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....
As Leylin made his tour back to Twilight Zone, there was an interesting scene playing inside a gigantic floating city.
A group of Magus were meeting one of the overlords of the central continent as they made their way inside the biggest building in the floating city.
After passing through a beautiful garden, one would came upon a chain of fragile and complicated buildings that seamlessly formed a sort of circuit.
Green vines coiled snugly around the spotless marble pillars decoratively, but they were actually a huge number of spell circuits here.In front of him was a jade-built snow-white door, at least ten metres tall. It exuded a sense of divinity and dignity, and instantly led anyone who was standing in front of it to think that they had arrived in a land of giants.
Deep inside one would see a big hall. The two side walls were littered with countless paintings— mostly depicting scenes of war between Magi and other races, but also demons on occasion. The deeper in the hall one went, the more abstract the paintings, slowly turning into mere meaningless lines and streaks at the end.
Currently there were a few figure bowing before a pedestal, each one of them held extremely terrifying undulation but from the looks of reverence and their lower posture it's easy to deduce that they were praising an even more unfathomable existence.
Directly opposite to them was a huge statue; a human with six pairs of wings walking out of an enormous shell accompanied by horn-blowing angels and petal-throwing maidens.
The entirety of the statue was carved with such realism that it had an aura of life about it. This was especially true for its eyes that were made of black pearls. They seemed to move, focusing upon them.
*Snap!* The statue moved all of a sudden, and walked out of the shell, ripping off the plaster on the wall.
The whole hall seemed to have come to life in tandem with the male statue's descent, differentiating itself from the outside world and forming two distinct domains.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!" From the bowed head of the various Magus, the difference in their statuses was clear; even if this was only an embodiment of the Monarch of the Skies, they still had to show the utmost respect. Not only was their etiquette perfect, even their expression shouted out humility.
"Leylin Farlier isn't in the central continent anymore but he must have made some arrangements, the ways of a Breaking Dawn cannot be underestimated!" A voice resonated within the hall.
"Yes Your Majesty but this is the best time to capture the Fiery World and also attack his subordinates to unravel the secrets behind his abrupt rise, if nothing else then we would definitely weaken his foundation." One of a Radiant Moon who looked old turned his head to the statue. Its eyes were pinned on Radiant Moon who spoke, and it seemed to be smiling.
"And how much strong could a newly ascended Throne could be before an existence like you, Your Majesty."
"No, someone like him cannot be underestimated." A voice sounded from the statue after a good while.
"So should we just stop all of our plans?" The Radiant Moon spoke with a bit of disappointed flashing through his eyes which he quickly hide.
"He is not a weak character but there are ways to fool him. Even with his preparation if successfully blocked what can he do, I would prepare to intercept his return meanwhile you would have to capture Fiery World, once we gain the world, it's impossible for him to force us to concede." The statue said.
"Yes!" The old Radiant Moon said excited, he was the one who thrusted the idea of acting against Leylin Farlier and capturing his poorly maned Fiery World, but obviously without the Monarch approval he didn't dare to act. He had intense greed for a high grade world like Fiery World but he won't dare to offend a Monarch authority for it but with his Majesty's backing...
"Your Majesty, Is it really wise to offend a character like that for a World?" One of the Magus spoke, he was the weakest as well as the youngest amongst the crowd. He was Weyers a Morning Star under the Monarch, a genius who reached rank 4 even before reaching a hundred years of age.
When someone advanced to become a Magus, they would permanently keep their original appearance. This fellow have become an official Magus extremely early, and the following advances had helped him retain his looks. This was why he appeared this juvenile.
"Weyers! How dare you question Your Majesty!? Your coward character finally surfaced huh, a person with a weak heart like you is a waste of resources!" The Old Radiant Moon immediately shouted with his face flushed with anger, he had a zealot expression and seemed to be very sadden by the cowardly behaviour of his partner but the sly expression in his eyes wasn't hidden from Weyers.
"Stuart, Would you dare take blame if something goes wrong and we invite the hate for a mighty character with no gain." Weyers retorted icily
"Weyer, Stuart don't forget you both are in Your Majesty's presence!" Another Radiant Moon shouted but his eyes were filled with concern and goodwill as he signal Weyers to back down.
"Weyers worry is not unfounded, actually it's not a smart idea to act against someone so talented even when the gains are for a world like Fiery World which can sustain the raise of a Breaking Dawn. " The status spoke as it's words caused the expression of everyone in the room to change.
"But, there is just not me who is going to act. Others also wants to slow the momentum of such a genius and have him understand that the authority we hold is not for show." The words of the statue was earth shattering but the listener obviously didn't ask any questions, the minds of those lofty Monarch and their business is not something they would dare step into.
"Many preparations needs to be made, previously I invested not a small amount to take advantage of Blazing Flame Monarch but it was all for nothing. Leylin Farlier is very dangerous and cunning we need to be sure before we act against him. We need to wait for the perfect opportunity and it could take years, all the Monarch don't want to offend him without a point of reconciliation but we need to suppress him subtly."
..
Twilight Zone
The northern region, Nature's Alliance academy.
Eternal Light spells brightened up the room, reflecting a black desk with innumerable documents on the surface, as well as ink, quill pens and other stationery.
A female Magus with a delicate face wearing luxurious upper-class clothing kneaded at her brows with slender fingers, seeming very tired.
"Director!" The door was pushed open, and a female Magus hugging a file ran in hastily.
"Urgent news from the frontlines! Potti City has been attacked again. The Academy has lost all of our professors station there."
The beautiful women looked tired as she asked, "Did we lose the Potti City?"
"No, The Enforcer's men acted at the last moment and demolished the attackers."
"Alright." The beautiful director nodded her head from behind the desk, giving a drawn-out sigh. "After so many years of accumulation I thought I might have a footing but in the end the result was our defeat, the Enforcer would definitely not give back the hegemony of the Potti City, after my failure it's only the start as the whole northern region would be his."
She stood up and pulled the curtains open.
There was a gigantic square of the academy outside the windows.
"I am stupid, with his strength and his supporters I was never a competition but just a mere figurehead. He knew that all this while I wanted to gain more authority and didn't bother to stop me, in the end I was just dreaming. My strength pitted against true power is nothing and it's more depressing to think about Lady Lancy who stands behind him and even more so the terrifying man behind her." This beautiful director was naturally Celine.
When Leylin had left Twilight Zone, he had left behind a his own men to take care of this place, Dexter his Bloodline Knight was stationed here as an Enforcer taking action from the dark, as he allowed Celine to take control of Nature's Alliance academy for almost a century. She had also advanced to rank 2. However, the academy was always run by Dexter from the back.
Celine was regarded with tremendous prestige for simple Magus, and the Magus that Lancy left in her hands was controlled by her but at the top brass all knew who the real boss is here.
For a century Celine tried all she could to somehow gain enough authority to surpass Dexter but her current state perfectly explains how much she failed.
The tide of darkness creatures had come forth once more in Twilight Zone! And in this wave, there were countless beast emperors that had mutated and reached rank 3!
That was not all. The gnomes has now stand in rebellion and distanced themselves from the humans. They were now attacking in the north as well.
Celine immediately took the front as she sent her nurtured team to intercept and hold the enemy trying to send a message to Dexter but the enemy are too strong and she only suffered defeat after defeat but amazingly enough the human empire has lost not a single inch of their lands and neither any battle, the reason is the Enforcer Dexter who took every lost war in his hands and send the Secret Elite Squad to defeat the enemies.
While the rest of the academies, families and organizations were trying all they can to tide through these trouble times, Dexter was actually using the darkness tide to sharpen his men honing their ability, in fact if he wanted he could have lead an especially prepared extermination team to destroy the enemy from its root without any chance for revival but obviously such wasn't his orders from above. This is an opportunity to rear battle harden characters who have gone through trail of fire and blood.
"Director, There is one more thing. All of the students, teachers, professor and even you are prohibited to enter Z-Area. " Confusion was evident on this female Magus' face as she announced.
"What! Why?" Celine asked, the Z-Area is the most top level area in the whole Twilight Zone filled with resources and training Hall, it's created to provide suitable environment for anyone to strengthen themselves, even she the Director don't have much authorized time to go there to hone herself. A large amount of increase in her strength over the years is because of the facilities in Z-Area.
This area was created by Dexter to train the Secret Elite Squad as well as sharpen the geniuses of the Twilight Zone, its the most sorted after place in whole of Twilight Zone for any Magus, it has best elemental pools, greatest laboratory, mind blowing environment, unbelievable lost and numerous techniques, rare resources and etc.
"I don't know why this order was given but it directly came from Lord Enforcer. The place is isolated because an important guest is coming." Everyone gets the time to spend in Z-Area with the token issued by Enforcer and he also hold the supreme unquestionable authority over it. During the war time such a place is even more important and it is also at the top prize for military merits but one order and everything changes.
After hearing this, the look of helplessness on Celine's face grew more obvious. She has no ability against Dexter, only obeying is the way to go. For some time she was quite full of herself cultivating an elite group of her own but in the war, her efforts of a century seem so paper thin.
"Wait a minute, an important guests? In the whole Twilight Zone, who has the ability to make Dexter this serious of a host? No! there is no one but does that mean the person is not from Twilight Zone!" Celine eyes sparked as she thought about the devilishly handsome Magus who was supposedly the Master of the Sapphire Queen, Lancy Evans! There is also a chance that it maybe Lancy or someone from her group but she still hold on to a bit of hope.
"Maybe this is my chance.. "
....
"Master she is just a child." A small meek voice sounded as Anna immediately regretted her words of opposition against her master.
"I am sorry Master!"
"It's fine Anna, I know your nature and yes I agree Emilia is just a child and she deserves to enjoy her childhood but she is a smart kid, I can see it in her eyes. Her times of being pampered is over, in this world sometimes one has to sacrifice more if they are intelligent and talented." Leylin said resolutely as he stared outside a lavish window and looked at a beautiful garden illuminated with brightness stones.
"Emilia!"
"Yes Teacher!" Behind Leylin stood Anna, Ivy, Emilia and Dexter and from the tense air Emilia understood that it's not time to be playing.
"You are a pure person dear but sadly this world is not a place which would appreciate your warmth. In order to protect roses there are need for the existence of thorns and remember I cannot protect you forever. You have to create your own thorns and fangs, this time I brought you here to experience the darkness for yourself and understand this concept, you are talented and intelligent but you are lacking in a very important thing needed for reaching great strength, which is conviction!"
"Conviction?"
"Yes, Conviction and do you know what it means?"
"Firmly held belief or Opinion?" Emilia answered but she seemed unsure.
"A good textbook answer but from life I learned that conviction is combination of ambition and determination."
"Ambition and determination."
"There is no need to think because it's time for you to see, Dexter arrange some people to tour Emilia throughout the Twilight Zone and I mean both, the whole sparkling illuminating one as well as the darkness which hides within."