Chapter: The Diviner's Revelation
My hands rested firmly on Alisha's shoulders as I summoned the earth to bind her in place. The ground shifted and twisted under my command, creating shackles that pinned her to the earth. She couldn't move, just as she had done to me with her ice earlier. The irony wasn't lost on me.
Satisfied that she was secure, I turned my attention to Master Asriel. My fingers twitched as I manipulated the earth once more, breaking a nearby boulder into fine particles. The dust swirled in the air before solidifying into sturdy restraints around him, locking him down just as I had done with Alisha. His expression shifted from defiance to reluctant acknowledgment of my power.
With both of them immobilized, I called out, "Edith, deactivate the time manipulation."
The frozen world around us resumed its natural pace. Alisha and Master Asriel struggled against their restraints, their movements futile against the earth's grip. I positioned myself between the two captives, my stance firm and unyielding.
"How could he possibly overpower Master Asriel?" Fenric's voice cut through the tension. His tone was laced with disbelief. "He must be General Kael, as Master Asriel suspected."
I turned toward the source of the voice, only to see Fenric charging at me with alarming speed, his weapon drawn and ready to strike.
"Hey, hey, wait! I'm not General Kael!" I shouted, raising my hands in surrender. My words made Fenric skid to a halt mere inches from me, his weapon glinting under the sunlight.
"Then who are you?" Master Asriel demanded, his head jerking slightly since his hands were restrained. His piercing gaze bore into me, unrelenting.
"I am the Diviner," I replied. The declaration hung in the air like a storm cloud. Alisha's and Fenric's eyes widened in shock, but Master Asriel lowered his head in what seemed like reverence.
"If you're truly the Diviner," he began, his voice measured but skeptical, "why are you a system wielder?"
I hesitated. How could I explain this in a way that sounded plausible? "Elder Elowen gave it to me as a gift," I said, stepping closer to him. My voice carried a confidence I didn't entirely feel, but it seemed enough to make him pause.
Master Asriel's eyes narrowed as if searching for any cracks in my story. After what felt like an eternity, he nodded slowly. "I believe you. You are the Diviner."
"That's absurd!" Zoey's voice cut through the moment like a knife. She looked at me with disdain. "This weakling cannot be the Diviner."
"A weakling who just defeated Master Asriel," Fenric shot back with a smirk. His comment silenced Zoey, though her scowl deepened.
Master Asriel ignored the squabble. "Nobody can alter the manipulation of others, especially those wielding systems, except the Diviner—or General Kael. That's why I suspected you were Kael after you overrode Alisha's ice."
His words sent a ripple through the group.
"Your endurance is remarkable," Master Asriel added, his tone shifting to something almost approving.
"I appreciate the compliment," I said, moving to stand directly before him. His bound form still radiated authority, but I could see the hint of respect in his eyes now. "Would you accept surrender so I can claim my reward?" I asked politely.
"I surrender," he said without hesitation. Almost immediately, a notification flashed in my mind's eye.
"What was the reward?" Master Asriel asked, watching me intently.
"30,000 MC," I replied, dismissing the notification with a mental command.
"Hmm," he mused, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "I must've been graded low. You were rated at 100,000 MC. That means you've barely scratched the surface of your potential."
I released the earth restraints around him, allowing him to dust off his robes. "I only got this system recently," I admitted.
"That explains it." He nodded thoughtfully.
Turning to Alisha, I asked her to surrender. Begrudgingly, she spat out the words, "I surrender," and the system confirmed her defeat. As I freed her, Master Asriel's gaze never left me.
"So, why did you come looking for me?" he finally asked.
"Sir Thomas told me you're a system bestower," I explained. "He said you could help me locate the crystals needed to grant systems to my council."
"Thomas," Master Asriel muttered, a crooked smile forming. "That son of a bitch."
Before I could respond, he turned and began walking toward the woods. "We'll plan our strategy to retrieve the crystals soon, but for now, we need to lay low."
"Master Asriel," I called after him, my voice firm. "We can't delay. General Kael is planning to attack the Clan of Shapeshifters in less than a month. I can't defeat him alone. That's why I need my council to be system-enabled."
He stopped mid-step, his back still to me. "And General Kael's attack will be worse than anything his master, Lucius, has ever done," he said, his tone heavy with foreboding.
"How is that possible?" Zoey asked, her curiosity cutting through her earlier disdain. "How can he be stronger than his master?"
"It's not about strength," Master Asriel explained, turning to face us. "Lucius is a solitary attacker, but Kael? He commands an army."
"Then we need numbers," Fenric said. "An army of our own to stand a chance."
Master Asriel's gaze fell on me. "How many are in your council, and which clans do they represent?"
"Three," I admitted, my voice quieter now. "And they're all from the Clan of Normal Humans."
He sighed, a mix of disappointment and pity in his expression. "In the history of the Diviner's council, the lowest count was 107 members," he said with a chuckle.
His words felt like a slap. "Is it because they're normal humans?" I asked, defensive.
"No," he replied, shaking his head. "It's your numbers that are lacking. If we're to face Kael, we'll need to build your council. And quickly."
For the first time since arriving, I felt the weight of the task ahead.