As the heavy door hissed shut behind them, the two guards carefully maneuvered the stranger's unconscious form into the vast, softly lit recovery room. They gently lowered him onto the waiting crystal bed pod, a structure that, at first glance, seemed impossibly rigid. One might assume such a bed would be unyielding and uncomfortable, a stark contrast to the patient's delicate state. However, these weren't merely inert minerals. The mana memory crystals are a living technology, a testament to an advanced understanding of energetic principles. Their core lies in their unique molecular structure, which allows them to resonate with and absorb ambient "mana." The pervasive, unseen energy that permeates this world. Unlike typical crystals, which might store information or amplify energy in a static way, these are dynamically responsive. With their duty complete, the guards wasted no time, their footsteps echoing faintly as they departed to resume their patrols, leaving Sister Adah and General Kar as the sole attendants to the mysterious stranger.
In the heart of West Nile City, Sister Adah paced anxiously, her brow furrowed with worry. "Kar, what's going to happen to him once he's healed up?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern. Despite the kingdom's reputation for being non-hostile, its policies were rigid and often unforgiving, especially concerning citizenship.
"You know how strict the laws are about spies, pirates, and citizenship. It's not just a matter of healing. Once he regains his strength, he could easily end up in the indentured servitude markets, especially if they think he's illegal. Young, strong, and able-bodied... they don't stand a chance." General Kar chuckled softly, his demeanor lightening the mood, but the humor in his eyes couldn't mask the seriousness of her concern.
Sister Adah was silent as General Kar inquired about the headspace his friend was in. "Why are you worried about what happens to a stranger? Don't you have more pressing matters? Or have you forgotten the pile of cow dung you stepped in a few days ago?
Sister Adah didn´t know how to answer those questions, nor did she think he wanted one answer to them. She lowered her head to the ground before saying. ¨I don't know. ¨
General Kar scuffed and continued his rant. It is just like healer types to be worried about other lives more than their own. You are lucky the Queen and her adviser are on a diplomatic retreat and most likely haven't heard of this incident. You know the rules as well as I do. So, take the calm before the storm and relax, Adah," Kar said humorously while chuckling.
Before continuing, Kar thought for a moment and sighed before saying, "You know, I also dislike the intensity of the law. However, it has kept the Nile cities from the Underworld at bay. Making our city about sixty percent safer than the Great Imperial City of Asher."
"Of course, that is only because the Asher Officials cannot suppress the Underworld, because the Underworld has powers almost equal to the Nobles of Asher's Imperial City. Queen Nandi does her best to help her sister, but she´s put herself in a pickle," Adah interrupted.
"That is beside the point. Even if they did, we would still have the safest city in all Sun-Kissed Country. Now, where was I? Oh, that is right, the laws are indeed a bit intense, but they work. Our city only has a lower criminal and fatality rate than all the developed nations' cities, and that is partially due to the illegal citizen slave act. General Kar stated knowingly.
Enough about that. Does this guy give you the strange feeling of teleportation magic emanating from him? Sistah Adah asked, trying to read the mana signature radiating from the man.
Has he teleported recently? That is strange? The spatial magic does not seem to belong to him either." General Kar stated, recalling in his mind that Lil Jon mentioned the stranger falling from the sky.
"So, you have noticed it too? The spatial energy was more abundant before he was moved into the recovery pod. It is as if he were summoned to hear from a great distance or even another dimension or something. I wonder…" Sister Adah said this before being interrupted by Kar.
"Is that why you were as curious as to what would happen to him? If you are right, then the only people with that type of power would be the Queen and the Council." Kar added.
Hearing rumors from council member Yu about the possibility of a summons. General Kar was caught up in a whirlwind of thoughts. Trying to piece together what could have happened. ¨Could it be that, Nandi? General Kar corrected himself before finishing the thoughts. Queen Nandi summoned him during the summoning? Could something have gone wrong during the hero summoning of old? If so, what would be so threatening that they had to summon a hero from another world? ¨
Seeing Kar get lost in his thoughts, Sister Adah forgot what she was trying to say and started attending to the unknown person.
Meanwhile, within the hallowed, sun-drenched halls of the Temple of Life, a palpable sense of confusion and dismay hung heavy in the air. Queen Nandi, her normally serene countenance etched with concern, stood surrounded by the council members who had accompanied her, their faces mirroring her disquiet. The air, usually alive with the hum of divine energy, now felt thick with an unanswered question. What could have gone wrong with the summoning?
Their gazes, sharp with collective experience and a touch of desperation, meticulously swept over the ancient, unblemished scroll, its intricate runes and delicate diagrams having guided countless successful rituals before. Every line, every symbol, every precise instruction was scrutinized again, then again, in a desperate attempt to unearth a missed step or an overlooked anomaly. They spoke in hushed, urgent tones, their theories overlapping as they searched for any sign of interference. Not a rogue magical current, an unseen entity, even a misplaced dust mote that might have disrupted the delicate balance of the summoning ritual. Yet, despite their diligent and exhaustive efforts, their hearts sank further with each passing moment. They were utterly dispirited to find no discernible flaw in the complex ritual, no skipped incantation, and no glitch in the mystical interface. The profound failure remained a perplexing enigma, casting a long shadow over the sacred space.
"What is going on, Albert? How come it did not work? Is it possible you missed something during the summons?" asked Big John, confusedly.
"It should have worked; the royal leaders have been using this spell for eons. I have watched this spell be performed twice during my lifetime at the kingdom as an elite mage. Master Bait was my mentor at the time, performed the spell with four half-elves and two elites, with me being one of the elites. Albert continued, We´ve taken all precautions and followed all the procedures. Someone or some outside force either interfered with the hero's summoning, or it simply did not work."
Before Alfred could continue, Elder Bernard cut in to ask. "Is it possible that the hero himself fought against the spell, or did you forget something?
Albert's lip curled into a sneer. "Faught against the spell? Forgotten something? The only thing I've forgotten is how you ever managed to hold onto your Council seat, Bernard. Your 'hero' theory is as quaint and useless as your presence here. We're dealing with a strategic asset, not some fairy tale. Continue to question my methods and cling to your sentimental nonsense, and you'll find your position isn't just 'vacant,' it's replaced by someone who actually understands competence and the realities of power." He gestured dismissively toward the stranger on the crystal bed. "Perhaps you're too busy debating philosophical absurdities to grasp the gravity of this situation, or perhaps your brain has turned smooth over the years of constant chalk consumption? "
Bernard's expression remained calm, infuriatingly so, despite Albert's biting words. He didn't dignify the insult about his mind with a direct reply. Instead, his gaze sharpened, meeting Albert's cold stare without flinching. "Competence, Albert? Is that what you call a limited perspective? You focus on power, on control, on what you think you know. But tell me, if you understand the 'realities of power' so well, why are we still here, debating about what went wrong with the summoning spell you orchestrated?" He paused, a subtle challenge in his eyes. "Or is it that you truly believe your methods are infallible, even when faced with the unknown?"
He didn't elaborate, nor did he immediately launch into another threat. The pause, though fleeting, was enough to betray that Bernard's simple question had struck a nerve, momentarily derailing Albert's confident bluster. The silence that followed was thick with unspoken tension, the quiet hum of the mana crystals suddenly seeming louder.
"Are you two lovebirds done bickering? I swear, you two cannot even go one day without digging into each other. Come and complete the circle," Big John declared with a humorous tone, taking a slow sip of his grapefruit wine. The rich, sweet tang of the fruit mingled with the subtle alcoholic warmth, a familiar comfort amidst the usual council theatrics. As he spoke, he and the other council members orchestrated a swift transformation of the chamber. Connecting tables were pulled from seemingly nowhere, adorned with exquisite royal decor that shimmered with an understated elegance. Platters laden with an array of delectable foods materialized, alongside pitchers of various wines and fresh juices.
Big John noted with a quiet sense of pride that each table was a testament to the Temple's ingenuity. They were specifically attuned with the magical element that held the highest affinity for the mage seated there. This unique design wasn't merely aesthetic; it allowed the mage to replenish their mana reserves far more efficiently than standard methods. Beyond that, the ambient energy radiating from these specially crafted surfaces subtly enhanced cultivation, making them slightly superior to typical means of training. It was a subtle advantage, but one that added up over countless hours of practice.
Chuckling, Elder Bernard retorted, his voice a low rumble that always seemed to carry just a touch of mischief. "Is that Big John talking? I'm surprised you took your head out of Nandi's ass long enough to notice us. How did it taste?"
The lighthearted atmosphere immediately fractured. Big John sneered, rising abruptly from his seat, his massive frame casting a sudden shadow over the table. His eyes, usually crinkling with good humor, narrowed into two dangerous slits that promised swift retribution. "You will address her majesty as the Queen when you speak about or to her. Twin brother or not, I will not warn you again," Big John growled, his tone a halfhearted threat, yet laced with an undeniable undercurrent of genuine menace. The air crackled, the lingering scent of grapefruit wines now mixed with the tension that had suddenly permeated the room.
"What's this? No retort about eating Nandi's ass?" Elder Bernard countered, bursting into full-blown laughter. A few council members and knights, caught off guard, joined in, some partially spitting their food as they struggled to contain themselves
Elder Bernard never addressed his twin sister by her royal title, a fact that often sparked whispered speculation among the court. Even though he himself was a Prince of the Kingdom of Congo, the two had been inseparable from childhood to adulthood, and their bond remained unbroken even after her crowning. Despite what many believed, the reason he didn't address her by her title wasn't disrespect or a refusal to recognize her as Queen. Quite the opposite was true: Elder Bernard never sought the crown or any political power, for that matter. His true aspirations were for adventure and travel, not being perpetually tied to a throne with the immense responsibility of governing a medium-sized kingdom.
Despite the sharp exchange of words, the atmosphere in the room was, surprisingly, rather calm. A collective, weighty silence settled as they all pondered their next course of action. The hero's summons carried a crucial limitation: it had a 100-year cooldown, regardless of its success or failure, making it impossible to perform again anytime soon. Queen Nandi and the council sat at the round table, eating and replenishing their magic reserves, each sharing the unspoken thought that their immediate recourse would likely be to delve deeper into the Temple's vast archives. They needed to seek out more ancient or obscure texts that might offer alternative insights into summoning, potential pitfalls not covered in their standard scrolls, or even forgotten methods of detecting magical interference.
Queen Nandi, however, was caught gazing intently at a specific spot high in the sky, directly above the summoning altar. "Queen Nandi, what is it? You're usually trying to break up the squabble between the three bickerers," asked Coco, drawing the attention of the entire table.
Nandi paused, her brow furrowed in thought, before she finally spoke. "Did any of you feel that large burst of dark magic? It happened for just a brief second before the spell failed. From what I could tell, it came from inside the array sphere, and I was not sure what to make of it."
The table became steeped in a heavy silence, the previous banter and tension between the council members now utterly forgotten. Each mage, having confirmed Queen Nandi's observation within their own consciousness, found themselves facing a profound and unsettling revelation. The signature of the dark magic was not just potent; it was entirely unknown.
"Unknown?" Albert finally broke the silence, his voice devoid of its usual arrogant bite, replaced instead by a chilling apprehension. "That's... impossible. Every known magical signature, even those from the deepest, most shadowed corners of the Underworld, has a recognizable pattern. A trace." He trailed off, his gaze fixed on the summoning altar as if expecting the residual energy to reappear and reveal its secrets.
Big John, usually quick to quip, had gone rigid. "I felt it too," he rumbled, his voice unusually low. "A sharp, discordant jolt. Like something alien tearing through the fabric of the spell. But 'unknown'? What does that even mean, Albert? What could produce such a thing?" His question hung in the air, a demand for answers where there were none.
Elder Bernard, for once, offered no sardonic remark. His typically jovial face was serious, a deep furrow in his brow. "If it's truly an uncharted signature, that implies a source beyond our current understanding. Not just a powerful dark mage, but something fundamentally different. From where could such a force emerge to interfere with a royal summoning?" His eyes met Nandi's, searching for an answer she clearly didn't possess.
Queen Nandi slowly shook her head, her expression a mix of profound concern and an almost scholarly curiosity. "I don't know," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "It wasn't like the corrupting influence of a Shadow Lord, nor the raw, untamed chaos. Precise and utterly alien. It permeated the array sphere for less than a breath, then vanished, leaving no lingering presence save for the collapse of our spell."
A collective shiver ran through the council. If the summoning, a ritual carefully calibrated to draw power from the very essence of their world, could be so violently disrupted by an unrecognized force, then their understanding of magic, and indeed their security, might be far more tenuous than they had ever dared to imagine. The failed hero summons was no longer just an embarrassment or a setback; it had become a terrifying harbinger of an unseen, perhaps unimaginable, threat. The council was at a complete loss on how to deal with this unprecedented magical anomaly.
The unsettling revelation of the unknown dark magic signature left the temple chambers feeling less like a place of sacred power and more like a vulnerable, exposed space. The comfortable hum of the mana crystals now seemed ominous, a reminder of energies they couldn't control or even comprehend. The appetite for their food vanished, replaced by a gnawing sense of urgency.
Queen Nandi, her face a mask of resolute focus, spoke once again. "This changes everything," she stated, her voice firm despite the tremor of concern that had gripped them all. "We cannot remain here, debating hypotheticals. This temple, for all its power, is designed for ritual, not for strategizing against an unknown enemy that can breach our most secure magical arrays." Her gaze swept over her council, each face now etched with a shared understanding of the new, daunting reality.
"Big John, ready the Royal Guard. We will return to the Kingdom immediately. Secure the perimeter, and ensure all non-essential personnel are restricted from the outer wards until further notice."
"Bernard," she continued, turning to her twin brother, "contact the Head Archivist. Instruct them to prepare every text, every scroll, every forgotten prophecy concerning dimensional travel, planar anomalies, and unknown magical signatures. We need everything they have, and quickly."
Albert, his earlier arrogance completely deflated by the sheer strangeness of the situation, nodded grimly. "I will review the spell's components again, Your Majesty," he offered, "but with a new perspective. Perhaps there are defensive protocols we overlooked, or hidden countermeasures for interference of this nature."
With the Queen's decisive command, the council members moved with a newfound purpose. The rich tapestry of royal decor and the half-eaten feast were left behind, forgotten. The air of comfortable camaraderie had evaporated, replaced by the grim determination of leaders facing an unprecedented challenge. They understood that the failed summoning wasn't merely a magical mishap; it was a potential declaration of war from a foe whose very nature was a terrifying blank. The security of their beloved Sun-Kissed Country hinged on their ability to decipher this chilling enigma.