The Sinful Life of The Emperor

There was only silence in the house with no noise from the falling debris. The dining room was filled with rubble and smashed furniture, with Athol in the middle, on his knees.     

His body was soaked in cold sweat. Blood trickled out of his facial orifices as he continued to suffer from the backlash of his earlier attack.     

Athol was more exhausted than he could tell with the damage his internal organs have taken. He wanted to rest, but sadly he lacked the luxury to do that. All because of the enemy in front of him. Someone whom he looked with nothing less than dread.     

"Police Force is not incompetent!" Athol did his best to sound convincing. "Sooner or later, you will be caught by the,!"     

He knew his only hope to life was Police Force. After all, killing a police officer would enrage the entire force. If today one officer had been killed, tomorrow another might be.     

This thought kept Police Force united in the face of an external threat despite internal rivalry. This also ensured no one dared to make an enemy out of entire Police Force, no matter how strong.     

One can escape or run, but there will no peace once a lookout notice was issued. Even if dozens of officers were killed, more police will follow the trail.      

The only way to survive would be by joining mafia or a powerful organization. This will mean the loss of personal freedom. After all, no organization will accept a murderer on the run unless it can gain benefits.     

Athol carried a faint hope that Kiba would see reason and let him go. He was ready to promise to let go of this matter.     

"You sound very confident in the might of Police Force," Kiba replied with a smile. "But so were those before you, and yet here I'm, alive."     

His words were like a clap of thunder to Athol. The smile and the ease with which he talked made his heart twist in terrible sensation.     

"Those before me?!" His eyes constricted as realization hit him. "You have killed cops before!?"     

That should be impossible!     

Most of the cop killers were caught and punished. A few were on the run, but there was enough proof to hold them guilty.     

"There was no way he has murdered them!" Athol tried to calm his heart. "He is lying!"     

Wait!     

There were accidents where cops died!     

Athol shuddered as this thought struck his mind. It was like a dagger has pierced into his heart.     

As a cop, he knew how dreadful the word 'accident' was! Because he has orchestrated many accidents!     

Most of killings by police were staged as accidents. This not only gave Police Force credibility as justice enforcers who wiped out evil, but also fame and money. After all, the power to build the narrative was in their hands with the victims dead!     

Athol tried to recall the deaths of cops passed as either accidental or health-related.     

"Officer Sulin died by a heart attack even though he was healthy!     

"Officer Millam was killed during the chemical blast in Greedy Wolf Gang's headquarters. According to the forensic report, the gang was making some explosives when the blast occurred.     

"Female officer Killy died when she was undergoing power enhancement in the government lab. It was a case of device malfunction..."     

His throat turned dry as he remembered a dozen cases from the last three and a half years, the time since Kiba arrived in the city.     

Till today he thought of them as nothing more than freak accidents that resulted in casualties. He never thought of them as man-made accidents for there was no reason to believe otherwise.     

There was never any hint or proof that could point to someone else. But now after hearing Kiba's words, he knew Kiba was responsible!     

He didn't know why Kiba killed so many officers but there was no more doubt in his role.     

"There were few murders where culprits pleaded innocence despite strong evidence! Those culprits were seasoned criminals so no one believed them... but it might be possible that Kiba...!!"     

Athol scrambled back, not daring to look at the man in front of him. The little hope of survival died with his realizations.     

As he retreated on his all four limbs, his pants turned wet. A foul liquid soaked the floor.     

He was no longer able to hold the despair from frightening his very essence.     

"Please spare me!" Athol begged as his exhausted body tried its best to escape. "I will never try to frame you!"     

Kiba didn't say anything. He gazed at Athol as he dragged his body out of the dining room.     

"Please..."     

Athol didn't turn back but he sensed his sinister gaze. It made him feel as if thousands of needles were stabbing into him.      

"I don't like killing," Kiba said without any emotions in his voice. "But when I kill someone, I make sure to enjoy it."     

"Don't...please... don't!" Athol glanced back.     

Whoosh~!     

Every piece of debris and furniture splinters began floating in the air.     

Athol was shocked by what he saw next.     

Fragments of glass, wood, and broken dishware joined together to revert back to their earlier forms. The bricks and stones moved to their earlier places, transforming the walls and ceilings to their previous states.     

The glassware returned to the dining table, joined by the empty pizza box.     

"How's this possible?!"      

Athol was dumbstruck. How can all signs of destruction disappear as if the house never saw any action?!     

"Just what sort of abilities he have!?"     

Kiba lifted his right hand. From the tip of his index finger, a blue spark of fire surged out.     

"From the fire, we were born..." Kiba said as the spark rushed at the gas pipeline in the kitchen. "And it is to fire we shall return."     

"No!"     

Athol despaired. He used all strength he could muster to rise. He then took support from the walls to escape.      

In the meantime, the spark passed into the pipeline and reacted with the gas. A spark was all the gas needed for it to turn into an explosive fire!     

BOOM.     

Blue flame blasted out of the pipeline, starting a chain reaction, filling the room with seething flames.      

The furniture burst into the ceiling before burning to ashes. The fire sprinklers jumped in action, but the meager amount of water wasn't enough to stop the raging flames!      

Zzzz     

The wiring in the house short-circuited, amplifying the strength of flames. It ripped into the domestic droid, melting it.     

Athol reached the living room just as he sensed the flames catching up. From the corners of his eyes, he noticed them wrapping sofas and tables, burning everything.     

"NOOOOO!"     

Athol released a blood-curdling scream as the flames wrapped him into their embrace. They scorched his body before invading his internal organs.     

Athol collapsed on the floor, rolling in pain. The floor was no less than a bed of lava, and it only increased his agony.     

"AHHHH!"     

He tried to suck air but all sucked were flames. His skin melted like wax to reveal his corroded insides.     

"S...to..p!" Athol begged for the final time.     

"Stop wasting your efforts on me..." Kiba said coldly. "Instead, if you believe in a god, now is the time to pray for a cool bath in the afterlife."     

Kiba looked at the wailing, scorched black body without any emotions.     

"And I hope your god is omnipotent enough to fulfill your wish."