Chapter 83: Chaos In the South (3)
Away from the Southern Continent, deep within the towering walls of the Academy of Lore, movements had already been noticed.
Sunya walked gracefully down the long, marble corridor leading to the Dean’s chambers.
When she pushed open the grand doors, the room fell silent.
Every gaze snapped to her, sharpened by their expectations.
The tension hung thick and electric, as if the slightest misstep might shatter the fragile calm.
They had been waiting for her to appear, specifically because the Central Continent had moved again.
The Dean of the Academy of Lore sat at the head of a long, elegant table.
She was a strikingly beautiful woman with flowing blue hair that shimmered like ocean waves, her youthful appearance belying her true age.
Her presence was calm yet commanding, like still waters hiding dangerous depths.
Sunya bowed slightly, her voice steady and respectful.
"Dean. Elders. I have returned."
Ever since her battle with Jovian, she hadn’t needed as much medical attention as he did.
So, rather than linger at the Academy for too long, she pushed ahead with their plans to subjugate the rest of the continent.
The Dean nodded, her sharp blue eyes giving nothing away as she jumped straight in.
"The Central Continent is already on the move again," she told Sunya, ever since the appearance and whispers about the top of the younger generation...
How could they not have extra eyes watching these places?
"We believe they’re trying to lure out the elusive Lord Dream... while pulling the entire South into the conflict."
One of the elders leaned forward, his voice laced with concern.
"And this is something we cannot ignore."
By now, they’d caught wind that the Central Continent’s plan all along was to weaken the other Academies’ continents before the final battle.
Such a move would effectively reduce the manpower each Academy could muster, even if their conquests or recruitments went well.
And... with the fall of the Kings and Queens, these tactics had become even more effective in certain regions.
The North, however, was an exception—as mentioned, Sunya and the Academy as a whole had already begun drawing everyone into their civilization pit.
The Elder paused briefly before continuing.
"If they succeed in dragging the Southern Continent into open conflict... potentially two Academies will fall before even half the deadline remains. "
Sunya held herself motionless—her composure absolute.
She listened with methodical attention, cataloging every word, every glance, her mind running through possible outcomes and contingencies.
"Do we have confirmation of their intentions?"
The Dean’s fingers drummed lightly on the table.
"Not exactly. But their recent movements are far too deliberate to be a coincidence.
With the Academy of Revelations in ruins... thanks to Lord Dream, and the deafening silence from the Academy itself," she said, eyes narrowing.
"I’m certain those fate-wielding bastards have managed to piece together some sort of connection."
Another elder spoke up, his voice calm and deliberate.
"No matter what happens, we will hold fast to our ideals. Before taking any significant action beyond securing the North, we must first uncover exactly what lies hidden in the South."
The Dean fixed her gaze on Sunya, her expression composed yet intent.
"Keep a close watch on everything unfolding there. In fact, I want you to travel to the Southern Continent yourself and see your rivals with your own eyes."
In that moment, Sunya’s gaze did not waver.
She met the Dean’s eyes with calm certainty, already charting the steps ahead.
Her loyalty to the Academy was clear, but her pride in her own methodical precision ran even deeper.
"As you wish"
-----
After receiving her orders, Sunya wasted no time.
She departed the Academy of Lore immediately, boarding a luxurious flying carpet etched with glowing time symbols that shimmered like flowing hourglasses.
The carpet cut through the sky with unnatural smoothness, bending space and time around it to shorten the journey to the Southern Continent to just three days.
As she flew, Sunya sat gracefully in the center of the carpet, her long blond braid swaying gently in the high-altitude winds.
Her face remained the picture of serene calm, but beneath the surface, unease twisted through her thoughts.
Every mile carried her farther from the Academy’s watchful eyes, and closer to the edge of her own designs.
"This world is truly in a sorry state," she murmured, her voice barely a whisper.
Her gaze swept over the land below, lingering on the scars of old battles and the restless movements of other factions.
"The Celestial Sun would never have let so many underside and topside races roam together unchecked—vampires, dragons, beastmen....
All flourishing together...."
Though she muttered it, she couldn’t really blame them.
After all, she’d only been in this world for twenty-two years, and in that time she had quickly and unmistakably realized that the order she once knew in the Orin Star System was gone.
"Something must have gone terribly wrong with Amaterasu and the Celestial Sun..." she muttered, still turning the thought over in her mind.
This world—and the star system as a whole—had never been remarkable, so she couldn’t fathom how the situation had unraveled so badly.
Suddenly, a soft chime rang out.
Sunya pulled a small golden badge from her spatial ring, and it cast a shimmering image into the air before her.
The woman who appeared was an Elven beauty even more striking than Sunya herself — long green hair, flawless porcelain skin, and eyes that held the quiet authority of countless eras.
Her presence alone commanded reverence.
Sunya bowed her head deeply, her voice respectful.
"Greetings, Celestial Mother."
The Celestial Mother’s smile was gentle, but her eyes searched Sunya with a calculating calm— like a leader measuring both loyalty and results.
"Oh, my little Sunya. How is the state of the Orin Star System?"
Sunya’s words were crisp, each syllable deliberate.
"Well," she began, recalling the memories of the other worlds she had passed from her travels to this one.
"The other five worlds have fallen to outside Pantheons... some are rivals of the Orin Star System, and a few I’ve never even heard of.
Right now, I’m on the last untouched world—Kalpa, though just barely. Long ago, this world protected itself with a barrier that’s been slowly cracking."
She went on to explain how she entered through one of those cracks, a fact that made even the Celestial Mother frown. If she could get through... what other beings might have entered as well?
The Celestial Mother’s eyes narrowed in thought, the gentle mask slipping for just a moment to reveal the mind behind it.
"And the Celestial Sun Pantheon? The Dead Sun Pantheon? Have there been any traces of them?"
Sunya shook her head, her features controlled, but her eyes reflected the weight of responsibility.
"Not yet. But I will find them. I am compiling all information about any leads..."
The Celestial Mother nodded, her expression softening with genuine care.
"Be vigilant, Sunya... Remember, your judgment is trusted. If you sense danger—act on it, and report at once."
For a brief moment, the projection’s gaze rested on Sunya, as though silently measuring the weight of the future on her behalf.
Then, without another word, it faded away, leaving Sunya to release a quiet, weary sigh.
-----
Three days later, Sunya drifted high above the cloudbanks, the wind cool and sharp against her skin.
The Academy of Veils rose from the misted valley below.
As Sunya hovered, her gaze swept the land, missing nothing
As soon as she arrived, her keen eyes spotted the tense scene playing out below.
Four great factions ringed the Academy’s gates, each force a distinct tapestry of banners, armor, and restless power.
The Blood Moon Pack, fierce and restless, prowled at the edge, scarlet eyes gleaming beneath their wolf-shaped helms.
The Ash Walking Giants stood like watchful towers, their moon-pale skin stark against the haze, each subtle movement sending swirls of gray dust into the air.
Across the field, Kingdom Black and Kingdom White faced off, their warriors, like knights behind shields carved with ancient runes, gripping spears and swords with steady resolve.
Above it all, Sunya hovered, simply taking it all in.
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