#UNEDITED

👑 SPARKS OF EMOTION 👑

The Emperor’s eyes scanned through the whole place in search anyone still with their sheets, while the heads of everyone still remained anxiously bowed.

“Get up”. He said in his usual tone volume but harsher and immediately everyone stood up, their heads still bowed.

“Your heads up”. The Emperor instructed again slowly everyone raised up their heads.

When the Emperor was sure everyone’s fearful gaze were on him he opened his once balled fist and his sword appeared on his palm and everyone gulped down trembling massively for fear of getting slayed with his sword.

He then turned to the inspectors who were currently kneeling in front of the students their head lowered in ultimate guilt and like that he sent his sword to the head inspector and the sword pierced through his heart, coming out of his back, then his bidy dropped lifelessly to the ground, and everyone instantly screamed out in fright some falling to the ground, but instantly getting up quickly and retaining their stance.

The other inspectors where already peeing on their knees, crying slowly as they awaited for their turn.

“Your majesty!”. Kai called running towards the Emperor with a few palace guards, bowing in front of him and the Emperor shifted his glare to him.

“Where were you when all these was going on?”. He asked Kai who instantly bowed.

“I tried reaching out to you but couldn’t trace you. Plus the Queen Mother suspected I’d sell her out and sent me to Wen Forest to get an impossible flower for her, I’m just even returning”. Kai replied and Emperor sighed deeply.

“The Queen Mother is behind all these?”. The Emperor asked and Kai nodded, then the Emperor faced the inspectors in full rage.

“Get them out of my face and make sure to give them a hundred stroke of the fire whip every day and the strokes shouldn’t stop until i tell you to”. The Emperor said and everyone immediately Kai faced the guards behind him, they instantly nodded and went to pick up the inspectors who were even too guilty to plead as they cried while being taken away.

Then the Emperor faced the students once more, his sharp degrading look on them through his mask sent more shivers to their bone marrow, as they tried so much to avoid his gaze.

“You all want to work in my court, but not ready to do that honestly?”. The Emperor began his hands behind his back as he slowly walked through the lines.

“You want to pass and receive accolades for what you don’t deserve. To think you’re all still young and the exam is strictly for young talents only. Is this the talent you came to showcase?”. The Emperor said and was about continuing when he saw Queen Mother and her Ministers running towards him a huge smile on her face, as she ran to hug him tightly.

“You’ve finally recovered?! I was so scared for you! How are you doing now? Hope it doesn’t hurt anywhere else”. The Queen Mother questioned checking if the Emperor had any painful edge.

The ministers only stood according to hierarchy in line of two, as they faked smiles while fidgeting anxiously with their fingers.

“Why are you out here?! Under this scotching sun?! No your majesty, let’s go in! I’ll have Lila make a lovely soup for you! She makes the best souls”. The Queen Mother said taking the Emperor arm and trying to lead him inside but when she saw he didn’t move an inch she stopped also and faced him.

“What’s the problem your majesty?”. The Queen Mother asked looking uo to see the Emperor’s angered eyes.

“You all are here to tell me, you don’t know what was actually going on here?”. The Emperor said and the ministers and Queen Mother exchanged glances.

“Of course we do. Some guards already came to report it to me and I was about dealing with these little rascals but seeing you’ve already handled everything I see no need to push the issue any further….

“What nonsense are you saying?! I let you rule for just a day and you’ve already ruined everything both i and my father worked for!!!”. The Emperor yelled and the Queen Mother immediately sat on the floor crying, while Mina who had earlier hidden behind the ministers ran to help her up but the Queen Mother refused getting up.

“It’s my fault! I went too easy on everyone that’s why they all took me for granted! I really wanted to keep the kingdom how you left it, but nobody respects me like they do to you and so never follows my orders and even dare to cheat behind my back. I’ve failed woofully your majesty, please ki|| me!!!”. The Queen Mother said and all the ministers shook head like they could actually feel her fake pain.

“I should really ki|| you, for daring to lie to my face”. The Emperor said and everyone’s eyes widened and Mina went on her knees.

“Please your majesty! Pardon the Queen Mother!! She really had a good vision of a better kingdom but took the wrong step in achieving it…

“What does selling young children and faking my seal has to do with making my kingdom a better place?!!”. The Emperor roared cutting Mina off and every flinched in fright.

“Where’s the list of the children you all sold?!!”. The Emperor asked sharply and the Queen Mother glanced at Mina who instantly brought it out from her silk gown pocket and handed the yellow scroll to the Emperor who glared insanely at her before taking it from her and handing the scroll to Kai, who instantly took it from him.

“See to it that everyone on that list returns back to the academy”. The Emperor said and the ministers gulped down nothing.

“You all are in great need of servants right?”. The Emperor asked and the Ministers exchanged glances before facing the Emperor.

“Ye-es your majesty”. The ministers chorused their heads bowed.

“Like how many days would you be needing them?”. The Emperor asked and the Ministers smiled brightly before speaking.

“150 days for me your majesty!!”. Minister Zhou said quickly.

“200 days is enough your majesty and I’ll be needing just ten servants!”. Minister Wei said and the other ministers stated their own amount of servants needed and the days they’ll be serving.

“You have good luck then”. The Emperor said and the ministers smiled.

“Pick ten each out of the rich kids only and I’ll expand their serving periods to 300 days each. Note, you’re not allowed to pick your sons”. The Emperor said and everyone’s widened.

“Your majesty…

“Don’t majesty me!!! Your children lack value and discipline and you dare try enroll them into my court!!! Now they’ll all have to work under each of your cruel treatments and immediately after 300 days return here to retake the exams! I’ll personally send my guards to visit each and every of your abode to see if these spoiled brats are receiving the harsh treatments they deserve!!”. The Emperor said loudly and most of the young masters fell to the ground in doom.

“Your wish is our command your majesty!!”. The ministers and everyone’s else widened.

“But-but we’re very busy your majesty. We don’t need the servants anymore your majesty…

“No you must. And if your work is the reason why you won’t be able to fully discipline your colleagues son, then don’t worry I’ll be relieving you all of you duties till further notice, so you can work on your new servants”. The Emperor said and everyone’s eyes widened as the ministers went on their knees instantly.

“We beg for you to take back your word your majesty–

Minister Zhuo wasn’t done speaking when the Emperor used his powers to raise him up from the ground and grip his neck, tight choking him.

“What power do you have to dare tell me to retrace my speech!!?!”. The Emperor said his hold on minister Zhuo’s neck getting worst as the other ministers only shaked.

“Please forgive us your majesty!! It won’t ever happen again!!”. The other Ministers pleaded on Minister Zhuo’s behalf, and the Emperor threw him to them and he landed right on them making them all fall.

“My eyes are on all of you, any illegal move and i’ll not onky sttip you of your position but make sure you spend the rest of your lives in the dungeon where you deserve. Now, pick your servants and leave!!!”. The Emperor ordered and immediately the Ministers stood up scurring about as they took ten each of the students and ran off.

👥 Your Majesty, we’re sorry!!

👥 Please forgive us your majesty!!

👥 We won’t ever cheat again!!

The ones being picked begged but it all fell on deaf ears.

Minister Wei was about picking Han when the Emperor raised up his hand for him to stop.

“Take someone else”. The Emperor said and Minister Wei bowed completely before rushing to take someone else till they were all done and left.

Now only the less privileged where left together with Han, the Emperor then faced them.

“Come back next week to retake the exam”. He said and they all bowed happily.

👥 Thank you for sparing us your majesty!

👥 We wish you long life, your majesty!!

The guys chorused as they happily ran out of the place. Han sighed and was about leaving when..

“I didn’t pardon you cause you didn’t cheat. But I pardoned you cause I don’t want you in my court, join the army or stay or stay back and enjoy your father’s fortune but my court if not for you”. The Emperor said and Han who didn’t turn to face the Emperor scoffed.

‘Is that him feeling insecure?’. Han shook head before leaving the palace also.

Then suddenly someone began clapping happily and the Emperor turned to see it was the Queen Mother who clapped happily with Mina behind her.

“You’re a great Emperor! Now I’ve taken note and will apply these when next i take over from you…

“That won’t ever occur again”. The Emperor cut her off his face straight as Kai and few other guards seized her making her eyes widened.

“Forsifying my seal and even impersonating me by encouraging slave trade of the vulnerable in this kingdom, you’ve broken enough law Queen Mo-ther. You’ll be placed under chamber arrest for a month, coming out of your chamber means defying my orders and requesting for death”. The Emperor said while the Queen Mother’s eyes widened as they took her away.

“Your own Mother?! Your majesty you’ll do these to your own mother?! I only meant good for everyone in this kingdom! No poor person derseves a good life!! Your majesty!!”. The Queen Mother screamed as Kai and the others took her away.

The Emperor made to walk away.

“I..I’ve really missed you-

“You’re only pardoned since you were being more of a puppet but a single malfunction again and you’ll be sent out of this palace”. The Emperor said before walking away and Mina held her fist tight.

Then surprisingly all the contestants including Asa and Hani came out of their hiding spot to laugh at her.

“She stood by the Queen Mother all through like an ideal daughter-in-law!”. Hani mocked.

“You’re to seek the Emperor’s favour not the Queen Mother’s!! You’re not going to marry the Queen but the Emperor”. A girl added and everyone laughed.

“Now the Emperor doesn’t seems to like her, room much for our soon to be princess”. A girl also added.

“All through yesterday she was more of a boss ordering us around what happened now?”. Hani smirked and Mina threw her a glare before turning to leave.

“Seems the Emperor doesn’t support your low mentality of the privileged noble exploiting the underprivileged”. Asa suddenly spoke and Mina stopped on her track to face her.

“I get you feel so inferior cause of your mom’s status back at home but letting it out here will be a huge disgrace for you”. Mina smirked at Asa who in rage balled her fist at her, then she glared at Hani before walking away.

<DEMON CLAN>

“I don’t remember what you’re talking about please just take me back”. Sindura said but Damon only scoffed.

“But you remember your name?! Are you trying to fool me?!”. Damon shouted grabbing her by the arm and Sindura whimpered in pains.

“That was the name everyone called me when i woke up that’s why! I’m not trying to fool you!”. Sindura replied.

“And who are the everyone? Tell me now!”. Damon snapped and Sindura quickly nodded.

“The-the one who treated me said that was my name, but that’s only what I recall please just stop hurting me”. Sindura mumbled trying to wiggle out of his grip and Damon sighed deeply pushing her away and she fell to the ground.

“What’s the essence of being alive with no memories?! You’re just an empty shell”. Damon sneered and Sindura got up walking towards the door as Damon’s gaze followed her.

“Where do you think you’re going to”. Damon asked watching her try to open the stone door but nothing seemed to work.

“You lost your powers together with your memory?”. Damon asked walking to her and Sindura only stopped to catch her breath before trying to open the door again, but Damon quickly held her wrist checking her palm and glared when he saw it was really void of any dark energy.

“What are you staring at?”. Sindura asked taking her hand from him and Damon only shifted his glare to her making her develop goosebumps and then slowly he began moving closer to her and she shifted back.

“Wha-t? Did i do anything?”. Sindura stuttered fearfully as she kept staggering back since Damon wouldn’t just stop moving closer, then unfortunately her back met the wall and she gasped when he came closer and caged her with his hands on the wall, making their face become so close to each other and Sindura only took in slowly, as his gaze pierced deep into her soul.

“How dare you forget about me of all people? Thought i was your love? What happened? Or your feelings for me where that flexible”. Damon questioned his eyes not leaving her confused own.

“What-do-you mean?”. Sindura muttered and Damon frowned.

“Tell me Sindu, did you ever really loved me or you just wanted to please your father and fufill his last wish?”. Damon asked again his tone lowering into a little whisper as he brought his face closer to Sindura’s neck sniffing her flowery scent and making her eyes widened in still, as she stood numb trapped in him while he kept sniffing her in the most passionate and seductive way she could ever had imagined.

“I’m still waiting for your answer Sindu?”. Damon whispered close to her ear this time and she shivered when his cold breath touched her ears, then he raised up his face to stare at her, but her now their faces were where closer than before as Damon’s eyes were now locked on her little orange pretty lips.

“Answer me now”. Damon said in a short ordering tone as he caressed her lips, discouraging Sindura the more from speaking, then slowly she opened her mouth to speak but almost immediately Damon lost it and smashed his lips on her hypnotizing lips, claiming every part of it as pulled her closer by placing one hand at the back of her neck and the other on her waist.

He got more hypnotized that he never wanted to leave her lips for a second but Sindura suddenly broke the kiss.

“I really don’t remember what you’re asking of me-so please let’s just stop this”. Sindura replied in a whisper since she was still catching her breath as a result of the kiss but it only angered Damon, as he gripped the back of her neck tight.

“Ahh!”. Sindura cried out in pain.

“You don’t remember? Then let’s make you remember”. Damon muttered his voice dark and deadly as he raised her above his shoulder and used his powers to remove the door, before taking her outside.

“Greetings your majesty, I have something to report”. Zucchini said when the demon king came out of his room but Damon didn’t spare him a glance as his eyes was focused on his way, while he carried Sindura effortlessly.

“Where are you taking me too?!”. Sindura asked fearfully on Damon’s shoulder as he still took her away.

Then the moment they got to the gate leading to the dark lake Sindura began feeling a little dizzy as a result of the cold atmosphere she recognized so much, but she doesn’t know how.

“Please put me down! I don’t want to be here!!”. Sindura said as she began pleading.

Then finally Damon got to the front of the lake and stopped making her let out an uneasy sigh as she tried dropping from his shoulder but unexpectedly Damon removed her from his shoulder throwing her straight into the cold dark lake and she screamed loudly when her skin came in contact with the water.

Then she began shivering and struggling for survival since the dark lake wasn’t one someone could swim in.

Damon bent beside the lake watching her drown.

“You still don’t remember?”. He asked his eyes filled with emotions but still void of them.

“No i don’t! I really don’t i–

Sindura was cut short in tears when old memories of how Damon had once drowned her in the same lake rushed through her head and she held her head tight as more kept rushing back to her brain causing a very sharp pain in her head and Damon smirked knowing what was happening.

“I guess my fiancee’s back”. He muttered as his smirk gradually turned into a smile.

<EMPEROR’S CHAMBER>

“Minister Wang’s requesting to return back to court to assist you, now that you’ve suspended the others”. Kai said dropping the minister’s letter right in front of the Emperor.

They sat opposite each other on the Emperor’s desk attending to important stuffs.

“Don’t reply to it”. The Emperor replied and Kai nodded before keeping the letter at the side of the huge desk.

“You’ll conduct the exams next week”. The Emperor said and Kai bowed.

“But what about the Queen selection competition? What will happen to it?”. Kai asked as the Emperor read through a scroll before stamping his seal on it and keeping it at the side.

“It will continue tomorrow unfailingly as announced”. The Emperor said and Kai nodded.

“So-i’m guessing she’s now good at spells? Cause that’s what tomorrow is all about”. Kai asked and right when the Emperor was about to speak, the door opened and Jade walked in smiling widely as she twirled, showcasing her new attire.

“How do I look? I just checked my wardrobe and saw this baby! It looks good on me right?!”. Jade asked spinning around again and Kai smiled, while the Emperor didn’t even spare her a glance, as he picked up another scroll to read.

“You look great! You’re so beautiful!!”. Kai acknowledged and the Emperor threw him an unknown glare, before focusing on what he was doing, Jade frowned at the fact that the Emperor didn’t even look up at her so she ran to sit beside him, her whole scent feeling his nostrils as she faced him.

“What do you think? I’m more prettier than that Sindila girl right?”. Jade asked and the Emperor frowned at her incorrect pronounciatio, as he raused up his head to face her but was struck by what she was wearing as he stood up in puzzlement.

“Where did you see this clothes?”. He asked and Jade stood up also smiling as she was spinned around one last time.

She dressed exactly how Sindura did, in a red bra top and long textile skirt like a segzual dancer, her flat tummy was exposed and immediately the Emperor turned to Kai throwing the scroll with him at hand.

“You pervert! You saw her wearing this and still called it beautiful?!”. The Emperor snapped at Kai who instantly bowed his head.

“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?! Didn’t you admire that Sinra girl wearing it earlier?!”. Jade questioned in a frown and the Emperor faced walking to her he knocked her forehead and she yelped out in pain.

“Sin-dura nor Sindila or Sinra! Just earlier Damon mocked you for not being able to pronounce Medallion and everyone else was present? And now I told you to go and find something to read you came here dressing like this?”. The Emperor questioned strictly.

“Who told you I can’t produce metaliom!!”. Jade retorted feeling insulted and Kai almost laughed out at her pronunciation, while the Emperor only stared at her in daze.

“Pro-produce? Metal-what?”. The Emperor asked before sighing and facing Kai.

“And she’s to chant spells tomorrow! She can’t pronounce any word that supersedes seven letters!”. The Emperor let out in a tired tone.

“I can’t pro-nounce it but I can at least spell it!”. Jade said standing her ground.

“You can’t just go!..

“Trust me I can!!…

“Okay then go on…

“What do I get in return?”. Jade asked.

“Anything, now spell it”. The Emperor said in a mocking voice and Jade smiled widely.

“P-r-o-n-a—i mean o-n—i mean o-u-n-c-a! No i mean e!! ‘Pronounce!!’. Jade respelled shocking the Emperor who stared speechless at her.

Jade winked at Kai who secretly told her the correct spelling behind the Emperor, and the Emperor stood up.

“What do you want now, gold? Silver…

“A kiss!”. Jade said loudly cutting him off and Kai immediately began coughing ferociously.

“I’ll be outside if you need me”. He said to the Emperor who was lost staring at Jade before leaving.

“A kiss?”. The Emperor asked and Jade nodded.

“I heard from some girls that it means mutu-ali-ty! I don’t know what that is but I want it! So kiss me fast!”. Jade said pushing out her lips and the Emperor only shook head at her, making her return back to her senses.

“I’ll ask for something else tommorrow, then since you’re not cool with it”. Jade muttered walking away but she was suddenly caught off guard when the Emperor grabbed her wrist pulling her back to him he slammed his lips on hers tenderly and her eyes widened but she then closed it to savour the strange moment, but what later shocked them both was the huge sparkling bright light that emanated the kiss, it was as bright as the sun and would have probably blinded them if their eyes weren’t supernatural, the Emperor’s hands then went to Jade’s waist as he deepened the kiss