Weeks had passed since the global event known as "The Black Cataclysm." Ethan tried to repair the damage by forging alliances with the duchies and counties of the region, so they could support one another.
The day of the world conference had arrived. The day when all members of the High Court would unite to judge the main culprits behind all that chaos…
Alexander Cosmogéno and Christopher Zivot, two of the five greatest geniuses of the Great Five Orders…
"So you simply decided to pin all the chaos on these two?" Ethan asked, incredulous.
In the capital of Romerian, the city of Athenian, in the northern state of Zethian, the most influential figures in the world had gathered… The Titans. The most elite group any nation could possess; strength, power, and influence across all realms…
They were practically gods who dictated the rules. Men above the law itself…
"Not us—the Government. The World Order made that decision…" said Lincoln Durham, the current leader of the Titans. The most robust and eldest among them, his silver eyes now looked confused and devoid of hope.
"And since when does the Government have power over you? Use force."
"Don't get angry, Grand Master…" Javier pleaded, a youthful man with silky hair.
"How could I not? Lincoln, what happened to 'we are the power above justice'?"
Lincoln swallowed hard… With a simple gesture of averting his eyes, he revealed that he was just as conflicted about the legal decision.
Outraged and unable to believe Lincoln's reaction, the Duke rose from his chair and remarked,
"You've become a pacifist… The greatest warrior in history… turning into a pacifist."
"Hey, calm down. You're the one who abandoned the Titans to live the life of a mayor," Sergei Ivanov retorted.
A fervent glare escaped Ethan's pupils, carrying absolute judgment. Sergei was analyzed from head to toe in a single second.
"I didn't know you were hiring court jesters for this position…"
Compared to everyone else in the room, Sergei practically had no aura.
"Ethan…" Lincoln said. "Do you know something? This anger isn't like you."
"Luanne," Ethan called, looking toward a woman at the corner of the table.
Quickly, a tall woman with black hair and eyes stood up, carrying a box covered by a cloth.
With hands protected by specialized gloves, she removed the white cloth and revealed a reinforced glass container—so thick it appeared cloudy. Still, what lay inside was unmistakable: an energy core with a black hue.
However, black energy cores did not exist…
"This is a corrupted core," Luanne Darkmoon stated. "We removed it from one of Loureto's machines. The black substance—this mist that conjures small energy discharges… we believe it to be the cause of the mechanical failures."
"And why?" Sergei asked. "Is it really that hard to admit there was a programming failure in the machines?"
"A one hundred percent failure rate?" Ethan countered. "Remember, it wasn't just a few—it was all the machines. We were evolving technologically; automobiles, harvesting and planting machines, communication equipment… Everything that used even a fraction of a core resulted in this catastrophe."
Shrugging, out of arguments, Sergei only wanted to oppose them.
"Maybe you don't understand cores as well as you thought."
Once again, Ethan fixed him with a sharp gaze.
"Lincoln, you know what to do with this information," Ethan said, turning his back on the other Titans.
"You're leaving already?"
As Ethan and Luanne exited the room, they stopped and looked at Lincoln with friendly expressions.
"Yes. We need to settle 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? Speaking to Ethan Caesar like that?!" Joshua said.
"So what?" Sergei shot back.
"Are you ready to die?" Calebe Van Vouir asked. "Do you 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 could not belittle any member, but Sergei's lack of sense clashed with the group's ideals.
"He was the strongest Titan," Lincoln said.
"Then why did he leave?"
"Ethan doesn't depend on us… Being as strong as any of us, and more than that, having the support of the Emperor of Romerian and Colonel Leon, he doesn't need us for anything."
"Remember, you just slapped the Emperor's favorite nephew in the face. On top of that, 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 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 resided, Ethan descended the stairs beside Luanne. Abandoning the majestic corridors, 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, though in that somewhat subdued way, you know? He has a few broken bones, but Camille is taking good care of him."
'I still don't understand how this man can react so calmly to all of this…' a confused voice echoed in Luanne's mind.
'He… is traumatized too,' Luanne replied.
"Well then… it's time for the godmother to see him!" Luanne said, clasping her hands behind her back and taking clumsy steps down the stairs.
"Uh…" Ethan looked at her with a dumbfounded expression. "You decided that just now?"
"No. I've wanted to see him for a long time. But the work at the Cult of Alunne wouldn't even let me breathe… Besides, the annual championships of the Five Great Orders were draining everything out of me."
"They're still spending money on those events?"
"Yes. Isn't Edward going to participate?"
Ethan shook his head no, his expression tinged with unease.
"Ed is human, not a Deviant. He won't be able to enter the Orders anytime soon…"
"Mhm… But since when have you been in Athenian?"
"Hmm… About two weeks. Theo had to be transferred here, and so did I… We're staying 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 yourself to your detestable brother…"
He sighed and spread his arms.
"Yeah. But it turned out to be good. Sthefanny taught Theo mathematics and languages, and he was helping Chloe, Elijah's daughter, understand physics and chemistry."
"Good at physics and chemistry, but bad at math?" Luanne teased.
"It surprises me that a five-year-old can understand those two fields of science so thoroughly."
Luanne nodded, falling into complete silence. They finished descending without another word spoken. Both kept their thoughts to themselves, though they were entirely alike: they were deeply worried about Theo.
When they reached the sidewalk, they were approached by one of Ethan's most devoted soldiers…
"Sir Ethan!" Moris Ziziel shouted.
Startled by the yell, but pulled from his suffocating thoughts, Ethan smiled when he saw the young man.
"Moris!"
"The demon kid?" Luanne joked, though she genuinely referred to him that way.
Eight years ago, when Ethan was still nineteen and merely a candidate for Grand Master of Vagus, Moris Ziziel had appeared; a boy without a fighting spirit, without any desire to harm others…
Yet with such raw and latent talent that he was compared to the youngest among the Titans: Javier.
'No wonder…' the voice spoke again to Luanne. 'His very presence is overwhelming… Like the true sin of Wrath.'
'Yes…'
"Will you be staying in Athenian for a few more days?" Moris's eyes shone like stars as he spoke to Ethan.
"No…" Ethan said, afraid of hurting Moris. "I have to return to Loureto with Theo. But I'll be back soon."
"In how many years?" Moris asked hesitantly. The last time, he had gone seven years without speaking to his idol…
"Hmm… Six months, maybe?"
"Promise?!" Moris lit up with joy. 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 trust you. Give the Young Master a hug for me!"
"See you later, Moris!" Ethan said as he walked away.
"Shall we go get Theo?" Luanne asked, hiding her arms in the long, wide pockets of her white lab coat.
Ethan nodded, but they would only depart for Loureto the following morning. It was already dusk, and Ethan didn't want to risk crossing a continent at night.
Before the moon could bathe that day, a white owl tore through eternity, watching over Luanne from the heights of creation.