Morgath stood among the gathered disciples in the grand hall of the Guardians of Order sect. The energy was thick with anticipation, fear, and resolve. Dozens of cultivators, all in various stages of their training, filled the room. At the head of the assembly stood the sect leader, Elder Saryn, a figure of imposing presence. His white robes flowed as he addressed the room with a voice that demanded attention. Though he isn't completely independent as one could think, he answers before the government, but it will probably change in the future as he gains strength.
"We've received word of atrocities from a rival sect, one that calls itself the Demonic Lotus Sect," Elder Saryn began, his voice echoing through the hall. "They practice the dark arts, the path of death. But their methods…" His voice trailed off, and a dark expression crossed his face.
Morgath leaned against a pillar at the back of the room, his arms crossed. He listened with interest but felt no surprise. He had heard rumors of other sects forming since the Awakening, each one carving its place in this new world. The Guardians of Order had prided themselves on their righteous cause, but Morgath had long wondered how they would respond when faced with true evil.
"They kidnap innocents," Elder Saryn continued, his voice shaking with restrained fury. "Men, women, children—none are spared. The members of the Demonic Lotus Sect use them as fodder to fuel their dark arts, sacrificing them in the name of power. These are not just rumors. We have confirmation from multiple sources. They use them as sacrifices to help them understand death spells."
A murmur spread through the crowd as the gravity of the situation set in.
"Their headquarters lies within an old city to the south, a place they have claimed for themselves after slaughtering the original inhabitants," Saryn said, his voice hardening. "We will march there and rid the world of their vile presence. Every last one of them must be eliminated. There will be no mercy."
At this, the room grew even more tense. Morgath could sense the unease among the disciples. Many had never faced such a mission before, one that required not just fighting but the total eradication of an enemy. Still, Saryn pressed on.
"Every disciple of the Guardians of Order is expected to participate," Saryn continued, his eyes sweeping over the crowd. "This is not a request—it is a mandate. Any who refuse will be expelled from the sect."
The weight of those words hung heavy in the air. The sect's unity was being tested, and those who faltered would be cast out. Morgath watched the reactions of those around him, noting the looks of uncertainty in some faces, but also the hardened resolve in others.
"We move immediately," Saryn concluded. "The buses will take us to the outskirts of the city. From there, we will march in and eliminate every last one of them. Prepare yourselves."
As the assembly began to disperse, Morgath's mind was already racing. A mission of total annihilation… it was a grim task but necessary. He had no moral qualms about destroying the Demonic Lotus Sect, especially after hearing of their crimes. But this battle could be an opportunity—a chance to grow stronger, to test himself against powerful foes, and perhaps even find new inspiration for his own path.
As Morgath left the hall, he caught sight of Kenji standing near the entrance. Their eyes met, and Kenji gave him a nod, a silent acknowledgment of the battle to come. There was no need for words between them; both knew what lay ahead.
The Guardians of Order sect mobilized swiftly. Buses, a rare and valuable resource in this new world, were arranged to transport the disciples and warriors to the edge of the city. Buses with fuel were particularly scarce. The journey took several hours, during which the strategies of the upcoming attack were discussed. Morgath paid close attention, though his own plan was simple: engage the strongest enemies, protect those who needed it, and crush the opposition.
As they neared their destination, a palpable tension filled the air. The sky had darkened, and the air seemed to grow colder. When the buses finally came to a stop, the disciples disembarked, stepping into the outskirts of the ruined city.
The city itself had once been a bustling place, but now it lay in ruins, its streets empty and its buildings crumbling. A thick, metallic scent filled the air—blood. Even before the battle had begun, Morgath could smell the death that lingered here, a reminder of the atrocities that had been committed.
Elder Saryn stood at the front of the gathered forces, his eyes scanning the darkened streets ahead. "We strike now," he said, his voice firm. "Move quickly, and do not hesitate. Leave none alive. Follow the plan we discussed on our way here."
With that, the Guardians surged forward into the city, spreading out in groups according to the battle plan. Morgath moved with a small group of elite disciples, his eyes sharp and focused as they navigated the bloodstained streets. The smell of decay grew stronger the closer they got to the heart of the city, where the Demonic Lotus Sect's headquarters was located.
As they neared their destination, they were met with the first wave of resistance. Figures cloaked in black robes emerged from the shadows, their faces twisted with malice. These were the disciples of the Demonic Lotus Sect, wielding sickly green spells and dark weapons that pulsed with an eerie energy. It shows that, while horrible, their deeds produced results.
The battle began in earnest.
Morgath drew his twin swords, the blades glinting in the dim light as he charged forward. His movements were swift and precise, his swords cutting through the air with deadly accuracy. The first enemy he faced lunged at him with a blackened spear, but Morgath easily sidestepped the attack, his blade flashing as he sliced through the man's chest.
Blood sprayed from the wound, but Morgath didn't pause. Another enemy rushed him, a spell forming on her lips. She raised her hands, dark tendrils of energy spiraling toward him, but his protection spell blocked it. A translucent barrier of light appeared around him, deflecting the dark energy effortlessly.
He moved in, closing the distance with a single step, and his sword pierced her heart before she could utter another word. She fell to the ground, lifeless, as Morgath continued forward.
The sounds of battle filled the air—swords clashing, spells exploding, and the screams of the dying. The Guardians of Order fought fiercely, cutting down their enemies with precision, but the Demonic Lotus Sect was not without strength. Their members fought with a reckless abandon, using their dark arts to inflict as much damage as possible.
Morgath found himself face-to-face with one of their higher-ranking members, a man whose body was covered in black tattoos. The man grinned, his eyes glowing with dark power as he raised his hand, a sickly green spell forming in his palm.
Morgath didn't hesitate. He charged forward, his swords flashing as he aimed for the man's throat. But the man was fast—faster than Morgath expected. He dodged to the side, his spell releasing in a burst of green energy that slammed into Morgath's barrier.
The force of the spell was stronger than anything Morgath had encountered so far, and he felt the impact reverberate through his body. But his protection held, the spell dissipating harmlessly against the barrier. The man's grin faltered, and in that moment of hesitation, Morgath struck.
His sword sliced through the man's neck, severing his head cleanly from his body. The head rolled to the ground, eyes still wide in shock, as the body crumpled.
Morgath stood over the fallen enemy, his breath coming in short bursts. He could feel the strain of the battle beginning to take its toll, but he pushed it aside. There was no time to rest—there were still more enemies to defeat. He quickly reinforced his protection spell and returned to battle.
As the battle raged on, Morgath found himself facing more of the sect's top members. Each one was stronger than the last, their dark spells more potent and their skills more refined. But Morgath's strength, bolstered by his training and his protection spell, allowed him to overcome them with ease.
At one point, he found himself in a deadly trade-off with an enemy who wielded a massive, cursed axe. The man swung the weapon with brutal force, aiming to cleave Morgath in two. But Morgath didn't back down. He allowed the strike to connect, his protection spell absorbing the impact, and in the same moment, he drove his sword into the man's chest. The enemy fell, his lifeless body hitting the ground with a thud, as Morgath stood victorious. However, that hit destroyed the protection shield he had. He cast yet another protection spell, this depleted his mana reserves, from now on he needed to play it more safely.
As the battle continued, Morgath's mind began to drift. The more he fought, the more he became aware of something—an idea forming in the back of his mind. Each death, each exchange of blows, seemed to fuel this inspiration. It was a grim realization, but Morgath knew it to be true: he had found the beginnings of his own death spell.
The battle raged on for hours, but in the end, the Guardians of Order emerged victorious. The Demonic Lotus Sect had been annihilated, their members slain to the last. The city, once a place of darkness and death, now lay silent, its streets littered with the bodies of the fallen.
Morgath stood amidst the carnage, his swords still in hand, blood staining the ground around him. He felt no triumph, only the cold, hard truth that this battle had been necessary. The air was thick with the stench of death, and the cries of the dying still echoed in his ears.
As the remaining members of the Guardians of Order tallied the dead, the reality of their victory settled in. It was a bitter triumph. Morgath wiped the blood from his blades, his expression impassive as he surveyed the battlefield. The stench of death hung heavy in the air, but it was not something that disturbed him. In fact, he could feel the spark of something within him—an understanding of death, of the finality that came with each life he had taken. It was more than a tactical revelation; it was an inspiration for his own path, a glimpse into the death spell he sought to master.
But the moment was fleeting. There was no time to linger on such thoughts while the battle's aftermath still unfolded around him.
Morgath spotted Kenji, kneeling beside a fallen comrade, his face a mask of exhaustion and grief. He wasn't injured, but the weight of the battle was evident on him. Morgath approached quietly, his footsteps deliberate but unhurried.
"Kenji," Morgath called softly, breaking the silence between them.
Kenji stood and turned to face him, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Morgath, it's over," Kenji said, though the weariness in his voice made it clear that the victory hadn't come without a heavy cost.
Morgath gave a single nod. "It is," he said. He paused for a moment, then continued, "I'm leaving again. There's a place I need to go, and it will take me months to get there."
Kenji's tired eyes widened slightly. "Where are you going this time?"
Morgath hesitated, weighing the trust he had in Kenji. Finally, he leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "I'm going after the wish."
Kenji's brow furrowed. "The same wish that the Asian man acquired? You think you can find it?"
"I'm certain," Morgath said confidently. "I've studied the signsand gathered information. There's a high probability it will appear somewhere in the middle of the Sahara."
Kenji stared at him, processing the enormity of the task Morgath was setting for himself. "The wish... it grants mastery of a skill, doesn't it?"
Morgath nodded. "That's right. I'm going to learn how to create a strengthening pill. If I can get it, I'll be able to concoct a pill that boosts one's body tempering even further."
Kenji took a deep breath. "That's ambitious... and dangerous. Why are you telling me this?"
Morgath's gaze softened slightly. "Because when I return and I've learned the technique, I'll share the pills with you—if you haven't absorbed any more spiritual stones by then."
Kenji's eyes widened in surprise. "You would do that for me?"
Morgath gave him a faint smile. "You'll be able to get another five points in every stat again. And... you're a good friend, Kenji. You've helped me, and you've grown strong because of it. But there's still more potential in you. I want to see you reach that."
Kenji shook his head, his expression incredulous. "You've already done so much for me. You disclosed the information about body tempering, taught me the repair spell... I owe you a debt I can never repay."
Morgath shrugged. "I'm not doing this for debts. I'm doing this because I know you'll be an ally worth having in the future. Your talents are valuable to me."
Kenji was silent for a long moment, his thoughts clearly racing as he absorbed Morgath's words. Finally, he smiled, though it was a small, weary smile. "You've always had a strange way of looking at things, Morgath. But... thank you. Truly."
Morgath returned the smile, but it was brief. "Keep training while I'm gone. There will be more battles ahead, and you'll need to be ready for them."
Kenji nodded, understanding the gravity of Morgath's words. "I will. And I'll hold off on absorbing any stones, just as you've suggested."
With that settled, Morgath looked southward, where his journey would soon begin. The vast desert of the Sahara awaited him, and with it, the potential to claim a power that could shift the balance of the world.
"I'm leaving now," Morgath said, turning to go. "Take care of yourself, Kenji. I'll return in a few months."
Kenji watched him for a moment, then called out after him. "Be careful out there. The world's changing faster than any of us can predict."
Morgath paused and looked over his shoulder. "I know," he said simply. "That's why I'm moving quickly. Take care of my belongings if you can."
"Sure, I will" Kenji nodded.
And with that, Morgath set off, his mind already focused on the next phase of his journey. The path ahead was uncertain, but he welcomed the challenge. The wish was waiting for him, and if he could claim it, the strength he sought would be within his grasp.