Chapter Eighteen: Heiwa Palace

The guards guide the group through the halls of the palace. It hasn't changed since Lei was young. The hallways were minimally decorated. The wooden walls are carved with the art of dancing dragons and humans. Most of the art and decorations are placed inside the treasury vault.

Lei holds Okimi's hand as he knew she would be nervous. They are here... Okimi quickly wipes tears from her eyes.

They reach the royal kitchen. It was empty and recently cleaned. Okimi mentions that breakfast is over. It will be a short window before they come back in and prepare lunch. The two guards watch as Aaron and Fred carry the heavy bags of rice into the massive pantry. A long hallway is full of crates of separated fruits and vegetables. But the food looked odd. Aaron picks up a peach. The colouring has a tinge of purple, glancing at the others they looked the same. He places it back into the crate.

Okimi speaks to the guards. She remembers them... But never knew their names. She was always friendly to the guards. They worked long and hard days. Smiling as she spoke. She invites Iolene and Lexi into the conversation. Iolene slid off Beau to say a friendly hello.

The dragons remain quiet.

The guards were laughing as Lei and Aaron knocked both of the guards out. Quietly walking behind and giving a swift hit on the neck, they collapse as they both grab the guards and slide them into the pantry. Undressing them and sliding them underneath the lowest shelf and hidden behind weave baskets.

Fred remarked they should have killed them. Aaron immediately tells Fred to not kill them. Fred rolls his eyes with annoyance.

"It is time," Lei says looking at Okimi.

They follow Okimi to the throne room. Where her father Sazan Jona sat. She looks at the sliding doors she has passed through many times in her life. The guards point their spears at the group. Fred unsheathed his hammer that was concealed inside Duryss's saddle.

"Put that away!" Aaron whispers in anger.

"I am not going down to these pussies!" He whispers at Aaron with as much intensity.

Okimi reveals herself to the guards. They look at her with shock.

"You are a traitor..." One of the guards said sadly. "Why did you come back?" The other asks.

"This is my home..." Okimi said. "Let me inside."

The guards let her inside without issue. It was obvious they felt pity. But it is obvious they wanted no part of what is going to happen after.

The group walk inside the throne room. They never had a "Throne" but the Daimyo would kneel on a pedestal. Making sure he would always be above everyone else. However... The pedestal is gone. Being replaced with stairs and a blue draconium throne. A throne that looks scarily similar to Empress Zhen. Lei clenches his fist with anger. The statue, now this!?

Sazan Jona was speaking to one of his subordinates as he looked down at the group. Immediately silencing the subordinate with a hand gesture. The subordinate then shyly bowed and walked down the steps.

However, standing on the Daimyos right a thin man looks down with annoyance. His armour is decorated with blue, purple and black. His long face and white hair are unmistakable. He is from Inclementia. Iolene stands behind Aaron trying to hide behind him. They were not expecting such an appearance from Iolenes enemy. They helped them... But to have such a presence

Okimi reveals her face to her father.

The room was silent. The only sound that can be heard is normal palace life from outside the room.

After the long silence, Jona finally says something. "You fucking bitch." He said with a disdained tone.

Dread filled everyone. Iolene walks to Okimi and holds her hand. She couldn't believe how a father could take to his own child in such a way.

"Father... " Is all Okimi could say.

The room went silent again. The silence is disturbed as her mother and younger brother walk into the throne room. Sana... Now eleven years old. He is a cute little boy taking his position as heir next to Jona's throne. Lei looks at him as his youngest sister Fen is betrothed to him. But he is happy that they will never meet. However, there was someone missing.

"Where is Mai?" Okimi asks.

Her father didn't answer as he remained silent. Staring down at his eldest child with a blank stare.

"Hello, sister," Sana said. He never called Okimi by her name. Even when she tried to bond with him when he was little. He truly is his father's son.

Her mother remains silent as was her place. She had very little control... Even raising her children. She had power when Jona was imprisoned. But wasted it... She and Zhen were once good friends. But obviously, she chose her husband over sense.

With a sudden motion, the self-appointed Emperor screams for guards to attack and imprison Okimi. Everyone unsheathes their weapons as they begin to fight.

The Inclementian man walks away as the fight begins. Exiting the back where Sazan Jona enters. Iolene couldn't help but notice how calm he is. Where is he going? She thinks to herself.

Lexi, Iymp, Fred and Duryss run to the main throne room door. There were many guards trying to barge inside.

"You wanted to fight Fred! Let's do it!" Lexi shouts. Opening the door they race out getting many guards' attention. They begin to follow the four around the castle.

Everyone else looks in surprise as the four ran away. Flashes of red and green can be seen in the hallways. However, they didn't them all as many races inside.

Aaron, Iolene and Beau remain with Lei, Ponderrah and Lexi. They fight many groups of soldiers and guards. Aaron using his great sword, Beau using his strength, Lei using his spear, Okimi using her katana and Iolene trying to use her bows and arrows. Ponderrah walks backwards avoiding the fight.

The soldier dragons trying to use their mag skills as Beau jumps onto them knocking them to the ground. Aaron with quick reflexes uses his sword pommel to knock behind the dragon's head. Dragons instantly knocked them unconscious, Beau couldn't help but shake his head at Aaron.

"What? You don't want me to kill them don't you!?" Aaron says with annoyance.

Lei and Okimi fight in their style of martial arts. However, Lei is not as graceful as Okimi. The guards are hard to fight against. But Okimi made it look so easy.

Iolene shooting with her arrows hits a soldier in the leg. She gasps as she holds her hand to her mouth and apologises to the man as he shouts at her in pain.

Aaron couldn't help but laugh at her. What did she expect? He then races to her and helps her race to the throne room door and locks it shut. The guards scream and shout but they were silenced as a mag stream can be heard. The flashes of red and green can be seen again. But then vanishes... They have run off again.

Iolene however couldn't get the Inclementian man from her head. He just left as if he didn't care. Even Jona didn't question it... Very odd.

Lei and Okimi are surrounded by knocked-out bodies. There were at least ten of them. Jona stands up and unsheathes his Katana. His son and wife stand still.

This is the first time Okimi sees her father unsheathe his weapon.

"You do not deserve a katana..." Her father said and bowed from the waist. She bows in return. They both must duel. Lei stands in front of Okimi in anger.

"YOUR FIGHT IS WITH ME JONA!" He shouts in anger. The man disgusts him so much he wanted to vomit at his mere presence. Remembering after everything this man has done... He couldn't hold his composure anymore and attacked Jona. He immediately deflects Lei and slams him into the wall. Aaron and Iolene run to his aid. Lei pushes them away.

"DON'T GET INVOLVED! THIS IS MY KILL! LEAVE!" Lei shouts at them. His handsome features distorted with such anger. It scared Iolene. Such frightful anger... She thinks to herself.

"Lei..." Iolene whispers to him. "Your anger is blinding you..." She says softly. Aaron grabs her shoulder and she looks up at him. Aaron remains silent and nods. He respects Lei's wish. "This is his fight..." He whispers to Iolene. "May I?" Aaron then asks. Iolene nods yes as Aaron grabs her waist and guides her away from the fight.

Beau follows Aaron and Iolene as they leave through the royal back door that the man from the Black Empire left.

"We should stay!" Iolene says.

"It's best we stay out of that fight and defend the throne room from others," Aaron says seriously but gently. He spoke like that to Iolene, trying his hardest not to treat her like a child. She doesn't understand the world as anyone else does... And it shows, over and over again. He knew she will learn but it will take time. But in a way, Aaron wished that she wouldn't learn. She is sweet and kind... But the world is cruel and harsh... Nothing like the worlds in her books. She has experienced kidnapping and loneliness, but that is only the start.

Many of the guards have left their posts. Lexi and Fred have been doing a good job... They could tell which room was Jonas. The sliding door is decorated like the walls and marked with a golden arch on top of the door.

They walk away even though they were curious as to what is contained inside.

But walking through the empty hallways they noticed they were walking deeper in the castle. It began to feel dark and cold. A sensation Iolene was familiar with. Sly emitted this feeling. Iolene shuddered.

Beau runs forward as he looks at a massive door. It looks newly built compared to the rest of the palace. Even the designs didn't seem southern. And it wasn't a slide door, it was a door that automatically opened by physical presence. The three see the door open with fascination, the motion sensor glowed black draconium. But with luck no one noticed the two humans and dragon staring at the opened door.

But with impulse Beau sneaks inside.

"Beau!" Iolene tries her hardest to whisper. Aaron follows behind with the same tone. But the dragon is curious... It felt all too familiar with the dragon.

Hiding behind crates they look around their surroundings. This is nothing like the rest of the palace... It is a warehouse... That contained a massive black draconium contraption.

Iolene felt scared. She is in the jaws of the enemy.