In the province of pärla, there existed a dazzling golden palace.

The entire golden palace was filled with tall towers, dazzling buildings, and a large signboard at the center which had the words 'Province Lord Palace'.

Through the heavy oak doors of the imposing keep, there is a large chamber filled with rows of guards with armor and colors so flamboyant they almost distract your attention from the piles upon piles of glittering, golden treasure clustered around. The room smells of gold, the hard odor plating your tongue.

The light from the teardrop-shaped windows reflects off the treasure at all angles, filling the room with a warm, golden, glowing, glimmering light. Coins fall in waterfalls of gold, frozen at the moment. Necklaces swirl through the piles like goldplated snakes, gems like flowers add color among golden hills. Ceremonial swords and armor poke out of the piles occasionally, protruding at odd angles.

At the center of the room was a majestic courtyard and there stood a magnificent statue of a gold-clothed old man. His features looked sharp and his entire being looked like a valiant knight.

If you look closely you could also see the robe the old man wore had an insignia of a tiger.

This was the grand palace of the pärla province's ruler Vlad, the Valiant.

In one edge of the courtyard, an old man of similar features was meditating silently.

In front of him, another man with some matching features was kneeling.

"Father, the silver ax union has agreed to enter into a marriage alliance with us. With this, we will be able to strengthen our governance in this region." the man said with a tone of happiness.

"Hmm, what good is this going to bring us. After I pass away would our power and glory stay the same? Without absolute power what is going to stay the same?" the old man was irritated and slowly got up and walked over to the statue.

His son followed him as he spoke with some hesitation, "But fathe-"

The old man interrupted him and said with determination, "I have decided to forcefully breakthrough in the next couple of years."

"But to break through to the emergence realm is extremely risky and a forceful breakthrough of the bottleneck would result in an even larger fatality rate!" the son was panicking.

But the old man was adamant, "Do you know why the province lords were only half step emergence realm, martial artists? It was because of the great importance placed on 'Emergence' realm martial artists and to not waste their time in governing some lowly provinces. The second one reaches the emergence level they become elders in the 'White tiger mansion'. It is to reach heaven in a single step!"

As the old man stared at the statue of himself he spoke boldly, "It is better to pass into the other world in my full glory and passion, than fade and wither dismally with age!"

His son felt nostalgic and awed when he saw his father's long-forgotten valiant face.

"You should continue with what you came up with earlier anyway. As long as my descendants are happy." the old man's voice became gentle and loving as if he transformed into a kind father.

"Thank you so much, father!" his son was excited and happy that his father agreed to this proposal.

After exchanging some more pleasantries the son hurried off from the room.

The old man who was looking at the statue the entire time suddenly looked at the vast blue sky and muttered, "Will I have a place for myself among the stars shining bright in the sky?"

The entire courtyard grew silent and desolation shifted in.

*****

Somewhere in the Northern part of the pärla.

A carriage was slowly traveling in a small and crooked road. Leof was sitting together with Diane at his right smiling at him.

During the course of the journey, Diane had grown a lot closer to him.

He was totally infatuated with her and had dreams to settle down with her in her hometown.

As he was absentminded he suddenly heard Diane call out to him, "Lief there is someone on the ground. He seems to be unconscious!"

Lief jumped off from the carriage and rushed out to the man without any hesitation.

As he saw the man he couldn't help but grow pale.

The man's mouth was sewed shut and had pure black eyelids.

He also had a hole in his chest and his heart seemed to have been pulled out.

He was not breathing and was long dead but his hand was pointing to something written in the ground with blood.

It read, "DO NOT PROCEED! EVIL IS HIDDEN AND DEAD MEN ROAM THE CITY OF NIGHTFALL."

The entire scene seemed to have been pulled out from a nightmare. A nightmare gory enough to shake one's, entire soul.