The oppressive calm that had settled over Khandar shattered with terrifying abruptness. The Namil City summit conference, still in the throes of strategic debate, was violently interrupted by screams and desperate magical alarms.
In the Grand Strategic Chamber, the holographic map of Khandar, moments ago displaying calm blue borders, suddenly erupted in crimson. Two major nations, Mycia and Alia, simultaneously flared with indicators of full-scale demonic assault.
"Report!" Chairman Shakespeare's voice boomed, his face grim.
A frantic Guild scout, his face pale with terror, burst into the chamber, disregarding all protocol. "Chairman! Lord Azazel's forces have struck! Two simultaneous invasions! Mycia and Alia are under attack!"
The news hit the assembled leaders like a physical blow. Emperor Khan slammed his fist on the table, his eyes blazing. Queen Ishmaire gripped the hilts of her greatswords, her usual stoicism giving way to fierce indignation. Grand Marshal Valerius, however, froze, his body rigid as his energy senses, usually attuned to Alia's defenses, registered an overwhelming flood of hostile Energy from his homeland.
"This is it," Fitzgerald murmured, his face grim. "The storm has broken."
Moments later, a more coherent report came through Guild channels, projected onto the holographic map. The details were chillingly swift and brutal.
"Mycia... it's over," a Guild operative's voice crackled through the comms, laced with despair. "Xaldreth and Damon led the assault. Their forces were overwhelming. The Vampire Lords... they maintained their neutrality to the last. They fought alone. They were annihilated."
The holographic map showed Mycia, once a vibrant red, now fading to a dead, sickening grey. The very essence of the nation seemed to have been extinguished.
"No prisoners taken?" Chairman Shakespeare demanded, his voice tight.
"Reports indicate mass slaughter, Chairman," the operative replied, his voice strained. "Anyone who resisted was cut down, regardless of age or gender. Those who surrendered... they were rounded up, used as a 'harvest' for... for some unholy purpose. Mycia... Mycia has fallen. Completely. It's a bloodbath."
A collective gasp went through the chamber. The cold, calculating brutality of Azazel's decree, which they had just been discussing as a theoretical possibility, was now a horrifying reality. He hadn't just conquered Mycia; he had made an example of it. A terrible, bloody lesson for any who considered standing alone. The price of neutrality was annihilation.
Adam, Edward, Eve, and Theodore, watching from the observation gallery, felt a cold dread settle in their stomachs. Mycia, with its ancient, powerful Vampire Lords, gone.
Just like that. The diary's secrets, the cosmic scale of the war, suddenly felt insignificant in the face of such immediate, terrifying destruction.
But even as the grim news of Mycia's fate resonated, another battle was raging. Alia. The magical bastion.
"Alia is under heavy assault!" another Guild operative shouted through the comms. "Gargantual and Agaron are leading the attack! Their forces are immense! Alia's Energy Shield Generators are holding, but they're under immense strain! Casualties are mounting!"
Grand Marshal Valerius, who had been listening with growing horror, suddenly snapped to action. His formidable energy aura, usually contained, flared outward, radiating raw power and fierce determination.
"This cannot stand!" Valerius roared, his eyes blazing with the fury of a protector whose home was under siege. He ignored the shocked faces of his fellow leaders. His duty called. His people screamed.
He didn't wait for permission. Valerius, the Overlord of Alia, a formidable Invoker Mage, began to channel immense magical energy.
His hands glowed with pulsating elements, fire, wind, and earth energies swirling around him in a turbulent vortex. He was preparing a top-tier teleportation spell, one that could breach even the intense magical interference of a battlefield.
"My Lord!" Fitzgerald shouted, recognizing the spell. "The battlefield interference will be immense! It could tear you apart!"
"I am Alia's shield!" Valerius bellowed, his voice echoing with ancient power and unyielding resolve. "I am her sword! I will not allow my home to fall! I am a protector! I am a warrior! I am a formidable Invoker Mage with three elemental affinities: Fire, Wind, and Earth!"
With a final, explosive burst of power that rattled the very foundations of the Guild Headquarters, Overlord Valerius hurriedly teleported back to Alia, leaving behind a faint, lingering scent of ozone and the heavy silence of his departure. He was gone, abandoning the summit to lead the defense of Alia.
Chairman Shakespeare watched him go, a grim admiration in his eyes. "He is a true leader. A true protector." He then turned to the holographic map, which showed Alia's defensive lines wavering under the sustained demonic assault. "This changes everything. Azazel is testing our resolve. He wants to break the alliance before it can fully form. We cannot allow Alia to fall like Mycia."
He turned to Fitzgerald and Twain, his voice firm and decisive. "Fitzgerald, use your tactical brilliance. Twain, prepare our most capable Adventurers. We will reinforce Alia. Immediately."
Fitzgerald nodded, already bringing up tactical overlays. "Understood, Chairman. Alia's capital, Aerthos, is still holding. Their primary magical defenses are centered there. We need to reinforce their eastern flank, where Gargantual's legions are pressing the hardest."
Twain, his burly frame radiating grim determination, activated his comms. "All S- to S+ Adventurers, assemble at the primary teleportation platforms! Combat gear! Full readiness! Immediate deployment to Alia! This is not a drill! This is war!"
Chairman Shakespeare looked at the remaining leaders, his face etched with fierce resolve. "Emperor Khan, Queen Ishmaire, our alliance is tested. But it will not break. Alia is under siege, and we will stand with her. Send your reinforcements. Now."
Emperor Khan rose, his shrewd eyes burning with a cold fury. "Otrulia's fleets will mobilize. Our airships will provide cover. We will not allow Azazel to make another example of our allies. Mycia's fall will not be in vain."
Queen Ishmaire simply nodded, her hand already on the hilt of her greatsword. "Kabata's warriors will ride. We will meet the demons on the battlefield. For Alia. For Khandar."
Adam, Edward, Eve, and Theodore, witnessing this chaotic shift from the observation gallery, felt their own plans crumble. The search for the second diary, the deciphering of the first, suddenly seemed like a distant dream in the face of immediate, overwhelming conflict.
"We have to go," Adam said, his voice firm. "We have to help Alia. Valerius just charged into a meat grinder."
Edward nodded, his crimson eyes filled with an ancient warrior's grim determination. "Indeed. Our training was for this. The 'calm before the storm' was merely a pause for Azazel to pick his targets. We cannot stand idly by."
Eve, her usual composure unruffled, merely stated, "My presence, particularly against full-blooded demons and an S+ Horseman, would be... effective. And necessary."
Theodore, clutching his father's diary, felt the immense weight of his new responsibilities. The cosmic revelations were important, but the immediate crisis was here, on Khandar, in Alia. "The diary... the fragment..."
Adam put a hand on Theodore's shoulder. "We're postponing the search for the second diary and the deciphering of the first diary.
The immediate threat is Alia. Your father's knowledge is crucial, Theodore, but it won't matter if we don't have a Khandar left to fight for."
They descended from the gallery and approached Chairman Shakespeare, who was still issuing commands.
"Chairman!" Adam called out. "We're going to Alia. We're ready."
Chairman Shakespeare turned, his gaze sweeping over them. "Adam, Edward, Eve, Theodore. Your resolve is admirable. But this is not a mission for a small group. This is a full-scale war. We are sending in our highest-ranked Adventurers, entire battalions."
"With all due respect, Chairman," Edward interjected, his voice firm. "We have faced an S+ Horseman and lived. Our unique skills, particularly Eve's, will be invaluable on a battlefield filled with full-blooded demons.
And Theodore's affinity, while not overtly combative, could be crucial in shoring up Alia's defenses. We are not just adventurers; we are a specialized unit."
Eve stepped forward, her blue eyes gleaming with unshakeable resolve. "The immediate threat is from beings of my father's lineage, Chairman. I understand their tactics. I understand their weaknesses. I can counter them in ways no human can."
Theodore, surprising even himself, spoke up, clutching his cane. "My Earth Invoker affinity has been refined, Chairman. I can reinforce crumbling defenses, create tactical barriers, and even redirect energy flows on a battlefield. I am ready to use my knowledge and my magic to protect Alia."
Chairman Shakespeare looked at the four of them, his gaze assessing. He saw not just four individuals, but a cohesive, highly trained, and uniquely capable unit, hardened by their recent ordeal. And he saw the unwavering determination in their eyes. He knew that their unique blend of skills could make a difference, particularly with Eve's insights into demonic combat and Theodore's earth manipulation.
He let out a sigh, a mix of resignation and grim satisfaction. "Very well. You will be part of the advance element. Chairman Shakespeare will send a bunch of Rank S- to S+ Adventurers to help Alia. You four will be among them. Coordinate with Fitzgerald.
Twain will brief you on the specifics of the deployment. And for the love of Khandar, come back alive."
"Yes, Chairman!" Adam said, a surge of adrenaline flowing through him.
As they turned to prepare, the reality of the situation solidified. The summit was over.
The planning was done. The war was no longer a distant threat or a strategic exercise. It was here, now. Mycia had fallen, a grim warning. Alia was fighting for its life. And Adam, Edward, Eve, and Theodore were about to step into the inferno, their personal quest put on hold, as the fate of Khandar hung precariously in the balance. The calm was gone. The storm was here.