Lysander's voice resonated with a sense of urgency as he addressed the gathered Oracles, his brow furrowed in deep contemplation.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the Oracle Council, our connection to the divine remnants has been severed," Lysander began, his tone somber yet resolute. "As a result, I can no longer utilize the Aetherblade to reach Delphos swiftly without alerting the Annihilator."

He paused, allowing the weight of his words to settle among his peers. The chamber held an air of anticipation, every gaze fixed upon the Chief Oracle.

"We must remember," Lysander continued, his voice carrying a steely resolve, "that the Annihilator will not tolerate the direct involvement of a Divine Sentinel, regardless of his indifference towards Valeria's affairs. Our actions must be subtle, swift, and concealed from his watchful gaze."

A murmur of agreement rippled through the council, the gravity of their situation hanging heavy in the air.

"So what? Are you not ready to sacrifice yourself for the protection of the world? Did you listen to your own prophecy? We paid the ultimate price for the prophecy-- the loss of our entire foundation as an organization. And you refuse to take it seriously enough to send yourself in?"

Lysander looked at the sole dissenter. One of the oldest members of the Oracles who had been around since the beginning, tens of thousands of years ago.

"Old man, do you think thats my hangup with sending myself in? You don't understand the power of the Annihilator. The moment I even begin to summon the intent to teleport to Delphos he will sense it and interfere-- by coming here and wiping us out. We cannot do anything that will tip him off to my aggression because of my status as a Divine Sentinel. Nothing else will make him care."

"Instead, I say we activate our hidden units in the Aurorith province right now. We don't know how long we have. For all we know the child could have left Delphos already. All members of the organization will be sent in waves to "reinforce" the Auroriths. We must make sure to slaughter everyone within the town, down to the last man, woman or child. The child may be unborn, he may be in disguise-- we cannot take any chances. Then, finally, we will ensure our success by monitoring the Kingdom of Valerias records in future to ensure we did not miss anyone from Delphos."

"I command all units to begin scrambling to Delphos immediately. All hidden units are to be activated, no matter the cost, right now. The entire purpose of the Oracle organization, as of now, is to destroy the town of Delphos."

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Despite the gears beginning to turn as a result of his childish desire for revenge, Kairos woke up, blissfully unaware of all that had happened.

The only thought he had in his mind was remembering that his father was coming in order to take him to the military.

And realizing that he had been asleep for a few hours at this point, and his father should be coming by tomorrow, he internally panicked.

"Damn it, what does Prikan know? I don't need the military."

But the more he thought about it, the more he realized some part of him just wanted to succumb to the whims of Prikan. Prikan had been there for his family long before he was born, for decades-- why not trust him?

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

And with those thoughts, he wandered back to Prikans house.

"Did you clean up whatever you were planning? Hopefully it didn't cause too much trouble. I am much too old to cleanup for you much longer. Oh wait. I forgot. You'll be gone and I'll be able to truly enjoy my retirement."

"Screw you too Prikan."

"Tsk tsk, what kind of discipline is that from a future loyal militia member of the Province of Elandor?"

"Screw off Prikan"

"Tsk. I wanted to surprise you more, but I'd rather take you off your high horse now. Your father has arrived a day early-- he should be here any minute now. Say goodbye to your freedom!"

"Fuck you"

----------------------------------------

While Prikan and Kairos were busy casually bantering, the very opposite was occurring at Celestora-- the seat of power for Aurorith.

Unlike most capitals, which were merely reinforced or whatnot, Celestora served as a fundamental part of Aurorith. For this is where the Glass Seeker was contained-- a weapon that was used for thousands of years to ward off the Kingdom of Valeria. Through the power of dozens of high ranked officials, organized under the power of the Half Step Divine Sentinel Grand Ancestor, this beam was the only thing that could ward off Shadowfire as it was able to create more matter faster than Shadowfire could destroy it. It was also able to ward off the Nightshade Legion from regions as well as push back King Valeria, once almost mortally wounding him.

And now, the Glass Seeker was being considered for use again.

The Chief Administrator was the only person currently in the Capital Houses Chief Room who was not a Oracle undercover. And they were all attempting to convince them to use this incredibly important chief power, on an insignificant town.

A delicate dance of persuasion unfolded. The Chief Administrator, an imposing figure of authority, sat at the head of a polished obsidian table, his countenance a mask of contemplation as he listened to the Oracle agents.

Lysandra, her voice laced with urgency, leaned forward slightly. "Chief Administrator, we find ourselves at a crossroads, facing a crisis that threatens the very core of Aurorith. The town of Delphos, seemingly unremarkable, is harboring an insidious force that could have catastrophic repercussions."

A holographic display shimmered above the table, depicting the layout of Delphos and its surroundings. Theron, another Oracle agent, continued the narrative. "Unbeknownst to many, the town has become a breeding ground for a volatile substance, a substance that, if left unchecked, could destabilize not just our realm, but neighboring territories as well."

"We have already sent in troops local to the Province of Distroshade to surround the town."

The Chief Administrator's brow furrowed, intrigue mingling with skepticism. "And how does this concern Aurorith, you ask?"

Lysandra's gaze bore into his, her voice steady. "The tendrils of this threat are far-reaching. The substance, if it were to spread, could ignite a chain reaction that threatens trade routes, disrupts diplomatic ties, and plunges our realm into chaos."

Theron's tone carried an air of urgency. "Chief Administrator, we possess intelligence that indicates this town is also a hub for illegal activities. Its influence is seeping into the fabric of our society, corroding our efforts to maintain order and harmony."

The Chief Administrator leaned back, his fingers steepled in thought. "You propose drastic measures for what appears to be a localized issue."

Lysandra's response was swift, conviction in every word. "Localized, yes, but its repercussions would reverberate across our realm. We urge you to consider the preservation of our stability and the safety of our citizens."

Theron leaned in, his voice soft yet compelling. "Chief Administrator, the Glass Seeker—an embodiment of our realm's strength—is at our disposal. By focusing its power on Delphos, we can eradicate this threat and safeguard our realm from potential turmoil."

The Chief Administrator's gaze shifted between the Oracle agents, a contemplative silence descending upon the room. After a moment, he nodded, a decision made. "Very well. Prepare the Glass Seeker for activation. Let it be known that the welfare of our realm takes precedence above all."