The Golden Dragon Emperor

Scroll 6: An Heir?

For the first time since leaving the prison, Darius was surprised.

“Who in the world are you people?” he raised his brow, taking a step back. “And what is the Order of The Nine Heavens?”

The man wearing the green suit looked up as he cleared his throat.

“I am Luther Parker,” he spoke, his voice regal and bold. “We were sent here by Master Meliodas; we can't tell you everything here. So I plead that you come with us.”

Darius's chest tightened when he heard the name.

Meliodas…

It was a name he never thought he would hear outside the walls of Zeta Doom…

Meliodas was the older man who had guided his steps.

Was the mysterious, energetic, crafty, powerful older man who had trained him the one who sent these people?

He had vanished from Zeta Doom three months ago, the day he left. He had handed his bowl of chicken soup to Darius, a smile on his face.

“Say, Darius, once you're done with what you have here…” Meliodas spoke, looking up at the ceiling with a smile on his face. “I will be waiting for you on the other side of these walls!”

The next thing Darius remembered was feeling an energy shift; he turned to see that Meliodas had vanished.

Darius searched every corner of Zeta Doom, asked even the guards he had contact with, but everything came back the same.

There was no record of an older man like that.

“Hold on, Meliodas…” Darius tried to make sense of what they were saying. “You mean, the old man? Ghost Hair Gramps is the one you're talking about?”

“Yes, Young Lord,” Luther replied without letting the question linger for two seconds.

He had always wondered what had happened to the older man, searching but finding nothing. He thought the guards might have done something, but there was nothing.

Now…he had a lead?

Darius hesitated, looking at the people in front of him. He felt strange signatures of power from them, but the one he was most cautious of was Luther.

He was sure that they wouldn't give him problems, but their fight would kill people.

“Alright, I will come with you. Please tell your people to stand up.”

Hearing this, the men stood up. One of the ladies moved and opened the car door.

Darius entered first.

The door was closed with caution.

Onlookers and people who had come out of the hospital were staring.

Whispers spread like wildfire!

“Wasnt that the ex-convict that came with Sir Arnold?”

“Who were those people waiting for him?”

“He was being treated like royalty; I heard them call him Young Lord…”

Their perception changed, and their thoughts lingered.

The trail of SUVs left the site.

~

Inside the car, everywhere was silent.

Luther sat right next to Darius, seated like a gentleman.

The others sat, facing straight ahead, as if they had no business with what was about to be said.

“Now tell me, who are you guys? What is this order and what connection do you have with Meliodas?!”

His voice was calm, but it could cut through steel.

Luther let out a sigh, looking out the window.

“We are the Order of the Nine Heavens, one of the largest and most powerful organizations in Thalos…”

Darius squinted slightly.

“So some kind of business organization?”

“Yes, to the outside world that is what we are—” Luther replied. “But in reality, we are a multifunctional Consortium: investment, houses, and powers. With assets valued at over hundreds of billions.”

Then a memory sparked in Darius’s mind.

One day, back in Zeta Doom, while Meliodas seemed a little drunk, he joked around.

“Yer know, my influence covers almost half of this city, and it's creeping into the continent. What a nasty bunch, they keep calling me something I dont like!”

He kept laughing while Darius tried to make sure he didn't fall.

Darius always thought it was the words of a drunken man.

But then Luther dropped the next shocking part on him.

“The person who founded the Order of the Nine Heavens is none other than Meliodas.”

Darius's bones froze.

“You're telling me,” he forced words out of his mouth. “Gramps controls one of the biggest organizations in the city?!”

“Yes, Lord Darius.”

Silence filled the air.

Darius rubbed his scalp, trying to calm his nerves.

“So, if you serve him and follow him…” his gaze still fixed on Luther. “Can you take me to him?”

“Unfortunately, we do not know where The Grandmaster is…”

Luther gave him a heavy reply.

Darius stared at the man, confused. It was almost like he was playing with him.

“You see, the Grandmaster is fond of disappearing and reappearing, for days, weeks, or months, but…” Luther paused, turning to Darius, looking him in the eye.

“But what? I am meant to believe you are some elite organization, and you don't know where your boss is?” Darius cut in, his voice filled with rage, almost like he was getting pissed off.

“He disappeared for twelve years; we heard nothing from him for twelve years…” Luther spoke, trying to calm Darius down.

Darius was shocked but managed to control himself.

It was exactly twelve years ago that someone appeared within the walls of Zeta Doom.

Someone no one dared to piss off, a prisoner who looked like he could bend the world.

“He has always been somewhat of an unpredictable piece; he would always pop in and out, leaving traces for the inner council to follow. But he disappeared for twelve years straight, not leaving even a trail of crumbs to follow.”

Luther spoke as if the words were heavy for him to put out.

The other four, sitting with them, quiet and still, didn't utter a word. Yet the topic felt like it was causing them great discomfort.

“If he disappears like a wraith, tell me how do you know who I am and why are you calling me young Lord?!”

Darius wanted to know what game these people were playing and what they were trying to do.

Luther replied instantly. “He came back a month ago, but this time he came back beyond excited.”

Luther paused, as if the memory he was trying to explain was ond so heavy and tiring that it made him act like that.

“He came back and summoned the upper echelon of the Order and told them that he had already chosen an heir and successor. Someone who will stand in his stead.”

Darius stared at them, trying to grasp what they were saying.

“He spoke in riddles as always, but he said something. When the Sovereign throne shakes uneasily, the one who would give it rest has awakened.”

Luther pulled out an envelope and held it in his hand.

“The man he named as the suitable heir for the throne, the one who will take over...”

Handing the envelope to Darius, his mood changed into what seemed unreadable.

His eyes fixed on Darius.

“Is you, Lord Darius…”