Ulmir’s Castle, Champions’ Lounge. Seventh day of the Hunt. Moments Before The Dark Orbs Attack.

A dark haired man sat atop the ivory throne. A silver brooch was attached to his long navy blue cape. It depicted a snake coiling around a sword which was lodged into a human skull. He had long bony fingers on which multiple rings with precious stones shone. His medium length, pitch black hair was driven backwards. There was a glittering blue sword strapped to his waist.

He didn’t look pleased.

The Photon Monitors had stopped working. They could no longer see what was happening in the mansion. They’d stopped working ever since Myles had spotted the corrupted Photons. The Alfa Photon had somehow fallen ill. It was an unprecedented event that pushed the Lord Supreme to break through the barriers to Ulmir’s Domain.

At least a hundred Priests knelt before him. Their hoods were taken off, revealing all their faces. Some had scales instead of skin. Others had whiskers instead of mustaches. Some had thick fur on their arms and faces. Utar was in front, on the ground, on both knees.

  “I’ve left this realm in your hands Utar,” the man spoke. His deep voice reverberated against the Champions’ Lounge walls. “Never before has this realm witnessed such calamity. Not even in Ulmir’s time, and He was a sloppy God. What can you say, High Priest, that might quell my anger?”

The man spoke in a calm tone. In spite of his hushed tonality, his voice was heard all around the room. To all who listened, they felt chills fill their whole beings. Unlike the cold that resulted from low temperature, the chills they felt were different. It felt like being constantly watched by something in the dark, something that threatened to deprive you of all happiness.

Their bodies felt cold. Their limbs froze in place. They could only look at their Lord Supreme, awaiting their punishment. For seven days, an intruder roamed the castle with impunity. It set a precedent unlike any other.

  “No one stays hidden from the Church for this long,” the Lord Supreme said. “No one except –“ he paused a moment then shot his arms forward. Ulmir’s body was flung to the air. The man with dark hair flicked his fingers then Utar’s body floated toward him.

  “You were a promising specimen Utar,” Lord Supreme told him. Terror filled Utar’s face as he floated in front of the man called Lord Supreme, rotating helplessly. He mumbled some inaudible words while the man kept talking. “You were almost made Prince if it weren’t for that hateful obsession!”

  “My Lord,” Utar stammered as he finally spoke. “It’s him, it’s Darkstar!”

  “Tell me Utar,” Lord Supreme threw the High Priest to the floor, face first. “Do you know why I’ve exiled you here?”

Utar stood with difficulty. His nose was broken. He had lost a tooth too. He knelt again, bowed his head then spoke, “No my lord, it is not my place to question your wisdom.”

  “You’ve always been smart, courteous and diplomatic, sometimes even to a fault. I knew you were hiding something from me, so I brought you closer, promoted you to higher ranks.”

  “My lord, I would never hide anything from you,” Utar said. His mouth was swollen. The words he spoke were distorted.

  “But you have, dear High Priest, you have.” The Lord Supreme’s voice penetrated Utar’s soul. He felt cold, almost frozen. His body could still move but his soul wouldn’t allow for a single drop of Essence to circulate. He felt naked, without powers.

“Only one has escaped the Church’s clutch since its inception and you were behind it. The one you call Darkstar is the very same person you let go. What’s got you so obsessed with him?” Lord Supreme’s question was rhetorical. He didn’t wait for Utar to answer but went on.

  “I’ve been mulling over this question for many years, while you stayed here, overseeing one of my richest farms. I observed you study that painted world. Javad here told me you took it to the vault.”

  “With the intruder looming about, it wasn’t safe to keep it in the hall,” Utar blabbered.

  “Putting it in the hall marks it as important you fool!” Lord Supreme got up from his throne then approached the High Priest. “You have one day to find this intruder, Utar the Seeker! Show me to the vault now. I need to have a look at something.”

Utar led the Lord Supreme to the vault. The latter went to inspect a painting opposite the one containing the flying lion. There was a mansion surrounded by a forest in it. On the lower right corner of the canvas, there was a small shack by the stream. The door was ajar. A mutilated dog lay by the chopped firewood.

Lord Supreme put his hands on the frame then whispered some words in the ancient language. He was frowning while the spell took effect. Ripples went through the whole picture then everything inside it seemed to spring up to life. Trees moved inside the painting as the wind blew. There were some tiny people walking through the woods.

  “There’s a Rogue Scion here,” he told the High Priest. “We can’t interfere now or we’d put the whole realm in danger.”

  “They’ll die if they stay inside,” Utar mumbled under his breath.

  “I tried to pull them out, but I’ve been repelled by some dark Orbs. The Scion’s triggered the tribulations!”

  “What? How is it even possible?” Utar took a closer look. He saw six champions running around the forest. A wild fire ravaged the trees and threatened to destroy the entire painted world. “Someone’s triggered a wildfire there too.” He was squinting at the picture.

  “Better say they died in Ulmir’s trial than be the reason behind their demise.” Lord Supreme pulled the High Priest from the shoulder. “You can’t risk them seeing you. It might trigger a catastrophic event. I’ll extinguish that fire. Let’s hope the game is easy enough. Best case scenario, we’ll have a survivor to announce as the winner of the Contest.”

  “And the worst case?”

  “They all die and we blame it on Ulmir’s anger. What was Avourel thinking anyway? Bringing his men to my farm?”

  “He always complained about the lack of pure Essence in Hera,” Utar answered. “He says it slows their progress.”

  “That is a matter to discuss with the emperor himself. He could’ve asked me instead of playing childish games with Kozag.” Lord Supreme’s dark green eyes fixed the High Priest with silent fury. He pointed his long index finger at Utar then said. “You on the other hand, have to provide results, immediately!”

  “What are your orders, my lord?”

  “Bring this Painted World to the Champions’ Lounge. Whoever makes it out of there must be apprehended. Search their memories then report to me immediately.”

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  “Yes, my lord.”

  Lord Supreme turned to leave the vault when a shiny object caught his attention. “What’s this sword?”

  “It belongs to Darkstar,” Utar replied.

  “How did it get here?”

  “I took it from a champion who claimed he’d found it near the Garden.”

  “Did he?”

  “I’ve searched his memories, he didn’t lie.”

  “Did he see the sword’s owner?”

  Utar took a few steps backwards, his head was bowed down. He couldn’t look his lord in the eyes. “I was about to search his memory when he started ranting about his suffering to Ulmir. I couldn’t risk the Photons to come looking.”

  “Photons wouldn’t have come if you learned to control them,” Lord Supreme barked at Utar. He grabbed him by the collar then brought him closer to his face. “You’ve become weak High Priest. So you let that boy go? Like you did for Darkstar?”

  “Y-yes,” Utar weakly answered.

  Lord Supreme closed his eyes and moved his head around, as if sniffing the air. “His sword has his Fragment Print. I can sense him somewhere in this castle… and everywhere!” Lord Supreme let go of the High Priest.

  “Is this how he’s been deceiving you?” Lord Supreme asked.

  “I’ve gathered all the trackers, my lord. We should be able to pinpoint a location. He managed to elude me alone. One second he seems to be above the Lounge, the next he disappears to the common room.”

  “What do you know about this Castle Utar?” Lord Supreme asked as he inspected the sword in his hand.

  “Nothing much, my lord,” the High Priest replied. “Ancient Magic keeps it functioning, defended from the beasts outside.”

  “Yes,” Supreme Lord excitedly said. “This Castle’s older than Ulmir. It’s even older than me. Isn’t that fascinating?”

  “Yes, my lord.” Utar was looking down, crestfallen.

“There’s a secret here, well hidden. I spent years searching for it but never found it. It’s well guarded you see, by a faithful Watchdog. The first time I arrived to this realm, I battled the beast. It was a fierce creature, powerful. I couldn’t beat it so I’ve sealed it in that painting when I took over.” Lord Supreme pointed at the flying lion painting.

“That thing is flying inside that painting, waiting for someone to feast upon. If you want to trap your Darkstar,” Lord Supreme threw the sword inside the painted world then clapped his hands, as if he’d just gotten rid of some old dusty piece of furniture, “put him in a difficult situation.”

  Lord Supreme smiled for the first time ever since he got to Ulmir’s Domain. His almond shaped green eyes fixed Utar. “Let’s see him come retrieve it now. There is no leaving this Painted World without defeating the Watchdog.”

  He led Utar outside then headed to the Lounge. Utar carried the mansion painted world with him. Lord Supreme sat on the throne once more, crossed his legs then beckoned Javad, the cowardly Priest, forward.

  “I want daily reports, from you and the High Priest. I’ll be gone for now. The mad scientist has discovered something grand, his words.” Lord Supreme adjusted his long navy blue cape then addressed the High Priest.

  “Utar, find Darkstar. I trust you’ll have good news for me tomorrow.”

With that, Lord Supreme created a portal and disappeared within it. The lounge grew quiet. High Priest Utar muttered something and his nose got adjusted. His missing tooth grew back.

  “I want this painting surrounded by guards, day and night. Should anyone emerge from that canvas, notify Lord Supreme at once.”

  “Your Reverend?” Javad asked. His feeble voice was now replaced with a confident tone. His voice was loud enough to get everyone’s attention. Nobody dared speak to the High Priest this way, not even in Lord Supreme’s presence.

  Utar slowly turned toward the Priest, cast his questioning cold gaze on him then answered, “Father?”

  “Where are you heading?”

  All the other guards and Priests let out faint gasps. Utar has never been questioned by his underlings before. The question coming from Javad, the most cowardly Priest, was an even bigger shock. Utar’s brows knitted even tighter. His fists were clutched and his nose wrinkled into an ugly grimace. The room grew quiet. The High Priest stared at Javad with livid eyes.

  “I’ve summoned the trackers to my quarters, you should come too,” he finally said.

  Father Javad bowed to the High Priest then followed on his footsteps, smiling. They left the Champions’ Lounge then headed for Utar’s private quarters, at the tower above the vault. They took several turns through narrow corridors, climbed serpentine stairs that made Javad’s head turn until they finally reached a large, sturdy oaken door.

With a wave of his hand, Utar opened the door then strode inside. Ten cloaked men were sitting around a square, marble anteroom. They all sat cross legged, humming a strange chant. Utar asked Javad to steer away from the circle. The High Priest raised his hands. Two shiny balls flew into the air, dissolved into mist then cast a transparent aura around the trackers. It looked like a transparent half sphere.

  “There’s a reason they call me the master tracker,” he told Javad. “No one can do the job better than I, Utar the Seeker.”

The High Priest approached the transparent screen then touched it. Ripples traveled from the point of contact, throughout the half sphere. An image slowly appeared on the screen, detailing Ulmir’s Castle.

  “This is us,” Utar pointed at a small room atop the castle towers. He flicked his fingers and the room became bigger. “I can see everything I coat my Essence with. You can see me pointing at the screen. Here, have a look.”

Javad came closer. He could see himself standing near Utar, looking at the screen. The sight made him feel dizzy.

  “Some decide to use Familiars, conjure the Primordials and borrow their powers. I took a different path, long ago. I can manipulate my Essence as though it were an extension of my will.

“With the help of the Photons, nothing escaped my watchful eyes – until Darkstar came into the picture. He eluded me twice. I will not allow him to run from me any longer. With the help of these trackers, we will definitely pinpoint his location.”

  “Why are you chasing after Darkstar?” Javad asked. “Your Reverend,” he added after he noticed Utar’s dark look.

  “That’s none of your concern Father.” Utar spread his arms and placed them on the screen. He closed his eyes and seemed to concentrate for a while. Images of the castle halls flashed in front of Javad. He could see the guards surrounding the painting at the Lounge. Great was releasing dancing smoke snakes from his mouth in the Training Arena. The common room’s maid was cleaning the wooden empty tables.

Images flashed before Javad at a faster rate, until they became a blur. Colors danced at the screen. It looked like paint had been splashed at a rotating sphere in a disorderly manner. Everything seemed to turn to white. A room slowly came into view, expanding, zooming. It was as if they walked towards it.

  “That’s not possible…” Utar muttered then took a few steps backwards. He released the spell and the mist screen disappeared.

  “What is it, Your Reverend?” Javad piously asked.

  “Stay here!” Utar yelled at the trackers. “Notify me if anything changes.”

  The High Priest turned then shoot a “Follow me!” at Javad. He disappeared behind the oaken door and the Priest ran after him.

  “I don’t understand,” Utar muttered as he walked down the serpentine stairs. He kept descending, Javad behind him, until the paintings and tapestries that hung on the walls disappeared. Windows seemed to become rarer until they disappeared too, replaced by magic crystals. They shone in different colors, casting their light on the gray walls. They soon reached a tunnel, sealed by a magic door.

  “He’s here,” Utar muttered. He punched the wall beside him, cracking it. Bricks seemed to falter, threatening to bring the whole tunnel down. “He’s been hiding right next to us. Not even Lord Supreme suspected it…”

Javad placed his hands on the wall then muttered a few words. The wall was back in place but Utar still hadn’t calmed down. The High Priest raised his hands once more and cast a spell in the Ancient Language. Green lights flickered in the tunnel.

Sharp sounds, akin to that of a guillotine being brought down, were heard all around the tunnel. The magic door that sealed the tunnel could slice any intruder into fine, thin pieces. It had to be unlocked using a spell only Lord Supreme and the High Priest of Ulmir knew.

  “I don’t understand,” Javad muttered. “Didn’t we search the place many times before?”

  “His Fragment imprint was all over the place when I scanned the palace before. This time, it’s fixed. It doesn’t move about, doesn’t disappear. It’s there, stable, unmoving. He’s trapped in the vault, I can sense him. We relied on all our senses except sight.”

Utar quickly reached the vault door then opened it. Inside, there was no trace of Darkstar. Nothing had changed in the vault except the mansion Painted World that had been taken to the Lounge.

  “Javad, I didn’t bring you along to stand idly by,” Utar said.

  “What are your orders, Your Reverend?”

  “I have but one simple command.” Utar was smirking as he turned to look at the Priest. He moved fast, too fast for Javad to react on time. The Priest was grabbed by the scruff of the neck then flung into the painted world in which the flying lion was imprisoned.

  “Fare thee well,” Utar said as the Priest disappeared inside the canvas. “Bring Darkstar with you. I trust you won’t fail our Lord Supreme.”