Strategic room, Imperium Barracks.
“Sir, the crisis has been averted. Our scouts have reported that Elders from the Tower has come to our aid.”, an Imperium guard reported.
“They did not announce their arrival?”, Wille was confused.
It would be a grand occasion whenever any Higher Elder from the Tower visited one of the alliance members.
`To think they’ve secretly lent a hand this time. It must be something to do about those ghosts.`, Wille concluded.
After thinking for a short moment, “Lower the situation level back to 0.”, he ordered.
“Yes sir.”
The guard left to relay the order.
Wille weakly sat at the chair behind him and massaged his temples.
`We were almost done in by those damn ghosts. Thankfully, the Higher Elders recognized the threat on their own accord. I was about to send someone to message the Tower.`
He closed his eyes and continued thinking,
`There’s also another person that contains a similar hidden power to Prince Kane. I wonder who that person is. Don’t tell me His Imperial Majesty is hiding something?`
Wille was worried.
`Your Imperial Majesty… just what are you thinking right now?`
…
The news spread to every corner of the city, and the people returned to their previous life. It was as if the wraiths and the attacks didn’t happen earlier.
There were others who wailed on the deaths of their loved ones, close friends, family members, etc. The wraiths brought nightmares to many.
Various rumors spread around the city with regards to the wraiths. Some said that it was an attack from the dark underground factions, while some said that a student rampaged inside the city and released those wraiths.
Although everything has settled down, for now, things were about to change again soon.
…
The Imperium guards searched for any survivors, corpses, and any remaining wraiths that were secretly lurking in the city.
It became a busier day.
…
Somewhere in the Commons Area.
“Hey, search over there!” A captain guard instructed.
“Damn it, we’ve been searching for hours and there’s nothing. What’re the higher-ups thinking?”, he complained.
They were assigned to look for any possibility of a lurking wraith around the city.
“Sir, none here.” A guard reported.
“Sir, there’s also nothing here.”
“Tsk, let’s move ahead.”
As the group of guards went out of sight, an Imperium guard revealed itself from the dark.
It had a womanly figure, and her eyes glowed a tinge of green in it.
“My master, I’m back. We’ve come back.”
She looked around to check if it was safe. Then shifted her figure again into another one.
She jumped from the street up to the rooftop of a building. Luckily, it was dark, or else she could’ve been seen by now.
“So, this is the new world my master wants to conquer?” She looked at the sky with narrowed eyes, as if it could penetrate through everything.
“Then I, Hakkusha, will give my all to help the master obtain this world!”, she proclaimed.
“My master. Her scent. In this direction, I will go!” Hakkusha slowly turned into smoke, blending in the dark, going in the direction of the Imperium Ward.
…
Four guards were running at the hallways in the Imperium Ward.
“Hurry!” It was Captain Assha and her guards.
They were carrying an unconscious Victoria and Zachariel.
“Ma’am, are there any available rooms here?” Captain Assha hastily inquired.
“Wait, that student. Wasn’t he just in his room a few minutes ago?” The healer was confused.
“Well, we found him unconscious in the open after the wraiths swarmed here in the Imperium Ward earlier.”, Captain Assha struggled to explain.
The healer snorted, “Kids these days! Always wanting to act like some heroic figure. How naïve.”, she complained.
There were too many wounded people that the Imperium Ward had to handle right now, and Zachariel being unconscious again made their work more tiresome.
“If only Madame Anabella was here, these students would think twice about going out again.”, she sighed.
Captain Assha and the rest of the guards jolted in fear when they heard the Sadistic Healer’s name. Although they have yet to experience her healing wonders, they weren’t insane to try it out either.
The healer then led the way to Zachariel’s previous room, “Come, follow me.”
…
“I’ll check the girl first.” She followed the guard who was carrying Victoria.
The guard asked for permission from Captain Assha first, and she gave him the approval to do so.
Meanwhile, when Lieutenant Arfet pushed the door open in the other room, he was dumbfounded to see several students waiting in there.
“Captain, are we sure we’re in the correct room?” He whispered.
“Students, may I know who you are waiting for?” Captain Assha inquired.
The students were shocked to see two Imperium guards entering Zachariel’s room.
“Ma’am, we’re waiting for a student named Zachariel Strom.”, Iria took the lead.
“Zachariel Strom?” Captain Assha gestured to the guard to walk in front.
“Is this him?”
“Zachariel!” They gasped.
Captain Assha sighed in relief, “Put him down in the bed.”
Lieutenant Arfet helped the guard, “There…”
Zachariel slept comfortably.
“We found him in the open fields near the Imperium ward. I don’t know what happened to him but if something happens, call out to the personnel to help him out.” Captain Assha narrated, then bid goodbye, “We’ll be leaving now.”
“Thank you, ma’am!” Lia bowed at her. She was grateful to see that Zachariel was alive and well.
The others thought the same. After all, Zachariel was good to them, and he helped them in their training. They wanted to repay all the things he had done to them.
If he died, it would be a huge loss in their hearts.
“The healer will be here later.”, Captain Assha said her final words before closing the door.
Everyone sighed a relief.
“Thank the Elders he’s okay.”, Luiz patted his chest.
“I wonder what happened earlier for the guards to find him unconscious out in the open.”, Iria wondered.
“Yeah, if you think about it, it’s strange. Zachariel isn’t the outgoing type.”, Luka held his chin in contemplation.
“Is it really important now?”, Luiz scratched his head.
“Luiz, are you not worried about what happened earlier?”, Luka raised his eyebrows.
There was the sudden peculiar stream of wraiths running towards the empty open area inside the Imperium Ward.
They were afraid at first but then found out that the wraiths ignored them and continued on their way.
“Of course, I’m worried! But you know, the Imperium guards are here. Why put too much stress on that?”, Luiz shrugged, stunning everyone.
`This idiot, he’s becoming smarter!`
Everybody else held their laughter inside.
“Hey, why are your faces so red?!”, Luiz realized something.
“No…thing.” Iria waved her hands, trying to cool herself down.
Luka cleared his throat. He was about to say something when he noticed a peculiar expression from Diega, `Why is she still sad?`
“Diega, is everything all right?”, Luka looked at her.
Diega snapped out of her sad expression, “Ah, no. I just thought of something sad right now.”, trying her best to smile at him.
“Is that so?”, Luka felt doubtful about her answer.
“Alright, this day has been a stressful one. Do you guys want to rest?”, Luka suggested.
What happened today traumatized all of them. Although the healers cleared their minds of the negative emotions, the memory that remained still haunts them.
“I don’t know. I mean, where else can we go? It’s too dark outside. Those ghosts might still be out there.”, Lia replied.
“Let’s sit outside the room then. Zachariel’s still resting, we should not disturb him.”, Luka sighed.
The rest nodded in approval.
Luka, once again, noticed Diega’s peculiar behavior, `Why is she staring at Zachariel with such hatred and resentment in her eyes?`
Diega noticed him staring at her, “Brother Luka, why are you looking at me like that?”, then changed her expression again, smiling at him.
Luka looked away, `There’s something wrong here.`
`You damn Luka. You sure are the curious type, eh?! I’m going to find a time when you’re alone and I’m going to torture you and kill you!`, Diega swore.
She didn’t like people who were busybodies.
Diega followed right after Luka, acting like she was holding a knife in her hand, and backstab him.
Luka did not expect this and tumbled while walking.
He looked back, “Hey Diega, don’t push me around like that.”, complaining to her.
Diega giggled, “I’m sorry, brother Luka. Little Diega was just a bit excited earlier.”
“Okay, be careful next time.”, Luka turned around, `Little girl, don’t think I haven’t realized your true intentions now.`
He was wondering why Diega wanted to be as close as possible to Zachariel at all times. Now, he had a small theory that Diega was working against them.
`Diega, I won’t let you succeed in your plans.`
“Luka, is there something wrong? You look a bit serious just now.”, Luiz mentioned.
Luka patted his shoulders, “Nothing, Luiz.”, smiled and left.
Luiz and Teddy were confused, “What’s with him just now? Teddy, did you notice anything?”
Teddy shook his head.
Luiz scratched his head in annoyance, “Ah! There are too many things happening right now. I want to rest, please.”
“Idiot, it’s only you who’s overthinking things.”, Iria mocked.
“You little girl, how dare you talk like that at me?”, Luiz did not back down.
“Little girl? Listen here, tiny boy. I’m 2 centimeters taller than you.”
“So what? Who cares if you’re 2 centimeters taller than me?”
Iria twirled her hair in obliviousness, making Luiz mad.
“Hey, hey, stop it right now. We’re in the Imperium Ward.”, Teddy broke the tension between the two.
Teddy felt like he was babysitting two kids.
`Brother Zachariel, wake up already, please. Only you could make these people behave properly in public.`
…
Central Continent, The Tower.
“Raskael, are you telling me that Kane Cromwell started all of this?” Supreme Elder Wyngella sat at the intricate wooden long chair.
A black-clothed figure named Raskael knelt in front of her, while Elder Rashomon stood silently behind him.
“Not necessarily Kane, Supreme Elder, but another student named Amelia Strom.”, Raskael corrected.
“Amelia Strom? Is she related to that Zachariel you people are heatedly discussing around this time? Does he have a mix of black and white hair on his head?”, Supreme Elder Wyngella was intrigued.
All she knew about Zachariel was that he had a Primal mana and dantian core grade. It was a grade she thought that only existed from the archives in the Tower and Supreme Academy.
“Yes, Supreme Elder. She knocked her brother unconscious, and things drastically changed when Kane saw the unconscious body of Zachariel Strom.”, Raskael explained.
Supreme Elder Wyngella was becoming more confused, “Knocked her brother unconscious? Why?”
Raskael inwardly sighed, `Supreme Elder Wyngella…`
She was the type of person who focused heavily on solitary cultivation and magical spell research.
Only when she was finished or an important matter happens in the Great Elden Conglomerate would she go out.
“During the 33rd day of Exios, Amelia Strom’s twin brother, Hal Strom, was found dead in his dormitory room, and its perpetrators as well. Kane Cromwell was under suspicion of being the mastermind behind the cruel act, but they didn’t find any evidence of such a thing.”, Raskael narrated.
“And now, the girl’s hatred culminated over time, leading to the event that happened earlier.”, Supreme Elder Wyngella added.
Raskael didn’t correct her on that point. It was bothersome for him to explain things to an ignorant person, including a Supreme Elder.
“Wait, you said that Kane only went on a rampage when he saw that Zachariel lying on the ground, right?” Elder Rashomon asked.
He was baffled because it was too ridiculous of a reason.
“Yes, he communicated ‘amicably’ with Amelia, not until he saw Zachariel unconscious.”, Raskael replied.
Supreme Elder Wyngella thought for a moment, tapping her index finger on the armrest, “Primal grade, sacred essence, the Demon Death Witch.”, her eyes glowed in fascination, “These things seem to be connected for a reason I cannot clearly state.”
Elder Rashomon also analyzed and came to a conclusion, “If the Demon Death Witch is someone who feeds off of a being’s sacred essence, then that means…”
“Give me a detailed documented report about this Zachariel Strom. I want to know his behavior, personality, family history, and how he came into being, understood?” Supreme Elder Wyngella ordered.
“Yes, Supreme Elder.”, Raskael coldly replied.
For him, it was just another day in the office.
“This is a top-secret mission. Make it happen as soon as possible. Do not tell anyone about this. You can leave now”, Supreme Elder Wyngella waved her hand.
Raskael stood up and turned around then vanished.
“If Zachariel Strom is the Child of Destiny, how is Kane Cromwell blessed with a sacred essence then?”, Supreme Elder Wyngella asked.
“I believe that Kane was blessed by the world to lead the Great Human Imperium to prosperity.”, Elder Rashomon answered.
“And Zachariel?”, Supreme Elder Wyngella played with her fingers.
“He must be the true Child of Destiny that Elder Hega divined from the past.”
“Then how come he’s coming off from a small-scale noble family from the Great Human Imperium? Even worse, he was only recognized after the school selection event. He must be adopted by the Strom family.”, Supreme Elder Wyngella analyzed.
“Otherwise, he should’ve been well-known. Better than both Thessalia or Althea in terms of fame and power.”
Elder Rashomon stood silently, comprehending every word that Supreme Elder Wyngella blurted.
“And don’t you find it a bit ironic, Elder Rashomon?”, Supreme Elder Wyngella narrowed her eyes, “If Victoria and Kane are both the vessels of the Witch, then Victoria shouldn’t have protected that boy from earlier.”
Elder Rashomon widened his eyes, realizing the fact too late.
`She’s right! Kane acted aggressively when he saw Zachariel unconscious like that, but what about the girl, Victoria? She did the opposite of Kane!`
“Elder Rashomon, it looks like the Demon Death Witch doesn’t necessarily feed off in the sacred essence. Otherwise, Victoria should’ve also attacked Kane as well, and the other way around.”
“It is as you said, one needs to be blessed with sacred essence before they could be afflicted with the curse of the Witch. With the days they spend in the same classroom every day, the two had their own chances to do so.”, Supreme Elder Wyngella theorized.
“Ah, include Victoria in Raskael’s mission as well. We might be able to find big surprises if we know more about her.”
Elder Rashomon acknowledged her order, remaining silent all the time.
He couldn’t retort about the part of, `What if the sacred essences within them were already drained?`, because he said it himself that once the Witch finishes her consumption, its vessel would inevitably die.
“Zachariel Strom. He seems to be the center of attraction between the two vessels of the Witch. He contains something, he must be something. Otherwise, those two wouldn’t react like that in front of his presence.”
“Their reasons must be more than just Zachariel being a Child of Destiny, something more than just because he was blessed with sacred essence.”
“Weren’t you present in the affair 16 years ago? Maybe something must’ve come back in mind after hearing what I have said.”, Supreme Elder Wyngella smirked in victory.
She was a bit proud inside when she could shock other people with her wisdom and intelligence.
Elder Rashomon narrated with eyes closed, “If I remember correctly, the Witch did appear right before the blinding flash of light shone upon the world.”
“A vast explosion occurred, and after the great shockwave blast, we heard a baby crying out aloud right under the platform where Empress Elaina laid down.”
