Chapter 25: Cult of the Void (2)
Silence reigned in the depths of the old abandoned metro station, a place where the light from the outside world never reached. The air there was heavy, impregnated with humidity and an unstable mana pressure that made the few still-functional incandescent lamps crackle. In the center of a vast vaulted hall, whose walls were covered with geometric symbols drawn in black paint, stood a massive stone table. Two silhouettes were there, their shadows stretching in a deformed way on the floor under the effect of a single turquoise mana basin that burned with an unsettling regularity.
One of the silhouettes was seated with a casualness that contrasted with the solemnity of the place. His bright yellow, tousled hair seemed almost to glow in the semi-darkness, while his eyes scanned the reports scattered in front of him. He wore his long priest’s robe with golden borders. His expression was darkened by a pout of discontent. Facing him, a woman whose face remained partially hidden by a dark hood observed him in silence. She emanated an aura of cold power.
"This is a pure and simple disaster..." began the man, his voice resonating against the stone walls. "The group sent to the fifth floor of the Tower of the Infamous has been completely obliterated. Nothing remains, not even a trace of their magical essence for a recall ritual."
The hooded woman crossed her arms over her chest. Her fingers, thin and pale, tapped nervously on her forearm.
"I have read the preliminary report..." she replied in a hoarse voice. "The priest with the silver cross and his zealots were not beginners. They were supposed to prepare the ground for the anchoring of the project. How could a simple group of passing awakened ones massacre them with such savagery?"
The man let out a brief laugh, devoid of any joy. He leaned forward, the turquoise light accentuating the fine features of his face.
"I have been told that the Aegis Prime guild has found a very promising new member in recent days..." he said suddenly. "An eighteen-year-old boy named Gerhman. Officially, he is registered as a rank D magician, but rumors say he cleared the tenth lower floor alone and even killed the Guardian Korgar."
"A rank D? That’s absurd..." cut in the woman. "No one can defeat a floor Guardian with such a strength statistic, unless they are a camouflaged High Ranker. Is Electhra trying to play a trick on us?"
"That’s where the problem lies..." murmured the man, his eyes shining with icy malice.
"If this kid continues his progression, he will eventually become a threat..." she noted. "Why not eliminate him as soon as he left the tower?"
The man slammed his hand violently on the table, his face twisting with frustration. The mischievous calm he displayed had just cracked, giving way to a black anger.
"Everything would already be over if that pain in the ass Ha-jin Ho hadn’t gotten in our way!" spat the man.
"Ha-jin Ho..." repeated the woman with manifest disgust. "This kid really thinks he’s the hero of this world. His obsession with peace and the destruction of the towers is an insult to the natural order of consumption."
"He is more than a simple idealist..." admitted the man, gradually regaining his calm.
Silence fell again in the sanctuary, more oppressive than before. The two executives knew that the situation was escaping their control. The rivalry between Aegis Prime and Astra Polaris, which they intended to use to sow chaos, had turned into an unexpected bulwark.
"What do you propose then, Herald Jinsoo?" asked the woman. "We cannot let the Cult be humiliated like this. If the Apostles learn that we have lost an entire floor, our own souls will serve as food for the Void."
Jinsoo stood up, slowly smoothing his priest’s robe. A twisted smile appeared on his lips, that of a man who had just found a particularly vicious idea.
"We are going to change strategy..." he declared. "Since Ha-jin Ho is interested in us, let’s give him what he wants. We are going to set a bait for him that he cannot refuse... His goodness will be his undoing. We are going to orchestrate a tragedy in one of the civilian zones he cherishes so much."
Jae-ho approached an altar located at the back of the hall, where rested a fragment of black crystal that pulsed gently.
"The Master demands that the object be ready in the shortest possible time" said Jinsoo in a way that the woman could hear.
She nodded, understanding that they must ensure...
"I will mobilize the remaining Heralds and prepare the Corrupted Legions..." she said as she headed toward the exit.
"Let him come..." replied Lee Jae-ho, his turquoise gaze fixed on the black crystal. "I can’t wait to see if his arrogance will survive the reality of our devotion. This world already belongs to the Shadows, they are only delaying the inevitable."
The hooded woman disappeared into the darkness of the corridor, leaving Lee Jae-ho alone in the sanctuary. The latter began to laugh softly, a melodious sound that quickly transformed into a demented chuckle. He mocked the weakness of the guilds. For him, the strong must dominate the weak.
An ideology that has spread little by little. According to him, the world should be led by the Awakened and the non-Awakened should submit to their new way of life.
