Prelude

Violent vibrations abruptly occurred from the dark void, vast and powerful, instantly sweeping across the entire ghost-shadow realm like a hurricane, everything collapsing, damaging, and destroying rapidly as if the world was coming to an end.

The transparent Shadow Shield instantly rose, firmly wrapping the entire Ghost Town in it, but it was not enough to completely withstand the invisible and violent tremor. The entire city seemed like a light boat in the midst of the angry waves, bobbing and swaying. The residents who were sleeping were awakened, disoriented, not knowing what was happening.

After an unknown amount of time, the tremors finally slowly disappeared. Ghost Town regained its stability, still floating in the air, the shadow shroud gradually faded and eventually disappeared, and everything seemed to return to its original state.

But this was only the surface appearance.

The Ghost Town Lord's royal palace was gloomy, without any semblance of light. An old man was sitting on a wide throne, his left hand supporting his cheek as he looked at the dark nothingness in front of him, pondering.

Deliberate footsteps sounded softly as someone walked in from the doorway.

The old man turned his face slightly and looked at the visitor.

"As you expected, Your Excellency, the Night Goddess has left the Temple of Loss." The visitor bowed respectfully and whispered.

"Where is she?" The old man asked bluntly.

"It is unclear at the moment, but I think it is in the material-realm," the visitor said, a bit of cunning in his voice, "because, her priests are no longer able to make any contact with her."

The old man raised his eyes slightly to look at his loyal aide, who was staring expressionlessly into the void in front of him as if he had never said anything.

"Go on, Hodjehana." The old man said.

"Or, the Night Goddess has suddenly abandoned her loyal priests - including Eglare," Hodjahana's voice sounded cold, stiff, and devoid of any semblance of suppression, but his pace of speech quietly quickened, " Or, she is no longer able to answer the prayers of the faithful."

"But who can do that?" The old man asked rhetorically, automatically ignoring the first possibility Hodjahana had mentioned, "Who could expel the Night Goddess from her realm and breach the material-realm? Tir? Ransomdale? Or has ... Amanita has been resurrected?"

"I do not know," Hodjahana answered honestly.

"Even Amanata's resurrection could not do that." Out of the shadows suddenly came another young voice, clear, elegant, and gentle, with a hidden edge. The young man clad in a gray cloak slowly stepped out from the void and bowed deeply to the old man and Hodjehana, his face was handsome, his eyes were like stars shining brightly in the night sky, and the corners of his mouth always carried a slight smile, modest, never ostentatious, but full of confidence.

On his gray sorcerer's robe, a strange pattern was embroidered on the chest area. On the red background, three mountain peaks were outlined in black outline, and on top of the peaks, a silver-colored sphere was shining.

"The Night Goddess is one of the most powerful deities within the realm," the young man continued, "and no one can exile her - except the One."

He did not name the One, for he did not know. But all three present understood what the young man was referring to.

The One we do not know, but who must exist.

"Exile?" The old man shook his head slightly, "Perhaps, this is nothing more than a small accident by the Night Goddess. After all, we do not yet know the truth, Brennus, and must not jump to conclusions."

"That is not the point," the young man still smiled, "Whether the Night Goddess had a small accident or ran into big trouble; whether she was exiled to the material-realm or suddenly killed by Ransomdale - Of course, this possibility is very slim. None of this is the key issue, the real key is: at this time, she can no longer control Ghost Town."

The old man nodded slightly. Yes, whatever trouble Sharl had run into, at this moment, she could no longer control Ghost Town as firmly and tightly as she had for those past thousand years.

"In any case," Hodjahana changed the subject, "this is an opportunity."

"An opportunity." The old man repeated in a low voice as he turned his gaze to the young man.

The young man nodded slightly. "It is an opportunity, Father."

"The Night Goddess has left the ghost-shadow-realm, and with the priests away from her losing all divine magic," the young man said slowly, "no one can be an obstacle any longer, including Rivalan. Father, this is the opportunity of a lifetime."

The old man nodded slowly and made a small gesture to Hodjahana. The aide bowed slightly and retreated.

"If you sow seeds in the spring, you may not harvest food in the fall." The old man said softly, as if to himself.

"But it will reap hope." The young man smiled slightly and bowed deeply once more, and when he straightened, his form had faded into the shadows.

The Hope.