The descent of the Third

College Lounge...

In the cosy ambience of the college lounge, Autumn, accompanied by Su and Mei, extended their heartfelt congratulations to Kevin, the atmosphere brimming with warmth and camaraderie.

"Congratulations, Kevin," Mei chirped cheerfully, her eyes sparkling with genuine delight.

"Congrats, Kevin," Su added calmly, his expression serene yet conveying a sense of genuine admiration.

"My praise to you," Autumn remarked in his usual composed demeanour, his words carrying a subtle weight of respect.

"Thank you, guys!" Kevin beamed, his smile stretching from ear to ear. While the victory filled him with joy, it was the unwavering support of these three friends that truly warmed his heart.

*Ring-Ring*

"!!?"

Suddenly, Autumn's phone rang drawing his attention to his phone as it chimed with an incoming call. Curiosity piqued, he reached for the device, noting the unexpected warmth emanating from its body.

"Hmm, quite warm," he mused silently, his fingertips lingering on the smooth surface of the phone. With a brief glance toward his companions, Autumn excused himself, informing them that he needed to take the call, and stepped out of the lounge to find a quieter spot.

"What's the report?" Autumn inquired as he answered the call, his voice calm and composed as ever.

[The Fire Moth are willing to cooperate,] came Cocolia's voice through the device, relaying the news of the Moths' willingness to engage in cooperation.

"Good job. You have done well," Autumn praised Cocolia, his tone reflecting genuine approval.

[You are giving me too much credit, Director. It was through your amazing guidance that I was able to form a diplomatic relationship with the Moths,] Cocolia humbly responded.

"I see," Autumn responded, a faint furrow forming between his brows as he sensed his handheld device growing warmer. "Electricity..." he muttered under his breath, his mind racing with thoughts.

[Is something wrong, Director?] Cocolia's voice broke through his contemplation, prompting Autumn to refocus.

"Yeah, did all of you receive the rings I had shipped to you?" Autumn inquired, a note of concern creeping into his tone.

[Yes,] Cocolia confirmed promptly. "Good. I might not be around for a while, so that will be our means of communication in the future," Autumn instructed his voice steady despite the gravity of his words.

[Um, is there something wrong with our telecommunication? We do have a highly encrypted call system,] Cocolia queried, her curiosity evident.

"No, the rings I've given you and the others are a far more effective and secure means of communication," Autumn explained firmly.

Autumn's inner voice trailed off as he recalled a crucial detail. "Wait, I still need to get Yama's permission to use these rings," he realized with a tinge of frustration.

*Tch* - a frustrated click of his tongue punctuated his thoughts. "Oh well, if push comes to shove, I guess I will have to go back to Naraka to bargain again." he consoled himself. Yet it wasn't enough to completely alleviate his worries.

'I'm pretty sure Yama wouldn't be as inviting as before. I should have cleared this misunderstanding earlier,' Autumn lamented with a heavy sigh. He could already feel a headache coming on as he imagined how Yama's expression would darken during their upcoming meeting.

However, Cocolia's voice soon brought his attention back to the call, momentarily diverting his thoughts from the impending second confrontation with Yama.

"I see. Is there something I can do for you in the meantime, Director?" Cocolia asked dutifully.

"Are you still in the Fire Moths base?" Autumn inquired, his voice carrying a hit of sharp undertone to it.

"Yes," Cocolia responded promptly.

"Then tell the Fire Moths to dispatch their top elite soldiers to Qīyùchéng city, quickly," Autumn instructed, injecting a sense of adamnacy into his tone. Cocolia noted the change and swiftly responded, [Alright, sir. I will do that.]

"Good. And if they ask for a reason, just say the word... Herrscher."

*Toot-Toot*

Autumn ended the call, feeling the heat radiating from his device like an oven. With a grimace, he tossed the device away, ensuring it was thoroughly crushed before returning to the lounge where the trio awaited him.

"You sure took your time," Kevin teased as he approached Autumn, nudging him with his elbow. "Was it perhaps your girlfriend?"

'I'm not interested in young women,' Autumn muttered under his breath, ensuring no one heard him.

Quickly changing the subject, Autumn proposed, "How about we go out for a bit and get something to enjoy? My treat."

The trio looked at him, puzzled. Su reminded Autumn, "You know the sports event is still ongoing, right?"

"I know," Autumn replied. "I'm just suggesting we go for a quick detour and grab some refreshments in the process. I've been wanting to try the matcha-flavored dessert that's been increasing in popularity."

The trio exchanged glances, silently communicating their agreement. Kevin, having finished his participation in the day's sports events, was eager for something cold and refreshing.

Exiting the college, the group made their way towards the gates. However, as they approached, Autumn suddenly halted in his tracks, a subtle prickling sensation running down his spine.

His senses heightened as he felt the hairs on his arms stand on end. "Looks like it's inevitable that the eruption would occur today," he murmured to himself.

*BOOM*

The ground shook beneath their feet as the third eruption descended upon this earth.

*Rumble-Rumble*

"What the hell is happening?" Kevin yelled in alarm as he felt the violent shaking, his voice trembling with fear.

Su looked equally terrified as he tried to lower himself to the ground for safety. Meanwhile, Mei remained frozen in place, her eyes wide with fear.

Autumn, however, remained composed as he looked towards a certain direction. Sure enough, he was met with the familiar pinkish light glowing in the distance.

"There you are," Autumn muttered under his breath, his gaze shifting to his companions who were also now fixated on the mysterious light. "What is that?" Su asked, his voice tinged with unease.

Autumn hesitated for a moment before deliberately raising his voice. "That light?" he repeated, his tone purposefully louder.

As the trio turned their attention towards Autumn, he wore a frowning expression. "That's the light of the Angel. This shaking, it's an eruption," his tone was full of concern, unlike his usual tone.

To be continued...

****

A/N: Hope you enjoy the chapter and feel free to comment. Your thoughts and criticism are valuable in helping me improve and stay motivated to write more.

I am getting slam dunked by my finals right now, seriously, why the fu*k do I need to find the area of an asteroid, I am definitely not going to work for NASA or anything.

So yeah, I couldn't write much. However, I did finish this short chapter. Readers might have to wait another week after this one, and then I will be back to normal publishing. Sorry for the inconsistency.