71 Inheritance

The sound of laughter could be heard throughout the Palace as a group of young children no older than 5 years old were running about playing. The guards watching over the children wore specially made armor that showed off a pitch black dragon insignia that wrapped around their shoulders, with the head stopping at their hearts. This unit was selected after the Trial Tower showed off its ability to produce talents, everyone who entered the Tower underwent a mass change from a farmer become a newly selected general to the poor who found a way into the test now holding massive power and influence in the Empire Capital.

No matter the background the Tower seemed to produce constant miracles for the people who entered, and along with these miracles came tragedies. While the majority of those who entered survived and gained from the experience no one was banned from entry, meaning many seeking power or those evils who hid away could sneak into the Capital and into the Tower. After finding out these vile people were inside many of the Empire worried that it would grant them power to continue their evil or cause trouble for the Empire itself.

These worries ended a year after one evil man exited the Tower completely devoid of his previous power, the guards quickly questioned him and found he succeeded in gaining more power but tried his luck and attempted to kill the being who trained him. Being striped of his power then tossed aside he barely made it out of the Tower alive, more people turned out this way but a few of the truly evil came out not only alive but were taken into the Empire and given powerful positions.

The citizens did not know what to do with this information many feared they would become victims of these new powers and the Empire would turn a blind eye to their suffering. Others saw this as being truly fair to anyone and everyone who had the power and ability to raise even if others considered them evil, a message about the matter by Empress Tia proved just that. Stating that everyone will be given fair treatment, that right and wrong, good and evil can not be decided by those who did not walk the path themselves and the Emperor would be the one to decide if they died after exiting the Tower or served under him.

During the Trial many youths found themselves given the position of personal guards or were immediately sent to join the Empires army, at first the personal guards found their jobs unneeded as while following the Empress they were assigned they were no use at all. Every trouble she would encounter was handled by her alone, many of them who guarded those in the army experienced this uselessness, Anna, Elise, Iris and Ivy all caused those who followed them to feel this way.

These 4 women were rumored to be among the first human wives the Emperor took in, each having a low starting point and now each are stronger than anything the guard units ever seen. The Twins unique fire burns any and all their enemies to ash both women seem to be a phoenix bathed in flames, while Anna takes after Empress Valara and destroys everything with lighting attacks or her sword. As for Elise many regret trying to learn of her strengths as her army unit is low in number but feared as they are the Legendary Shadow Unit, that the Emperor uses to silently cleanse life from his enemies.

If these four did not need protection then what about the others, this helpless feeling came to an end when they all started to notice each of the Empresses putting on weight. Finally each of the guard units felt they would be able to do their jobs, the Empresses they guarded each became pregnant around the time the Emperor was said to be recovering. After finding out they would be watching over the Emperor's future children they were each determined to perform above what they were capable of.

As the Years went by more and more children were born and the guards unit finally found out why they were assigned to guard the Empresses. They were to become guards for the children that now fill the Palace halls running around causing untold amounts of trouble, they had become guards that

are professional babysitters. Many of them were depressed at first until they became the trainers, teachers and personal guards for the children, each guard being assigned a child each. With this the guards found it unbelievable that each Empress would have a thousand children in such a short amount of time.

In these short 5 years they were proven wrong they each were responsible for guarding a single child, as well as the education of said child. the 900 female guards watched over the princesses while the 100 male guards watched over the princes. Some of the Male guards watched over a princess but these were very uncommon and the more uncommon was a Female guard watching over a prince but there was indeed one such case were this happens.

Prince Edwin was the only one among his brothers who had a female guard, while a few of his sisters had male guards although rare was not as shocking as his situation. Even when Empress Valara gave birth to one thousand girls the 100 male guards who served her only 20 stayed, the others were replaced by female guards from the other units. The case that was on everyone's mind was 5 year old Princess Tianna who was taken care of by her male guard, he never left her side during these 5years of her life even when she bathed. Many expected Empress Tia or the Emperor to lose their minds when this information was found out but nothing happened the man was well liked and treated warmly by the two.

Another strange thing was this five year old Princess announced she will compete for the throne against her elder brother Vesta, many did think about who would Inherit the throne when the Emperor passed it down and to who. With so many children how cruel and brutal would the fight for the throne be, yet after all this time only a few of the Emperor's children wanted the throne. Two of which fought for power in the open all over the Empire gathering support, while the others hid away in the shadows only meeting with a select few.

The two who fought openly were Prince Vesta and Princess Tianna these two held as much power as their mothers, Empress Samara and Empress Tia many avoided this struggle for power between the two youths even their own mothers. When they tried to get their husband to do something he just said. "Let them fight no one will die, besides they are the two who I expected this from". With this both Tia and Samara left their two children to fight for their father's throne.

...

"Father why do you not spend more time with me!" Said a little girl swinging on the arms of her father. As the two of them play in the garden a guard can be seen not to far away with a smile on his face as he watches over the two.

"Son do you want to play with me as well? Even if you are grown we did not have much time to spend together before I sent you away to explore this world, you were only 10 years old when I sent you away." I said looking at my son who stayed hidden not revealing that he is a prince as he even took the test in the Trial Tower and became a personal guard ending up watching over his own sister.

"Father you know how my mother raised me! I am me a blade in the dark that will kill anyone who tries to hurt my family, besides Tianna would make my day hell if I stole away her time with you." Said the youth teasing his sister who let go of her father's arm and running up to her brother.

"Michael don't tease me I will become Empress one day! Unlike my sisters I won't throw myself at father without a fight! I refuse to let my blood control my heart." Said Tianna even as she rushed back to me and demanded I run around with her on my shoulders. Me and Michael just laughed at her contradictory actions.

"Father will you really let her fight with Vesta? Even I see that you have placed great trust on elder brother Vesta." Michael said as he smiled at the playful Tianna. "You worry to much like your mothers she just wants to show she can do everything he can even without coming into my bed. Did you know out of all my recently born daughters Tianna has been receiving training from both her mother and grandmother in how to please-. As I tried to finish my words Tianna who turned bright red made sure to silence me from speaking any more.

"Why do you know this! They promised me they would not tell you.. Agh just you wait!" She said before jumping off my back and dashing away heading towards Tia, watching her leave Michael can only shake his head at me before rushing after the bright red embarrassed Princess.

Appearing from the shadow is Eleanor as she sits on my tail looking at me with a proud smile, she had raised Michael to become someone who kills for his family in the shadows just as she kills my enemies from the shadows.