Reign of Terror

As soon as Mark stood up, the doors of the restaurant burst open.

The restaurant, an opulent establishment frequented by the city's elite, was renowned for its exquisite cuisine and lavish decor. The chandeliers sparkled like stars, casting a warm glow over the marble floors and velvet drapes.

Ten men walked in wearing the Republic's Federal police uniform. It was a striking blend of tradition and enchantment. A sleek, dark blue cap bore an enchanted phoenix crest that glowed softly, a symbol of vigilance and authority. The deep navy jacket, trimmed with shimmering silver thread, seemed to absorb the light around it, offering a subtle yet formidable presence. Intricate insignias on the chest shifted colors, denoting the officer's rank and role, their magical thread pulsing gently.

Beneath the jacket, a light blue shirt, woven with protective runes, peeked out, its fabric both breathable and resilient. The matching trousers, reinforced with enchanted padding at the knees and thighs, offered both mobility and protection, the seams casting a faint, reassuring glow.

A sturdy leather belt, laden with pouches and holsters, carried an array of magical tools, potions, and a slender wand. The buckle, a miniature enchanted emblem, pulsed in rhythm with the phoenix crest on the cap, uniting the ensemble with a sense of mystical authority and readiness.

"It's the Phoenix Corps!" Liam gasped and forgot that he was about to start a fight with Mark.

He dreaded at the possibility, no… He dreaded the certainty that someone among the people in the restaurant was going to be arrested. It was said that anyone who caught the Phoenix Corp's attention was someone who would wish they were dead. The instant that you're caught by them, you'll be sealed along with your cultivation and all energy pathways.

Each of the members were rank 4 at the minimum, and had different specialties in magic, while a squad leader is usually a peak rank 4 or a rank 5. It's not everyday that you see a rank 4 or 5 roaming around the cities, only those who had a considerable standing in the Republic could afford the resource drain in raising their rank. Possibly, they might even be geniuses that were raised by the Republic.

Liam shuddered at the legends of the prison in Stormhaven where all criminals caught by the Phoenix Corps were sent. In that prison, there was no light, no water, no food, and the only sound you would hear inside the prison cages were the endless howls of the wind. Prisoners were sealed and suspended in a state where they are purposely kept alive through magic, but limited all their senses in horrendous ways.

He remembered that it was located in the Isles of Regret guarded by the Elden House of Mistral, and no one had ever escaped from that prison from the moment it was built. 

Just as Liam was musing his geographical knowledge, one member of the Phoenix Corps stepped forward from the formation, clearly the squad leader. With a commanding presence, he announced, "Paul Oakhand, for harboring demons and colluding with the Demonic Order, you are under arrest. You have the right to a trial and to contest the charges before the Inquisitors of Truth in Aeternia."

"I am here, officers." A deep voice resounded inside the restaurant.

The restaurant owner, Paul Oakhand stepped out of a room. The restaurant owner was the epitome of sophistication and charm, traits that belied his dark, twisted nature. His confident gait betrayed the tense atmosphere in the restaurant. As if he wasn't being arrested, his stride was a constant beat of self-assurance and confidence.

"I hope that whatever accusations you are throwing at me has an irrefutable proof, officers."

Standing tall with a lean build, he had an aura of effortless grace. His perfectly groomed dark hair and meticulously tailored suits gave him an air of refinement, making him the quintessential image of a successful restaurateur. His piercing blue eyes, however, held a glint of something unsettling, a hint of the sinister deals and unspeakable acts that lurked beneath his polished exterior.

"You know full well that when Phoenix Corps arrives at your doorstep, you have been deemed an irredeemable being."

The Phoenix Corps surrounded Paul the moment he stopped his stride, but the confident smile on the accused face was unnerving for everyone in the room.

"Arrest him."

The guests of the restaurants stayed still as the arrest was ongoing. They knew that moving from their seats would be suspicious, so they sat down in nervousness and watched the proceedings.

Liam and his company were regretting that they came here at this time. He was just celebrating his increase in rank when a tragedy happened. His celebration was ruined, and he could possibly get caught in the crossfire.

Just as the moment was about to cast a sealing spell, Paul Oakhand suddenly disappeared from the encirclement of the Phoenix Corps. Even the artifacts and scrying spells of the Phoenix Corps failed to see that the Paul Oakhand in their face was an illusion!

As the guests suddenly panicked at his disappearance, the Corps stayed calm and the years of dealing with experiences like this kicked in.

A mage used scrying magic and confirmed that Paul Oakhand was still within the vicinity, but confirmed that he used a high level illusion magic and an artifact at least tier-6 was used to stall them during their confrontation. Another mage checked his spatial artifact if the spatial lockdown was still in effect. Another member used his magic to divine the information of his whereabouts and successfully determined that Paul was running in the sewers. 

The leader of the Phoenix Corps, Aldous, used his aura to make a zone of immobilization. Everyone was suddenly stuck and couldn't move. The cars that were in the streets stopped, the pedestrians who were going to work ceased their steps. Even the birds in the skies were suspended in a flying motion.

The scrying mage confirmed that Paul was affected by Aldous' aura and was seen to be immobilized.

Paul's Guests were previously unaware that the luxurious ambiance masked the horrific truth of the establishment's operations. Now, they were regretting that the restaurant they used to brag to their peers was an underground criminal hub.

Behind the scenes, Paul had made a pact with a clandestine order of demons, trading his humanity for power and the fulfillment of his darkest desires. In exchange for providing the demons with a steady supply of human flesh, sourced from the unsuspecting patrons and employees who disappeared without a trace, Paul was granted extraordinary abilities. These powers allowed him to manipulate minds using his impeccable illusion magic, control events, and maintain his facade of a respectable businessman.

Paul's voice was smooth and persuasive, capable of charming even the most skeptical diner or critic. Yet, when speaking with his demonic partners, it took on a cold, calculating edge. His ambitions knew no bounds, and his depravity deepened with every passing day, as he reveled in the power he wielded and the fear he instilled.

Despite his outward appearance of sophistication and success, Paul Oakhand was a man consumed by his own monstrous nature, willing to sacrifice anything and anyone to maintain his grip on power and continue his heinous acts.

And so, he did.

—

From three cities away, an explosion of great magnitude can be seen as it proclaimed the beginning of the end. News spread that the whole city of Zara spanning 10,000 kilometers in diameter disappeared from the face of earth.

On this day of August 19 of the 78,941st year of the Republic, the Demonic Order began its reign of terror along with the impending arrival of the Abyssals.