Chapter 59 -A Ghost's Warning-

CHAPTER 59 -A GHOST'S WARNING- 

SYTAIRIRTH MILLGAURD

It's been almost a month since Pearl, Eugene, general Chuzeoth, and Alter have disappeared. Their whereabouts have not been confirmed, thorough investigation has been made in Inox–or what was left of it–yet nothing has been found. No leads or items that may have survived the beam of light. 

Alter's disciples: Luna Lyric and Juliette Riley have been begging me for them to investigate other dimensions as well as other places close to Inox. Their request was rejected by both my husband and I due to them not only being not knowledgeable about their mana cores but also the experience for it. 

The dragon generals have done their best to have them ready by the next attack that the Elementals might provide, and when the time comes, they will be ready and with their future achievements maybe even promoted from their ranks. But it is too soon to even think about the future with this war in hand, our plate is already full with it and it's overflowing with just knowing that my children along with the general have disappeared from the face of the world. 

My mind stopped wondering, sensing the crystal ball in front of me, stationed in an iron holder which prevents it from rolling or unclearing the message that is being brought forth. A square image–something similar to what Someissoa uses–appeared from the orb, showing a figure of part of the creator of this device. "Lady Sytairirth, lieutenant Luna had established an alliance with the people of Afreon." 

A relief washed over me, but truth to be told I knew she would pull it off. After all it is the continent that she grew up in, her homeland. After leaving her treasured spot as a powerhouse for the people in Afreon, she now became the leader of such a group with her new power in hand. 

"There is something else I want to report," the general said with some hint of concern about whether to speak or not. Weird, I thought. Someissoa is never the type to have a voice with concern if not for trivial reasons. "You may speak." 

He took a second, he was choosing the correct words for his report as well as moment and emotion. "There seems to be another powerful rank that resembles the Espion rank."

Another rank that inhibits the continent of Afreon? Could it be another newly formed rank in the system? 

I questioned whether this system was more effective than the previous one. If the Espions still reside in Afreon, then that means the Espions could have a potential future as magic warriors. 

"And what is this 'new' rank?" I asked, curiosity took form in me as I began to imagine how successful we were to be if we attacked instead of defending. No. I stopped my thinking of hopefulness when I remembered why we were in defensive mode and not offensive. Without Alter, we stood no chance, the scale had been tilted to the enemy's side. 

Somei then started to explain this new rank that the Afrenions had developed with the help of an outstanding engineer, one that could even surpass our own group of so-called great engineers. Having developed the concept and prototype of mana ring–which mostly those who have the output of mana influence now wear in Afreon–made no complaints or even rejections towards this new rank. 

Only Luna and Juliette knew this engineer personally, royalty didn't bother with meeting her because of their 'trivial matters' at the moment and even in the past. 

"That is all for my report, Lady Sytairirth." Somei bowed before cutting the transmission of the orb. The bright color of blue died as the communication thread was cut and waited until the next one came. 

I laid back into the wooden chair, a tiresome sigh left my mouth. Thinking and praying that everything would be great before my children came back. A slight smile formed, back home where they belong. I thought one last time before leaving the room and headed to the throne room. In there resided the King of Ezar, my husband who has been seeing any other disadvantages that could get us weakened or even destroyed. 

Sending scouts to every corner of this continent's dimension and to other dimensions, it's been days since he has had a proper rest. Now, the castle has been almost silent and filled with guards since the surprise attack in Ezar, caused by the Elementals as a result of a quarter of houses in the kingdom were burnt to the ground. 

Hundreds of Ezar citizens are in refuge, those who have lost their home or are currently in look of their lost family members. Right next to the castle is Hannah and Juliette helping those who need it and organizing those who are homeless with meals, water, clothes, beds, the necessary stuff. 

As I came to the end of one of the hallways on the second floor, I walked towards the stairs that lead down to the throne room. In front of the stairs was a picture–a painting if you would–of the royal members of Ezar. Consisting of: Pearl. Eugene. Brelbem. Onyx. and I, looking happily as a family that loves each other. Both Brelbem and I sat in chairs while our kids surrounded us with a smile. 

That was before Onyx disappeared to wherever Alter was, then we got nothing else. Everything after that day was a nightmare, countless days and nights we spent mourning his death. At this very moment, it still feels like he is around me, us. Saying his goodbyes or perhaps still watching over us and with us. 

I didn't have an answer with evidence that this was true, it could probably be something else like the breeze or a motherly feeling. With that anonymous feeling at hand, I pushed it without a second thought. 

If the possibility that Onyx was with us right now, meant that he didn't want me to be all emotional when our kingdom, our home was going to be destroyed if we didn't do anything to stop it. 

Once more, I turned to the painting one last time, engraving the features and expressions that everyone had. "Now that the family has grown, we might need to take another picture for future generations." I lightly said before going to the stairs and headed to the room in front and alerted the guards next to the giant golden doors to open it. 

They both bowed before opening the doors. 

"You guys can now take a break after closing these doors, you both might be exhausted and tell those who are next to guard to go now." with a small smile in my lips I spoke and walked forward, in the distance before the doors closed I heard a little yell from both guards. "Yes ma'am." 

The small yelling might have alerted Brelbem as he suddenly and scarcely jolted his head to the doors, like a child who had been caught with something he wasn't supposed to do. 

He let out a small breath seeing as it was only me entering the room, putting his quill on the smooth surface of the table that was in the middle of the chamber room. Multiple seats were aligned to the liking of the members who also had a saying and opinion on the matter of war currently going on. 

I placed both of my hands around his chest, hugging him from behind before whispering into his ear. "You are tired aren't you, dear? Go rest now, leave the rest to me." 

His tired and veiny hands touched mine, leaving both the papers and cup of coffee he had to keep him awake during the nights. "Are you sure you can take care of this?" His voice sounded tired and hinted at a huge amount of fatigue that had accumulated from the start of the assault and until the present time. 

My eyes looked at the papers he was seeing, his cursive handwriting was sloppy and barely readable. Sure I can understand his writing but that was because of the years together, now if there was someone who didn't spend time with him and saw his handwriting now would be confused on what it said. 

It could easily mean a declaration of war if not treated properly for reading. 

With a little louder tone, I spoke to the guards outside the chamber. "Guards, will you take my husband to his resting room?" without any second wasted, the two same guards from earlier walked in. Taking the king out of the chair was a heavy task because of his fatigue already reaching its limits. 

When they were already at the door's step I said, "And while you are at it, call his maid and take your break. If I find out you two are still outside those doors when I come out, you will be punished for disobeying me." 

Their eyes widened when a hint of threat came out in my words, now they knew that I was kidding when I said that they needed a break. The two guards bowed in agreement before closing the chamber's doors, leaving me with complete silence over the room. 

Anew, I let out a breath but this time it wasn't a breath of tiredness or overwhelming. I instead called for the mana in the air and in my core to slip past and out of my body, making it seem like an aura or bloodlust–like how Alter puts it. I opened my eyes nonchalantly and halfway, they turned to a pillar in front of where I sat down. 

With a serious face I said, "How long are you going to be there for?" No response came, and I increased the mana more in quantity rather than quality. An obvious mistake but not something I can't do, replenishing my mana was rather simple than complicated to those like Luna and Juliette who barely have a month learning and trying to understand it. 

A single footstep resounded, echoing into the chamber, which was closed off, nothing should be able to enter or leave without Brelbem's or my attention. So just who–.

Before my thoughts began to wage war against the problem, the creature or person who had entered the kingdom or Ezar, my kingdom without any sound or warning showed himself. The dark gray color of its skin, the two horns that came out of the sides of his skull, bending like a hair comb back that reached its ears. His dark pupils and red eyeballs stared at the surroundings he was in, like it was his first time in a long time. 

Then, he spoke, a raspy and deep voice that was similar to a warrior who has seen hell. "Queen of dragons, Sytairirth Millguard. I am–" I cut him off before he could finish his sentence of introduction. "You're one of the generals, no, Marshals of the demon king Cinderhell." 

He gave me a surprised look, before erasing that emotion like it was never there. "Yes, and I am here for someone. The demon king requests for that 'someone' go to the demon continent as soon as possible." With a small bow but not a kneel. Arrogant, I thought. Looking at his now destroyed mana core, not even mana noticed his presence. A ghost, in the wind. 

Following his question, I raised a brow to his words. "You're here for someone?" The demon nodded in truth before noticing my confused expression. "That someone is a person we both know, one that has the power to fight Marshals as well as Stars from the looks of it." The words trailed off when he looked around until he settled on something. Staring through the wall like some x-ray ability, yet in reality he was settling in the aura and mana of something or someone. 

A smile crept on his face. Julie, I instantly thought. Off the topic he was speaking earlier, he brought something else to the table. "So, who's aura is that from?" 

"One of our new lieutenants," I responded hesitantly, watching his every move. Do something suspicious and your head will be rolling, I said, something I wanted to say but instead held back and masked my emotions. 

"'Lieutenants'? Then where is the other, if you are saying as if there is more than one." 

"It is something you don't need to worry about, Demon." 

"Racist, are we being now? The queen of dragons discriminating against a lowly rank demon over his curiosity on the human girl with a mana core." 

I opened my mouth to go against his claim, but he suddenly went back to topic. 

"You must have felt it too, the sudden strange and overwhelming aura that crossed various dimensions with ease." 

My eyes flew open, realizing what he had said. The day that the overwhelming pressure veiled over this continent, multiple citizens fell on the ground due to the fierce invisible gravity that stalked them in place. Brelbem and I for instance needed to guard our bodies with a coat of mana, Julie and Luna on the other hand needed the generals to apply mana into their bodies because of their Un sustained mana core. 

"...he's alive." I muttered, clenching my fist in joy that my child and the rest didn't die in that incident. "You didn't know…?" 

Scoffing towards my reaction, the gray skinned demon walked over to the shadow where he had come from. Before leaving, he left some words that even at the time didn't know if they were a warning or a fact. "The child might in fact be stronger than he was before he fought us, but with every time he gains strength, he turns into something he was before." 

Then he left, not leaving a grain of his existence or any evidence that he was here, only his words and news that brought me joy and at the same time horror.