Zamon had transformed into a completely different person once the golden light that enveloped his entire body had dissipated. The book he was now holding had lost its gleam that was lingering around it before Zamon opened it.
What Alvan and Emelda noticed first were the changes in his hair color and his significantly more muscular physique. Then, the strong golden aura surrounding him was also evident in his transformation. As he slowly fluttered his eyes open, they noticed that his irises were no longer green but had turned grey. I bet Elara would find it difficult to recognize him if she saw him.
Zamon laughed hysterically, like a devil that had undergone a rebirth from the depths of hell. His cackle was truly ominous, causing chills to run down Emelda's spine as she watched the whole thing from the orb projection.
'What has he turned into, just because he was obsessed with unrivaled power? Much like a demon god, is he truly my father?' Alvan pondered. He was trying to compare and contrast to see if he had inherited any traits from this man.
On the scene, Zamon waved his hand horizontally as he exited the temple hall. Just with a mere hand gesture, he caused the temple to crumble down and be razed to the ground.
"I am now immortal, with formidable power!" He exclaimed before bolting away towards the elevated plateau with a speed that defied comprehension.
The scene shifted again, stopping at the spot where the High Priest had created a barrier.
"That bastard really went to the temple." The High Priest roared as he saw the crumbling temple tower. He didn't need anyone to tell him what had happened. He was frustrated and devastated, not just because of what Zamon had done, but also because his barrier was beginning to crack from the incessant badgering it was receiving from the shadow minions.
Alvan watched as his mother stopped channeling her healing energy toward the High Priest. Her gaze was fixated on the direction of the crumbled tower. A teardrop from both eyes trailed down her cheeks as her hand gently rubbed her protruding stomach. "I hope you don't inherit his power-hungry obsession," she muttered.
The projection changed the scene once more. This time, it was in a dark place. Nothing could be seen, but then a snap of fingers was heard, and in the next instant, a golden light illuminated the area. Before their view, Alvan and Emelda could see three figures standing in what looked like a dungeon, but it was very expansive, stretching farther than the eye could see.
"The basement?" Azura exclaimed."Did you do all of these?" He asked, noticing the unfamiliar Zamon who stood before him, effortlessly leveling the basement floor with a simple gesture of his right hand.
"Wait! This power... why does it feel different, even though it's still the same cosmic energy? And you encased us in a barrier while we were recovering our energy," Kamuth said angrily, recalling their struggle to break free from his barrier. But after so many failed attempts, he finally arrived and dispelled the barrier. Then, the next thing was being carried and finding himself inside the basement.
Zamon did not answer their questions. Instead, he kept doing his thing. After leveling the ground using terrakinesis, he molded thousands of seats in the basement where people can sit. He did not stop there; in addition, a platform was also elevated about half a foot above the floor level.
The eyes of the other two elemental cosmic mages were already popping out from witnessing the incredible feats he was performing. Not just them, Alvan couldn't believe that his father was actually the one who created the basement, while Emelda was grappling to take in so many surprises in such a short time. She can't help but wonder why they were never taught anything about all the things she was witnessing.
When Zamon thought he had finished what he was working on, he smiled at Azura and Kamuth before vanishing with them. Then the scene returned to where the High Priest was, as those three appeared before him out of thin air.
"Did he just teleport, even though he wasn't an enchantment mage?" Emelda whispered in shock.
There, the barrier was barely holding out, and shadow minions were already sneaking through cracks in the barrier. The villagers behind the High Priest were no longer safe, and since they were numbering thousands. They were plunged into pandemonium.
However, Zamon rushed to Elara, embraced her, and whispered, "I'm sorry. But trust me, I'm not power-hungry like they think. Yes, I might desire power, but everything I am doing now is to ensure your safety. And I will prove to you that I'm not a power-hungry maniac."
"I believe you and always will. I am solely concerned about our baby. How would he feel being a mortal with both a mortal and an immortal mother and father? However, I have come to realize that our top priority is to save these people. I won't stop you; instead, I will always support you." Elara whispered to him as well. She held his hand on her tummy, rubbing it gently as if reminding him of the budding life within.
'Mom still believed in you, even though…' Alvan thought, as his eyes became watery. However, he fought back the tears, preventing them from escaping his eyelids.
'Can I really trust him this much? I envy his mother,' thought Emelda, who had her eyes fixed on Alvan. But she was unable to see his eyes welling up under the crimson glow of the wall-mounted crystal lanterns.
"High Priest, I will protect everyone. The basement is ready. Let's evacuate the villagers." Zamon shouted as the scene flashed once more. The holographic projection blinked again, displaying another scene.
After evacuating the villagers to the basement, Zamon emerged from the basement with the other seven guardians.
"I will prove to all of you that I have acquired this power to save Etheloria and eliminate this plague. So that our people can return to their normal way of life. I don't care about the repercussions and backlash of my decision, and I hope you all don't mind!" Zamon, who had assumed the role of their leader, now addressed them, particularly focusing on the High Priest, who appeared to hold a grudge against him.
"From the Book of Immortality, I gained knowledge of ancient, long-forgotten arts. So, we will be creating an array on this plateau. I think it would be enough to shield us from the shadow plague for now… I haven't fully assimilated and adapted to the power I have acquired from that tome, but when I do. We might be able to create an array that can cocoon the entirety of Etheloria." He announced.
"What are we creating?" asked the High Priest. He looked like he was in his mid-fifties. The twin guardians were the youngest, appearing to be in their early twenties, while Elara, Zamon, Oscar, Doger, and Kamuth appeared to be in their thirties.
"A Dome Array!"
"What? The legendary Dome Array, invented by the God of Light!" The High Priest, agitated, didn't know when he said these words.
"That is why it is the best we can use to counter the ominous darkness."
"Can we create it?" Doger asked this time, and the expression of shock was clearly written on his face.
"Let's give it a try, shall we?" Zamon said. Elara was only looking at her man, without saying anything.
Zamon dispatched them around the edges of the elevated plateau, while he himself was at the center, where the basement entrance was located.
After drawing a magic circle beneath him, which the other people drew as well. They all focused their energy on their magic circles. All the magic circles linked with each other before connecting with the central one. Then, from those magic circles, a transparent white burst of energy erupted toward the sky, pushing away the darkness in those areas and enclosing them in a dome-shaped barrier.
However, this barrier was unlike anything they could create. It had a reflective, mirror-like, shiny, and transparent surface. And it was drawing cosmic energy from nature itself, supplying its energy itself. The shadow canopy over the elevated plateau had disappeared. There was no more darkness, no more shadow minion, and no more shadow plague within the confines of the Dome Array.
Happily, the guardians went into the basement, while Zamon set off into the distance. Elara never wanted him to go, but he promised to return after discovering the origin of the shadow plaque and annihilating it. What could she do? Her husband is now immortal, invincible, and incredibly powerful. Not to mention, saving Etheloria is their duty as guardians.
The holographic projection changed the scene once again, replacing it with another one. Alvan and Emelda were trying hard to make out the two figures in this new scene, as everywhere was pitch dark, darker than the shadows plague…