Chronicles of the Red Sovereign

I warily gazed around and wondered why such creatures were locked in the room. But then my gaze settled on my fox core that was sitting at the center. I was a powerful fox deity who made achievements in the battlefield. Not to mention that one incident where I drank a special wine which enhanced my power even more. Getting exposed to a powerful energy source could only lead to two things; develop immunity to it or become stronger because of it.

-These creatures have been exposed to my core. They’re definitely stronger but why do I feel like there’s something wrong?

I was pulled out of my thoughts when Dean Alkis suddenly started laughing like a madman. He was caressing Kai’s face tenderly then gazed at my core with a mad look on his face.

“It has been ten years!” he exclaimed. “The imperial family managed to send you away, but you returned to the academy. You walked right into my territory. With you in my grasp, I will continue what your mother abandoned ten years ago. Finally, I will see some results!”

I looked at my two companions with a look of disbelief and they just mirrored it which made me roll my eyes and shrug. Dean Alkis started pacing around the core, raising some sort of orb towards it. I squinted my eyes and saw that the orb was actually absorbing power from the core. I heard the creatures behind the bars get restless and started thrashing around.

We watched as Dean Alkis headed to a door, probably an office connected to the cavern, and enter it. With him nowhere in sight, we headed towards Kai and tried to wake him up.

“Kai? Kai. Wake up, please.” I said. Freya and Thomas were unlocking the straps that bound him to the table. I gently flicked his forehead and he finally stirred. “Kai?”

“Luna?” he called and tried to stand up, but he seemed to be a bit sluggish.

-Was he drugged?

“Hey, come on, we need to get out of here.” I said and helped him up. I had Fan sling his right arm over her shoulder while Thomas did the same at the other side. They started walking away from the table and towards the door we just came into.

As for me, I headed under the core and looked up towards it. I could feel its energy engulfing me and I could also feel my core recognizing me as its owner.

-How did my core get here?

I didn’t know how long it took, but the sensation of satisfaction was suddenly cut off when the creatures trapped in the cavern started screeching. Of course, with this Dean Alkis would hear it and get out of his office.

“You!” he exclaimed and pointed at me accusingly. “How did you-“

I saw him turn towards the entrance where my friends were waiting for me.

“Kai! You cannot! Give him back to me!”

He started charging at the trio but I moved faster and intercepted him halfway. “I don’t think so Dean Alkis. What you’re doing is illegal.”

He scoffed and shoved me aside. I was a bit baffled about everything, like why was he so obsessed about Kai, but our priority was to get out of the damn place. We could figure out the reason why he kidnapped Kai later, but I had a feeling it was because of my fox core in the room.

“You don’t understand his importance to me and this project! He will prove that my method is the key to strengthening this empire!” Dean Alkis shouted and continued getting closer to my friends.

I pulled out Rile and Sanx from my inventory and pointed it at the dean. In his point of view, I was the only obstacle between him and Kai.

“Dean Alkis, Kai is the nephew of the emperor, do you really think he would appreciate it if you use him on your experiments?” I asked.

It made him falter and hopefully question his motives. “You are right, but what can I do? He’s the piece that will complete everything! I must have him!”

“You’re hopeless then!”

Dean Alkis tried to attack me by throwing a vial at me. I immediately evaded the vial, fearing it was something nasty, and I was right. Just as the vial broke to the ground, smoke rose and I could see that the floor had a hole on where the contents of the vial scattered.

-Acid?

Alchemists were proficient at making medicines and all sorts of helpful potions for everyday use, but they were also knowledgeable about poisons and the likes. I had my fair share of failures in that area when I was still living in the Celestine Territory.

He suddenly started attacking me using his bare hands and I tried my best to evade. For an alchemist, his movements were fast and had power. I guessed it was because of a potion he created that enhanced his capabilities.

“If you are going to hinder my work, then I’ll just make you one of my test subjects. Just like the rest of them.” he motioned to the cavern and my eyes widened.

-These creatures are his test subjects?

“Unfortunately, they’re failures, but with Prince Kai in the picture, I will finally succeed!”

To be honest, I was getting annoyed with how he kept saying he would succeed. I parried his fist by crossing my blades in front of me then threw a ‘roundhouse kick’, as Aunt Zaira called it. Dean Alkis landed on the nearby wall and groaned in pain.

“Let’s get out of here!” I yelled and we started heading to the door. Thomas was trying to pry it open.

I looked back on my fox core and gazed at it longingly. I was hoping that it would stay in that place until I return and take it back. As if responding to my thoughts, the core blinked.

I headed to my friends and helped Fan carry Kai as Thomas tried to open the door. All of a sudden, I felt a chill crawl up my spine and then I heard continuous clangs and snarls.

-The test subjects.

I glanced at Fan and saw her stiffen as well. We slowly looked back and saw the hideous creatures slowly making their way towards us. I glanced at Dean Alkis and saw him hold up an object, probably the controller to open the bars.

“Get them!” Dean Alkis ordered and the creatures lunged at us.