Weeks had passed since the global event named "The Black Cataclysm." Ethan tried to recover from the damage by creating alliances with the duchies and counties of the region so they could help each other.
The day of the world conference had arrived. The day when all members of the High Court would come together to judge the main culprit behind all that chaos...
Alexander Cosmogeno and Christopher Zivot, two of the five greatest geniuses of the Five Great Orders...
"So, you just decided to pin the blame for all this chaos on these two?" Ethan asked incredulously.
In the capital of Romerian, the city of Athenian, in the northern state of Zethian, the most influential people in the world gathered... The Titans. The most elite group that all nations could have; strength, power, influence in all realms...
They were practically the gods who dictated the rules. The men above the law itself...
"Not us, the Government. The World Order decided this..." said Lincoln Durham, the current leader of the Titans. Being the most robust and oldest of the Titans, however, his silver eyes showed confusion and hopelessness.
"And since when does the Government have power over you? Use your strength."
"Don't get upset, Grand Master..." pleaded Javier, a youthful man with silky hair.
"How can I not? Lincoln, what happened to 'we are the power above justice'?"
Lincoln swallowed hard... With a simple gesture of averting his eyes, he had revealed that he was as confused as the legal decision.
Outraged and unable to believe Lincoln's reaction, the Duke rose from his chair and commented:
"You've become a pacifist... The greatest warrior in history... Turning into a pacifist."
"Whoa, hold on. You abandoned the Titans to live a life as a mayor," retorted Sergei Ivanov.
A fiery look escaped Ethan's pupil, along with absolute judgment. Sergei was analyzed from head to toe in a second.
"I didn't know you were hiring court jesters for this position..."
Compared to everyone in that room, Sergei practically had no aura.
"Ethan..." said Lincoln. "Do you know something? Your outrage isn't like you."
"Luanne," Ethan called, looking at a woman at the corner of the table.
Quickly, a tall woman with black hair and eyes stood up, carrying a box covered with a cloth.
With her hands protected by specific gloves, she removed the white cloth and revealed a reinforced glass box; so thick it was cloudy. However, what was inside the box was identifiable: an energy core with a black hue.
Yet, there was no such thing as a black energy core...
"This is a corrupted core," stated Luanne Darkmoon. "We retrieved it from one of the machines in Loureto. The black substance, this mist that conjures small energy discharges... We believe it's the cause of the mechanical failures."
"And why?" asked Sergei. "Is it so hard to admit there was a programming flaw in the machines?"
"A hundred percent failure rate?" Ethan questioned. "Remember, it wasn't just a few... It was all the machines. We were evolving technologically; automobiles, machines that harvest and plant, communication equipment... Everything that used any portion of a core resulted in this catastrophe."
Shrugging and with no more arguments, Sergei just wanted to contradict.
"Maybe you don't master the cores as well as you thought."
Again, Ethan gave him a sharp look.
"Lincoln, you know what to do with this information," Ethan said, turning his back to the other Titans.
"You're leaving already?"
As Ethan and Luanne left the room, they stopped and looked at Lincoln with friendly eyes.
"Yes. We need to take care of something in Loureto."
The automatic door closed, isolating the Titans from the rest of the world. Joshua Betzen, known as the Titan of Knowledge, stood up, distressed by Sergei's attitude.
"Are you insane? Treating Ethan Caesar with that attitude?!" Joshua said.
"What's the big deal?" Sergei retorted.
"Are you ready to die?" questioned Caleb Van Vouir. "Want to declare war on him?"
Sergei laughed.
"I'm not afraid of a single man."
Avoiding embarrassing the new Titan, all the Titans held back their laughter. They couldn't belittle any member, but Sergei's lack of sense was conflicting with the group's ideals.
"He was the strongest Titan," said Lincoln.
"And why did he leave?"
"Ethan doesn't depend on us... Being as strong as any of us, and even more, having the support of the Emperor of Romerian and Colonel Leon, he doesn't depend on us for anything."
"Remember, you just slapped the face of the Emperor's favorite nephew. Also, the son of Colonel Leon, the brother and right-hand man of Emperor Caesar. Are you ready for that?"
"Ready to die and be denied even to hell?" Javier added. "Because that's exactly what it means to pick a fight with that family."
☽✪☾
Leaving the Eternal Palace, where the Governor of Zethian lived, Ethan descended the stairs alongside Luanne. Leaving the majestic corridors behind, Darkmoon couldn't help but ask about Theo.
After all, Luanne was Theo's godmother.
"He's fine," Ethan replied. "Traumatized... But fine. He was recently discharged and is already speaking normally, but in that somewhat subdued style, you know? He has some broken bones, but Camille is taking care of him."
'I still don't understand how this man can react so calmly to all this...' a confused voice said in Luanne's mind.
'He... is also traumatized,' Luanne replied.
"Well... Then, it's time for the godmother to see him!" Luanne said, crossing her hands behind her back and taking clumsy steps down the stairs.
"Eh..." Ethan gave her a skeptical look. "You decided this last minute?"
"No. I've been wanting to see him for a long time. But the work at the Cult of Alunne hasn't been letting me breathe... Plus, the annual championships of the Five Great Orders have been consuming me."
"Still spending money on those events?"
"Yes. Isn't Edward participating?"
Ethan shook his head, his face showing some apprehension.
"Ed is a human, not a deviant. He won't be able to join the orders anytime soon..."
"Uh-huh... But how long have you been in Athenian?"
"Hmm... About two weeks. Theo needed to be transferred here, and so did I... We stayed at Elijah's house."
"And why didn't you tell me?! I would've come right away, you know that. You wouldn't have had to submit to your detestable brother..."
He sighed and shrugged.
"Yeah. But it was good, actually. Sthefanny taught Theo math and languages, and he was helping Elijah's daughter, Chloe, understand physics and chemistry."
"Good at physics and chemistry but bad at math?" Luanne joked.
"I'm surprised a five-year-old can understand those two areas of science so well."
Luanne agreed, showing absolute silence. They descended the path completely, with no more words spoken. Both kept their thoughts secret, though they were entirely similar: they were deeply concerned about Theo.
When they reached the sidewalk, they were approached by a soldier who was a die-hard fan of Ethan...
"Sir Ethan!" shouted Moris Ziziel.
Startled by the shout but pulled out of suffocating thoughts, Ethan smiled upon seeing the young man.
"Moris!"
"The demon boy?" Luanne joked, though she genuinely called him that.
Eight years ago, when Ethan was just nineteen and a candidate for Grand Master of Vagus, Moris Ziziel appeared; a boy with no fighting spirit, no desire to hurt anyone...
But with a talent so raw and latent that he was compared to the youngest among the Titans: Javier.
'It's no wonder...' The voice spoke to Luanne again. 'His presence alone is overwhelming... Like the true sin of Wrath.'
'Yes...'
"Are you staying in Athenian for a few more days?" The sparkle in Moris's eyes seemed like stars when he spoke to Ethan.
"No..." Ethan said, afraid of hurting Moris. "I have to take Theo back to Loureto. But I'll be back soon."
"In how many years?" Moris asked hesitantly. The last time, he went seven years without talking to his idol...
"Hmm... Six months, maybe?"
"Promise?!" Moris lit up happily. Six months was better than a year (equivalent to fifteen months in this world).
Ethan extended his hand.
"I promise, by my bond with the Phoenix."
Moris shook the Duke's hand.
"I believe you. Hug the Young Master for me!"
"See you later, Moris!" Ethan said, walking away.
"Are we going to get Theo?" Luanne asked, hiding her arms in the large, long pockets of her white lab coat.
Ethan nodded yes, but they would only leave for Loureto the next morning. It was already dusk, so Ethan didn't want to risk crossing a continent at night.
Before the moon could bathe that day, a white owl tore through eternity, accompanying Luanne from the top of creation.