by Ivory Scott
"Little uncle, do you not have a child with the lady of the mist? Are there truly no personal feelings involved here? What, then, of your son?" The middle-aged man, as well as the elder next to him also rose from their seats.
"..." the younger man paused in his steps, seemingly frowning, with a pained expression. Though his face could not be seen clearly, his tone was grave, "I have a plan for the boy...but ultimately his fate will depend on himself. Given enough time, I can send him to be with his older sister. However, if the time is not enough...he can only be sacrificed. We have come too far for mistakes. We must not fail when we are this close to success."
There was an elderly sigh, the origin of which coming from the companion of the younger man. He sounded exasperated, "such potential is worthy of the risk. Perhaps, we should seek out Fort Master Goldwolf."
"This..." the younger man was momentarily flustered before his eyes immediately brightened. This thought had, in fact, not occurred to him. The younger man's mood hit the ceiling, as he laughed boisterously. "Hahaha, indeed! There was still this route. Yes, once my...once the Fort Master is informed about the boy's potential, he will not sit idle."
"This is for the best." The middle-aged man appeared to be smiling, as he turned and started walking toward the back wall of the room, where an entrance appeared after the elder muttered incantation runes that flew into the wall. "Now, some annoying flies have been buzzing around our imperial district."
Stepping through the entrance, and walking down the pathway, a heroic air surrounded the younger man as he continued to laugh boisterously, before revealing a smile so dazzling it almost shone through the magic that blocked his facial features.
"Since they have come, they naturally will never be able to return," as the younger man's words faded, the two companions seem to utterly disappear into the shadows.
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There was a road in the Northern district that was split by a fork. The path to the left was still considered to be the main road. However, to the right was the path to the imperial palaces. The main street in the northern district was called Wild Jackal road. At the end of the road was an enormous opaque barrier emitting a surging energy force field.
This was the barrier formation that separated the Northern District from the Magus District. In front of the barrier, there was a large group of people. They were wearing dark clothes that covered their faces, and leather armor. They looked like ninjas hiding in the dark as they observed the barrier. They all had red eyes that look like evil lights in the darkness.
"The squad leader should be here any moment with the device. Once he arrives be ready to move out!" commanded the leader of the group in a low whisper, "Our mission is to annihilate the lord and honored elders of House Trilleck. The members of this house are like a bunch of vicious wolves! They always move as a pack or in no less than pairs, so don't get careless."
"Little boss, what about the old Grand Patriarch?" Chimed a subordinate.
"The old man is still in seclusion, he won't be an issue. The strongest are the red and blue twin wolves, Fire First and Heavenly Rain. They're both Sages at the Prism Mage Rank of the Void Philosopher realm. The squad leader and his elites will handle these two, we cannot handle such opponents.
"As for the rest, there is no one else above the Gold Mage Rank, and there are no human sage experts that I, Louis Black of the Hinterland Dark Elves, fear below the Void Philosopher realm. As far as the Saints are concerned, they only have two Heaven's Masters who are both absent! We will slaughter our way through! Everyone else can fan out and slaughter anyone in the way!"
"Little boss, they say the House Lord can jump many ranks to fight. Perhaps we should..."
"Rumors. He is nothing without the pack. I will kill the Lord myself," Said the leader menacingly. However, immediately afterward he felt a chill slide down his back and jumped back instinctively.
"Is that so," A young man who looked to be about 30 years old was sauntering out of a shadow with a broad smile on his face. The radiance of his smile blinded a few of these dark elves.
He wore magnificent clothes, with jewels on his hands and a wolf pendant necklace around his neck. His muscular torso was primarily exposed. He wore a turban on his head that made him look like Sinbad's cooler older brother. Two diamond ear gauges, made out of Ice Spirit Wolf fangs, hung in his ears, sparkling in spite of the darkness. When the dark elves saw this smile, they all felt their hearts go cold.
"House Lord Osiris Trilleck." Said Louis Black.
Lord Osiris didn't speak. Instead, from his body, an intimidating force was released. Lord Osiris was suddenly surrounded by a deep violet aura, as the primary heaven and earth forces created a phenomenon of six black spheres of light in the sky above his head, all the size of a fist.
The eyes of the wolf pendant emitted a piercing grey light, and a 12-meter tall wolf phantom manifested behind Lord Osiris. The wolf was surrounded in blue fur, except for the silver patch on its back. Its glaring teeth looked to be made out of pure diamonds. The wolf raised its muzzle to the sky released a howl that shook the void, before jumping forward in front of Lord Osiris, materializing into physical form! Ten more black lights were created from the sky following the appearance of the wolf.
"Blue Waves Ice Demon Wolf!"
"Everyone, set up the formation!"
"KILL!"
The dozen or so dark elves swiftly organized their ranks and fell into a formation as they prepared to wage war. However, the one in charge of this group, Louis Black, was petrified where he stood. He began stammering out words under his breath incoherently. Like himself, these dark elf warriors of his squad were all saint path warriors. However, Louis Black was also a high-level Sage.
"Ad..advanced..pow..it's...no...six..sixteen?" Louis Black was terrified, as he retreated by half a step. "How could you possibly have reached this step...how could you be this strong!?"
“This? This is strong? Do you think this is all of my strength?" asked Lord Osiris indifferently.
Rage filled the eyes of the other dark elves as they looked at Louis in shock. It was taboo for a dark elf to retreat from a challenge, even worse for one with the royal name 'Black.' However, Louis Black's words caused them to pause, as they all filled their eyes with true essence to take a glance at the phenomenon of the heavens and earth happening in the void above their opponent.
Such a phenomenon couldn’t be directly witnessed without heavenly power.
Upon witnessing this sight, the color in all their faces drained. Those lights and that aura could only mean one thing, and boy was it bad news.
"Peak Prism Mage Rank," spat Louis Black in a panic, "Everyone retreat! Go now before..."
"Savage Wind Cutter!" before Louis Black could finish his words, Lord Osiris flashed past him in an instant. Before he was aware of his death, his head was already sent flying through the air. Blood dripped from the twin sabers that appeared in Lord Osiris' hands at some point.
"Kill them." Lord Osiris gave the command, and his Blue Waves Ice Demon Wolf launched itself at the dark elves.
Swiftly pinning down the first two targets, its fangs flashed with and chilling blue light as gnashed twice. Two heads were bitten off the dark elf warriors under its paws, the ice power in its fangs freezing the body of its victims before any blood could spill.
“Flank him!” three dark elves attacked the Blue Waves Ice Demon Wolf from behind while one went for its side, but the huge wolf’s mighty tail swatted the foes behind it crashing into the trees. A meter long and incredibly sharp ice saber rose from its forehead like a rhinoceros horn, releasing a menacing chill. To the squad of dark elves horror, the Blue Waves Ice Demon Wolf impaled a dark elf attacking from its flank, shattering the man’s origin and tossing him away like a sack of old potatoes.
“Formation, get back in formation!” yelled one of the senior warriors as the dark elves moved t
o circle the beast.
“Blizzard Blitz!” called out Osiris Trilleck furiously, a whip appearing in his hand. Gales of wind qi surrounded his body. He held the handle and lashed with the nine tails that each had a blade at the end. These blades were sky blue and released dreadful yin qi, and five small cyclones made of wind and serene ice force belted into the dark elves surrounding the Blue Waves Ice Demon Wolf. At the same time, the Blue Waves Ice Demon Wolf released a mighty howl that blasted through the city.
“Fuck! This is bad!” the dark elf vice-troop-leader under Louis Black was none keen on fighting a losing battle. Just one Osiris Trilleck had come out of nowhere, ready to slaughter them. Louis Black was dead in an instant, and they would soon follow. “Quick, you fools! Retreat!”
However, just as that man started to lead a few team members away, he noticed that every step they took was shrouded in shadow. In spite of their frantic attempts to escape, they actually hadn’t gotten anywhere this entire time.
A soft bell chimed, and Ke Si’s voice drifted into their ears, causing their backs to fill with cold sweat, “My apologies gentlemen. Tonight, as per my lord's command, none of you will be leaving.”
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— Saint Anubis City, Magus District, House Trilleck
One year later.
It had nearly been three years since little Joseph Trilleck had begun refining his two Source Artifacts. Currently, Jodye was still unconscious inside of a two-meter tall tank full of milky white liquid origin essence, seated in the middle of the medicinal chamber made of origin stone. The tank was full of a magical elixir liquid that was continually being absorbed into Jodye's body.
If Jodye Trill could see this, he would be reminded of a popular anime from his old world about super powerful monkey aliens. However, he remained oblivious to this as he floated silently in place. Sitting at the dining table, in a stunning sky blue dress that securely hugged the beautiful curves of her body, was the ever elegant first lady of House Trilleck, Isis Trilleck.
Her sapphire blue eyes looked divine as they reflected the light from the dress. The golden lights within her eyes caused them to release a hypnotic glow. During this time, the lady Isis would very rarely leave the Lord's manor, as she was very concerned with the advancement of her son. It had been so long since she had heard his little voice that she was beginning to feel empty inside.
"Who knew that it was possible to love a creature this much... it seems that ultimately there is a difference between a child born of love and child born of schemes and hatred. Yet, they are both my own flesh..." Lady Isis let out a heavy sigh as she sat in front of the medicinal chamber drinking tea. She stood from her seat as she slowly sashayed over to her son, placing her hand on the glass of the tank. "Little Joe, you must become strong okay? Both your mother and older sister Iara may need you one day...but you must first survive this cruel and merciless world...ugh."
"My Lady," There was a soft bell chime as Ke Si appeared out of nowhere, standing directly left of lady Isis as if he had been there from the beginning of time. Although she was startled at first, she had long since grown accustomed to the butler's random appearances.
"What is it Ke Si?" Lady Isis still had her eyes trained on Joseph and her hand on the glass, as if she was trying to memorize every bit of the boy's profile.
"The House Lord has returned. He has asked me to inform you that he requires your presence, post haste." Ke Si turned around and begin to slowly walk away, and the little silver bells at the end of his long white dreads would chime with every step he took.
"You are both mistaken. For the time being, I will not be leaving this room. You may summon your master, Osiris, here." Lady Isis' beautiful face was indifferent, her usual bell-chime-like voice sounding detached, and cold like an ice sculpture. This was a striking contrast to her typical temperament but somehow felt far more natural.
"This..." Ke Si was taken aback by this unexpected change in the First Lady's demeanor, but he quickly recovered. After all, this was much more like the famous Radiant Master from the rumors, "If you are worried for the third young lord, I can make this room go dark, as well as remain by his side."
Lady Isis merely glanced at Ke Si from the side, before returning her gaze to her son's body. She didn't move an inch, nor did she look up again. Ke Si let out a sigh and disappeared into the shadows. Several moments later, House Lord Osiris appeared from within the lady's shadow. The Lord approached the lady from behind, sliding his arm around her waist. Lady Isis shot him a cold glare but did not resist his embrace while her body slightly softened.
"Icy..." said Lord Osiris.
"This room is isolated by my serene magic barrier, Breeze. There is no need for this play," lady Isis turned her head back to Jodye Trill after she spoke, her face still indifferent.
"What play, Icy? Regardless of anything else, what I feel for you has always been genuine. I have always loved you, I did this to protect the mission," said Lord Osiris softly, as he rubbed the ice cold back of this frozen beauty. He couldn't help but be completely infatuated when faced with her cold attitude. It felt like the days when he had first met her, "This mission is just as crucial for you as it is for me, perhaps even more so. How could I let you suffer through such pain through the years? I only wanted to help."
"With your innate ability, who could know the difference between the truth and a lie?" scoffed Lady Isis, gently removing the strong arm from her waist, then she changed her voice to one that displayed faux affection, "Less of that. What is it that you want, my darling husband? I will, of course, assist 'my lord' in any way I can."
Lord Osiris scratched his nose in embarrassment, a hint of guilt flashing through his eyes, "I have word from God Wolf Redoubt. If little Jo does not awaken in a year, they will come to fetch him. Our plan should be unaffected."
"The plan..." Isis Trilleck's eyes flashed with deep despair...after a moment she looked Osiris in his eyes and said, "Oh Breeze, couldn't we just just...runaway. Why don't we just leave once he wakes up, just the three of us! Once he matures, it won't be too late too..."
"If I were to do that, what would have been the point of coming this far? What do I tell the souls of those who have fallen to achieve our aims? How do I face my nephew in the future? What do we say to Iara, who never asked to be born into this mess? Furthermore, what will you have suffered much for? No, Icy, this is something I absolutely cannot escape. We cannot escape. The White Demon must be exorcized," The House Lord's eyes were resolute, his tone leaving no room for new debate.
"Okay," said Isis dryly. At the mention of the word "White Demon" the cold energy released from her body caused the temperature of the room to plummet below zero before she acted as if the previous conversation hadn't happened at all, "and if he does awaken before the end of phase two? What will happen then?"
"Look at how much he's grown ah..." said Lord Osiris as he moved closer to the tank. "He will turn five years old soon. If he awakens within the month, there have been measures taken to ensure he is not swept up in the swarm. Next month he'll be assigned a sha...dow...eh?"
Before Lord Osiris Trilleck could finish his words, he felt some force momentum rising from within the tank. The other two noticed at the same time, and all three looked back towards the tank, only to see the elixir liquid rapidly begin depleting, being absorbed into Jodye Trill's body. In fact, even the origin energy within the origin stones, and other materials that made up the medicinal chamber were all absorbed into the kid's body as if he were a dry sponge thrown in a shallow puddle.
Jodye Trill's eyes suddenly snapped open, a small electric current briefly flashing through them. His sapphire eyes had an almost imperceptible gold light flowing within. The medicinal chamber crumbled into pieces of rock and dust. The void shook slightly as a dragon's roar was heard that shattered the serene magic barrier and spread over 1,000 miles in every direction,
with Jodye as the center.
Of the three adults in the room, there wasn't one of them who wasn't stunned. Lady Isis eyes were like full blue saucers, as her body started to shake slightly, her excitement and anxiety were barely hidden. That shock wave was so powerful that it still made a commotion despite being obstructed by her barrier! That was crazy, as she was much stronger than this boy, and may be stronger than even the two men in the room with her.
Then again, she was well aware that this husband of hers was an enigma. No one knew his true depths.
Lord Osiris' face, on the other hand, was deathly grave. Trepidation and doubt were written all over his face, as he glanced at lady Isis Trilleck on his side. Bearing two children, and both of them end up with a dragon soul. This could no longer be a mere coincident.
'Could her bloodline really be so potent? Was this, perhaps, the reason that fellow is so determined to have her?' Osiris started to question his own methods for the first time. Would his plan really work, or were they breeding a disaster?
Meanwhile, Ke Si stood in a daze with his mouth hanging open. He never expected to witness such a force from one of his lord's children, "Dragon...force..."
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Ten minutes earlier...
[Cosmos Revolving Grimoire]
'Chaos Force baptism in progress: 225% (dual)'
'Serenity Force baptism in progress: 50% (Perfect)'
'Calamity Force baptism in progress: 70% (Perfect)'
'Perfect Synchronization with Host in progress: 41%...42%...43%.'
'Guardian 1: Cosmos Devouring Sky Wolf, Compatibility rating: 63% (Perfect)'
'Guardian 2: Mighty God Sky Jackal, Compatibility rating: 12%.'
"It seems my consciousness is still being restricted to the host space. I wonder why my second guardian's rating keeps decreasing instead of increasing?" thought Jodye Trill. He was in host form, seated in an all-white throne that seemed to be made out of dragon bones. Jodye and his throne were floating through a dark void, "It's been only god knows how long...sheesh. I stopped counting halfway through the second year... my mother was correct, this was truly a waste of my childhood. Let's check the other one."