The next day, everyone gathered in the Meeting room after a night of fun and games.

"Wow! I didn't think we would have that much fun!" Joker said with a light chuckle as she leaned back on her chair and stretched her back.

"Yes, it was enjoyable.. Livelier than usual and I liked it a lot," Olivia added, smiling as she remembered the games from last night.

An entire night drinking Rice Wine, while playing cards, singing, laughing and eventually sleeping. Even Randolph participated as the Authority of Flame healed his body.

Abraxas cleared his throat, before speaking. "Let's focus on the things ahead of us. I'm sure we'll be meeting again in an year or two."

"That's quite early for another one. But let's start the meeting.. What do you want to discuss so badly, Abraxas?" Lilly spoke, noticing uncertainty in Abraxas's tone.

"I want to relay bits of information to everyone present here. But before I do, I want everyone to take an oath that you won't let this information be known to anyone else but you," Abraxas said as even the smile from Hari's face disappeared.

The room visibly tensed up as everyone present there looked at Abraxas, waiting for more clarification.

"Should I take your silence as Yes?" He asked as he looked at everyone.

Everyone nodded, as this was coming from Abraxas and could not be taken lightly. The Shadows in the meeting room trembled, as they nodded when Abraxas looked at them with a hopeful glimmer in his eyes.

"Previously, This information was limited to Olivia, Lilly and Voice.. But it's about time that all of you know and prepare for it," Abraxas said before he took a deep breath. "Many of us might die at the end of this too."

His words silenced the room. Even the slightest creak when shifting in one's chair echoed throughout the room.

"Just what do you four know that we don't," Randolph asked, his voice cracked as the Authorities had left his body after he was healed, leaving him a bit weak.

"Do you know of Evil Gods?" Abraxas asked as he looked at Randolph.

The very mention of Evil Gods made a few of the Proxies shiver while Seeker was attentive and wrote every word that he spoke.

"Even calling them Gods might be underestimating the threat they pose," Abraxas spoke. "And one of them is in Techonia.. right at this moment. Scheming something so grand yet evil that we cannot fathom."

"Then why are we not attacking such a being outright? Why sit in this room and discuss them?" Felicia asked with a horrified look on her face.

'Just what kind of being would it be to instill fear in Abraxas's head?' She thought to herself.

"We would have died.. and even if we did succeed, everyone else in this world would've died... No, I don't think death would be the worst outcome if that were true," Abraxas spoke as he stood up, the sheer anxiety in his body when he thinks of these beings doesn't allow him to sit.

"This meeting was important as I wanted to warn everyone.. Protect your people with everything you have. Be prepared for the worst.. In the best case scenario, we hold another meeting in a year.. But worst case.." Abraxas couldn't complete his sentence as he bit his lips.

"As many as six of us can die if Abraxas fails.. And most of us can't leave our own people unattended." Olivia completed his sentence.

"And you are telling us this just NOW?!" Hari shouted and banged her table. Her face showed her anger as she thought, 'Just why would you hold this information for so long?'

And this wasn't just Hari's thoughts, it was everyone who just came to know about it.

"Because the more you know about them, the stronger they are," Abraxas answered their thoughts as if he read them. "And even now, I can't tell you all about them. Just be prepared for the worst. It might not happen immediately but it will happen."

"We have already taken oaths to not give away this information.. Since they seem to work as a memetic virus," Voice said calmly, her eyes glowing gold as her next word seal the oath. "This oath is hereby in action. Failure to hold up the oath will lead to your tongue severed."

And just like that, the Melody of Oath was imprinted on the soul of everyone present. This was Voice's Authority as the Second Proxy of Lyra, an authority that was further nurtured by the Seed inside her.

"That's all I wish to say for now," Abraxas said before he quietly sat down. The trembling shadows had also stopped leaving the room dead quiet once again.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

"So.. Abraxas, do you mind if I ask, who'd be fighting in the war?" Joker asked, her worry wasn't hidden despite her masked face.

"It's going to be finalised in a month. As far as I am concerned, this isn't a battle you can win with numbers. And with Rina and Austin's help, I can only pray that the Empire and Republic don't quarrel over Techonia.. for the time being at least," Abraxas said calmly before he was interrupted by Xavia.

"Wait a second.." Xavia stood up and looked at Abraxas as if he was scaring an infant. "You mean Rina Demia and the Crown Prince of the Garharia Empire?"

"Yes, those two.. Some of you might have experienced a few days ago when days were repeating," Abraxas said calmly, making a few of the Proxies present exclaim in surprise.

"Yes.. It happened a few thousand times at least, with the times varying between each cycle. What about it?" Xavia asked.

"Well, Austin was the one regressing as Apostle of Noganonozue, continuously regressing after being killed by a subordinate of his, who was being controlled by them." Abraxas said calmly while Xavia was horrified, yet he continued to speak.

"Eventually Rina awakened as the Apostle of Rudandon and the cycle was broken.. I think you are aware of their engagement becoming public. It was big news after all," And just as Abraxas stopped speaking, Xavia shouted as if the ground was slipping beneath her feet.

"You are.. telling me.. that you knew about their engagement too?" Xavia spoke.

"Yes.." Abraxas replied before his expression suddenly turned to horror as Xavia began crying.

"I thought I was the special one?! Rina.. You idiot.. You said I was the only one." Xavia muttered while crying. She felt like she was betrayed, robbed of the one thing that made her and Rina's friendship special.

Seeing such cheerful behaviour from other Proxies after what had been a rollercoaster ride about the reveal of Evil Gods and even the uprising of Two Apostles, Randolph couldn't wrap his head around it. He couldn't believe that they were not worried about anything.

And as if reading Randolph's mind, Olivia spoke to him while the others were either consoling Xavia or were trying to teach Abraxas as to why Xavia was so upset, since he was clearly distraught by Xavia's reactions.

"You must be thinking why we aren't worried.."

Randolph nodded as he really couldn't understand the light-hearted atmosphere of the meeting room.

"That's because we trust Abraxas. If he is disclosing it, that only means he has plans. And you have first hand experience of his strength.. To overcome challenges that would eclipse anyone else and make them fall into despair."

Olivia spoke with a soft smile. She trusted Abraxas, so much that she could bet her life on him. Though the matter of the Evil Gods wasn't a cakewalk, she still has faith.

"I see.. I see why everyone trusts him," Randolph replied in a low voice, smiling as the last shrewd of doubt in his mind vanished upon witnessing Olivia's trust in Abraxas.

"I will trust him too.." Randolph mumbled to himself and Olivia smiled as if she heard him.

Meanwhile, Lilly was trying to teach Abraxas how a girl treats her friendship as a sacred vow, to tell each other everything, sometimes a bit late and sometimes before it even happens. While Voice and Hari tried their best to console Xavia.

And after Xavia calmed down, the meeting proceeded.

"So, let us wrap up this meeting. I wish everyone here a Best of Luck. May God's blessings bring you success."

Olivia said, before everyone got up and slowly started to leave. It was now time to prepare for a scenario that might as well change the world as they know it.

A change that might turn the world upside down and usher into a new era. From the Era of Gods to something far worse..

But for now, everything was calm.

In the meeting, Olivia was standing by herself as Alceres went back to her chambers to rest. She needed to prepare a safety plan for her people and for that, she might have to leave for the Demon Realm.

"Abraxas.. You can come out now," Olivia said calmly after seeing that everyone was gone.

Right as she spoke, Abraxas came out of the Dark Corner, his eyes were dilated, his entire body was cold as ice, as if he was holding himself from passing out.

Upon seeing Abraxas in such a state, Olivia quickly ran to him, helping him stand by giving him a shoulder. "I'm sorry.. I could've asked Hari to heal you.." Olivia said, torn apart by the inability to ask for help.

"No, it's alright.. I'm sure Lilly and Voice knew this as well. Lilly was aware that I wasn't the one in that seat," Abraxas spoke before he coughed up a bit of blood, a lot of it falling on the floor while some splattered on their clothes.

"It's alright.. Abraxas.." Olivia said as she dragged Abraxas's body to a nearby chair. She quickly ran to Abraxas's desk and took out an emergency pouch of blood for Abraxas to feed on.

She quickly came back and handed it to Abraxas, calming down once his pupils returned back to normal.

"You don't have to disclose the information if it hurts you this much," Olivia spoke, worried about Abraxas.

"It wasn't even that much information.. And I'm still nearly dying. If it weren't for the Seed.. I'm sure, you would have been arranging a funeral for me," Abraxas said, smiling as he tried to joke about his condition but his condition was much worse on the inside.

His organs were jumbled and he was sure that he had ripped a few veins. If it weren't for his Regenerative Factor and the blood that Olivia gave to him, he would be writhing in pain.

"Just stop talking for a minute and let your body heal.." Olivia said, almost shouting at him as concern etched over her face but there was nothing she could do but wait.

A similar thing happened when in the past, Abraxas told her, Lilly and Voice about them. Abraxas's condition was so serious back then that Olivia had to perform an emergency operation on Abraxas while pumping his blood with the strongest anaesthetic drug that Mermors had just to save him. The information that Abraxas has, corrodes his body when he tries to spread that information.

The knowledge about them is cursed.. Their existence isn't meant to be known.

But with the seed, he survived relaying information about them to Seven more people.

"You told seven more people about them. You are doing great.." Olivia tried to console him but Abraxas smiled and shook his head, raising four fingers.

"Eleven.. I told this to four more people before I came here," Abraxas said with a smile, before coughing again.

"An achievement.. I know. I survived," Abraxas added, chuckling at Olivia's expression.

"I have a faint idea as to who those four are but please rest a bit before you leave. You have a long journey ahead," Olivia said calmly before she pulled a chair to sit beside Abraxas, resting his head on her shoulder while rubbing his hands to warm them.

"Thank you.. Olivia," Abraxas said as he relaxed himself. At his current pace, he would be back to full health in around ten minutes. So for these ten minutes, he rests his head on Olivia's shoulder.

"It's alright.. Just don't die.. Okay?"

"I promise I won't die.."