The man began pacing now, his hands clasped behind his back as though relishing the memories.
"The offspring were stripped of their full powers, forced to play this game within the constraints of the lower worlds. It was no longer just about brute force; it became a game of strategy, manipulation, and intelligence. For me, it was perfect."
His steps slowed as his gaze fell on Jezeneth once again.
"I took over many worlds. Dozens, in fact. I enjoyed playing the little game. But then I found something… fascinating."
"Eldoralth. A world at the pinnacle of the lower planes. A world so advanced, so powerful, that with our limited power, brute force alone could not conquer it. It became my… pet project. A challenge unlike any other."
"I realized," he continued, "that to take over Eldoralth, I would need to destabilize it from within. So, I did what I do best. I planted seeds of doubt, whispered promises into eager ears, and the Mugruel…" He laughed,
"Ah, the Mugruel. They turned on the Eldorians with such ferocity. It was delightful to watch. A world crumbling from within, its power shattered into nineteen cores. A masterpiece."
His laughter faded, and his tone turned cold and low, the air itself seeming to chill.
"But then something unexpected happened. When everything settled, the cores were gone. Not with the Mugruel, not scattered among the conquerors… simply vanished. And I—" His crimson eyes burned as the atmosphere responded to his anger.
"I hate loose ends."
The man straightened, his smile returning, but this time it felt maniacal.
"So, I waited. Centuries passed, but I am nothing if not patient. And now, Jezeneth, the cores have returned. And I will have them. Every single one."
He stepped closer, his presence oppressive.
"Which brings me to the matter of the human child. Tell me, Jezeneth… tell me everything about him."
Jezeneth swallowed hard. She took her time, seconds to digest everything she had just heard.
It was too much.
Jezeneth had been told about the history of Eldoralth by her mother long before she had reached the paragon rank. It had been a mind-blowing revelation, and she had always wondered just how her mother knew. But now, it was quite obvious that the information had come from this man.
And now, this same man had revealed even more shocking truths. He had come from a higher plane? He was here to take over Eldoralth?
Her gaze flickered.
'The Zorvans…'
The alien race that had suddenly attacked them. Their advanced technology and overwhelming strength. Eldoralth was supposed to be at the peak of the lower worlds, and yet… they were losing to the Zorvans.
Could this be the reason why?
Her mind raced with such intensity it felt blinding.
But suddenly, Jezeneth felt it. The shift in the atmosphere. Crushing.
Her form jolted downward, straining as she tried to stop her body from being flattened to the floor. Her eyes shakily faced up, landing on the man who silently stared at her with his piercing crimson gaze, expressionless.
He would not repeat himself.
She gritted her teeth and started speaking.
"He… is an anomaly…"
Jezeneth tried to hold back her anger as she spoke about Atticus. From the first time she saw him at the apex competition to their subsequent encounters, and finally to today's event where he killed a grand elder of the Vampyros race.
"…It was brief, but I saw him using the power of the Auralithians," Jezeneth finished, narrating everything.
The hall fell silent.
A smile appeared on the man's face.
"Good," he said, "Very good. It seems this little game has become far more interesting."
He clasped his hands behind his back, his thoughts spilling aloud.
"To think he had been able to absorb a core in such a short time… An anomaly indeed. A curiosity. But one that must be studied, nurtured, and—" he paused, his smile widening, "—broken if necessary."
Turning away from Jezeneth, he gazed into the distance as though watching unseen pieces on an invisible board shift and realign.
A faint spark of excitement flickered in his eyes, barely restrained.
"The Dimensari have seven cores, and you…" His eyes briefly flickered back to her, sharp and knowing. "You possess two. Now, this child has two as well. That makes eleven."
He tapped a finger lightly against his chin, speaking as though mulling over an exquisite puzzle.
"The remaining cores are with the surviving apexes of the different races. They are scattered. Scattered and coveted. Each one of them, desperate to claim the rest." He chuckled, low and rumbling. "Such predictable greed."
"They won't unify on their own. Someone should… help them."
He turned sharply, his crimson gaze locking onto Jezeneth with the weight of a predator sizing up its prey.
"Jezeneth," he said, "it's time to start a new game."
Jezeneth froze. She didn't like the sound of that.
"Listen carefully…"
As the man spoke, Jezeneth's eyes widened more and more, until it seemed a mystery how they hadn't popped out of their sockets.
After he finished, the man began laughing, low and controlled. He settled into the chair by the table, tapping his finger ever so slowly.
"Now, tell me about the man who interrupted your fight," he said.
Jezeneth's eyes briefly flickered with anger as she recalled the amused expression on Whisker's face. She clenched her fists.
That human trash…
Her gaze sharpened in the next instant as she turned to look at the man.
'Red eyes, blue hair…'
Those features could be found anywhere, especially in a world with diverse bloodlines like Eldoralth. She had never seen this man fight and had no idea what his power was.
However, as the image of Whisker flashed in her mind and the feeling she had when battling him surged through her, she couldn't help but draw similarities between them.
The man smiled, a knowing smile, but said nothing.
With gritted teeth, Jezeneth narrated everything she knew about Whisker, from their first meeting at the Dimensari domain to today's battle.
The only sound was the steady tapping of fingers on the table as the man stared into the void.
"Whisker, huh," he murmured.
He smiled, a wide, maddening smile.
"It looks like my lovely brother is here."