A tall white tower majestically stood at the heart of Ether, the Etherwind Empire's once magnificent capital. It consistently pulsed soft hues of blue light, enveloping the regal castle beneath it.
Nothing beside it remained whole. The city's streets and structures were no longer its own. Collapsing skyscrapers and trails of smoke tainted the night sky.
The streets and roads, or what remained of them in both worlds, were barren and disjointed.
An uncomfortable quiet settled in the night air, save for the odd sound of glass smashing, a gunshot, or a scream, the light of a spell, or a flickering street lamp. Nothing wholly belonged to earth here, and nothing wholly belonged to the empire.
Dimly lit taverns with half-broken walls and furnishings possessed an eerie silence, and so too did the remnants of earthen shopping centers.
Much violence and bloodshed had occurred in the past two days, and soulless bodies littered every facet of the strange, disjointed, crumbling city.
And within its lightless corners, strange shapes shifted, and dark horrors lurked. They occasionally partook in a soul or two, leaving behind bodies that were no more than empty husks.
Other such abominations would revel in the fright of their victims, and others still preferred to consume the vessel along with their souls.
Within the reaches of the tower's light, however, life had mostly remained uninterrupted. Guards in glistening armor patrolled at regular intervals, and officials were busy running between chambers, fingertips marred with ink as they carried stacks of papers.
And in the throne room, a solemn atmosphere had risen. The courtiers, officials, and ministers stood in the room, communicating with each other in low whispers.
Emperor Wester leaned back on his throne, quietly observing his subjects; a lot could be gleaned from body language, tone, and intonation.
The way a certain official found it difficult to conceal his trembling fingers as he slipped a note to another.
The way the Left Minister briefly made eye contact with the Minister Of Finance.
The way The Minister Of War stood with an aura of inviolable authority, as if even the emperor's words would be taken only as mere suggestion.
Schemes, plots, betrayals. Such was life in the Imperial Court, and he had also partaken in such intrigues.
He closed his eyes, and deeply reflected. The past two days hadn't seen him sleep. There was too much to do in managing the crisis their empire had found themselves in.
Their spies from other kingdoms and states, if they were alive, had reported the same phenomenon occurring.
He briefly considered calling for a Convene Of Kings, but it wasn't particularly a priority for him at the moment.
There was something else...
Although the past two days had been a welcome retreat from the monotony his life had become, he was still an emperor after all. And with his empire now almost in shambles, it was up to him to rebuild what had become broken.
And all of that needed to start from...
He swept his glance over the quiet clamor in the throne room, and his eyes sharpened. He would use this opportunity to root the weeds.
"Quiet" He sat up, and his one word had commanded the room with apparent ease. Once all attention was on him, he continued in an even tone.
"Grand Magus Albadore has died," He said. Most of those in the room wore expressions of shock and disbelief, while those who were already in the know of this news displayed pained faces.
Grand Magus. That term, for the empire, was synonymous with invincibility, being beaten only by the Owner of The Central Tower. For the life of a priceless resource like a Grand Magus to even be in danger was unthinkable.
Much less, loss of life...
"Miles," Emperor Wester called to the young but capable Right Minister.
The young purple-robed man spoke with clarity, "Yes, it happened not too long ago. He was sent to assess the situation from here to the Northern Duchy through flight. The particulars are not completely clear, but it is evident that he had encountered something he could do nothing about..."
He stopped there and looked back at the countenance of the emperor.
"And what could take the life of a Grand Magus, Miles?" Wester asked. The purpose of the question was for the people in the room who had yet to step foot outside the Blue Shield to understand precisely how perilous the situation was.
Miles Walter, unfailing in understanding the intent of the emperor, responded without delay "The Nights," he paused and continued, "The Nights since the cataclysm has given birth to terrible monsters. Even now, they roam the capital. Our magical surveillance division has observed such"
The emperor nodded, then turned to the Minister of War, The Bulwark Of Ether, Grisius. He was a tall, muscular grey-haired man with an aura of might rivaling the emperor himself.
"Grisius, what news of the Northern Duchy?" He asked simply, betraying no change of expression.
The man walked slowly to the center of the room with powerful steps. Bowing slightly, he responded, "We communicated with Duke Snow, and as they are always prepared for battle, the situation there is optimistic." The man's voice was deep, befitting his stature.
Grisius continued to speak, "It seems they managed to capture many foreigners and are making preparations to extract information. Further, they reported a ripple in the direction of the Harrowing Woods. They suspect the Elves there might make a move"
Wester nodded, then announced "Call back all Magi from Master rank and above, and all warriors above the void-level. Ensure they travel by day. We must work on stabilizing our internal affairs."
Murmurs and whispers sounded at the bold decree. The order would ensure that no one kept watch on the borders of their empire, making it vulnerable to invasion.
Some of the more astute among the officials nodded at the order, understanding that the current moment called for consolidation of remaining forces rather than their dispersion.
As the session was nearing its end, Wester thought of something and turned back to his Right Minister.
"Miles, what of the research of the court Magi?"
"Ah, of course. After perusing the library, academic papers, and all other materials we could find in regard to spatial and temporal magic, we have found very little pertaining to other dimensions..."
In a rare moment of hesitation, Miles paused briefly, then continued, "However, approaching this issue from the angle of Occultic magic, we found a very notable case that may serve us in the correct direction"
Wester's eyebrows shot up, "Continue"
"It happened not too many years ago if you remember, Your Majesty."
"It was the case of Klein and Ella Stanfield"