Ash Grey: Resonance
Chapter 6: Out of order, comes chaos.
Anwyll sat down in the chair, letting out a sigh of relief. Azil and Johan were already seated, watching him intently. Azil was on edge, ready for Anwyll to speak. But Anwyll took his time, meeting Azil's gaze with a knowing smile, fully aware of the impatience simmering beneath the surface.
"I forgot to ask, how's your life going on, Azil?" Anwyll asked with a smile. The sudden shift caught Azil off guard, making him pause. Johan also turned his gaze toward Azil, recognizing how effortlessly General Anwyll had changed the topic, his demeanor unexpectedly casual, yet with that same disarming smile.
"It's fine," Azil replied in a low, serious tone. He had no interest in dragging this out and was eager to get straight to the point.
"I heard you got into a good college," Anwyll said with a slight laugh, teasing him. "Surprising for someone who had the lowest attendance during school training."
Irritated by the conversation, Azil just glared, refusing to respond. His gaze shifted to Johan, who stared back in confusion. "What?" Johan asked, raising his hands defensively. "I didn't say anything." Azil held his glare for a moment before realizing it must have been Michael's doing. With a tired sigh, he resigned himself to the situation, not wanting to prolong it any further.
"Am I prying too much?" Anwyll asked with a smile.
Azil, still glaring, simply replied, "No."
"How did you manage your daily life? Like, uhmm, you know, eating and finding a good apartment?" Anwyll asked, a bit hesitant.
"I take on jobs here and there," Azil said. "The money isn't much, but it's enough for me."
"Hmmm..... Do you want a cup of tea or coffee?", Anwyll asked Azil.
"No, thanks," Azil said, leaning back in his seat, eyes narrowing as he waited for Anwyll to say something—anything.
Anwyll, ever the picture of calm, shrugged. "Hmm… maybe I'll have some tea," he said, lazily reaching out and ringing the small bell on the table.
A servant appeared almost immediately. "A tea, please," Anwyll said with a polite smile before settling back into his chair.
And then… nothing.
The three of them sat there in an awkward silence, the air so still you could hear the faint ticking of a clock somewhere in the room. Johan was as cool and collected as ever, his arms crossed, staring off into the distance like he had all the time in the world. Anwyll, of course, looked like he didn't have a single worry on his mind, casually tapping his fingers on the armrest.
Azil, on the other hand, was fighting a battle of patience. Every tick of the clock felt like an eternity. Was this some kind of test? Fifteen minutes passed, and the tea still hadn't arrived. He wanted to fidget, to check the time, to do something, but he didn't. His expression stayed as calm and unreadable as the others'.
Finally, the door creaked open, and the servant walked in with a tray.
Anwyll didn't say a word. He just picked up the tea, took a slow sip, and finally broke the silence.
"So, you know about the orbs, right?" His voice was calm, almost casual.
Azil confused. "They hammer that stuff into you during school training."
"What about it?" Azil asked.
Anwyll set down his cup. "From this moment onwards you should listen carefully and no another soul should hear about this."
Azil frowned but stayed silent.
"The Jehovah's Orbs have descended to Earth," Anwyll said.
Azil's eyes widened. "You gotta be kidding me?".
Azil stared at Anwyll. "I thought the orbs were just myths."
"We thought of that too," Johan said.
"Then on what basis are you saying they've descended?" Azil asked, his gaze fixed on Anwyll.
"Huge surge of energy on Earth," Anwyll added. "A phenomenon that should never have happened, or even been possible."
"Like?"
"Like, how do I say it," Anwyll paused. "Earth is a realm that shouldn't have this kind of aura; you could say it's poison."
"You're jumping to conclusions. There's no proof the orbs have descended," Azil said, leaning back against the chair, his voice calm but sharp.
"True," Anwyll replied, crossing his arms. "But here's the thing—the surge didn't just hit Earth. It shook the other realms too."
Azil narrowed his eyes. "So?"
"According to the texts, when an orb lands on Earth, its energy ripples through every realm," Anwyll explained. "The surge lines up perfectly with what's written."
Azil stayed quiet, processing, while Anwyll continued.
"The Elders from every nation gathered to perform a ritual. It was supposed to give us answers. Instead…" Anwyll paused, glancing at Johan.
Johan sighed. "Two Elders died on the spot. One from Soltara collapsed mid-ritual."
Azil leaned forward. "And the one who collapsed?"
"He lost it," Johan said. "Went totally berserk, screaming like he'd seen the end of the world. His last words were—"
Johan's voice dropped, almost whispering:
"Save yourselves. They've descended. They're coming. We'll all perish."
Azil's expression didn't waver, but the tension in the room was palpable.
"And the cause?" Azil asked.
"Still unknown," Anwyll admitted. "But let's be real—everything points to the orbs."
Azil closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them with a sigh. "We don't even know if they exist. This could all just be hysteria."
"Maybe," Anwyll said, shrugging. "But the texts lay out a plan for this exact scenario. We follow it, or we sit around and wait for disaster."
"Yukta's texts", Azil asked, his voice calm yet curious.
"Precisely. It's the only manuscript containing knowledge about the orbs and their true purpose. A one-of-a-kind artifact. Sir Yukta himself forbade making copies, warning that if it fell into the wrong hands, it could jeopardize the entire world," Anwyll explained, his tone grave.
Azil lowered his gaze briefly, lost in thought, before meeting Anwyll's eyes. "So, what's been decided?"
Anwyll exhaled sharply, as if bracing himself. "Another summit was held two days ago to address the surge. The energy spikes were traced to three locations: China, Iceland, and... India, where you reside."
A faint shiver ran through Azil, but he maintained his composure, his expression unreadable.
"Each region has been tasked with safeguarding the nations within their jurisdiction. India falls under ours. While other regions have pledged their support, let's be real—empty promises. When the pressure mounts, they'll abandon us. They always do." Anwyll's words were laced with cynicism, his frustration barely concealed.
Azil sat deep in thought, unsettled by the sudden turn of events. Even though he'd left that realm long ago, the unease lingered, like an itch he couldn't shake. His mind kept drifting back to the place he now called home—not the one he'd been cast out of, but the sanctuary he'd grown to care for. Despite everything he'd endured, he liked it there. The thought of it becoming a vessel for the orb filled him with dread, knowing it could bring about unspeakable horrors.
"The devil you encountered today is proof of the surge," Anwyll said, crossing his arms. "Normally, that kind of devil would either be at the pseudo-daunt level or, at best, the daunt level. But the one you faced was a pseudo-menace." He paused before adding, "The surge doesn't just make devils stronger—it also weakens humans."
"I noticed," Azil said. "Not just that—the humans are seeing them. It shouldn't be possible for someone without aura to see spirits from another dimension. Could the surge have given them just enough aura to actually perceive the devils?"
"Exactly," Anwyll said, snapping his fingers.
"An ounce of aura is enough for someone to perceive a devil," Johan added. "But it's also enough for the devil to sense them in return. The aura doesn't make the human stronger—it makes them weaker. It reveals their presence to the devils and allows them to feel the devils' presence too...Someone with no aura at all is better off than someone with only a little."
"Yes, the surge gives them just enough aura to perceive the devils," Anwyll said, making a small gesture with his fingers.
"It's doing it on purpose—to create chaos," Azil said in a serious tone.
"Exactly, and only one orb is capable of that," Johan said.
"The Orb of Destruction," Azil said in a low, serious tone, his frustration was evident in his eyes. Just saying the name made the weight of the situation hit him even harder. "Don't tell me it's in India," he asked in tense.
"We don't know," Anwyll said. "We don't even know if all three orbs are on Earth or just two—or even one. But one alone is enough to bring chaos to Earth. As you said, the Orb of Destruction is a bad omen. If the texts about it are true, then we're facing a much bigger problem," Anwyll explained, his eyes was narrowed with a serious expression.
"Shit".
Now Azil was thinking, if the Orb of Destruction is in India, then it's a truly dire situation, as unlike the other orbs, the Orb of Destruction will never stop until it has achieved its goal. Either we fail, or we find the Orb of Destruction to actually make it stop.
"We've got a plan to keep the surge contained. We'll station three or four Deputy Overseers at strategic points to handle the threat," Anwyll said with a steady tone. "But what worries me the most... are the ArchDevils," he added, his expression changed in an instant.
Azil after hearing this changed in an instant. "What?"
Anwyll knew the gravity of the situation, as he fell silent for a few seconds.
"General Anwyll, what is all this? You can't be serious," Azil's gaze fixed on Anwyll.
Anwyll exhaled sharply, looking troubled. "I don't know... Azil, everything is falling apart, all at once," he said, raising a finger. "But one thing's certain. The surge—it could awaken an Archdevil. The higher the surge, the more likely devils will clash with humans. And as negative emotions grow, they fuel the Archdevil's power."
"A destructive aura fuels negative emotions",Azil said.
Anwyll remained silent, as he knew what Azil said was right. He knew it was inevitable to avoid chaos.
To be continued.