KNOCK!!!!!
A rapid series of knocks echoed through the door, followed by a warm invitation: "Come in."
The door creaked open, revealing a young man with dark hair and a dignified appearance. Clad in black attire, he carried a long scroll in his hands, marking him as a Butler. His body filled with respect as he addressed the elder figure within.
"It's an honor to meet you again, Elder," William said. "It's been far too long since our last encounter, sir."
The elderly man, puffing on a pipe, smiled warmly. "Ah, William, it's good to see you again, my boy." A wreath of smoke curled from the pipe, carrying the scent of aged tobacco.
William's was amused as he observed the pipe. "I see you haven't run out of those yet, Elder," he said chuckling.
"Ahh, what do you do when you are bored? Everything is just too complacent. Nothing much to do anyways"
"So what's the news?", the old man asked because anytime when William walks in, it's either bad news or a good one.
William tossed the scroll into the air, and it suddenly appeared before them. The parchment shimmered and transformed into a glowing, mirror-like surface.
"This is the last known sighting of the Harbinger, who was seen escaping from the Arkells. He was then enveloped by an unknown force, and despite our efforts to investigate, it seems he used his Affinity to disappear."
The scroll's image shifted, revealing the man being enveloped by a dark, swirling vortex, reminiscent of a black hole. The air seemed to distort and writhe around him, as if reality itself was being torn apart.
Then, in an instant, a blinding flash of light illuminated the scene, accompanied by a deafening explosion.
BOOM!!!!!!!!!!
The sound wave was so intense that it seemed to shake the very foundations of the earth. The people surrounding the man were instantly incinerated, their bodies reduced to nothing more than smoldering ash and charred bone.
As the light faded, the man's aura surged to unprecedented heights, his power spiking in a display of raw energy. Then, it continued until he was bathed in a golden radiance , then he exploded.
BOOOM!!!!!!!
"Now, he was supposed to die here!", Willam said. Then he dragged it and enlarged the picture to make a three dimensional holographic image of the scene on the scroll.
"And then something happened, he faced a backlash. And he started muttering something like a deranged idiot. For someone at the peak of the Major Harnessing Realm, he turned mad for sure.", Willam said. "He now then used his Affinity again"
Now, behold what remains of him..." William snapped his fingers, and the scroll released a twisted, battered body.
The face was gruesome, with one eye missing and a plant sprouting from the left side of his face. "I had to retrieve his body from the Arkell Emperor," William explained.
The old man standing looked at the body.
"So, what is it that you want to discuss, William? It's clear he self-destructed."
"But, sir, look at the markings on his body," William pointed out. "I've never seen a language like this before."
"What did you say?" the old man asked, his eyes were fixed on the hovering body as he rose from his seat. "This is strange... Never has a Harbinger had a Rune on their bodies..."
"This is impossible…."
"This is not supposed to exist right here. This dates back to the Dark Ages …."
As he examined the body, his eyes widened in astonishment. "Strange Ancient Markings... traceable to the Crustaceana Age. A fine Ancient Rune, similar to the third Harbinger..." His voice trailed off, lost in thought.
"This is uncalled for. It hasn't happened in five million years. Never has a Harbinger given an Ancient Rune…" The old man's gaze snapped back to William. "I would look into it," he said finally, his hands snapping together in a sharp motion.
"What you should do is keep the Territorial Beasts on standby. I need to alert the other Guardians and finally, the Rulers….."
The body vanished, leaving behind only the faint scent of smoke.
"Secondly, sir, the Clan of Time..." William began, but the old man cut him off with a wave of his hand.
"I know! Consider it done, William. A million Energy Cores as my gift for Olson's birth. Now, go!"
With that, William left.
Then the elder vanished from the palace, reappearing in a strange, dimly lit chamber that seemed plucked from ancient Greece.
The glowing lamps cast shadows as he approached the gate.
"The one who called is here," he announced, uttering the signature keyword. The gate blinked red, awaiting the password.
With a few swift keystrokes, the old man gained entry, and the chamber came alive. Ten towering spires hummed to life, bathing the room in a soft, ethereal glow. Suddenly, ten men and ten women materialized in holographic projections, and each took their seats around a large round table.
"I hail the Ancestors" he addressed them. "I'm sorry but it is an unfaithful call to bother your Highnesses peace this afternoon"
"Guardian, what's amiss?" a man with piercing golden eyes asked, his form materializing from the spire.
"I pay respects to the Elder Dragon, Draco," the old man replied, bowing to the head of the table.
As he finished, a corpse levitated from the ground, its lifeless body hovering before them. "Sir, I've discovered remnants from the Crustaceana Age..."
The old man said bowing.
"This Ancient Rune appeared on the Harbinger's corpse. Markings consistent with that era were found on his body. I suspect it's connected to his Affinity."
"Continue, Guardian," the golden-eyed man commanded, his gaze piercing through the dimly lit chamber.
"I was alerted by my butler regarding this matter, your Highness," the old man replied, his voice trembling slightly. "There are no other pressing issues at present."
The dark-projectioned woman's voice cut through the air, her tone firm and authoritative. "Are you certain it's from the Crustaceana Age, Guardian? We can't afford mistakes."
The old man bowed his head, his eyes cast downward. "Yes, your Highness. I am certain."
The golden-eyed man's voice was curt and commanding. "State your request, Guardian. We don't have time for idle chatter."
"I request that your Highnesses permit the use of the Demon's Empire Legion to investigate this matter further," the old man replied, his voice tense.
Draco's response had a tone that was authoritative. "Your request is granted, Guardian. If the new Harbinger is found, extract his core immediately and bring it before the Council.
And let this be the last time you bother us with such trivialities.", he warned.
"Also, I would give you the access to my Empire's Legion" the dark-haired woman said. Then her form materialized out of the spire as she added "Signal the Guardian of the Islands and the Guardian of the Void. Initiate a worldwide shutdown. Test every male child born and report back to me directly."
"We will not tolerate any further incompetence."
. "Yes, my Lord... Yes, your Highness…"The old man's voice was barely audible at this point.
Then, the glowing spires all folded in upon themselves, their radiant light condensing into a singular point. And then, a splitting sound similar to a Sonic boom occurred, shattering the silence like a crack of thunder. The noise was piercing, a sharp, ear-splitting burst of energy that seemed to tear through the air itself. The sound waves rippled outward, causing the ground to tremble and the walls to shudder.
"Sure, they are at levels where we can't reach ….", the old man said, obviously on a bubble shield he created to shield himself. Then the old man walked forward, his footsteps echoing through the grand hall, and he bent down to pick up a small paper draft that lay on the ground.
The paper was crisp and white, with bold, fiery letters inscribed on it: "ACCESS TO THE DEMON EMPIRE'S EIGHTH LEGION..." As he picked it up, the paper seemed to glow abnormally. The paper was a latch of ornaments, and it was golden, signifying her authority.
"Sure it would look magnificent, because she has only given this access twice…", the old man said.
"Looks like I have to make a drastic report this time or I would be removed…."
Then, suddenly the old man clapped his hands together, and in an instant, a being whose form was ethereal materialized before him. The being's body was like a mist or a cloud, and blazed around like a phoenix. Then it transformed into a blonde lady with robes that were purple.
"Hello, Miss Celestia," the old man said, holding out the paper.
"What's the matter?" a rude voice answered, clearly annoyed at being summoned.
"I have permission from the Demon Queen," the old man replied, waving the paper in front of her face.
The blonde woman in her ethereal form nodded, her eyes flashing with fire as she raised her hand to collect the paper. "The authority has been verified! And now, who are you looking for?"
"The target is The Next Harbinger," the old man replied.
"Consider the work done..." Celestia said, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. And with that, she raised her war horn to her lips and blew a blast that shook the air.
HOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!
Instantly, thousands of beings began flickering into existence, materializing out of the clouds like spirits summoned from the ether. Thunder boomed and crackled, striking the ground with bolts of electric fury. It was a worldwide shutdown as all male children below the age of five were searched and tested. Meanwhile all this was happening….
"The Harbinger wasn't found…."