4 The Commanding Presence

The tension in the air was suffocating. Elio and Lucas had barely thrown their last blows when a commanding voice sliced through the chaos.

"Enough. Both of you."

The sheer weight of the voice stopped them cold. It was a voice of absolute authority, one that had commanded legions, overseen countless missions, and brokered deals that shaped entire realms.

One of the heads of the Domain Exploration Investment Command, the DEIC, had arrived.

Grand General Leonhardt Aldric, a man whose presence alone could silence a battlefield, stepped into the training hall. His silver hair was neatly combed back, his sharp gaze carrying the weight of years spent in the service of the DEIC. Every agent knew his reputation—unforgiving, strategic, and unshakable.

Despite his age, his physical appearance was anything but frail. His posture was straight, as rigid and unyielding as steel, and his movements were sharp, and calculated. His rough, weathered features seemed carved from stone, and his eyes—cold and unyielding—spoke of years spent on the front lines, commanding, conquering, and surviving in the harshest of conditions.

Though his hair was silver and his face lined with age, his build was that of a man in the prime of his life. He was broad-shouldered and muscular, with a frame that seemed carved from granite. He was a man who had fought his way to the top, and his body showed it—tough, hardened, and unrelenting. Even his hands, calloused and scarred, betrayed the brutal experiences he had endured.

He was no mere old man. He was a mountain, immovable and intimidating. His mere presence commanded silence, and it didn't take long for Elio and Luca to realize the gravity of the situation. The two young men's breaths caught in their throats. There was no mistaking it: they were in the presence of a living legend, a man whose feats of strength and leadership had shaped the very foundation of the organization they served.

His eyes narrowed on both of them. Elio swallowed hard, his fists still clenched at his sides. He knew this man had the power to destroy him without breaking a sweat. Luca, no less affected, took a step back, his face pale as a ghost. The sheer weight of his gaze was enough to make them both forget the fight they had been so eager to win.

Their expressions mirrored one another—shit, shit, shit.

The man didn't move at first, his gaze still fixed on the two boys. His silence was worse than any scolding he could give. After what felt like an eternity, he spoke again.

"You'll both be punished. But this is not the time for your recklessness. There are more important matters to attend to."

Gemma, who had been quietly watching from a corner of the room, feigned surprise, but deep down, she had been the one to orchestrate this. She knew what would happen. She had expected this fight to break out; it was part of her plan. She had seen the tension building between Elio and Luca, and now, she was reaping the benefits of her calculated move. If anything, she found it amusing to see them both caught off guard by the man who had always seemed untouchable to them.

Adele, however, was not as calm. In a sudden burst of emotion, she slapped Luca across the face with a force that seemed to echo throughout the room.

"Never speak ill of Elio's parents," she said, her voice trembling with emotion.

"You don't know what they meant to me. They were my best friends. Show some respect."

Luca, still reeling from the slap, opened his mouth to speak, but words failed him. The shock and regret were clear in his eyes. He had crossed a line—one that Adele made sure to remind him of in the harshest way possible.

The grandfather's gaze shifted toward Adele, his expression unreadable. But then, he turned his attention back to Elio and Luca.

"Both of you are to report to me for your punishment. We will discuss your behavior then."

Without another word, he turned on his heel and left, his steps purposeful and heavy. The door clicked shut behind him, leaving an unsettling silence in the room.

Elio exhaled, his body still tense with the fear of what was to come.

"Shit," he muttered, glancing at Luca.

"This isn't over."

Luca, rubbing his cheek where Adele had struck him, sighed deeply.

"Can't believe she slapped me."

As the tension in the room began to dissipate, the reality of their situation set in. The stakes were higher than they had ever imagined. They had just crossed paths with someone whose power was beyond their reach—and now they would have to face the consequences.

---

After some time, the soldiers, who had remained stoic and silent in the background, finally moved. One of them, a seasoned veteran, stepped forward and nodded to the group of candidates. His presence was commanding, and despite his neutral expression, there was an undeniable air of authority in the way he stood.

"Follow me," he said, his voice firm and without room for debate.

The group, still recovering from the earlier tension in the training hall, obediently followed him. They walked through narrow hallways, their footsteps echoing off the cold stone walls of the fortress. As they passed through the enormous, towering corridors, the magnitude of the place became more apparent. This was no ordinary stronghold. This was the heart of the Domain Exploration Investment Command, a place that housed secrets and power far beyond what any of them had imagined.

As they rounded a corner, the group found themselves standing in front of a massive chamber. The walls were high, the ceiling stretching far above them, and in the center of the room was a portal—a swirling mass of energy that shimmered in hues of blue and silver. The space around it hummed with a strange, almost tangible power.

"Wait, what is this?" one of the recruits asked, his voice trembling slightly.

"I thought we were supposed to be here for the year, in the fortress, training. Is this… part of the training?"

The soldier who had been guiding them remained silent, his face unreadable. He gestured toward the portal.

"This is where your training begins," he said, his voice cold and flat.

"Not here. Not in the fortress. Not for the next year. Your training is about to take you far beyond these walls."

The group was silent, exchanging confused looks. This was not what they had signed up for.

Just as the questions began to rise, the heavy footsteps of Grand General Leonhardt Aldric echoed from behind them. The old man's presence filled the room instantly. Even without saying a word, the candidates felt the oppressive weight of his authority. He was one of the heads of the D. E.I.C., and they knew the power he wielded.

His sharp, calculating gaze scanned the group. He had seen this confusion many times before. With one curt motion, he silenced the room.

"There's been a change of plans," he said, his voice commanding but devoid of emotion.

"You won't be staying here. You will not be training in the fortress for the next year. The situation has changed."

The recruits stood frozen, still processing the sudden shift. Their hands twitched with the urge to speak, to demand answers, but they knew better.

The General continued, his gaze unyielding.

"The exploration of the realms has increased exponentially over the past 18 years. We've seen a surge in people—agents, explorers, scouts—being sent out. The DEIC has expanded, and the realms you'll explore are now more dangerous, and more unpredictable. It's no longer enough to train here, close to your homes. The need for immediate deployment is critical. The portal will take you to one of the realms you'll be exploring. The next phase of your training begins now."

The silence that followed his words was deafening. The candidates, already on edge from the unexpected news, were now reeling from the gravity of what the General had just said.

For the past 18 years, the DEIC has ramped up its efforts to explore new realms. This sudden shift in training protocols was a direct result of the increasing number of explorers—both from within the organization and others who had begun to venture into these realms. The DEIC had to adapt quickly. The old ways of staying close to home, training in the safe confines of the fortress, were no longer sufficient.

One of the recruits finally found his voice, his words coming out in a rush of confusion.

"But… we haven't even trained yet. How can we be sent to another realm? We thought we had at least a year to prepare here."

The General's eyes narrowed as he regarded the recruit.

"You'll be trained in the field. There's no time to waste. The realms are shifting, and we need every capable individual we can get. Training in the fortress is a luxury we no longer have."

The recruits turned to each other, their expressions a mix of surprise and skepticism. Elio's nonchalant attitude stood in stark contrast to the confusion and fear swirling in the room.

"And," the General added, his voice more intense now, "if any of you believe this will be a simple training exercise, think again. The stakes are far higher than you realize."

With that, the group was left to face the portal, unsure of what awaited them on the other side. The fortress that had seemed so imposing, so safe, was now nothing more than a distant memory. Their real training, their real mission, was about to begin.

As the recruits were being ushered toward the portal, Elio felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to find Adele standing behind him, her expression a mixture of concern and determination.

She had been quiet ever since the General's announcement, but now, as they stood on the precipice of the unknown, her emotions seemed to finally break through.

"Aunt?" Elio asked softly, his voice low.

Adele swallowed, her lips pressing into a thin line as she looked at him. Her eyes were brighter than usual, tinged with something like sadness, but there was a fire in them too—an understanding that the moment had come.

"You grow now, huh?" she asked, her voice shaky but firm.

Elio nodded slowly. "I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

He smiled faintly, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Seems like the plans have changed, and we're about to jump into something we can't even begin to understand."

Adele let out a small, bitter laugh. "Looks like it," she said, her voice catching slightly.

"But you know I don't want you to go. I wanted you to stay here. To be safe. I thought we'd have more time."

Her words made Elio pause, a lump forming in his throat. He didn't know what to say. Adele had always been there, had always fought by his side, even when he did some stupidity she always forgave him, but now—now they were being torn apart by forces neither of them could control.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "I thought we'd have more time too."

Adele's hand gripped his arm tighter, her fingers cold, but there was a strength in her touch.

"You better come back, Elio. I don't care where you go or how dangerous it is. You have to promise me that you'll come back."

Elio met her eyes, and for the first time in a long while, he saw the vulnerability that lay beneath her usual tough exterior. He saw the person who had stood by him since he was a baby, through every battle, every challenge. And he realized that he couldn't leave her with just uncertainty.

"I'll come back," he promised, though there was an edge of uncertainty in his voice. "I don't know what's ahead, but I'll make sure I come back."

Adele's gaze softened, but she didn't let go of his arm.

"Promise me something else. Elio... kick their ass. And in return, when u come back i will make the best pie from your life." Her voice wavered, a quiet plea hidden within the words.

Elio took a deep breath, nodding. "I will. I promise."

She exhaled, a small, relieved smile tugging at her lips. "Good," she said, stepping closer, her voice a whisper now.

"Because if you don't… I'm the one kicking your ass."

Elio chuckled softly, his own smile finally breaking through. "I'll hold you to that."

For a moment, they stood in silence, the weight of the world pressing down on them as the portal flickered in front of them, waiting.

"Take care of yourself, Adele," Elio said quietly, his voice low but sincere.

"You too, Elio. Just… stay safe."

Adele took a step back, her hand lingering in the air for just a second before she turned and walked away, her figure growing smaller as she retreated from the portal. She didn't look back—she didn't have to. She knew Elio would always be a part of her, no matter the distance, no matter what happened.

As Elio stood there, watching her leave, he felt the weight of the decision settle on his shoulders. There was no turning back now. But he also knew that Adele's words would stay with him, no matter where the realms took him.

With a final glance at the group, Elio stepped forward, the portal ahead of him swirling in anticipation. He had his promise to keep.

And he was going to keep it, no matter the cost.