Within the dim lit room, sinister looking black smoke suddenly rose, growing bigger and taller. As it grew thicker, the more excited the essences in the air became.
With calm crimson eyes, Lea observed the appearance of a familiar youth. Silence shrouded the both of them upon locking their eyes, yet a small smile spread upon their lips.
A husky voice resounded, informing Lea of the situation. "Rampant beasts have besieged every District, while the Control Room behind the waterfall have been properly investigated."
His obsidian eyes glittered with wicked intelligence rare for his age, while his handsome countenance could capture the hearts of the ladies. The tension he brings with him however, was as deadly as his mind. But Lea before him have always understood his nature, not reeling into his intimidating presence, only expressing an equally relaxed smile.
"What have you found from Russell's perverse hobby?"
"Hmm~ I've heard everything he'd said to you, as well as the details of the happenings since we came to this land. I've found a notebook of his theories derived from his private research as well. Do you want them?"
Lea nodded her head, but did not offer her hand. She knew there was a catch. Knowing each other's thoughts, Raize's smile deepened. "You can have them in exchange for accompanying me into the Forbidden Land."
"The pleasure is mine." Lea did not know what was beyond the Forbidden Land, making it convenient to have someone like Raize as a companion. So there really was no need to even think of rejecting the suggesting.
He eyed her suspiciously, as if not believing her words. "You've escaped from my grasp so many times. How do you suppose I can trust you?"
Lea faked to think for a moment and said, "Nill, would you please follow Raize until I retrieve you?"
Light flickered inside the room, revealing a small glowing white bird, flapping its cute wings in the air. [Sure. I'll see you soon, Lea.] And she obediently perched on Raize's shoulder.
Glancing back into his obsidian eyes, Lea could see he was still not satisfied. She hesitated for a moment before offering him a hand, as if clarifying a business deal through a handshake.
Raize shrugged but accepted the handshake, only to drag Lea into his broad chest, encasing her into a tight hug. Lea blinked and blinked, but still was caught unexpected by Raize's sudden actions. He must have only thought of doing this in a split second upon touching her outstretched hand.
In his embrace, he wrapped one hand around Lea's waist. While the other hand pressed her back further into his chest. Slowly, Lea raised her hands to pat Raize's back, making the whole embrace mutual.
She could hear his heartbeat that was calm at first, but begun to beat faster and harder. Leaning into his chest and listening to the erratic heartbeats, she felt unusually calm. She breathed in his smell that reminded him that Raize was a man, and that he actually had a unique scent on him that she never noticed before.
Before she knew it, she'd grown comfortable with Raize to the point she doesn't even mind their current intimate gesture. It might be because they were dragged into this world together, or that they were so similar that both of them could drop their guard without reservation when facing one another at any time and anywhere. Or it could be that, even after so long and sparse reunions, they've actually grown to long each other's company.
Only both of them knew, her feelings are not up to par with his' yet. But having her in his tight embrace at the moment, he broke into a huge smile due to the improvement. Since no matter how friendly they were with each other before, Lea distanced herself constantly. But now, he could reach her without being rejected.
As his chin rested on her head, he lowered his gaze and dipped his head lower to land a gentle kiss on her forehead. The gentle and soft kiss felt warm and wet on her skin, but after the initial shock, she calmed down and accepted Raize's weird new antic. Yet, when his obsidian eyes met her's, panic sipped into her heart, shaking it for a moment. His eyes that were usually indifferent to his surroundings lit with fiery unspoken passion, of longing and affection.
Secretly, she felt threatened, for she sensed a vague notion that if she distanced herself at this moment, he'd done things she would never have expected he was capable of. Suddenly, an image of a chain around her neck surfaced, and cold sweat layered her back. Was Raize becoming dangerous for her? She couldn't ask, for only time will tell.
When Raize has had enough of having Lea, he let go with a lighter heart, but not before gently kissing her eye. He'd allow her to do whatever she wanted for a while. At least for now. He'd grown stronger over the past months, enough to catch up to her wherever she may intend to go. After all, both of them were alike, having a sense of exploration over the unknown.
"Join me when you are finished playing around." Was all he said before vanishing with a whip of dark smoke.
Standing with her straight back, an unsuspecting cold sweat slowly slid down Lea's forehead. She couldn't shake the feeling of being a cornered beast. Shrugging, she lifted up the children and put them on each of her shoulders like they weighed nothing.
She left the room and decidedly dropped the children in Victor's arms. His strong arms easily carried each children in each of his arms. "Vic, could you please drop the children to Bright? And make sure you let him know to watch over them for me a while. Warn him of their unstable condition as well, lest he panics and alarms the people in the castle."
Being given such concise commands, Victor solemnly nodded his head before swiftly disappearing. When he was gone, Lea turned to the Admiral and First whose eyes have only been trained on her.
"I'm sure Admiral Rex has other things to take care of. I shan't hold you back. Although, do watch out for how many of your people have been injured or killed by the beasts currently running around every district." Although she had a pleasant smile, her news weren't any good.
But the Admiral's face did not change, only giving a small bow to Lea before stepping out. Following him from behind, First briefly stopped in front of Lea and said, "I guess you win the Annual Purge this time, and you actually did kill the other district members. Should I assume you planned all this mess?"
Lea did not answer his question, for it was useless to ask such a thing in the first place. She smiled a little and turned to Japatu. First could only shrug and catch up to his Admiral.
"Japatu, bring up all the Spirits with you and we will meet up at the Apostles' HQ. Raize should have reigned control over their base in Sabrina. Have Russell meet up with his brother."
Japatu obeyed her words immediately like her loyal person, while Russell looked stricken at the mention of his brother.
"...Wait, I don't want to go!"
"Sadly, you have no choice on this matter." Lea said with her apathetic face and her cold tone, as if she could really care less of what Russell thinks and wants.
Giving her a bad first impression never provides advantages for the future. Russell Rathir happened to hit all her wrong buttons. Supposing it was just Karma collecting its due.
When the important people cleared out, the Elders looked even more ghastly as they all stared at the girl who could command people like nothing. There was no humor in her eyes, only cold calculation of achieving the tasks she'd given herself.
With a wave of her hand, the corpses in their surroundings incinerated, while the live ones were set aside to have their wounds slowly mend.
She flicked her fingers, and all glasses containers exploded into smithereens. While the machines crushed, no longer possible to repair.
Her pair of beautiful crimson eyes glanced towards the Elders. "You three will have the honour to follow me through my tour."
And of course, despite wanting to refuse her unwelcome generosity, the three Elders had no choice as they had no control over their muscles.
Elder Bo no longer held his stupidly brash face, while his previously fat body have shrunk by a huge margin. His once easygoing eyes no longer held the luster of one with privilege, but of someone who'd lost the meaning of life itself. He could not see a light in his dark future.
Elder Yun's face still held a little of his arrogance as it has melded into his bones for centuries. However, his confidence had been greatly damaged and he could no longer think of a way out from his current predicament. His already thin countenance had shrivelled even more in just a span of a few hours. He still could not grasp it.
On the other hand, Elder Lin had wisely given up all hope of escaping. He simply wanted to comply with the devil as best he could, for he might see his beloved once again.
No longer looking at the Elders' ugly expressions. Lea led the way, rigidly manipulating the Elders' limbs to follow after her. As they walked from hall to hall in Crimson Boa District's facility, equipments would explode, utensils would melt, clothes and papers burned, dead humans turned to ash, completely destroying the Elders' lifetime work.
Expensive equipments that cost them decades and resources were obliterated like ants, much like how much despair they were going through. As their wizened eyes reflected the destruction from Lea's every nonchalant hand gestures, they could hear their own wails within. Their hearts were bleeding from all the waste. It was all in vain. All these years were all in vain.
"You all do not have the right to cry, nor should be pitied. But death is too easy to give. So I'll do you a favour and let us tour some more." Her cold voice always reminding them that their nightmare was not over, and it won't be any time soon.
Hence, not only did Lea parade in one district, but also in Recluse and Bloods. These districts catered to most of the underground population with the agricultural plantations and industrial factories. No wonder their architectures had great resources, for a district was dedicated to grow and develop the materials. From trees to fruits, and from farms to poultry. This was the Recluse District.
"Great way to feed your experimental pigs by making them self-sustainable. Under the guise of Annual Purge, you could easily choose people to lead the districts, making the top management always in control. Such a huge cage, but nobody had tried to get passed your watch. Those who did, I bet they all died already..."
Whatever hatred and impulsiveness Lea felt the first few times after meeting the Elders were all eventually replaced by indifference. Things have escalated to this point, there was no sense in wasting her emotions.
She didn't destroy all of Recluse, leaving behind resourceful knowledge in agriculture, which would greatly help the people above land. While inflicting complete destruction in Bloods District, for it was a place filled with humans and animals reserve. The beings used for experimentation were placed in one whole dark cage, only guarded by a select few from the Military District.
But Lea knew, the Admiral must not have known which of his people were secretly gathered by the Elders to watch over these prisoners. How could he? He had almost a million men and women under him, making it impossible for him to know each and everyone of the lot. What would he think when he learns that he'd actually fought his fellow District men and women in one of the Annual Purges.
Fortunately, the beasts have only eliminated the hundreds of guards, leaving only the prisoners to themselves. Panic, fear and anger were commonly found on their faces.
"Elders, how about you have fun in Bloods District for a while?" As cold as her face, her words jolted the Elders to look at their surroundings carefully.
All around them, hatred was prevalent in the prisoners' eyes. Hatred for the injustice. Hatred for the pain they've been subjected to. Hatred for the hope that has been dashed numerous times. Hatred for all the humiliations. Hatred for having their rights stolen from them.
"Blood for blood, right?" Was what she said as her voice faded in the darkness, leaving behind the visibly shaking Elders whose whose essences have long strayed away from their core. They were now placed in a helpless predicament as haggard and angry prisoners drew nearer.
Hearing Lea's words earlier, the geezers before them held quite an authority and might be the ones responsible for their misfortune. Their shackles were gone, and the beasts were not hurting them.
Slowly, the Elders were cornered. Standing back to back with each other, their hearts trembled with newfound fear. How was it possible for them to fear over and over again? How has it never occurred to them that even mere prisoners could threaten their life? They never saw today coming.
Lea watched as the Elders were succumbed by angry hands, beating them to death, and even biting them to numbness. The Elders' shrills created melody as the three of them could only express their pain and fear through their voice. And even that was choked out of them as hands begun to curl around their necks.
Of course, with the essences under her absolute command, Lea wouldn't easily let the Elders die. She's merely letting the prisoners inflict the Elders surmountable pain using their boiling emotions instead of doing it herself. Using someone's blade to torture someone else made her spend less effort.
From time to time, she'd even encourage one or two prisoner's strength by increasing their physical strength. And sometimes, she'd also enhance their emotional upheaval. Truly, a real devil, overlooking a terrible scene with indifference and cold crimson eyes.
[Trouble, Lea. Are you not gonna take care of trouble at all?] Reminded Lill, but she was not exactly worried either. She could care less what happens to the humans who loves destroying their own kind.
Lea was quiet for a moment. [They'll manage to usurp the opposing faction. That's what my brother's side for.]
Lill finally understood why Lea was calm. She was not alone in all of this.
__________________
Above land, in Sabrina, priests, magicians and knights were lined up in mass. Hundreds of thousand men and women formed an intimidating sight before the capital of Eden Kingdom.
Was this a prelude to another war?
Overlooking this sight, the King of Eden shook his beard in consternation. "A-are you really sure we can defend from this? Where did all of them come from?!" Nervousness shook his little confidence.
Seeing the pathetic panic in the King's demeanor, Duran shrugged, shaking his head helplessly. "This is just to be expected when their central power have been usurped. Not to mention, their HQ having lost all signal communication. Sabrina is a huge continent, and the people of the Apostles have lived all over the place for years. Do you expect them to only number a small community?"
Duran's words were harsh and merciless at ridiculing the naive King of Eden, but he did not feel any fear. Having had experienced being ruled under a nonsensical Lord whose only vision was expanding his territories without care for his people's livelihood, Duran had even less respect for any sort of superior. His crimson eyes looked down no this King who only knew how to cower, barely able to hold up in dangerous situations. Although, admittedly, despite the King's fear, he hasn't succumbed to his panic.
"B-but.... What are we going to do now?! My people are not enough to defend the capital if ever they decide to attack!"
In contrast to the King, Duran was completely calm. "Look at your city. What do you see?"
The King of Eden narrowed his eyes, narrowed them so much that they became slits. Upon closer inspection, he suddenly yelped. "WHAT? How did all those things get inside my capital?!"
"How else?" A smirk graced Duran's face as his crimson eyes danced with amusement upon laying his eyes on the slowly emerging beasts from unexpected locations.
Fortunately, most civilians have already escaped far away from the capital. Now, the real destruction of the Apostles begin.
Extra Information on Power Levels
[1] Species Hierarchy
[2] Essence Levels
2.1. Core Lvl1 -> 0 ~ 200 | Essence/Magic Power
2.2. Core Lvl2 -> 201 ~ 500 | Essence/Magic Power
2.3. Core Lvl3 -> 501 ~ 700 | Essence/Magic Power
2.4. Core Lvl4 -> 701 ~ 999 | Essence/Magic Power
2.5. Core Lvl5 -> 1000 ~ 3000 | Essence/Magic Power
2.6. Core Lvl6 -> 3001 ~ 6000 | Essence /Magic Power
2.7. Core Lvl7 -> 6001 ~ 9000 | Essence /Magic Power
2.8. Core Lvl8 -> 9001 ~ 9999 | Essence /Magic Power
2.9. Core Lvl9 -> 9999++ | Essence /Magic Power
2.10. Core Lvl?? -> Unknown | Essence /Magic Power
[3] Basic Assigned Power Levels by Species