The fight was over, but the excitement lingered in the air. The crowd of onlookers, a mix of trained soldiers, experienced lieutenants, and newcomers to Ironmarch, slowly dispersed.
Some were talking excitedly, marveling at the sheer spectacle they had just witnessed.
"Did you see that?" one soldier said to another, his voice filled with awe. "The Prince was using his sword and magic at the same time! It was crazy!"
Another soldier nodded in agreement. "And that Kellen guy! His moves were so fluid. That invisible wall… I've never seen anything like it. And that feeling… it felt like my soul was being crushed!"
A few of the lieutenants, however, stood for a moment longer, lost in thought. They were hardened veterans, but the display of power they had just witnessed was on a different scale than anything they had ever encountered.
It gave them a glimpse into the true might that existed in the world beyond their small city.
"To be able to achieve that level of power…" one lieutenant said, his voice a low whisper. "It is something I long to achieve in my lifetime."
Luceran, Kellen, and the prince's subordinates, Commander Borrin, the lieutenants, and Cassandra's party, then left the training field and made their way back to the main office.
The walk was quiet, a stark contrast to the earlier cacophony of the fight. Everyone was still processing what they had seen, the power on display, and the new information about the Soul Path.
Once they were back in the main office, seated around a large oak table, the atmosphere changed. The somber mood was replaced by one of comfortable reminiscence.
The conversation flowed freely as they talked about their past. It was a chance for Luceran's subordinates to gain a wider perspective of the world, hearing firsthand about the factions and wonders of Primordia from two of its most promising young talents.
"Who would have thought that you had actually stepped into the Mana Engraving and Soul Engraving realm six months ago," Luceran said, looking at Kellen with admiration.
"That was an achievement. You were always a genius, Kellen, but that's on a different level."
Kellen smiled lightly, accepting the praise. "That was also because of the resources and the help from my teacher," he said humbly.
As he spoke, Kellen's mind drifted back to his past. He had been an orphan, living on the streets, barely surviving. His life had changed forever when the principal of the Immortal Academy, a kind old man, discovered his talent.
The principal had taken him in, raised him, and at the right age, enrolled him into the academy. During his assessment, the principal found out that Kellen possessed a 'Five Elements Body,' a special physique that made him naturally attuned to all five elements. Wind, water, fire, earth, and lightning. This made it easier for him to understand and manipulate them, making his comprehension of elemental magic far faster than his peers.
Knowing this information, the world treated Kellen as the future of the academy. He was not only a personal student of the principal but also possessed a rare and special physique. The combination was a recipe for greatness.
And he had not disappointed the hype. With his intelligence and sheer genius, Kellen had risen faster than all of his peers, surpassing everyone's expectations, and graduating as the top of his cohort from the most prestigious academy in all of Primordia.
The atmosphere in the room was now full of respect and admiration.
"So," Luceran said, his voice dropping slightly, changing the topic back to business. "Do you know what the principal wants to convey to the Grand Marshal?"
Kellen's casual smile vanished, replaced by a serious expression. "The teacher wants to convey a message regarding something that happened at the border of the Abyss."
Hearing this, Luceran's relaxed expression turned serious as well. He leaned forward, his elbows on the table. "The Abyss, you say? Why? Is there something serious that has happened?"
"I do not know yet," Kellen replied, his voice grave. "The content of the message is sealed, and my teacher specifically said that it must be hand-delivered to the Grand Marshal. He wouldn't risk sending it through a message stone or anything else." He sighed at the seriousness of the matter.
"I see," Luceran said, his mind already thinking over the possibilities.
His subordinates looked confused, unsure if they should be hearing this conversation. The Abyss was a place of legend, a place of war and danger, far beyond their reach.
But one of the lieutenants, Karl, couldn't help but ask, his voice innocent and straightforward, "Isn't the Abyss the place where the forces of Primordia are fighting together as one against the Eldritch force?"
"Yes," Luceran said with a short nod, confirming his words.
Commander Borrin, a man who had seen many things but never this, couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness, if I may ask, the Crown Prince is stationed at the Abyss, right?"
Luceran nodded once more, and a collective gasp of awe could be heard from Cassandra's party. "Amazing! The Crown Prince is stationed at such a dangerous place!" one of her friends exclaimed.
"Well…" Kellen started, a faint smile on his face. "Luceran's older brother, the Crown Prince of the Kyros Divine Empire, is not only stationed there, but he's serving as the Supreme Commander of the Eldritch Eradication Force."
What?
The subordinates were in absolute shock. Their mouths were wide open, their eyes bulging. The Supreme Commander? That position was the pinnacle of military power in Primordia, a position that commanded the respect of every faction and every soldier.
They could not believe that the person who held that position was none other than their own Crown Prince.
"The Crown Prince of the Kyros Divine Empire is the epitome of might and victory there," Kellen described, his voice filled with reverence. "From the day he took command, there has never been a defeat for the Abyss Eradication Army. And only small skirmishes have happened, compared to when the old commander was in charge. It is as if his presence itself is a guarantee of safety."
Hearing this, Luceran sighed and shook his head, a complex mix of emotions in his eyes. "Brother is indeed amazing."
The conversation continued as they all talked about the Crown Prince's achievements, his prowess, and his legendary battles. It was a discussion that gave a new perspective to all the subordinates and a new goal to strive for.
After a while, they talked about their past, their experiences at the academy, and the pranks they had played on each other.
In a far-away place, away from the bustling streets of Ironmarch, a dark, grotesque being ran through the silent wilderness. His body was lean and fluid-like, with strange, tentacled limbs that moved in a fluid, weird rhythm. He was twice the size of an adult man.
As he walked past the trees, they could be seen slowly decomposing, their leaves withering and their bark turning to a fine, dark powder. The ground beneath his feet was also painted dark as he passed, showing a trail of corrupted earth.
He continued his run until he arrived at a cliff overlooking a small, peaceful town bathed in the late afternoon sun.
He stopped and looked at it, his grotesque face twisting into a silent, horrid grin. Then, he let out a low, guttural roar that was more of a hiss, and he proceeded toward the small town.