Within the grand, opulent walls of the Rohese family estate, the tranquility was abruptly shattered.
A flustered attendant, his face ghostly pale and his hands trembling, dashed toward the stately study that served as the strategic heart of the Rohese estate.
With urgent, heavy steps that echoed ominously through the corridor, he reached the study’s imposing doors and thrust them open with a force that caused a startled silence to fall over the occupants in the room.
Inside, the matriarch and patriarch of the Rohese family looked up abruptly.
"M-Masters! The s-signal from Y-Young Master Lassim’s Golden Vault Card has v-vanished," the attendant managed to stammer out, his voice cracking under the strain of his distress.
He swallowed hard, struggling to compose himself. "It-It’s not that he’s... it doesn’t indicate… h-he doesn’t seem to be…, b-but... it’s as though he has been erased from existence."
At these words, a heavy, oppressive atmosphere descended upon the room.
It was as if the air itself grew denser, charged with the raw, unbridled energy of the two powerful cultivators. Both grandparents rose to their feet in unison, their sudden movement sending a surge of spiritual pressure swirling throughout the room, causing the very air to shimmer with the force of their sheer will.
The patriarch, his features hardened with both authority and mounting dread, addressed the room with a voice that boomed like distant thunder, "In all our centuries of dealing with hidden realms and elemental planes," he declared, the weight of his words filling the space, "never has the signal simply vanished.
That can only mean he might be somewhere beyond our realm, or worse, kidnapped and trapped in a signal blocking array."
Beside him, the matriarch, her expression etched with fierce resolve anger with creeping fear, gave a quick nod in agreement.
Her eyes began to alight with a fiery determination, "Send a message to Hallen immediately," she commanded, her voice cutting through the heavy air like a blade. "Find out what in the nine hells is going on! We will employ whatever resources, whatever measures necessary, to locate my grandchild!"
The attendant quickly gave a bow before rushing down the halls to inform the Rohese family guards and send a message to Hallen.
The matriarch and patriarch stood together, their gazes locked on the horizon beyond the estate’s windows, their thoughts racing as they tried to peer into the distance as their minds were swept up thinking about the possible dangers their beloved grandson faced.
~~~~~
Meanwhile, in the Aetheria Kingdom, Hallen was engaged in a light-hearted discussion with Prince Kael and Princess Elara, pointing at the sketches of the future palace sprawled across a grand table.
Unfortunately, Hallen’s communication disc was inside his pouch to avoid disruption during the meeting.
The atmosphere of courtesy and friendly creativity was then abruptly disrupted as a messenger burst into the room, an enchanted message scroll clutched tightly in his hand.
Hallen’s expression shifted as he was handed the scroll before unrolling it. As he scanned the contents, the color drained from his face as he absorbed the gravity of the situation.
In an instant, his cultivation aura flared dramatically, a manifestation of Spirit Ascension stage energy swirling around him.
The sudden surge of power caused the palace guards to step forward, their hands on the hilts of their weapons, eyes wary as they positioned themselves protectively in front of the royal couple. But Hallen barely acknowledged their presence.
"This cannot be happening," he muttered under his breath, his voice a growl of anger and worry. Turning on his heel, he ignored the couple and the guards as he strode briskly out of the room to their shock, his every step resonating with urgency.
The prince and princess exchanged worried glances before quickly chasing after him to understand what happened.
The crew in the surroundings immediately felt their leader’s rising aura and spiritual pressure and went on the defensive immediately. Every member of the crew quickly rushed to his position like a trained battalion.
Gathering the rest of his crew with hurried shouts, Hallen briefed them on the crisis. "Lassim’s signal has gone missing. It’s as if he’s been wiped off the entirety of Nexaria. The Masters believe he’s most likely been kidnapped as we’d usually be able to ascertain some sort of signal if he was trapped in an elemental plane. We need to mobilize now and trace back his last known steps.
Prepare for immediate departure!"
The crew, seasoned in their own right, had seldom seen Hallen show such a raw display of distress and use his full cultivation. They quickly sprang into action.
They understood the stakes—Lassim was not only their young charge until just a few days ago, but pivotal to the Rohese family and the future of Nexaria as they all recognized his potential.
As preparations for a swift and urgent journey began, Hallen’s mind raced with possibilities and fears.
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Whatever had claimed Lassim was no minor threat, and the realization that they were possibly dealing with an unknown and powerful force that could make such an expensive and expertly crafted life signal array disappear was weighing heavily on him.
Prince Kael and Princess Elara, their expressions marked by concern and urgency, quickly caught up to Hallen as he prepared to depart.
The prince’s features were etched with indignation at overhearing the news of a guest under their protection, in their very own Aetheria Kingdom, was facing such dire circumstances.
"Explain to me, Hallen, what exactly has occurred?" he demanded, his tone sharp with both worry and command.
Hallen, pausing in his preparations, turned to face the royal couple. "Young Master Lassim’s life signal has disappeared from our family’s tracking devices," he explained, his voice tense. "It’s as if he has been erased from existence, yet there is no indication of death. It’s unprecedented."
The prince furrowed his brow, visibly upset as he remembered the bright and smiling face of Lassim, "Do you have his last known coordinates?" he asked, the weight of his responsibility as a Royal Prince pressed upon him.
"Indeed, Your Highness," Hallen responded, pulling out a device that displayed the last coordinates received. "It’s a location not far from here, a few days’ walk, but with our cultivation levels, we can cover this ground in mere hours by air."
Princess Elara of Harmony, turned to one of her guards. "Send a message immediately to the Generals of the First and Second battalions. They are to muster and aid Hallen and his crew without delay. Bring them to catch up to us as we shall depart first."
With no time to lose, Hallen and his team took to the skies, their figures blurring into streaks of energy as they soared towards the coordinates.
Below, the battalion called to arms their regiment as they prepared to respond to the urgency of the situation.
The race against time, fraught with uncertainty, had just begun.