"..."
Raven was stunned for a good amount of time because of what he just saw.
The area around him was like a desolate and barren region from a ruin somewhere hidden at the depths of the world.
Lands are ravaged and destroyed, scorched here and there. Pieces of rocks and boulders were everywhere, creating a messy display of the catastrophe they have just passed through.
And the beautiful lake was now a dry prairie. It was riddled with craters inside its area, completely destroying the scenic beauty it has to offer.
In short, the situation was an absolute disaster.
If there's a super-sized cabinet of a teenage boy in his puberty, this will be what it would probably look when you take a peek inside of it.
"My goodness... what actually happened h-!?"
Raven abruptly stopped speaking.
Immediately running towards the silhouette he saw from the distance.
"Uriel?! What happened to you?! Why are you so..?!"
He saw the figure of Uriel walking over to him.
"Brother... thank goodness you're alright..."
She just collapsed after saying that.
Raven hurriedly caught her in his arms.
The sorry figure of Uriel was almost unbearable to look at for him.
Not because she's dirty and messy, but because of her blood-soaked and disheveled figure.
It was a heart-wrenching sight.
Take note, she's only a two-year old kid!
'Fuck fuck fuck..! What exactly happened here..?! Did we get attacked by something when the system was upgrading?!'
Raven looked left and right and saw no signs of people or beasts lurking around the vicinity. Actually, there's no other things nearby other than the portrait of a destroyed forest.
"We gotta leave here quick."
Raven decided instantly.
Whether the place have been attacked by something or whatever-the-hell-it-is, his greatest priority right now should be putting Uriel in a safe place and attend to her.
The trauma those injuries could bring her would be horrifying if not handled straight away.
*****
Raven being unaware of what has transpired, the disaster that occurred caught the attention of several powerhouses living in Arcadia.
The ill-foreboding feeling they've felt, the dreadful aura that just appeared and vanished like a fleeting dream, and the loud cries of an anguish beast that echoed towards the sky.
*****
Twilight Empire.
An enormous ancient shrine.
Donnngggg~
Donnngggg~
Donnngggg~
A huge ancient bell from antiquity started to ring unceasingly at the center of the shrine.
Carved with different symbols portraying various ancient tribes, horrifying figures of demons and beasts, large creatures that were fighting in the sky, and countless different scars proving the number of war it has passed through.
"O-oh god. The bell..!"
An old man full of wrinkles in his face, garbed in a long dress watched the bell move on its own, stupefied from the endless ringing of the artifact.
"T-this... don't tell me..."
The eyes of the old man lost its previous dull light, it was replaced by a sharp glint that made the surroundings, a little bit chilly.
Chaos broke out from outside as numerous people wearing red robes entered the shrine.
Swish
Then a ray of light shot through the air, landing beside the old man.
"Master what happened here?"
Clad in a silver-plated armor, the man who just landed asked the old man in a grim tone.
This man knew this bell's history and because of that, he was bewildered by the sudden ringing of it.
Tens of people with powerful energy also flew towards the shrine. Baffled by the soul-stirring sound coming from the bell.
The old man then suddenly removed a dull-looking gem attached from his left arm and pressed it between his hands together.
"M-master wait!"
As if knowing what the old man would do, the man in silver armor hurriedly interjected.
Whoooooshhh!!
An unbelievable surge of aura came out from the old man, as an almost liquefied state of energy coalesce into him.
The people present almost had trouble breathing, submerged from the aura coming off from the old man.
Only the man in silver was seemingly unaffected, only worriedly looking at the old man.
As time passed, more and more people from the empire arrived. But the old man's aura in front of the bell pressured them so hard that they couldn't go any further.
"Why is that huge bell started ringing now? Could it be.. the war?"
"Are you talking about that war?"
"Is the war depicted in stories true in the first place?"
"Even Commander Gorvandine of the Imperial Chimera Army showed up!"
Endless chattering between the people nearby broke out.
When suddenly...
Zzzzztt!
The huge bell trembled.
And after a short while, it finally stopped moving. Drowned by the old man's aura.
Whish~
The aura coming from the old man also slowly subsided as the place extinguished its previous fervor.
Some people's eyes were gleaming mysteriously while worry painted other's countenance.
"There's only one thing that could make the bell ring that loud and endlessly."
The old man said softly, breathing heavily as he put the jewel back on his arm.
He spoke rather quietly, but everyone present perfectly heard what he was saying.
"Master, is it the ancient war?"
The silver-armored man asked.
The old man shook his head as he slowly glanced up at the only window of the shrine.
Facing the two 'suns' hanging up in the horizon, countless thoughts ran through the old man's mind.
He didn't manage to answer the man beside him.
Only, a streak of blood appeared from his lips.
*****
In a far away ocean, where raging waves and winds are resisting each other, clashing endlessly as they form fearsome twisters in the waters.
An island stood strong in the midst of it.
Roooaaarrr!!!
An enormous head with two huge dark-golden eyes roared as it revealed its colorful, scaly, and gigantic body from the surface of the waters, dispersing the brewing cyclone with just its cry.
The monster then continued to look at the sky as if sensing something.
"What does this mean?"
The monster stared deeply in the sky, its eyes seemingly piercing through space and time.
Crawling up from the ocean to the island, it slowly changed its form.
A beautiful black-haired woman replaced its enormous figure!
"What is this stuffy feeling..."
The woman said still looking up at the sky pondering about something.
She eventually shook her head, slowly walking at the simple house located in the center of the island.
*****
The Elven Kingdom.
A kingdom located at the heart of Longmore Woodlands of the Elajas Empire.
An awe-inspiringly huge and glorious towering tree surrounded by a finely dense fog, can be seen shooting through the atmosphere.
The grandeur and vitality it possess is awe-inspiringly great that you'll find yourselves dazed by the sheer aura it radiates.
At the very top of the tree where you can view the entirety of the magnificent and prosperous Elven Kingdom, a maiden in white with elongated ears stood on one of the tree's branches; radiating aura of holiness, basking the atmosphere with utter sophistication.
The maiden was currently looking at the distant horizon.
Worry was clouding her irises.
Holding her thin and elegant hands together, she prayed silently atop the branch.
*****
At this moment in time, almost all the cities and villages around the Kingdom of Tempest were in a state of panic.
It was the closest place where the disaster took its place after all.
At the kingdom's capital, the streets were filled with people discussing about what just happened earlier.
Some of the merchants are even trying to leave the kingdom in fear of a huge disaster that will struck the place.
"Is that true? A demon rampaged in forest?"
"I don't know. But I heard a piece of news that says it was somehow related to a birth of a mythical artifact."
"Well that scary cry earlier isn't something a random artifact will produce, I'll tell you that."
"You stupid hillbilly get out of the way!"
"Who do you think you're pushing huh!?"
"Hey, hey! Everyone calm down!"
"You dork! Who the hell are you to touch me there, huh?!"
"With your face, I wouldn't even dream of putting my hands on your filthy body you stupid woman!"
People in the street engaged into discussions while some broke into chaos.
Minor fights, scuffle, and people that were hurriedly making an exit towards the gate created a pandemonium in the main street of the kingdom.
The only place filled with silence was the Palace of Tempest.
It was located at the middle of the kingdom's capital.
The King of Tempest Kingdom was currently listening to his subordinate's report.
"The forest of Bolbaran, is it?"
"That's right, Your Majesty."
"What else have you found?"
His subordinate, a man in blue attire then brought a stack of papers from his back.
"Answering Your Majesty, the disaster took place along the heart of the forest where the Lake of Niya was located. Lifeless vegetations, piles of rubbles and even the lake wasn't spared from the destruction. Various beasts were also running amok around the area, it was like they were running away from something. Here's the detailed report from all the scouts deployed, Your Majesty."
"Mm. You are now dismissed. In addition, tell the scouts to monitor the perimeter of the kingdom and report immediately if something unnatural happened."
"This lowly one will comply."
The subordinate bowed and left the palace like a wisp of smoke, vanishing without a trace.
"What exactly happened there..."
The king murmured to himself as he read along the reports.
Sitting at his throne lost in his own thoughts.
*****
Raven didn't know how much he had affected the world when his system finished its upgrade.
He didn't even have the leisure to check its new functions as he was hurriedly running back to their camp to help Uriel on her injuries.
"Hang in there lass, don't go giving up on me now."
Raven whispered softly, sprinting through the woods. Completely unaware of the incredible speed he was currently going at.
< Chapter 10 > Fin.