van traders appeared, Canute talked with him and after brief discussion they were ready to send them off.
"Better bring our princess back. Or die a graceful death." Canute spoke in a manner that was cold.
Octavius knew his words were mostly directed to him.
The portal glowed blue and spiral waves formed in the center making it look like an illusion of a tunnel.
"Then we'll be off now." He bid them farewell and left last.
"Hurry up! the portal won't last for long." Canute called out to him as he jumped into the tunnel.
"Do you think young master will be alright, my lord?"
The old merchant stood beside Canute worrying over the youngsters.
"Only God knows." He replied subtly.
"It's up to them to carve themselves a safe path."
>>>>--------------
Stygian Fortress.....
Erebus sat holed up with Jafar guiding him through the papers. The paperwork had piled up after being neglected for a long time.
He couldn't rest at ease after what he heard from Luciana. It didn't make sense how everything was merely a coincidence or if it was all orchestrated by someone.
Previously when he took Nemesis to his chambers looking at her only brought one person in mind.
"Aphrodite?"
The very name he mouthed froze her in shock.
Luciana looked up at him. Her attention was drawn towards him.
"How...do you know that name?" Luciana inquired. Her face became pale.
Looking at her defensive behavior he took a seat beside her.
Nemesis jumped out of the bed and ran where Leo stretched and shook vigorously. It sat down again when Nemesis ran to it and climbed in his back.
The wolf let him do whatever he pleased.
"You look like Aphrodite...the woman who saved me once in the past." He gradually began to explain her about the past events between both of them.
"I found her lost in woods near the capital city. She wandered but was extremely cautious to her surroundings. At that time I was a young teenage mercenary. Work was arduous for me with little pay. So I took whatever jobs I could to earn money.
It was a job request to hunt down evading fiends from the west. I along with another person near about my age took up the task and went to the place where the rift was.
There alone during the hunt I encountered her. She was a young woman, with unparalleled beauty that at first glance anyone could tell that she did not belong from Wahrheit.
When I was injured she ran to me without hesitation and healed me with unknown enchantment that I didn't know of.
It was a brief time I spent with her and I eventually got to know that she was the Empress of Amanécer.
She gave me knowledge on medicine and taught me how to read.
Whenever she mentioned about her daughter who looked like her she would have a priceless look on her face.
Two months passed and Amanécer declared war on Wahrheit. I too got dragged into the bloody battle. All because of her. Her realm treasured her to the extent where they did not care how many lives were sacrificed just to get her back.
Before she left she only left her memo with me and said strange words.
"You will find greatest happiness."
I did not understand her. She seemed sad but still eager to leave.
I never understood her. Why would she show such heartfelt emotions to an enemy.
Before she left. I felt indebted to her and gave her a small wooden box I had carved and painted. It was something I used beside my work to earn money.
Years passed by but I never heard from her....and suddenly you appeared Infront of me."
Luciana's eyes welled up tears.
She remembered the box her mother kept with her other treasures. It was painted to show winter snow mountains with a small grey wolf howling at the bright moon in night sky.
It was the thing Luciana always begged her mother to see.
"How...?" She trembled.
-" How is this possible? Did mother want this happening? Did she see the future in her clairvoyance? Mother...she came to Wahrheit!"
It explained her father's behavior before she came here.
"Did it make you cry?" He stroked her cheek while tears escaped her eyes.
"How do you look so similar to her"
-" The air around her is more pure and addictive."
"The woman you spoke of... was my mother. The four year old daughter she spoke so fondly of is her firstborn and the crowned princess of Amanécer."
He felt aback hearing her.
"This crowned princess you speak of..." His eyes fixated on her.
-"When her guard addressed her near the borders....She really is the princess of Amanécer!"
"Yes it is I... Luciana Mircea de Amanécer."
-"No! She was a replacement without the traits the empire desired."
" Firstborn of Helios Mircea and Aphrodite Mircea de Amanécer."
-"This is what Aphrodite meant ....?"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone