After reaching the academy, Lennox, Theo, and Kira decided to visit Nadia. Concerned about her well-being and curious about the mysterious the dark giant, they wanted answers. To their surprise, upon entering Nadia's training room, they found not only her but also Theo's mentor, Vayuna, and Kira's mentor, Kage, engaged in a conversation.
Lennox, being unfamiliar with the dynamics between the mentors, observed the trio. The sudden interruption of their discussion prompted Vayuna and Kage to halt their conversation.
"Hey, Mentor Nadia," Lennox greeted.
Nadia smiled, "It's good to see you up and moving, Lennox," she replied before turning to the side. "This is Theo's mentor, Vayuna, and Kira's mentor, Kage," she introduced.
Kage nodded to Lennox, but Vayuna walked up to him, expressing her gratitude, "Thanks Lennox and Theo for deciding to save citizens instead of running away." She has a very good appreciation for those who showed empathy and went out of their way to help others.
Lennox was taken aback by Vayuna's words. 'Wait, she knows me and Theo saved people, but how does she?' he thought. Theo, on the side, was equally surprised. They both felt that something strange was happening.
"Wait, you knew what was happening in the city?" Theo asked.
Vayuna glanced at Nadia and Kage, who just stared at her. "Umm... yes, we all knew," she admitted.
"Then why didn't you help?" Lennox inquired, as now they confirmed that something unusual was going on.
"Because we couldn't... yeah couldn't, we had important things to do," Vayuna responded quickly, her words almost sounding like a lie. Nadia panicked slightly, as she knew Vayuna never liked to lie.
Lennox and Theo exchanged slight nods. "Sure..." they both said, clearly not buying her explanation. If the city was under attack near the academy, its safety was also jeopardized. Nadia and Kage were aware that Vayuna's lie didn't hold up.
"Now that's out of the way, can you tell us about the dark giant?" Kira inquired.
"Well, that's Hexbound," Kage began. "And that dark giant is Voragor, The Eclipse Fiend," he said, his tone chilling.
In a deliberate and measured tone, Kage began to explain about Hexbound. These malevolent entities originated from the world itself, born of its dark forces and some of light. But most of dark, to conceal their sinister presence, they devised a method – sealing themselves within individuals. In the world's name, those unfortunate hosts who harbored these cursed monsters were known as Hexbound. Each of these inner entities was distinct, composed of its own elements.
"So you're saying that giant called Voragor was born from the world meaning that he has the power to destroy realms?" Lennox questioned in shock, Kage also revealed that Voragor had committed multiple serious crimes like the destruction of Nexus Sanctuaries and malevolent Nexus Energy harvesting.
"Sadly so... yes, and he isn't the only one. As we currently know, there are over six others like him, including him it's seven," Nadia replied with a sigh. "And don't say 'had,' as he is still alive."
"What? Those giants almost destroyed half of the city, and he's still alive?" Kira exclaimed in shock.
"Yeah... But Voragor certainly isn't the strongest or the evilest," Kage said.
"Well, to us, he seemed very strong," Lennox commented.
"When he has six arms, he will be at the peak of his strength, as that's where his power mainly comes from," Kage explained coldly.
"But during the fight with the Fire Guardian, he had a new arm," Theo interjected, recalling the moment when the Fire Giant lifted Voragor and suddenly Voragor stabbed him in the back.
"As we saw, it's likely that he forced it out... but that would make him lessen his power growth. So that's a sign that he was desperate," Nadia added. "But now, I should tell you, Lennox, it wasn't you who killed Kevin. It was Voragor. He got free from a seal and corrupted someone with a deep-seated hatred, making them kill Kevin."
Lennox sighed with relief, knowing that he hadn't killed someone. However, he wondered who Voragor could have corrupted to the point of committing such an act. Lennox knew that everyone had hated him because he bullied and took advantage of everyone.
"We have a mission for you all," Kage announced. "That is to track Voragor down."
Nadia stepped aside and retrieved a metal box. From within, she carefully extracted a 5-inch crystal, its pristine surface emitting a white glow. Upon closer inspection, intricate runes adorned the orb's surface, weaving a complex mystic symbols. The outer shell of the orb, crafted from a resilient alloy, gleamed under the light. Surrounding it were azure particles, dancing and flickering, creating an otherworldly aura around it.
Nadia walked back, "Maybe after, we can let you seal him up, but," she said with a glint in her eye, "Since it's the first time having this Sealing Orb of Aetheria, I want to—" She was abruptly cut off by Kage, something she clearly didn't appreciate, especially during crucial moments.
The crystal in Nadia's possession she revealed it to be the Sealing Orb of Aetheria. Forged in the ancient forges of Aetheria, this artifact held an innate power to imprison malevolent entities, including the notorious Voragor. Its origins remained veiled in mystery, and the tale behind its creation is said to be a of collaboration between formidable Nexus mages and divine beings.
Kage also had a glint of interest in his eye. "We would like to examine it first," he stated, him and Nadia looking each other in the eye.
Lennox and the others were left wondering about the sudden shift in focus. Vayuna reassured them, "Don't worry about them; they just have a deep fascination for ancient and mysterious artifacts."
"Right. First, I will heal you, Lennox. Then... I hope you can quickly find Voragor before he causes more evil," Vayuna said. Like Kira, she didn't appreciate unnecessary conflict and violence, especially when it led to suffering and injustice.