Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though it didn't make him feel as powerful as his normal Throne, Vahn found the one situated near the heart of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon to be comfortable. It had thick cushions on the arms, back, and seat area while, a stark contrast to the dark and awe-inspiring atmosphere that dominated his Throne Room, the central chambers of the Gardens was well lit by large crystals that cast gentle rays of light upon the various plants scattered in the surrounding area.If not for the fact that the city below was still smoldering from the now-extinguished fires, despite several hours having passed, Vahn would have found the peaceful atmosphere very relaxing. Instead, he had a serious and focused expression on his eyes darted around, seeing far beyond the confines of the Gardens as he worked to protect those in need while punishing those who sought to exploit the chaos for personal benefit. This included the various people who, for reasons he would never be able to fathom, believed it was a good idea to take potshots at the Hanging Gardens from various places throughout the city...From the moment the Hanging Gardens had been summoned, Vahn had been expecting a response from Solon or Zelretch but, even as the sun began its descent over the horizon, neither had deigned to appear. This seemed to imply their acquiescence but, as it hadn't really mattered if they were on the same page as him, Vahn impatiently awaited the moment when he would take to the stage once more.With the Atlas Temple working closely with the Empire, Da Vinci had been able to integrate Shadow, the secondary system of Ark, into the telecommunications network of the entire planet. This allowed them to basically hack every computer system, television, and phone so, once everything was ready, Vahn would be addressing the world. Various news organizations had been streaming the incident since the start, some laying the blame for the city's destruction on the Hanging Gardens while others speculated whether or not the floating fortress was some kind of alien craft.What annoyed Vahn the most about these news organizations is that, rather than focus on the actual crisis below, they were more interested in speculation and making the story sound more interesting to the people. They did everything they could to stir up their viewers, ignoring the fact that hundreds of homunculi were aiding people while the Gardens had simply been hovering silently for hours. He had known that the fortress would draw a lot of attention but, seeing how they basically ignored any positive aspects of this incident, all for ratings, Vahn was growing frustrated.To further exacerbate matters, there had been helicopters flying around the periphery of the Gardens while, in the distance, jets were circling in a large perimeter. These were military craft, each armed to the teeth with advanced missile and targetting systems. Vahn could intercept the radio transmissions between them so he knew they were preparing for a coordinated attack.Vahn knew there were people manipulating both the military and media from behind the scenes as Shadow was able to see their communications in real-time. If he wanted to, Vahn could shut down the entire network or prevent these messages from reaching their destination but, after everything that had happened, part of him wanted them to attack.The more violent the response from the government and military, the more leverage Vahn would have in his upcoming address. He was willing to accept the hatred and ire of the entire world but, rather than conquest, the Empire would shape the world by setting an example and providing aid to those in need. At the same time, he would expose the evil hiding beneath the surface of society, all while simultaneously spreading knowledge of Thaumaturgy and supernatural phenomenon to the public.It was high time that the people knew the truth about the world they lived in and, if they could not change course, their end would be of their own making. The Empire would not tolerate governments manipulating their people while a secret society of powerful individuals ran everything from behind the scenes. He would expose everything, including the fact that the planet itself was a living creature. If people could not see reason, he had no reason to pander to them and continue the destructive cycle that was leading the world to ruin...Still, Vahn wasn't just going to arbitrarily sacrifice half the world's population just to prove a point so, while his right hand tapped impatiently against the Throne's armrest, his left held a miniature golden chalice that, from the moment he had pulled it out, caught Alaya's attention. This was the [Grace of the Root], the Unique item he had obtained after completing the [Cup of Heaven] Quest. It allowed him to make any wish within the world's power to grant so, while it had a rather simple appearance, the tiny golden chalice effectively had 100,000,000,000,000 units of magical energy sealed within...---While Vahn was idling about on 'her' Throne, Semiramis was sitting silently at the side in a chair that had been set out for her. She would periodically glare at him but, as Vahn had other things to focus on, he pretended not to notice. He knew she was just fishing for attention and, while he didn't mind teasing her under normal circumstances, now was neither the time nor the place. Semiramis herself was fully aware of this but she was still annoyed that Vahn had basically commandeered her Noble Phantasm for his personal use.If she were being honest, Semiramis was actually a little happy that her hard work was being put to use; She just wished that Vahn had been a little more grateful. Instead, he had been sitting on her Throne staring off into blank space for hours. She knew he was focused on the crises below but, with multiple bodies at his disposal, he should have been able to spare her a few minutes as a courtesy, if nothing else...Feeling that her presence was pointless, Semiramis ultimately rose from her seat before remarking in a cold tone, "I will be retiring to my bedchamber...if you break my Gardens, I will not rest until your stomach is black and shriveled."Hearing Semiramis' remark, Vahn finally looked toward her and, seeing the raven-haired woman in a dour mood, he released a minute sigh. Had the circumstances not been what they were, he wouldn't have been so forceful in his actions. With this in mind, he gestured for her to come to his side and, though she just stared back at him at first, she eventually came over as called. He knew she must be thinking, 'Is this my chance...?' but, after everything he had experienced, Vahn wasn't so easily wiled.Though Vahn hadn't given her leniency to do so, Semiramis opted to take a seat on his lap as her disposition changed in an instant. Before she was able to do something regrettable, Vahn took the initiative away from her, lightly pinching Semiramis' nose. This caused her expression to freeze, her lips slightly parted as if she couldn't find any words to express the incredulity and confusion she was experiencing as a result of the unexpected action.Before she could recover, Vahn allowed a smile to return to his face as he remarked, "One day, I'd like to see a real smile on your face. Sorry if I upset you..."As Vahn spoke, he gently caressed the confused woman's face before running his fingers down the long fringe bangs that framed her figure. She didn't notice it herself but her long elf-like ears had drooped slightly and, though she didn't blush, he could feel the turmoil of her emotions.After finally collecting herself, Semiramis used her delicate fingers to remove Vahn's hand and, as if her heart wasn't racing, she maintained an elegant and dignified demeanor as she remarked, "You should not touch a lady without her permission...don't tell me even His Majesty is a base beast that doesn't consider the feelings of others...?"Rather than be offended by Semiramis' biting remark, Vahn was more amused than anything else. He knew she was what people referred to as a Tsundere so she had a tendency to make harsh remarks whenever she felt embarrassed. This was one of the reasons he liked to tease her but, considering the circumstances, he just lightly poked her lower back with his index finger, remarking, "That is an interesting thing to say considering where you are sitting, Queen Semiramis..."Though it didn't show in her expression at all, Vahn could sense Semiramis' heart beating madly in her chest as she lightly harumphed, her face turned away from him as she retorted, "I'm allowed to sit here whenever I'd like. You didn't even ask for permission before sitting on my Throne so don't try to lay the blame on me...how uncouth..."This time, Vahn lightly chuckled in response to Semiramis' quip before moving his right hand to comb through her long black hair as he said, "You should go and rest. When all of this is over, I'll help you comb your hair as an apology..."Hearing Vahn's remark, Semiramis turned to face him, her pale golden eyes, reminiscent of a snake, coming into focus as she stared back at him. Then, after squinting at him, she slowly rose to her feet before gliding toward a small chamber hidden at the back of the Throne Room. It wasn't until she had covered nearly half the distance that she finally decided to respond, her back facing him as she muttered, "It is a privilege to comb my hair...if you truly want to apologize, come up with something that isn't a reward for yourself..."With her words finished, Semiramis continued toward her hidden bedchamber, her long hair flowing behind her like a cape as it magically slid across the ground without dirtying. It was nearly 200cm in length which, when compared to Semiramis' height of 167cm, made it seem even longer. She called it a reward but, considering it took nearly three hours to brush and style her hair, Vahn knew it was a laborious task that Semiramis enjoyed forcing upon others.Despite this, Vahn decided he would come up with another form of apology but, with more pressing matters to attend, the smile quickly faded from his face, replaced by a stern and intense expression. The power grid itself had been damaged by the previous shockwave so, with dusk approaching, an all-consuming darkness began to descend upon London and the surrounding cities. Vahn knew this was the period when people would be at their worst while, under the cover of darkness, the military would soon begin its assault...If they attacked during the day, it would be too easy for people to see that the military was attacking the Hanging Gardens one-sidedly. By waiting until the sun had gone down, they could spin the story into some grand tale of battle where both sides fought against each other. Some of the pilots even had orders to attack the ground, targetting the relief efforts directly for the sole purpose of lending credibility to the narrative they intended to spin.With the government and military acting as the puppets of the various families, they would stop at nothing to try and make the Empire out to be the villain. To them, it didn't matter how many normal people died, so long as they were able to keep the power and authority they had accrued over the millennia. Rather, the more chaos they could cause, the easier it would be to shift the blame to the Empire as they desperately machinated behind the scenes.At this point, the Noble families had realized that he wasn't going to keep playing around with them so, while many of the had been content to lay low, they were now forced into action just by the mere fact that Vahn was sitting idly in the Hanging Gardens. They had already moved their most important assets to 'secure' locations so, even if they started a war and lost 'everything', they would be able to avoid the fate of the Barthomeloi family. This was, of course, a mistaken belief on their part so, once they threw propriety out the window, Vahn wouldn't hesitate to do the same...For now, however, he watched silently as the light of the sun slowly faded over the horizon...(A/N: I'm starting to feel better but I'm still having a few coughing fits and a light fever. I'm getting plenty of fluids in my body and a lot of rest so I'm hoping to be back in working order soon. After this, I think I may need to reevaluate my dietary choices and other bad habits xD...)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With the power grid compromised, the only places with any power at all were the various hospitals, police stations, and other emergency services facilities. They had powerful backup generators and several redundancies built into their infrastructure exactly for situations like this. As a result, they stood out as a beacon of hope within the encroaching darkness as people who were unable to reach the emergency shelters began to congregate around the light.Under normal circumstances, a disaster like this would have caused the hospital staff to be at a loss. They were grossly unequipped to deal with hundreds of thousands of people simultaneously as even large hospitals typically only employed around 1000-1500 personnel, the majority of which consisted of nurses and support personnel. Becoming a Doctor in the modern era required up to a decade of schooling and a strong financial background so there simply weren't enough qualified personnel for the hundreds of thousands of people affected by the crisis.Had this been a normal incident, the number of casualties would quickly exceed the capacity of even the largest hospitals. There were literally tens of thousands of people with severe burns all over their body and, with the influx of people seeking shelter, it was impossible to treat all of them. They didn't have near enough beds so many patients were simply left to whimper on military-style cots that had been pulled out of storage. The nurses were running around doing their best to help everyone they could but, with new patients arriving every minute, they had reached the breaking point long ago.It was when things seemed their bleakest that a literal miracle occurred, at least in the eyes of the Doctors, Nurses, hospital employees, and patients themselves...Coinciding with the appearance of the 'alien fortress', a calming warmth seemed to spread through several hospitals located within the area affected by what some were calling a rogue solar flare. This warmth began to miraculously heal patients who had previously been on the verge of death, their burns and wounds healing at a rate visible to the naked eye. Some of the children even made full recoveries in a few short minutes, stunning everyone that bore witness to the event.The hospital personnel couldn't make sense of the miracle they were observing but, considering the circumstances, they were extremely grateful for the relief. This eased their burden considerably, even if the 'miracle' didn't seem to extend to every patient. It seemed to have a greater effect on children as many adults were only brought from the brink of death rather than being healed completely. The Doctors couldn't really be choosy in this situation, however, so they did their best to treat as many patients as possible while entrusting the police and military to deal with the ever-increasing influx of people flocking to the hospital...---This time of year, sunset for London was around 5:15 PM. Normally, this wouldn't matter all that much as you could easily navigate the city and its surroundings using the various street lights and buildings to light your path. Now, however, the primary light source came from various fires, candles, and flashlights. Even motor vehicles and been affected by the wave of energy so, outside of London, almost every street was cluttered with cars and the debris of several traffic accidents.Many people had taken the opportunity to riot as some believed this incident was an actual invasion, despite the fortress in the sky having done nothing for several hours. They broke into virtually every store that wasn't well guarded, cleaning the shelves of more than just food and water. Rather, some believed that the police had no way of dealing with everyone so a large number of people had taken the opportunity to steal various electronics, jewelry, and anything else that wasn't secured prior to the incident.Vahn watched these incidents play out and, while he was bothered by the depravity some people showed during a crisis, what troubled him more was the military's response to the looting and riots. They had come out in force, beating, assaulting, and even shooting anyone they found committing crimes. Emergency sirens had been sounding for hours and a broadcast announcing martial law had already been put in effect so they didn't hesitate to resort to drastic measures, even against young teens and the elderly...Further adding to Vahn's annoyance, the military had actually tried to assault and arrest Gawain and his unit of Homunculi. This was in spite of the fact that the group was clearly helping people but, as they were not recognized as emergency service or military personnel, the armed soldier didn't care at all. Some had even opened fire on 'non-compliant' Homunculi, resulting in several squads flocking to the area to 'suppress the terrorist group attacking the military'. It was such a ridiculous farce that Vahn just gave the order for Gawain to withdraw, not willing to deal with an incompetent force who placed a higher priority on 'enforcing order' than providing aid to the people...With the withdrawal of Gawain and the Homunculi, the only Imperial Forces on-site were Vahn and, as a result of her being inside the Hanging Gardens prior to its teleportation, Semiramis. Merlin was definitely around somewhere but, after taking a seat, Vahn noticed the flowery Magus had vanished into thin air.It was all but guaranteed that Merlin was taking action in the interest of the Empire so, while it did trouble him to lose his Advisor, Vahn didn't question his absence. Rather, he was busy with other things so Merlin's whimsy barely even crossed his mind at the present moment. Instead, his second vessel was back in Antarctica as he poured over the data obtained through CHALDEAS. He had the always calm and composed Sherlock at his side while Olga, Okita, Jeanne, and Gareth were all ready to do anything he asked at a moment's notice.As Vahn wasn't intending to engage in a massive battle for control of the world, he had the almost too-eager girls sit quietly at the side while Sherlock, surrounded by a complex mechanism comprised of dozens of magnifying glasses that jut out from his coat like the legs of a spider. Using these, he was able to inspect and analyze virtually anything as, rather than only show objects in the immediate surroundings, the lenses showed various locations around the world. So long as Sherlock knew what he was looking for, things like distance had no meaning before the world's greatest detective.Currently, Sherlock was calmly smoking an ornate curved pipe, his demeanor a perfect mask that made it impossible to know exactly what he was thinking. Fortunately, he was more than willing to inform you about his thought processes as being the 'greatest' was something the gentlemanly detective took great pride in. The downside to this quirk was that, unless you asked him to explain something, he would continue to thoughtfully stare into the distance without even acknowledging your presence...Vahn understood Sherlock's quirks well and, considering how helpful the man had been, he gave the peculiar detective the respect he deserved. Thus, after noticing Sherlock seemed to lose focus, Vahn asked, "Have you discovered something new, Count Holmes...?"As if he only just now realized Vahn was sitting in the same room, despite the fact they had multiple conversations prior, Sherlock showed mild surprise before smiling as he answered, "Your Majesty, I have uncovered quite the heinous plot, one so great that it threatens to shake the very foundations of this world."Though he really wasn't in the mood, Vahn knew it was easier to play along than try to force the answer out of Sherlock. He could only maintain a serious expression on his face as he nodded in understanding before saying, "Please, Count Holmes, enlighten me regarding the specifics of this heinous deed. Time is of the essence and we cannot afford to sit idly as our enemies machinate against us..."With a thoughtful nod, Sherlock removed the pipe from his mouth as one of the magnifying glasses grew to more than a meter in diameter. This allowed Vahn to see the scene of several cloaked figures sitting around a circular stone table surrounded by ten thrones, each covered in a combination of [Primordial Runes] and [Divine Words]. Two of the thrones were empty but, based on the feeling the remaining members gave off, Vahn estimated that their weakest member was more than twice as strong as Lorelei.Without having to be asked, Sherlock explained, "These are mere projections of the actual people but, using the imprint I was able to place one the Heads of the Godwin and Fraga families, I was able to trace the signal and listen in on their discussion. It seems that the actions of the Trambelio family were known to them in advance. Now, they are considering whether or not to awaken an entity they keep referring to as the 'God of Calamity'. One of the members remarked that the release of such a monster would destroy the world, thus my earlier comment."Vahn could only shake his head in exasperation upon hearing Sherlock's explanation. He was aware of the fact that the most powerful families had already taken measures to secure their legacy and lay low, despite the chaos they themselves were causing. They were completely unaware of the fact that he could summon them through the Throne of Heroes and, in spite of their efforts to escape notice, it was impossible to completely cover their tracks as, with Alaya at his side, Vahn could reveal their Strings of Fate at his leisure...Now that things had reached this point, it was obvious that the most powerful and corrupt families didn't care if they ended up bring the world to ruin as, in their minds, they could simply rebuild after things had settled down. They knew he was no longer playing their games so, in order to avoid the same fate as the Barthomeloi, they had hidden away their legacy while preparing for an all-out war on the Surface. He was already aware of the fact they had contacted various organizations in their control, riling them up to vehemently oppose the Empire's rise.It really was one of the greatest farces as, from the moment he decided to take action, there was no war to fight. He didn't have to conquer the world as, with Alaya and ORT on his side, he was already in control. They just didn't realize this as, from the perspective of almost everyone currently in power, they used humanity as a metric to determine their status and authority. Vahn, however, was focused more on the planet itself and, even if the majority of humanity ended up dying, they would simply reincarnate into another world. He would do what he could to protect as many people as possible but, from the very beginning, Vahn knew that most humans living in the current era would never be able to adapt to the coming changes...After thanking Sherlock for the information, Vahn allowed the latter to return to his data collection as, back in the Hanging Gardens, he pulled out the [Grace of the Root]. He had put a lot of thought into the 'best' wish he could make using the tiny chalice so, with darkness now spreading across the city, it was time to finalize his decision. He knew there was no real reason behind protecting every single person as, the greater the number of survivors, the more troublesome things would become in the interim.Understanding this, Vahn decided to take advantage of a quirk in the structure of the Root System itself. He knew there were a functionally infinite number of worlds and, while they may exist in very different dimensions of space and time, they were still connected through the Root System itself. This was something he could use to his advantage so, after cementing his resolve, Vahn held up the [Grace of the Root] and said, "From now until the emergence of Angra Mainyu, transfer everyone with neutral or good karma to a parallel world at the moment they were fated to die. Make sure the world they are sent to is one where they can thrive and prosper. For those that have longed for other worlds, make sure they are sent to a world that matches their innermost desires..."In response to his request, the tiny golden chalice began to glow with an intense light as a synthetic voice mechanically stated, "It is impossible to extend the length of time to ten years. The fate of the world and its inhabitants is in constant flux. Your wish will only be valid for 1,000 days before it is no longer in effect. Please confirm your understanding and intent."Vahn was somewhat amused as, from his shoulder, Alaya was staring hard at the glowing chalice as the voice it used was none other than Akasha's. As the Administrator of the Root System, Akasha had absolute authority within the experimental field, at least when conditions were met. Vahn being able to manifest an item that acted on the authority of Akasha was something incomprehensible and, as a result, the real Akasha was watching with intrigue as the system worked in overtime to collect data...Without minding the fact he had triggered the interest of Akasha and her Superiors further, Vahn gave a curt nod in response to the voice before stating confidently, "One-thousand days is plenty. Proceed...!"Immediately after Vahn expressed his intent, the small golden chalice glowed so brightly that, even with his adaptive eyes, Vahn was forced to squint. Fortunately, this only lasted for a few seconds and, after the synthetic voice answered, "Your wish has been granted.", it faded away entirely...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The real 'special' forces...!','A version of Sherlock that is full of himself...how rare~','Not what I would wish for but it works xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Solon had already been experiencing a powerful migraine after learning that Vahn had invaded the Trambelio estate. When the massive explosion occurred over the city, it felt like something snapped inside of their brain and, rather than anger or frustration, they felt a distinct lack of emotion as their eyes reflected the devastation surrounding London...The Clock Tower was in a chaotic state but, compared to what was happening outside the isolated Bounded Field, it was a scene of relative peace. Solon had already issued a state similar to Martial Law, preventing movement between the Clock Tower and the outside world. This was both to protect the students and faculty while also preventing anyone from going outside and adding to the chaos.As an organization that had stood for more than two-thousand years, the Clock Tower had various emergency protocols designed to maintain secrecy and order. Even during the great fire of London and two successive world wars, their existence had never been threatened as the Bounded Field that protected the institution was one of the most powerful in the entire world. It could even withstand a direct strike from a meteorite, much less an atomic bomb.Rather than worry about the Clock Tower itself, Solon was more troubled by the escalation of force between the Empire and the Trambelio family. They couldn't understand how things had developed to this point in such a short period of time. The only thing that made any sense was if the Trambelio family, on the verge of being wiped out, decided to take everyone else with them. This seemed to be the only real possibility as Solon had learned that Vahn was the one to protect the estate, not the forces of the Trambelio family...This bit of information did not allow Solon even a moment of peace, however, as Zelretch revealed exactly what it was Vahn had used to deal with the undocumented orbital weapon. He had used the most terrifying existence in the world as a weapon, something Zelretch had been making plans to battle against for over three hundred years. Even then, they claimed it would take an estimated one-hundred-and-fifty years before they were ready to face against the monstrous entity so, knowing it was willing to move at Vahn's behest, Solon knew the only thing preventing the Empire's rise was Vahn's willingness to act.Though they would never admit it, Solon had been relatively enthused about the last month as the benefits the Clock Tower had received from the Empire were plentiful. The Atlas Temple was working with them more proactively than ever before while Da Vinci had provided information regarding her Unified Thaumaturgical Theory for 'peer review'. If things continued uninhibited, the Clock Tower was set to enter a period of rapid advancement and prosperity, one which might redress the stagnation that had plagued the organization for centuries.Now, due to the petty and self-serving actions of a few greedy individuals, all of that was on the verge of collapse. Solon had learned that the Trambelio family had gone out of their way to put pressure on various smaller families, conspiring to set in motion a series of events to show the larger Magus community that the Empire was not some untouchable existence they should fear. The plot involved assassinating several students but the most important objective had been to secure blood and tissue samples of Mordred's and Sakura's bodies...Solon couldn't believe how foolish the entire plot was as it showed a clear misunderstanding of the Empire's capabilities. The Nobles treated the Empire as just another one of their rivals and, while it was inarguable that the latter had immense power, it never crossed the minds of the established families that they were truly unbeatable. Rather, the efforts of the Empire to negotiate and pursue civil dialogue made them appear weak and exploitable. They saw the benefits the Clock Tower had received over the last month and interpreted this, not as a show of wealth and power, but a bribe for peace...Ultimately, the current chaos was a direct result of the deeply rooted corruption and pretentious mindsets common amongst the members of prestigious Noble families. Even when they were clearly at a disadvantage, they acted as if they were in a superior position at all times. They would scheme and machinate to better their position and, failing to do so through above-board means, they always used underhanded schemes to further their interests. There was no limit to their depravity when it came to securing their position and authority as, prior to the emergence of the Empire, the policy of the Mage's Association was to largely ignore any action that didn't directly expose the existence of Magecraft.Solon had never been fond of this policy but, recognizing the futility of keeping order while trying to restrain the Nobles, they opted to turn a blind eye to the truth. Trying to force them to obey would either split the Mage's Association further or lead to an outright Civil War. This would cause the Holy Church to take action and, after decades of fighting, the world lay in ruin. Several incidents like this had occurred throughout history and, each time a major battle occurred, various legacies would be lost, never to be recovered.The Mage's Association existed to prevent the stagnation and degradation of Magecraft and, as no Thaumaturgical field was inherently evil, people had been taking advantage of it for millennia. Now, with the emergence of the Empire, their efforts to preserve their legacy would be their undoing. The deeply rooted corruption that was ushering the world toward its destruction would not be tolerated by the alien Emperor and, with a floating fortress hovering above the city of London, Solon knew the day of reckoning had come...---From behind Solon, Zelretch had been watching the city burn in silent contemplation. His usual smile was nowhere to be seen as this incident was something that couldn't be completely covered up. The Atlas Temple may have dominion over virtually all telecommunications networks but, with millions of witnesses and the apparent disregard of Vahn, the information was bound to spread.Gripping the handle of his cane tightly, Zelretch shook his head and muttered, "I fear the world is not ready for this...the civil unrest alone will collapse several countries..."Hearing Zelretch's remark, Solon gave an understanding nod, adding, "Billions will die...it will be the greatest tragedy the world has ever seen...to think that, even before Angra Mainyu's emergence, the world as we know it will be destroyed."Zelretch released a profound sigh in response to Solon's words. He knew the responsibility for this incident couldn't be laid squarely on Vahn's shoulders but, depending on how things developed, a large scale war could break out. The revelation that Magic is a real phenomenon is bound to shake the very foundation of modern society so, over the next few months, millions of people worldwide are bound to awaken magical and paranormal abilities...Just as Zelretch was lamenting allowing things to develop to this point, Solon interrupted his train of thought, stating, "I always knew things would reach this point, eventually. What matters is not the destruction to come, but the society we will build in its wake. The Empire cannot be stopped so we can only endeavor to avoid repeating the same mistakes as our predecessors..."Having never expected Solon to throw their lot in with the Empire so readily, Zelretch's smile crept back upon his wrinkled face as he asked, "Oh~? What has you suddenly believing in the future that Vahn wants to create...?"Solon's dull expression morphed into one of anger and annoyance as they heard the teasing tone underlying Zelretch's words. In response to the elderly Magus' remark, Solon turned back and said, "That man is able to bend the very world itself to his will. Alaya would not follow him if he did not care about the preservation of mankind. Since there is no sense in trying to oppose him, it is better that we change our perspective and begin considering how to develop alongside the Empire. Even if the current Mage's Association is destroyed, that does not mean it can't be rebuilt..."If he was slightly surprised by Solon's earlier words, Zelretch was shocked by what his green-haired companion had to say in response to his teasing. He could understand the reasoning, of course, but Solon's character wasn't the kind that would acquiesce so easily. Something must have happened to change their mind while he was away...Realizing this, Zelretch stared into the large projection of the outside world and, as if understanding his thoughts, the white-haired magus reflected inside looked back, a smile on his face. This caused Zelretch to release an even deeper sigh than before while, understanding what the old man must be thinking, Solon's expression turned dour as magical power began to build in the surroundings.Before Solon could lash out, Zelretch tapped his cane against the floor, saying, "I will reach out to our branches throughout the world. We'll begin moving people into the underground shelters that had been prepared during the second world war. I'll leave you to contact the Wandering Sea...is that okay with you?"Having calmed down a bit, Solon smoothed out the wrinkles in their robes before replying, "Those old monsters will likely close the gate soon. We won't have to worry about them until the dust starts to settle. When that happens, they're certain to try and contact the Empire to establish an Alliance so there is no reason to pay them a visit."Zelretch just shrugged in response to Solon's words before vanishing in mid-movement. He had a lot of people to contact before this incident became a global catastrophe so there wasn't much time to waste. There would be no end to the number of opportunistic Magi looking to take advantage of the coming chaos so they needed to secure all of the most important heritages and legacies before they either disappeared in the flow of history or fell into the hands of people looking to seize power for themselves...With Zelretch's departure, Solon allowed their shoulders to slump as they pulled out a plush cushion and plopped down, fatigue settling into their usually tireless body. It took more restraint than they knew they had to prevent themselves from teleporting to Vahn's side and lambasting the idiotic man for continually escalating the situation. Even now, it wouldn't be impossible for them to cover up this incident as there was an ancient formation present that could alter the memories of everyone in the city without much effort. As for the destruction surrounding London, they could lay the blame on the sun as, while the emerald light had been visible to those sensitive to magical phenomena, normal humans wouldn't have been able to see it.The primary issue was that Vahn clearly had no intention of keeping the existence of Magic a secret. He had clearly stated this in the past and, after the Trambelio family pulled this stunt, it was obvious that the Emperor had lost his patience with the Magus community. His efforts over the last month had shown he was willing to play ball and wait until a more opportune moment to take action but, as if they couldn't wait to seek death, a bunch of fools had decided to take advantage of this fact to antagonize a force that wiped a Monarchal family off the face of the planet in a single evening...Solon knew that the Trambelio family must have secured their legacy prior to taking action so, even if they lost the majority of their assets, they could still paint the Empire as the enemy. They would then lay low, potentially for decades, before once again emerging as a powerful family within the Magus community, likely with a different surname.What the Trambelio family couldn't have expected was that Vahn was more than willing to play the part of the villain if it meant making the world a better place. It was impossible to avoid this label as, by implementing change that people were not ready for, he would always be painted as the villain. People would fight tooth and nail to protect their current way of life, even if it meant fighting and dying for people that had been exploiting them for generations. In their minds, Vahn was the enemy so long as their government or a few influential members of the community said he was. It didn't matter what the truth was as, in the end, truth and justice were always decided by the victors...(A/N: FYI, I'm still ill so chapters are coming out when I feel like it xD. You'll notice that my writing becomes a little darker every time I get sick, hahahaha~)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1305: Dusk Approaches