Shadows Of The Immortals 3.

The young queen's eyes scanned the grand hall for the voice, her gaze darting between the now-familiar marble pillars and crystal chandeliers that cast a kaleidoscope of colours across the the large place. Suddenly, she spotted a familiar figure –July, standing by the entrance with an air of quiet confidence. With a burst of excitement, the queen rushed towards July in a speed that would put the speed of light to shame, flinging her arms around July in a tight hug, lifting her off the ground, completely with ease.

July's eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly returned the hug, a warm smile spreading across her face. "Wren, it's so wonderful to see you again!"

The young queen gently dropped her then pulled back, her eyes shining with tears like a morning dew. "Ms. July, why didn't you come back to the Humane Kingdom after all these years of leaving without informing me? I've missed you so much!"

July's expression turned solemn, her eyes clouding over with memories like a stormy sky. "I'm sorry, Wren. I was on a mission to protect the realm, and I couldn't return until my task was complete."

Wren's face scrunched up in confusion, her eyebrows furrowing like a freshly plowed field.

"Realm? Mission? Don't go ancient discussions on me, Ms. July?" Wren jokingly said, glad she saw a familiar face here, however, the young queen was more surprised about what July was doing here of all place--this was the Immortals' domain that no-one could just stumble upon or allowed to enter without being invited by the Immortals themselves. A tale known to be impossible. "And what exactly are you doing here?" Wren finally asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"It's because of you, of course." The two-faced Immortal said, sauntering towards them with an air of nonchalance, her dual faces sporting identical mischievous grins. "--She is your aid to stop the world from destruction."

"--Verily, Verily--" the Immortal twins added in unison, their voices like a harmonious echo.

"Nevertheless, without sugarcoating the truth, Protector." The two-faced Immortal said, her voice dripping with a hint of sarcasm, "We, Immortals--I especially, was surprised at your rapid progress. We expected your training to take years, not days." She placed her hand on her chin, facing the twins immortals, her eyes narrowing in contemplation. "Or are we too lenient on our training?"

The Immortal twins both shrugged their shoulders, chuckling. "If you ask us, who are we gonna ask?"

"Time works differently here," the Immortal twins added staring at Wren, their voices echoing off each other. "An hour here is just a second outside. Days here are just hours outside. And years here--you get the gist, Protector~"

Then, a loud thud echoed through the hall. "We are back." Wren looked, it was the enlightened Immortal and the brawny Immortal, standing by the entrance with a creature that looked like it had been put through a blender. Wren's eyes widened in horror as she took in the sight of the creature. Its eight arms lay limp and lifeless, with faint, burnt-green glowing marks scattered across its body, like embers of a dying fire.

They all observed the creature in silence, the only sound the soft hum of the chandeliers above.

"Is it not?..." Wren asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes, it is," July answered her voice firm, before the young queen could complete her words. "One of the Tainted of the Destroyer."

Wren took a step closer to the creature, her eyes fixed on the burnt-green glowing marks. That scene alone transported her back to the vision she had at her Kingdom. The boy from her dream flashed before her eyes, his body aglow with an eerie green light, eerily similar to the markings on the creature's lifeless form.

"Then how was it damaged like this?" Wren asked, her voice laced with a mix of curiosity and concern then her eyes snapped towards July, her expression a mixture of surprise and alarm. "The reincarnate of the Destroyer?"

"Bingo!" The two-faced Immortal snapped her fingers in affirmation as the hunched-back Immortal who was in their midst all along just nodded his head.

"... The boy, I'm meant to meet..." Wren's voice trailed off, her mind racing with the implications.

The two-faced Immortal chuckled, her dual faces grinning mischievously. "I'm surprised. "They are really fighting among themselves. Regressor, how is that?"

July walked towards the creature, her eyes fixed on its lifeless form. "Since this one manageably was released from the seal, more are coming one way or the other. But don't worry. I've told the kingdoms to present their best warriors to train under the sole purpose of educating them on what will befall the world."

The brawny Immortal sniffed the air, his nose wrinkling in distaste. "You smell of Dragons. You met them, right?"

July nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "Yeah. To warn them too."

The hunched-back Immortal's eyes narrowed, his aura flaring with a hint of sadness. "So, the Dragon King is now involved..."

Wren's hands clenched into fists, her eyes blazing with determination. "The boy..." she began, her voice low and urgent. Everyone's gaze snapped to the young queen, their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern.

"Everywhere I go, every conversation I have, it's all about the boy... and me. Why can't I just go to him now and talk to him?"

The two-faced Immortal let out a derisive snort, her dual faces rolling their eyes in exasperation.

"A talk?" The Immortal Twins' voices were laced with sarcasm. "The safety of the world is in your hands and you want to have a talk with the very person who will destroy it without batting an eye? You can't be serious."

Wren's face set in a determined expression, her eyes flashing with a hint of defiance. "--Just in case... Just in case talking won't work, I will have to--"

July's voice cut her off, her tone firm but gentle.

"He is under the protection of the Dragon King."

The enlightened Immortal's aura flared with anger, her eyes blazing with a fierce inner light.

"Under what circumstances?!" •∆••'s voice thundered, causing the hall to shudder. The chandeliers swayed ominously, casting eerie shadows on the walls. Wren stumbled back, her eyes wide with alarm as she beheld the true fury of an Immortal.

"So, the devastation of eons past wasn't enough for him? He seeks to replay the same catastrophic tale?! If I had my way, I'd storm the Dragon's nest myself and--" A voice interrupted her tirade, its calm, authoritative tone a jarring contrast to the enlightened Immortal's incandescent rage.

"Enough. •∆••," The voice from the Dais said, its tone firm but gentle. Wren looked towards where the voice was coming from, surprised to see no one sitting on the Dais.

"We've all been forged in the fire of war, •∆••. It's made us who we are, and shaped the world into what it is today. So, let's not fight blindly. Let's seek understanding, not vengeance."

Wren's gaze drifted to a small child standing beside her, who was staring intently at the creature on the ground. The child's voice was barely above a whisper, yet it carried a wisdom beyond their years.

"Remember, He was once like us... A human." The child revealed about the lifeless creature on the ground, glanced up at Wren, its eyes gleaming with collections of billions of galactic dust with an otherworldly intensity. Wren felt a shiver run down her spine as she stared into those eyes, her mind reeling with the implications.

Suddenly, blood dripped from the young queen's eyes, her vision blurring.

"Don't stare into it too much, or you'll be lost in the abyss, Wren." July warned, her voice firm but gentle, affectionately placing her hands on the young queen's shoulder.

Wren's gaze dropped as her blood froze cold, then shattered into a thousand pieces. "Yes...," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

The two-faced Immortal's dual faces grinned mischievously. "What the leader said is true. No need to fly into a rage. Leave the malice to me, •∆••."

The enlightened Immortal's expression transformed, its aura of flaring anger dissipating instantly. "I apologize, Leader. I lost my composure for a moment..." The enlightened Immortal's gaze shifted to the hunched-back Immortal, whose face was etched with sadness.

The leader looked at July, its voice calm and authoritative. "Ms. July. What is your take on the young queen? Is she ready? Or is she merely claiming to be something she's not?"

July's expression turned somber, its voice barely above a whisper. "I've watched countless realities burn, one by one, due to the mistakes of her's and the worlds' ignorant. Realities where she's a benevolent leader, others a power-hungry tyrant and some a self-absorbed monarch... In some, more concerned about her wardrobe than her world,"

July's voice took a hint of emotion as she continued, "The devastation, the suffering... It's a never-ending cycle. However, this world..." July looked at Wren. "She have a chance to break free from the past. And I'll do everything in my power to ensure She succeeds."

Wren blinked as she listened to July's words. She felt a surge of gratitude and determination, knowing that July believed in her and was committed to helping her succeed.

A hint of a smile played on every Immortals there including the Leader of the Immortals.

"Besides, someone has to keep me on my toes cause' I'm getting bored of that old hag Humane's telekinesis. And who knows? Maybe this time, we'll get it right." Said, The two-faced Immortal.

The leader of the Immortals looked at Wren.

"You've witnessed the true account of events about how everything came to be, I believe you've come to a final conclusion in your own way to save the world, Protector?"

Wren stood there for a while, her fist squeezed more tightly then she answered the leader of the Immortals.

"As I ponder the complexities of our predicament, I firmly believe that a multifaceted approach is our only hope. Uniting the kingdoms, as Ms. July has already set in motion, is crucial, but we must also tread carefully to avoid the pitfalls of blind allegiance that have doomed our predecessors. The delicate balance of power is a double-edged sword, and we cannot afford to underestimate the Destroyer's influence, particularly over his reincarnate. To develop a comprehensive strategy, we must gather more intel on the Destroyer's plans, motivations, and reach. I intend to speak with the reincarnate personally, to unravel the mysteries that shroud him."

The two-faced Immortal's eyes widened in astonishment, her dual faces mirroring her surprise. "How old are you again?" she asked, her voice tinged with wonder.

The hunched-back Immortal's eyes narrowed, his voice laced with skepticism. "A bold plan, young queen. But do you have the mettle to see it through?" He leaned forward, his gaze piercing.

The enlightened Immortal nodded thoughtfully, her eyes shining with interest. "I concur with the young queen's assessment. A multifaceted approach is indeed our best hope. But we must also consider the Destroyer's capacity for manipulation. We cannot underestimate his power."

The Immortal twins exchanged a knowing glance, their dual faces mirroring each other's excitement. "Ooh, this is getting interesting!" they chimed in unison. "The young queen's plan is full of possibilities! Can we help with the intel gathering?"

The brawny Immortal nodded solemnly. "We come to pledge our allegiance to the Protector to abolish the sinful inhabitants who will rise and cloak this world in tribulation."

The two-faced Immortal rolled her eyes in amusement, while the twin Immortals chuckled at the burry Immortal's dramatic words.

July's gaze swept across the gathering, her eyes locking onto each of the Immortals in turn. "I believe the young queen's plan is worth exploring. But we must proceed with caution. We cannot afford to make mistakes."

The Leader's expression remained enigmatic, its eyes aglow with the soft light of billions of galactic dust particles. With an unnerving intensity, it regarded Wren, then nodded once, its silence speaking volumes.

The room fell silent, the only sound the soft hum of the crystal chandeliers. The Immortals' reactions ranged from thoughtful nods to determined gazes.

July's gaze lingered on Wren, sensing a profound shift in her demeanor. The Wren she knew in this world was a battle-hardened warrior, driven by instinct and a thirst for combat. Yet, in this moment, Wren's approach was measured, calculated, and laced with a depth of understanding that belied her years.

July's curiosity was piqued, and she wondered if Wren's unexpected demeanor was a result of a prior encounter with the reincarnate.

She filed the question away, intending to probe Wren further when the time was right.