WITHIN HIS STUDY, ZERO SAT, preparing to wind down for the night. He had just finished preparing his typical wake-up routine by setting an alarm for 6:30 AM and setting a glass of water beside the alarm so that he would have something to wake himself up and keep himself from being enticed by the prospect of getting in a few more winks of sleep. Just as he sat down on the bed, a knock came from the door.

“Come in,” Zero called toward the door, somewhat drearily due to his tiredness. The door opened to reveal a man in ragged clothing. Zero, however, recognized this figure.

“Ah, Mr. Swift. What brings you here at this time of night?”

“Urgent news, Commander. Something happened to Lanya and Musuko.”

Zero shot awake upon hearing this.

“What do you mean by that?”

“They were taken in burlap sacks and thrown onto the ferry out of Crenon.”

Zero, however, was unconvinced.

“I doubt that would be possible,” he remarked. “I have seen their strength firsthand and I know that they would not have let this happen.” Suddenly, Zero caught himself.

“Unless…” he pondered, “they had fallen into a similar fate to Yukan during the War of the Swords. Yes, that could explain it.”

“Perhaps,” Luciano Swift, a former member of Akuni’s aristocracy, remarked, “but then how would they have been conscious enough once on the ferry to throw this onto the dock?”

He then revealed Lanya’s badge to Zero. Upon seeing it, a pit grew in the maila’s stomach. His concern turned to an understanding of his duty within the span of a few seconds as he grabbed his modified claymore from the wall and placed the sheath once more on his back, something he had only done during a time of warfare. In a sense, he was declaring war on the person, or people, that usurped Lanya and Musuko’s power.

“Do you know where the two were sent?” Zero asked Luciano.

“The same place that Orban’s Ferry always goes: the Unkempt.”

Zero let out a sigh of relief, knowing that there is a high likelihood that the two surviving members of the Kenshi family would remain safe from harm in the Unkempt. In the meantime, however, Zero had to sort out some business to deal with in regards to the people who overthrew Lanya.

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As the next day arrived, Zero was much more tired than usual, having lost sleep over Lanya and Musuko’s exile. What ended up disturbing his sleep was a loudspeaker announcing that there was to be a public service announcement from the balcony of the Aotoshi palace in two hours’ time. Zero shook off his morning fatigue as quickly as he could, hoping to catch a glimpse of who sent the Queen of Akuni into exile. After all, only the leading monarch could usually call for a public service announcement. Perhaps he could finish this traitor off before he could grow too powerful to kill.

Once the two hours had come to an end, Zero waited until the speech began. Among this crowd was a group of people, waiting to hear what information Lanya had to provide to her people. Much to the surprise of the audience, but also to the expectations of Zero, a man stepped onto the balcony in place of Lanya. He wore the traditional amethyst-hued robe of the Saisei Coalition but wore an eyepatch over his right eye, which would otherwise have been exposed to the public. Seeing this as his cue, Zero ran into the palace as fast as he could, preparing to assassinate this new King.

Upon entering, he found himself surrounded by members of the Saisei Coalition.

“You! Maila!” one of the members called out. “You’re not allowed back here! This is property solely to the government!”

“I am just as much a part of this government as the King, as I am His Majesty’s advisor, so if you do not mind I would like to speak with him.”

“I don’t remember the Emperor ever appointing an advisor, so you’d best tell us who you really are before we make an example of you to His Majesty’s new subjects.”

“I’ve been the Royal Advisor since the days of the Okibo Dynasty! This is an outrage!”

“Well, you’ve been deposed! Emperor Satsujin has said that he doesn’t need anybody else to help him rule.”

“Satsujin?!” Upon hearing this name, Zero felt chills run through him. His plan to take out the Saisei Coalition once and for all with fisticuffs alone would be impossible if they were under the leadership of a maila.

“You know the name?”

“He’s...he was one of my closest friends…”

Just then, the speaker upon the balcony reentered the palace, finishing his speech. Upon seeing the commotion, he removed his hood and turned to Zero.

“Zeronius?” Satsujin recognized his fellow maila instantly. “What are you doing back here?”

“Emperor!” the member called out to his leader. “I was just ushering this man out. To think he called himself your advisor.”

As the man gestured for Zero to be escorted, Satsujin broke the silence.

“There’s no need for that,” he declared to this servant. “Who’s to say that he is not my advisor?”

Satsujin then walked over to Zero and gave him a pat on the back as he directed him back into the palace.

“I thought you had, sir!”

“You are taking my words out of context. I did not say that I don’t need an advisor, I said that I don’t need any more people ruling for me. Zero is all I need.”

Satsujin turned to Zero as he continued speaking.

“We’ll get him all caught up soon enough and then we shall have him provide the best help he can manage for our cause. Now be gone!”

The various men who helped in Satsujin’s rise to power dispersed, leaving Satsujin and Zero alone. Leaving no room for Zero to protest, Satsujin continued as soon as all had left.

“You are to meet us within the palace in the throne room tomorrow evening for a celebratory banquet. After this, we will catch you up with everything three days after the feast. Your absence to either of these events is not acceptable, so I would advise, as your Emperor, that you not skip out on them.”

Satsujin then left for the throne room before locking the door behind him.

Finally having room to breathe from these events, Zero felt the rage inside of him boil. He was furious that Satsujin would turn his back on his wishes to destroy the Saisei Coalition. He was furious that his closest friend would betray his trust in the way that he had. But more than anything, he hated himself for letting it all happen and not being there to prevent it. He stormed out of the palace, unsure of where to go. All he was sure of was that he didn’t want to be in there.

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Eventually, Zero returned home and paced in his room, wondering how to mend this situation. Should he break ties with his long-time friend, realizing that he’s grown corrupt? Doing so would put his life at risk, given that he no longer could guarantee his survival from such a scenario. Not only that but such an action could now be considered treason. Instead, he decided to start small by ensuring that Lanya and Musuko stayed safe.

Zero III sat down at his desk, quill in hand and inkwell to his right. Onto a piece of paper, he began to write frantically, hoping to find some way to send the letter to his father before the regals of the Joined Nations arrived in the Unkempt.

“Dear Father,” he penned, “throughout my time here in Crenon, much has transpired, as I’m sure you are aware. With that being said, I fear that our concerns in this foreign land will be brought to the Unkempt and you may be looped into this mess as well. Satsujin has usurped the throne of Akuni and Aotoshi, and now we have found ourselves with a maila leader thirsting for conquest. Queen Lanya and Prince Musuko are currently on their way to the Unkempt, placed onto the vessel transporting them to our island by Satsujin and his newfound grunts in the Saisei Coalition. It is my hope that you will watch over the two of them while I find some way to sort out the current situation. Perhaps one day, they will be able to return to their home country. Regards, Zeronius Kantoku III.”

He sent the message out on a royal ferry, meant to continually travel at the fastest possible pace from one location to another. After he saw the ferry leave the dock at its usual breakneck speed, he could do nothing more than hope for the best.