Way of the Knights

Chapter 919: Diplomatic Approach?

“Who…are you?” 

The God Emperor’s frazzled. He didn’t expect to meet someone who could just render his attacks useless as if they were air. 

The man stood there, still prim and uninjured. He stood tall only a little bit annoyed and somewhat upset about what happened to the room. 

“Don’t sweat such small stuff. Who I am isn’t really important…at least not to you anyway. You were supposed to look down on me and my kind after all.” He replied in a non-chalant attitude as if he wasn’t even remotely bothered by that. 

This human is a strange one indeed. The God Emperor hadn’t met someone like him before…well, he had but most of them practically bent down on one knee once he raised his fists. This one on the other hand, could disregard that as well and this experience is truly refreshing to the old god. 

The human walked forward. Unceremoniously disrespecting the God Emperor’s status and treating him like he’s just another person around the room – something the God Emperor hasn’t experienced in a while. 

He then pulled out a chair out of nowhere and a table. Setting it up in front of the God Emperor’s throne. 

Next he brought out some sort of a vessel which he placed under a fire source, then a few small cups on top of a small platter. Silence reigned between the two of them for a while as the God Emperor closely observed what this human was plotting. 

After a couple of minutes, a fragrant aroma spreads out of the room coming from the vessel, the human lifted it and poured it’s contents on the small cups and asked:

“Would like some tea?” He said while lifting a hot cup of the beverage. 

The God Emperor didn’t say anything, he just stared intently at the human, trying to figure out what he’s trying to do here but he did pour out tea for the emperor anyway. 

The God Emperor watched as the human drank his beverage and looked relax. For someone who’s deep within enemy territory, he sure is taking his leisurely time like this. It’s as if he’s just wandering on his backyard or something. 

“What is it that you’re trying to accomplish here, Human?” The God Emperor asked. His tone demanded answers. 

“Raven.” He said. 

The God Emperor raised a brow. 

“Call me, Raven.” 

“Very well, then. Raven, what are you trying to achieve by coming here? I’d advise against lying since I hate liars. Don’t even try because I will know.” 

“Oh, Augustus…” Raven chuckled as he took another sip of his tea. “Was it really not obvious?” 

The God Emperor’s eyes widened upon hearing this human utter his name just like that.

“How did you know my name? I don’t remember telling you that.” He asked. 

“I have my ways.” Raven replied with a smile, which then turned awkward upon saying: “And by ways I mean I asked around when I came here but still…It’s a way, isn’t it? You know, what? Never mind.” 

“Lies!” The God Emperor looked furious. “It’s impossible for them to tell you about that! I haven’t even used that name for about an eon at this point. Nobody remembers it! Tell me or suffer otherwise!” 

“Well…you tell me then! How am I supposed to know your name if your people didn’t tell me? If I said that I just randomly guessed it, would you believe me?”

“…” The God Emperor was speechless since he couldn’t refute that logic.

Of course this is lie. As if the Abyssals would just tell a stranger about something this important. Hell! The God Emperor was spot on, nobody remembers his actual name since it’s been so long since the last time he associated himself with that name…

Well, he couldn’t possibly tell the God Emperor that this isn’t their first time clashing head-on now, could he? 

In truth, the God Emperor didn’t actually have anyway of telling whether Raven was lying or not. He did have that ability but sadly, it only works om his people. Raven’s a human therefore this ability is useless against him. Even if it was, Raven had plenty of ways to nullify this ability so he didn’t need to worry about it. 

“I believe we’ve strayed quite far from our topic.” Raven calmly said despite the God Emperor’s fuming face. “What was your question again?” 

The God Emperor’s lips twitched in annoyance. This human was really pushing his temper to its limits. From the moment he entered, everything he did infuriated the old god. 

If this was his goal all along, then even God Emperor had to concede since it’s working beautifully.

“What are you trying to achieve by coming here?” The God Emperor asked for the third and last time. Inwardly, he swore that if this human asked him to repeat himself, he’d fight it out with him. 

“Ah, that!” Raven’s expression cleared up. He then cleared his throat and said: “Well…hear me out yeah?”

“How about…you and your big-ass mobile home…you know? Leave, I guess?” He asked in probing manner. “Cause like, it’s seriously annoying, Dude.”

“Look, we both know you and your kind are not from around this area and that’s cool and all but like…you’re not supposed to he here you know? So like, it would be so cool if you guys uhm…you know, pack up your bags and like, leave? That would be so great. We’d really appreciate that. We can even give you some souvenirs if you’d like. How does that sound?” 

Raven looked expectantly at the God Emperor – who looked absolutely aghast at this point. 

Really this is…Augustus can’t even articulate what he’s feeling right now. The audacity of this human to just ask him…that is just…

The absurdity of it all was hilarious, so much so that the Augustus found himself laughing out loud but not from glee, out of anger. He found this human’s behavior so infuriatingly audacious that it’s hilarious for him to even consider treating him seriously. 

The human’s right…the God Emperor should’ve known why he came here. 

“I have given you courtesy, enough.” The God Emperor’s voice turned ghastly frigid. He calmly stood up from his throne and looked at Raven as if he’s a dead man. 

“I admire your foolish bravery, Human.” He said, “And in some ways, I also applaud your stupidity by coming here all by your lonesome. It must’ve been hard-“

“No, not really. I just walked-in. It’s not that difficult.” Raven interrupted as he calmly took another sip of his tea. “Right, I’m sorry. Go on.” 

“No. There’s no need to go on.” The God Emperor shook his head. “It is time for you to meet your maker.” 

As he said that, the God Emperor erupted with his full strength. 

The whole tower shook and was on the verge of collapsing due to the sheer density of his power. Just from a single glance, it’s obvious that the God Emperor was determined to see Raven die and he’s not holding back even a single ounce of his power. He’s using it all.

The whole tower lit-up, its brilliance could be seen all around Paradise, alarming everybody of what’s going-on. 

“Well, nobody should blame me for not trying out the diplomatic approach at least, it clearly failed.” Raven murmured but the God Emperor heard it. 

“You call that a diplomatic approach?” He sneered, “Exactly as I expected from a lesser creature. I guess I overestimate you. Now die!” 

“…”

The God Emperor brought down his hand to lay down his punishment. 

There was a bright flash of light, the void screamed and everything turned static and chaotic. The tower creaked under all the pressure behind the God Emperor’s attack and Paradise shook down to its very core.

…only, none of that actually happened. 

“…what!?” The God Emperor was baffled. 

He looked dumbly at his surroundings only to see that everything is still intact…including the human that was supposed to die. 

“I’m sorry…” Raven gave him a mocking smile. “Did I step on your moment?” 

“What have you done!!?” 

Raven chuckled and said: “I gotta say, I really like the whole vibe of this place you know? Everything’s organized and shit. It’s awesome. I think we, humans, could seriously learn from how you guys arrange your arrange the things around here.” 

“What did you do!?”

“Nothing much.” Raven shrugged, “I just visited some places here and there. Though I have to say, that thing deep below this tower? It’s one a kind, I tell you that. How did you guys even build that thing? It’s really marvelous!”

“Although…you guys suck at aesthetics. There are places that looked really dull you know? So, I made it my mission to spaz-out the place! Look!” 

Raven waved his hand and all of a sudden, all sorts of runes, arrays and formations with intersecting gold and silver lines bloomed all over paradise. 

The seals encompassed everything, they looked mysterious and each carried deep profundity in them, something that the God Emperor had never seen before? 

“Now, everything looks prettier this way. And shinier too! What do you think?”

“I WILL KILL YOU!!”