In the world of Xenos, within the western continent, nestled in an unassuming duchy of the Tulip Kingdom—a modest, middle-ranked kingdom—a meeting of profound consequence was unfolding in a chamber at the heart of its capital.
The room was cloaked in an oppressive darkness, a feeling of unease permeating the air. The stone walls, jagged and unyielding, seemed to close in on Exlos. He sat at a long, rectangular table, his form barely visible, his features inconspicuous and unremarkable. Middle-aged, with a thin frame and average features, he was the kind of person no one would remember after a conversation. He had always managed to stay in the shadows, never drawing attention, until now.
The room itself was devoid of any warmth or comfort. The only sounds were the distant echoes of heavy breathing and the low hum of an unnatural stillness, as if the very air had ceased to move. The meeting had begun, but no one was truly present. At least, not in the way most would understand.
Around him, figures swirled, their outlines blurry, like shadows cast by something far beyond the human eye. The air crackled with the weight of unseen eyes watching him, judging him. Seven voices—each distinct in tone, yet all shrouded in secrecy—filled the space, speaking from nowhere and everywhere all at once.
The first voice, youthful but filled with fury, broke the silence like a crack of thunder. "Exlos!" the voice snarled, filled with seething anger. "I told you not to send the new seed to the Demacles subcontinent! You wasted the Void Shard, and you know it!"
Exlos sat still, his back straight but his heart pounding. He had expected this reaction, the fury of his fellow conspirators. They didn't understand, or perhaps they chose not to. His decision was made, and now he had to face the consequences. He kept his expression neutral, hiding the tremor in his gut. "You know we couldn't send him anywhere else. Not with how aggressive the Purists have become. The Demacles subcontinent was the only viable option."
Another figure spoke, the voice older and more measured. "The Purists seem to have acquired new allies. We can't just strike at them recklessly anymore."
"New allies?" the youthful voice snapped. "Do you even hear yourself? While we hesitate, they grow stronger. We need decisive action!"
Another voice, older and dripping with fanaticism, cut in. It was raspy and full of zeal, as though the speaker's very existence thrived on fervor. "Why are we even still arguing about this? Why don't we put our faith in the Voiceless? The Voiceless is all we need to compete in this new era. We should stop wasting time with these 'seeds' and focus on what really matters."
The name sent a cold shiver down Exlos's spine. The Voiceless. That terrifying being, that nightmare made flesh. It was something—no, someone—none of them truly understood, a force beyond anything that could be controlled or predicted. The thought of it, of what the Voiceless had become under the leader's personal guidance, made Exlos's skin crawl. He had seen the horror it wrought once before and prayed it would never return.
"We can't put all our eggs in one basket," Exlos responded, trying to steady his voice, but it shook slightly in spite of himself. "There's too much risk in that. We can't just rely on the Voiceless. Not like last time."
The figure speaking next was different from the others. A feminine voice, smooth and soft, but with an undeniable strength behind it. "Exlos is right. Sending the new seed to another subcontinent wasn't ideal, but it was the only option we had. We weren't ready for the aftermath of our decision." She paused, her voice laden with unspoken thoughts. "But this… this was a costly decision. We could have lost everything."
Exlos's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. He had done what was necessary, even if they didn't agree with him. There was no room for second-guessing now.
Finally, a voice that no one would dare argue with spoke—a voice so deep and eerie it felt like it came from the very bowels of the earth. The leader of the Invader Society, whose voice alone demanded silence. "Enough." His words were like a command from a higher power, cutting through the tension in the room with finality. "A new seed will be selected, and I will personally handle it. We've wasted enough time with this bickering."
At the mention of the leader's involvement, Exlos's heart skipped a beat. The leader, whose identity was known to only a few, and whose very presence was enough to send fear into the hearts of even the bravest souls, had not personally handled a summon in years. The last time he did, it had resulted in the summoning of the Voiceless, a creature so powerful and terrifying that it decimated everything in its path.
The memory of that time haunted Exlos to this day. The leader's power was unquestionable, but it came at a cost. A cost Exlos feared might be too high to pay once again.
"I will ensure this new seed fulfills its potential," the leader said, his tone final and unwavering. "The seed is nothing more than a tool in our hands. And tools can be replaced when they are no longer of use."
"The meeting of Aptitude is in 7 months' time we need to be prepared for it" the leader continued
Exlos felt a chill sweep through him at the leader's words. He had been part of the Invader Society long enough to know that such words weren't just threats—they were promises. The leader's power was absolute, but it came with an unspoken expectation: failure would not be tolerated. There would be no second chances.
The thought of what could happen if the leader took matters into his own hands made Exlos's stomach churn. What if the new seed failed? What if it became another disaster, like the first summoning of the Voiceless? There was no going back from that.
The meeting came to an abrupt end. One by one, the voices faded away, leaving Exlos alone in the dark room, the shadows creeping back around him. The oppressive silence was deafening.
Exlos exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. The meeting was over. The fate of the new seed was no longer in his hands, and he could only hope that the leader's involvement would bring the results they needed. Still, something gnawed at him—a feeling that this decision, like so many others before it, was only the beginning of something far worse.
Exlos stood slowly, the creak of his chair echoing in the emptiness of the room. His thoughts were clouded, his mind racing with the implications of what had just occurred. The new seed. The Voiceless. The Purists. The battle that was brewing… It was all too much. But he couldn't afford to lose focus. Not now.
As he stepped toward the door, he couldn't shake the feeling that everything had changed in that brief meeting. The stakes had been raised higher than he could ever have imagined, and the future felt uncertain, like a blade hanging by the thinnest thread. Would the leader succeed in his mission? Or would this new path lead them all down a road of destruction?
The answers were unclear, but Exlos knew one thing for sure: the game had changed. And in this world, those who didn't keep up with the changes were doomed to fall behind.
With a final glance at the dark room, Exlos left, the door creaking closed behind him. Outside, the world awaited, but he could already sense the storm on the horizon. And it was coming for them all.