In Ivan's office, ten high humans stood in a row. Hans was standing beside Ivan, pouring tea into his cup as Ivan perused the papers presented by each of the ten individuals, each containing a report on a sector of the estate. The estate was massive, and delegating responsibilities to others was the best management choice. The soldiers were attired in black shades and wore small cape armor. They all shared the same distinguishing features as Ivan - black obsidian hair and red eyes. They were high humans from the estate tasked with guarding it and reporting any troubles to Ivan, who was their leader.
"Have you found that damn summoner? Any updates?" Ivan inquired with a hint of disdain. It had been over a month since the rift had appeared near the estate. Given the danger it posed, the estate was heavily guarded, with the rift acting as a ticking time bomb. It was all because of that summoner. Until they could locate and eliminate it, there was no way to close the rift.
All the soldiers had worried expressions on their faces. One of them stepped forward to speak.
"No General Ivan," he said, with his head lowered.
"I'm sorry, sir. We can't find it. It must have fled the city. We have searched every corner of the estate, but we haven't found any trace of it. We are just as concerned about its presence as you, sir. It's dangerously close to our residence."
"At ease. There's no need to feel guilty," Ivan said reassuringly.
"Summoners are cunning creatures. They are either bolstering their forces to attack or playing the waiting game. Both scenarios spell disaster for us."
Ivan was extremely worried. He had even contemplated revealing everything to the city council to request additional assistance. It was no longer a matter of self-interest, but the survival of the city. If thousands of dark rift walkers used the rift to overwhelm the city, it would result in a massacre for the entire population.
"I'll take this matter to the city council. It's beyond our capabilities now," Ivan declared, staring at the papers presented by the ten soldiers.
The soldiers' expressions revealed a mix of anger and sadness, as they had failed to track down the dark rift walker. They stood in Ivan's spacious office, dressed in black obsidian armor with small capes and black shades. Their red eyes mirrored the concern that Ivan felt.
Ivan noticed their emotions and reassured them,
"Don't worry. We're all in this together. Lean on me for support, and I'll lean on you when the time comes. We traveled for two years to reach this city and have been living here for three years. Let's make it our home by working together. Don't worry about me, worry about yourself."
The soldiers appeared relieved and gave a small nod before leaving for their patrolling duties. Ivan watched them go, his mind heavy with worry. He walked over to the window of his office and gazed out at the estate, hoping his fears wouldn't come true.
Ivan gazed out of the window and murmured to himself, "I hope my fears don't come true."
Hans returned with a tray of refreshments for Ivan, breaking his train of thought. The aroma of fresh tea filled the room, providing a momentary distraction from the pressing issue at hand.
After his conversation with his mother, Ullie, Ray felt relieved of some of his stress. Though there were still things that bothered him, he had a newfound confidence in himself and a clearer path forward.
The next morning, Ray woke up early, before breakfast. He retrieved a stone from his drawer that he had left untouched for a few days.
"I will do things my way. First, my family," Ray thought to himself.
Holding the stone in his hand, he spoke the name "Orion" with a heavy pause before adding,
"We need to talk."
The stone glimmered as Ray heard the voice of Orion echoing in his mind. "I hope you have made your decision," the voice said, sounding urgent.
Ray sat up straight and spoke with a clear, unwavering voice.
"I don't understand your end goal. What are you trying to achieve? But let me make it clear that I will not be a pawn in your games," he said, his gaze cold and unwavering. "I cannot even be sure if my intentions to save this kingdom are truly my own. Have you manipulated me?"
His animosity towards Orion grew palpable, and his voice took on an icy edge.
"I refuse to be a puppet, even if the fate of the gods and all realms were at stake. There are plenty of people who thrive on such grandiosity. Seek their help. As of now, my only priority is my family."
As he spoke, Ray's hands clenched into fists, looking at it resolutely.
"I will contemplate the future later," he muttered under his breath, a reminder to himself to remain resolute.
"You have two choices, Orion. Either you help me, or..." Ray's voice trailed off, his tone becoming increasingly threatening.
"I could crush you to powder here and now, or I could through you in a ditch where you'll never be found," he continued, his voice laced with animosity.
"I don't care if your intentions were good or not. You've destroyed my life. Even if you gave me a new chance, I can never fully trust you after everything that's happened."
Orion fell silent for a moment, and Ray waited eagerly for his response.
"You never cease to amaze me. I accept your terms completely. For you, any terms are feasible. I hope that in the future, I can convince you otherwise," Orion replied calmly.
Ray let out a heavy sigh, his face contorted with anger and irritation. He gently placed Orion on the bedsheet beside him, his mind now focused on a few important matters.
"You need to fix my memories. I hardly remember anything about my family, and I can't continue on like this," he said, cutting Orion off before he could interject.
"But first, my sister Lilly. Tell me everything. What happened to her, and how can I cure her? If you can cure me of this dark taint and the thing that nearly killed me in my dreams, you can definitely help my sister," Ray said firmly.
"That will be extremely hard, Ray. I believe you should experience your memories to know what happened to your sister. It's honestly a mess," Orion said with sadness.
Ray's intuition told him that this was what his brother was referring to. "What did you do, Rayhein?" he thought to himself. Ray's memories gave him some hints as to what happened, but he always felt a guilty feeling that it was his fault, yet he couldn't remember.
Orion continued, "I can share some information about what is happening to Lilly. Firstly, she was infected not by dark taint. It's much worse. These beings from the chaos dimension are like parasites. They feed on living beings using curses and different tactics. She was discovered by a ranked dark being. There are many variations, so let's simplify."
"Ranked beings are a step above, with intelligence that is terrifying and better than normal beings like humans. They are far stronger and hold commanding roles like generals. They place these curses to consume their prey's soul and talent," Orion explained.
"Your sister, Lilly, is someone with incredible talent and power," Orion began.
"High humans are rarely born with the ability to use magic. But in exceptionally rare cases, siblings like your brother Avan and Lilly are born with that ability. They far surpass many, and their gifts are highly coveted by those who seek to wield magic."
Orion's continued "This thing used a parasitic curse on your sister. It has been feeding off her for quite a while, Ray. For years, to be exact. After the high humans arrived in this city, Lilly was born with the curse. Her magic is strong and growing, but the curse is slowly draining her vitality and consuming her soul. The creature is feeding on her magic reserves, using her as a source of sustenance."
Ray listened, feeling helpless. He couldn't even battle a normal dark rift walker, let alone something that was consuming his sister's very being. "How the hell can I help her?" he thought to himself, his heart heavy with fear and despair.
"There has to be something you can do? Can't you just burn it out from her body like you did last time?" Ray asked, desperation in his voice.
"It's feasible, but it might damage her soul," Orion replied in a firm tone.
"I have an idea of how we can kill that thing. For a curse like this, the general must be in suspended animation, hiding somewhere. We cannot approach this problem head-on. You don't have the power to do anything, so don't be rash. Let's discuss how we can do this. We need a lot of planning and cooperation, not only from you but from your family and others."
Ray felt like this was going to be difficult. Who would believe him, let alone cooperate with him? [How can we convince them to help us?] he thought, his mind racing to make a plan.