The masked host was looking at each screen with the audience. his slight smile faded as he noticed some of the students hadn't been shown in the surveillance.
"hey," he said as he jumped down to the sorcerer assigned to monitor each corner of the forest, "what's going on? 5 students have not been seen for the last hour"
"Let's see, Josephine, Lucas, Aeron, Jamil, and Maximus... Can you show their locations..? the audience is getting impatient"
The group looked at each other, hesitant and nervous. "umm..the thing is sir.. we cannot locate them.."
"What?" He tilts his head. his tone dropped down, clearly not amused. "didn't you cast a tracing magic on each participant?"
"Everything was normal but then something cut out our magic and we couldn't find where they were" Someone added.
The masked man was not happy about this news. He turned his face away, sighing.
"I'll look for them, in the meantime... All of you must greatly monitor the students," the masked man glared at the sorcerer group.
.
.
.
It was all a blur, the sounds of footsteps echoed in the humid chambers, and the menacing aura of the dragon made the air heavy. At that moment, fear consumes their mind, and their instinct to survive screams in their actions. Max rapidly cast barriers one by one to protect himself and everyone, but the abyssal monster broke them with ease.
"Dammit-!?" He curses as he swipes the air to cast another barrier.
I need to calm down, I need to- Max's thoughts broke off when the abyss dragon formed a black pitch mana in its mouth, directed to Josephine.
"M'lady!" he pulls Josephine into his arms, and as he does so, Lucas chants a series of scriptures. Glowing ancient texts wrapped around the pitch ball of mana as a bright light emitted enough to be blinded. At that moment, they all scurried away and hid behind rubble.
"Ha...ha..." There was nothing but their heavy breathing. Their hearts pounded as the dragon went silent.
"it..stopped?" Jamil breath shakily
"Abyss dragons are intelligent, analytical, and calculative" Max replied, glancing at the purple dragon that seems to be staring into nothingness. "It's cautious of us... or at least someone here"
"Cautious? Who would that be"
"Well, we have a priest, a saintess, and an amazing sorcerer! hey- ow!" Max hisses as he looks at Aeron.
"We're in a life and death situation but you still have the audacity to humor?!" he narrowed his eyes and scolded Max.
"Now, now..there's no time for fights," Josephine said with a soft and reassuring expression.
"Anyways, let's think of a plan..that dragon won't be doing anything in the meantime" They all nodded to Max's suggestion.
"Wait... It's distracted" The pink-haired girl's voice said in curiosity. Everyone's eyes follow suit as the menacing dragon glares intently at the ceiling
"Why is it staring there...?"
"We can use this as an opportunity to-"
"No, wait," Max cut Lucas's words off "this isn't a normal behavior for a dragon to look away from its prey... Yes, we are a lot weaker than that thing... But-" He cleared his throat and took a deep breath "A dark dragon wouldn't just turn its back on two people who can use holy magic"
"It'll be a death sentence" He finished with a doomsday expression.
"You know awfully a lot of dragons," Aeron said with a raised eyebrow
"Well... what can I say, I am ama- yes... I'm sorry..." Max immediately shut up when he saw his atypical friend glare coldly at his attempt to jest.
While the trapped group remained perplexed, tense, and fearful of the strange behavior the dragon was showing, Ainaira was at the foot of the mountain.
Something is going on underground. She thought to herself as she felt immense magical energy circulating. This feels like... Did they find her? They shouldn't have... What changed...?
Her brow creased into a frown as her expression turned confused. She sat on a nearby rock, contemplating. She started to wonder if her change of behavior had already altered the course of history.
"I underestimated how big the consequences of my action could be..." She mumbled under her breath as she activated her. "Just as I thought..."
Her eyes glowed blue as they pierced through the ground and there she saw them. Fighting with an abyssal dragon that she intended to find. The moment she laid eyes on it, the fearsome creature stopped as it turned its attention toward her
Oh? She can see me... She tilts her head, in a way a curious child would when they see a candy for the first time.
"A lost rat"
Ainara felt a chill down her spine. She turns around, her eyes widen in surprise while her heart races.
"!?"
"Lady Dharmanath..." The masked man was stationed still a few feet away from her. His posture was poised and elegant yet the smile he presented was unnerving
"..." She felt cold sweat drop down her spine ah.. the Emperor Aide... She thought to herself. Seeing the man borne and raised in mystery, she felt unexplainable fear.
"May I ask what are you doing here?"
"..."
====
[Timeline: Ainaira first life - 5 years after her death]
The majority of the world had met its destruction. What's left with humanity is poverty, hunger, and countless gruesome deaths and insanity. The Ethereal Empire once a beautiful Empire filled with wealth, marbled architecture, and rich in gold was reduced into a desolated land.
The people were now forsaken by the Gods and by the Empire. "Bring us the Saintess!" The people plea every day at the run-down castle.
Josephine was somewhere deep within the throne room, shivering from anxiety. "This is... our fault.." she mumbled.
"No, no it's not... We did not foresee this.." The once prince, now called Emperor Noah comforted his beloved. Stroking her hair while he held her.
"Mmng-" she shakes her head "This is our karma... We are too caught up in our own world, our own ego.. that we had forgotten about what our duties are." Her lips were quivering, her voice was filled with guilt and regret. Casting aside what she once believed in, and now she is no longer worthy to be called a Saintess.
"Everything is our fault...! My fault!"
Noah sighed and let her go. He gestured to the knights to bring Josephine to her chambers. Once the woman figure disappeared, he felt his heart break.
"Emperor"
He looked behind him and saw a man with long purple hair and...that mask.
He sighed- "[][][], what's the state?"
"The Demonfolk are estimated to make a full assault in 3 days." The masked man said with a smile. "Well, anyways.. with the state of our military and morale, this Empire is doomed"
Noah sighed once more, rubbing his temple, "It's annoying how you look so unconcern."
"I think my demeanor is the last thing you should worry about Your Majesty," the masked man looked at him with a condescending smile.
Noah remained silent as he contemplated. His face was grim. "..."
"I dont care how much sacrifice it'll take but, I want to escape this country with Josephine. I order you to ensure that happens..." His face was filled with determination. He left his duty and morals for his desire. It wasn't wrong for him to wish for, yet it was an improper act for a ruler. He knows this well, and so he will be abandoning his throne.
Oh, My Emperor... You are truly... Selfish... Perhaps a restart wouldn't be so bad...
====
"You seem to know me." The masked man tilts his head as his lips pursed into a curious pout. The silence between them was palpable.
"His Majesty's secret Aide..." Ainaira confirmed, her eyes narrowed softly at the man. A smile widened at the mysterious man with his hand resting on his chest.
"How amusing, I wonder how you knew. I guess I shouldn't underestimate Lillian's child"
Ainaira blinked in surprise as she heard her mother's name. Her caution and suspicion grew, taking a step back.
"Don't be so cautious," He chuckled "You know what? I'll ignore why you are here. For now... Do you know where your brother and his tag team may be?"
It was perhaps a bad idea to not speak to the mysterious man. He is one of the few people that Ainaira was always cautious with. her worry wasn't unwarranted, the masked man was riddled with a dark aura. She remembered that very same mask often visited her mother when she was still alive.
She just let out a sigh, "You know where..." She turned her head down. He followed her gaze curiously and he felt an enormous presence.
"oh dear... This ominous energy.. an abyss creature..?" He said mockingly. It is unsure whether he is concerned or amused.
"A dragon," she corrected.
"Oh? And you know this because..?"
The masked man saw the defying expression on Ainaira's face. He merely smiled and decided not to press on the matter. "I guess... I'll leave you with your little secret?"
"-More importantly, They won't be able to defeat that.. but I have business with the dragon. So, here's my proposal" Ainaira tried to reel in some composure. No matter how uncomfortable she is in dealing with the Emperor Aide, she has to do what she planned.
The masked man's head perked up, a wide amused smile painted on his face. It seems like he is willing to listen and keep things hushed.
"I am listening, Lady Dharmanath"