The lower sanctum of the citadel was a place few ever saw and fewer returned from. Built deep beneath the palace's foundation, it was originally a crypt, repurposed during the age of the first Shadow War imprison corrupted sorcerers and oathbreakers.
Tonight, Kenji moved through the winding corridors in silence. His footsteps muffled by thick ceremonial cloak that Kai had insisted he wear. It disguised him well. Two trusted guards followed behind, sworn by blood to never speak of what they were going to witness tonight.
Kai disguised himself, was waiting by the final gate of the secret chambers.
"I have brought him successfully." Kai whispered, "We have the time of only half a light(half an hour) to speak and clear everything."
Kenji gave a short nod, "open it."
With a groan of grinding stone and a hiss of ancient seals, the door slid open.
The chamber was dim, lit by a single lantern suspended above. The walls were etched with old binding tubes, faintly glowing. In the centre seated Xun Yu, waiting for Kenji.
His face had grown pale and hollow. But his eyes, those sharp, intelligent eyes still burned with something greater.
"His highness Kenji wishes to meet me? After pushing me off the cliff? What is it that his highness wishes to know?" Xun Yu said, his voice rasping.
Kenji waved off the guards. The door sealed again behind him. Silence fell like a curtain.
"I should not be meeting you," Kenji spoke, "but I need the truth, all of it. Before they execute you."
Xun Yu gave a weak smile, "In the divine court of high council, I was left standing alone. Now why must I speak for your wish?" Xun Yu said, his voice cold and devoid.
Kenji stared at him.
"Because I might be able to help you."
"After you made superior guardian issue the decree of execution? Everyone is aware that no one can help me now." Xun Yu said, mockingly.
"But I can." Kenji said, his voice devoid of any emotions.
"Oh yes, after all you are also rumoured to be son of the superior guardian, she values you so dearly, treats you so differently. Is this why I am now obliged to tell you? Where was your curiosity when I was willingly spilling the truth in the court? Could you not have bought me time to speak then?" Xun Yu's tone was sharp and cold.
"I have bought you the time to save yourself now. So…speak while you can." Kenji said.
Xun Yu smirked, his expression as if he was mocking the heavens, "I have traced his steps, through forgotten scrolls and forbidden histories wiped from the records. Liuxing became the warden general of the east and as soon as he occupied that position, before anyone could come to know of it…superior guardian isolated that territory. However, during the Great Famine he protected the mountain tribes, quelled rebellions with mercy instead of fire."
Kenji furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.
"Never heard of it your highness…..right?" Xun Yu mocked, "After he performed the deed of mercy during the great famine, he was sent into forbidden mountains by the superior guardian on the grounds of practising dark cultivation. However, no one is aware of this, they only know that he was a mere mortal who rose into power due to his fluent mastery in dark cultivation...….I have found evidence of use of the "brand of the abyss" on Liuxing, it is a method of dark cultivation used to bind a soul to the void permanently. Now that I am to be executed anyways, I can say this with freedom that at first I thought this is all superior guardian's doing because she is the only one with the most power and her actions of isolating the land that Liuxing once occupied for welfare and then sending him to forbidden mountains in return of kindness, and making sure no one comes to know of it, all of this seemed too suspicious, but then I hesitated when I realised that I cannot accuse her of anything. She is the superior guardian afterall, so I stopped hating Liuxing, I stopped fearing him and willingly joined hands with him."
Kenji's hand tightened into a fist with each word, 'All this time the heavens are fighting the monster they created.' Kenji thought.
Silence passed like a storm between Xun Yu and Kenji.
Kenji stepped back, voice low. "I do not think that Liuxing is careless enough to let the heavens discover his spy."
"Yes it was on purpose. I do not know why but now I am stuck. Liuxing told me if I do not follow his orders then my mortal sister and mother would be in danger, even though I joined hands with him willingly later, I was not willing to follow out his orders of putting myself in danger on purpose but I had to. I was forced to."
Kenji looked away, swallowing the storm of emotions that churned within.
"He is not innocent. He has killed more than thousands after he ascended as a demon….what was that?" Kenji asked.
"Revenge. I do not know his past completely and whatever I know, I have told you already. I only know that those slaughters were revenge."
Kenji stared at him for a long time, then, "so what made you change your mind and tell all of this to me?"
"Because if I am executed tomorrow," Xun Yu said, "so does the last thread connecting him. If my suspicions are true then I will regret not doing anything. So, I told you because you are a person who is capable of finding out the truth, of rebelling against the heavens and still rising to a power greater than the whole heavens combined."
Kenji did not say anything, he nodded slowly.
"You will not be executed. But I need the evidence of all that you have said to me."
"No one is allowed to see it, it is in one of the secret catacombs of Liuxing's palace. I saw it by accident, I discovered it all by accident."
"My lord, it's time." Kai's voice entered the secret chambers. Kenji turned back towards the door and then towards Xun Yu.
Kenji nodded grimly towards Xun Yu.
"You do not need to save me from execution your highness kenji."
"Leave that decision to me Xun Yu. For now retreat back to the lower sanctum, make sure no one knows about tonight."
And with that, Kenji left the chamber. His heart was heavy but he had his purpose set. The darkness was created by the light and he needed to find out more about it.