Chapter 10
Kervhim was just thankful to be alive, but what he saw made him quiver with horror. He reflected on what he had gone through that morning and the forces that had attempted to take his life. He remembered the beast who had pursued him into the woods. But, when he fled and thought he was safe, he had no idea that the one who had pursued and protected him was the one who would kill him.
He was surprised to see that the man had changed into a different person and began to stand up and flee to the outside so that he could swiftly escape the circumstance he was in.
"Come to me, and I will offer you a nice life," urged Labdon, who is now known as Gafford.
Kervhim stayed mute as he fled, muttering, "Stay away from me, don't come near me, you devil." "Go back to where you came from," Kervhim murmured. "Because you are demons or Zeabolis, whatever you are called, leave the realm of people," Kervhim said, his voice shaking from dread.
The surroundings darkened as Labdon neared Kervhim. A loud wail could be heard at that location.
In the Wrafes Kingdom.
A messenger arrived.
The communication caught Kalgel, Division Command Sert, and Division Commander Raena off unprepared. They were caught by surprise by the news.
Nwar Headquarters News
"Division Commander Zoey has been located, but his physique and mentality have altered," says the first report.
Second, "a looming conflict is once again on the horizon."
Third, "Prophets and shamans have been detected in many places of our world, and they will sow fear once more."
Fourth, "Nwar is planning a new recruiting procedure to bring in new Hytacs, but nothing is confirmed yet."
"There's a Fortran Rank Battle coming up," says the fifth piece of news.
Aside from the news from the Nwar headquarters, they also learned that several Hytacs had been converted.
They also acquired information that only the Nwar Quarters of the South were aware of.
First, additional news: "Eurek Helluza, Tagua, and Arioja have become Umbreytt and are headed to the island of Adeady with some unknown Umbreytt. According to the news we received, the Umbreytt has exhausted Helluza's group, which is the three people who transformed to survive and not die. The hytacs in Adeady already know this."
Second additional news: "A Death Prophet Lali was spotted near the island of Adeady, and based on his direction of travel, he is also heading to the island of Adeady to get souls." "There are some prophets or shamans who have been spotted in different parts of the world, and you will see their names and information about them in the scroll I gave you."
The messenger abruptly vanished after speaking.
Division Commander Raena called all high-ranking Hytacs in the South Nwar Quarters. The high-ranking Hytacs from the south quarters arrived one by one, with Division Commander Sert and Kalgel on stage with Division Commander Raena. The captains of each division are visible on the floor in front of the stage; fifteen captains went to Commander Sert's division, and fifteen captains went to Commander Raena's division; also visible in the front are the hytacs Kruma-Janggun I, Asthe-Janggun III, Ega-Janggun V, and Egel-Janggun V.
"I summoned you all to discuss the news we got from headquarters, as well as certain assignments we should debate and prioritize."
Division Commander Raena read what was written on the scroll he got.
"Lists of prophets and shamans seen around the world"
"Lali the Misfit is a member of the Vagamon area's shaman family. Because of his peculiar thinking, where his thinking is wicked, he wants to learn more spells and forbidden spells. They went on a quest one day and came upon some scrolls with unusual spells inscribed on them. He assassinated his colleague shaman and researched the spells written on the scrolls. To avoid detection, he assumed several forms and traveled the world in search of various spells and forbidden spells. One of his forbidden spells is concerning souls, which he can manipulate and alter."
"Apoco the Warlock - As Chief Curator and Proctor of the Academy of Vharnalys, Apoco Isleen worked tirelessly to find lost, rare, and prohibited tomes. No cursed temple was so ominous, no tunnel passage so perilous, that any concern for his own existence could keep him from going if whispers said that some booklet of primordial wisdom could yet exist in its depths. However, his explorations so frequently incurred the anger of protective beings that he was forced to learn the arts of magic. He devoted himself to mastering sorcery with the same zeal that he had for incunabula, rising to become the Academy's most powerful Rune Knight in less time than most practitioners needed to finish a semester of undergraduate study. He forged an oak stick and called a prisoner spirit from the Outer Hells into it almost as an afterthought. And, in preparation for the day when he will have retrieved every single lost spell book, he has begun to create his own runic spells. It will surely be educational."
"Siln Tigor the Shaman: A wiry figure strides forward, uneven of feature and limb, strange of gait, crisscrossing the battlefield in quest of that key weak place where his gifts can do the best and the most harm. It's unclear if it's broken or a mistake, but no one can deny the power contained within his deformed body. Siln the Shaman advances, wielding a long stick and wielding a fearsome armory of fetishes, hexes, and spells. It is a corpus of magical knowledge that has been studied and developed over numerous lives in Tanate's island highlands and is now used with precision and accuracy against his foes. Siln Tigor may be your closest friend or your deadliest adversary, mending comrades while annihilating opponents."
"Ecov the Keeper: This Keeper, this spark of limitless suns, mounts a pale horse. Ecov fled the fundamental plane a long time ago, freeing himself from the other ancient forces to whom he was tied inside the grand primordial symphony. He is a power that has become sentient since the beginning of time and now rides forth in all realms at once, one step ahead of following chaos, carrying his gift at the end of a dazzling staff. His majestic truth is concealed under the apparent look of a slightly doddering elderly man who struggles to stay in the saddle. When confronted with the forces of disorder or darkness, his primal light breaks forth and his entire might is exposed, converting him once again into a force to be reckoned with."
"Tiev Keyah, the Deadly Cardinal: During a period of tremendous disease, an insignificant monk of dark tendencies, Tiev Keyah, was raised to the rank of Cardinal by the sudden deaths of all his superiors. While others in the order went out to help the sick, the freshly ordained cardinal isolated himself within the Cathedral of Durham in the Kingdom of Pandomuium, plotting to seize the property of dying lords, offering them spiritual blessings in exchange for signing over their terrestrial lands. As the epidemic dwindled to a few obstinate pockets, his actions were brought to the notice of the greater order, who declared him guilty of heresy and condemned him to serve in the plague ward, ensorcelled with spells that would assure him a long and lasting disease. They hadn't relied on his innate immunity, though. Tiev Keyah had the pox, but instead of dying, he discovered that it fed his strength, converting him into a plague-rune knight, a Pope of Pandomuium. He wanders the world, proclaiming himself the Deadly Cardinal, spreading illness wherever he goes and gaining in terrifying strength with each community he obliterates."
"Brine the Stealer: While each magician can perform a spell or two, only the most brilliant may be acknowledged as a Royal Thaumaturge. However, as in any sorcerer's circle, a feeling of community has never ensured competitive civility."
"Brine, a famous duelist and scholar of the Pandomuium realm of rune spells, had never considered himself Royal Thaumaturge material until he was in the middle of his sixth assassination attempt. As he gently flung the twelfth of a succession of would-be murderers over a high balcony, he realized how totally unoriginal the assassination attempts had gotten. Where formerly a finger snap or a flaming hand could have put a spring in his stride, it had all become much too predictable. He wants more competition. So, donning his combat mask, he did what any aspiring thaumaturge would do: he declared his desire to murder a Royal Thaumaturge."
"Brine quickly realized that threatening one Royal Thaumaturge meant threatening them all, and they pounced on him. Each of the antagonists' spells was an unstoppable river of energy, and each strike was a premeditated death blow. But then something unexpected happened: Brine's enemies' arts appeared to turn against them. Brine giggled inside the magical vortex, delicately interpreting and reproducing the powers of one to cast against another, spreading havoc among those who had partnered against him. Accusations of treason began to fly, and the sorcerers rapidly turned on one another without knowing who was to blame."
"When the combat was over, everyone was burned and frozen, wet, cut, and punctured. Several people were killed by an ally's craft. Brine stood away, sore but enjoying the week's events. When he brought his petition of assumption to the Hidden Council, none had the strength to dispute, and the Insubstantial Eleven unanimously consented to award him the title of Royal Thaumaturge."
"Kigller the Silencer: Kigller was bred by the ancient order of the Kingdom of Pandomuium to be the greatest rune user the world had ever seen. He was part of the seventh and last generation of a meticulously crafted pedigree. He was the foretold one, the result of two hundred years of meticulous couplings, a war-rune knight who would bring honor to the order while annihilating their sworn foes, the Knights of the Pandomuium. The order's preceptors raised Brine with other young rune users in a clandestine cantonment amid the Cypress hills, waiting for Brine's skills to develop. While the other pupils practiced fire, ice, and incantatory spells, Brine remained motionless and talentless, unable to cast even a hex. He still hadn't discovered his magic as the day of final exam neared. The preceptors berated him in disdain, while the youngsters giggled. "You are not a rune user," the order's leader proclaimed. Nonetheless, Brine did not flee. He arrived the testing day and confronted the young rune user who had ridiculed him. And then his teachers discovered an important lesson: a lack of magic might be the most powerful magic of all. Brine hushed the youthful rune users one by one, defeating them in single battle until he stood alone as Pandomuium champion, fulfilling the prophesy."
"And then there are the prophets or shamans discovered by our Hytacs investigators. Their main ambition, according to what is stated on the scroll, is to be the strongest in the entire planet. In truth, our adversary is not only Zeabolis, but also our fellow humans who utilize odd rune spells, new or ancient. That's why we hytacs in the South are entrusted with destroying or apprehending any prophets or shamans that invade our domain."
"According to the news, there will be another conflict, but our primary objective and priority is to provide assistance to the hytacs on the island of Adeady. Initially, many parties of mysterious Rune Knights arrived on the island. Second, there are already a few Umbreytt on the island, and from what I've heard, they're becoming stronger. Lali, the third, is also heading to the island since there are numerous hytacs there."
"As for the Umbreytt on Adeady, there are Labdon, Tribonal, and the three Hytacs who became Umbreytt Helluza, Arioja, and Tagua, according to the report. Labdon is one of those who can become Laegri Roo at any moment if someone takes the position of the present Laegri Roo."