Hailian Continent, February 4, 4068 A.D.

Polare Underground Hospital

“The boy is the key!”

Elena Rechione knitted her brows in a furrow as she recalled her mother’s, Malcee Rechione, last words before she died a week ago. As far as she remembered, her mom was the greatest seer of the Rechione clan, a zealous follower of the God of the Celestials named Elesius. At the age of 35, Malcee was one of the generals of the Polare Army, the most elite troop of the Ferchill Kingdom, and played a major role in achieving victory at the infamous War of the Three Kingdoms, decimating the opposing armies of the Roola Kingdom. With her oracles and wisdom, the army avoided pitfalls and traps, repeatedly frustrating the enemy’s plans, thereby allowing them to fearlessly attack the enemy's’ camps. She was called the Seer Matriarch, and her powers and military contributions secured her a great position in the kingdom.

Elena needed to be strong, yet she couldn’t quell the tears falling from her blue eyes, remembering her mother's frail countenance while gasping for her final breath. “Oh Elesius, God of the Celestial, please guide my Mom in the Afterlife.” An assassin killed Malcee right after giving birth to her brother a week ago. Who paid him and for what reason - this was what bothered her mind. Or was the killing related to her brother being the key to something? Malcee had never finished her last prophecy, only saying that her son was the key. She didn’t know where to vent her anger; all she could do was to pray for her mother’s welfare in the Afterworld. Sometimes she wondered why her mom failed to use visions to predict the assassin’s assault, she could have easily avoided her demise, couldn’t she?

“Elena, dear. We’re almost outside.”

A boomy voice jolted her back into reality. Looking back, she saw her father tinkering the scintillating helix command system as orbs of blue light spiraled along its coil from the bottom to the top. She noticed the monitor terminal flashed the “number 2” on its screen intermittently. “Oh, thank God we’re finally out of this underground hospital. It feels,” she said as she tread her way towards her father, “...like we’re in a catacomb.”

“Fuck this elevator, fuck this hospital, fuck this place!” the man bellowed as he slammed his fists against the metallic floor, creating a loud clang throughout the spacious elevator. Clenching his hands, he stomped off to the vacant seat and sat down. Letting out a deep sigh, he shifted his gaze towards the young boy, and asked, “Brad, how’s your brother?”

“He’s okay, Dad,” Brad answered with a sheepish grin on his face. Cuddling his brother in his arms, he eyed at the baby as he cooed him to sleep. He paced back and forth the elevator kiosk while singing a melody Elena was familiar with. “Rock-a-bye baby...in the treetop...When the wind blows...the cradle will rock…”

Nostalgic. Serene. Blissful.

The song reminded Elena of a happy past. It had been her mother’s routine to sing for them every night when they go to sleep. Elena always wondered where the songs came from, since nobody from her clan knew its origin. Everytime she asked her, she would just smile and reply ‘You will know when the time comes’ in a cryptic manner. Alas, she was now dead, and finding out the secret was just wishful thinking. “Mom...I miss you...Mom,” she mumbled as she wiped her tears.

Brad’s singing voice echoed throughout the place as they waited in still silence. All of a sudden, the veined walls and the terminal stopped shining, and the monitor displayed the “number 1” as it flickered. Elena heard the elevator screeched to a halt; afterwards, the door exit flew open.

“Is everyone ready?” Meldy asked as he gazed towards Elena and Brad.

“Yes, Dad,” they simultaneously answered.

“That’s good to hear. Well, let’s go now.” Meldy motioned his hand towards the terminal slot and swiped his card. “Eric must have been tired of waiting for all of us to come out.”

“He should have just come with us. Well, I couldn’t blame him. Fuck the hospital!” Elena pursed her lips and folded her arms across her chest. “After all, this place reeks of bullshit”. Angry and bitter, she could not accept the inadequacies the hospital had shown with regards to its investigation of her mother’s death. A week had passed since her mother’s death, yet they still couldn’t find out her killer, since the recording orbs were all tampered and destroyed.

“Hey, young woman. Since when did you learn to swear, huh?” Meldy asked as he raised his eyebrows. Shaking his head, he patted Elena’s shoulder and sighed. “No cursing allowed, okay? It’s improper for a lady to swear. Your mother does not want that.”

Elena looked down at the floor and twiddled her thumbs. “Okay, Dad. Sorry.” She silently walked towards the exit without looking back. Before reaching outside, she heard Meldy saying ‘Let me carry your brother, Brad. Fuck this hospital!’ She just grinned, and muttered, “and Dad’s wondering where I learned to curse, huh?”

Elena looked up in the sky, and the sun radiated like a blazing fire in the late afternoon. The wind blew in a soft whisper, and it grazed her face softly as if caressing her. “Mom, you’re right. Even in my darkest hour, the sun still makes me feel hopeful, that someday, everything will be alright.” For her, it was like an undying hope, and every time she felt lonely, she just looked at it, and it never failed to comfort her.

Smiling profoundly, she was about to look for Eric when she spotted a body sprawled on the ground. Was that a corpse? She was not sure, for it was charred black, disfigured, as if it was a tree log, yet there was an inkling in her heart that says it was a human corpse. Unintentionally, she moved a few steps backward as she contemplated at the sight. Beads of sweat protruded on her forehead as her heart palpitated; she tried calling her father but her throat was parched dry. She couldn’t move.

Elena felt the tingling on her nape as she moved backwards, realizing that something or someone was waiting for them, just waiting for their right time in apprehending them. Although she was not a powerful magician, yet she inherited a portion of her mother’s prophetic skills, making her perception sharper compared to people her age, and she knew this time she was in great danger.

Elena sensed her body was weakening, as if ‘something’ sapped her strength. Is this the drain spell? Soon enough, she was now on her knees, gasping for her breath.

“Elena?! Are you alright?” Meldy exclaimed as he saw Elena’s condition, running as fast as he could while Brad - now cuddling the baby in his arms - followed behind him. Checking upon her daughter, he noticed that something was wrong with her vitality, and asked himself, “This couldn’t be...a fucking drain spell? A dark mage?”

Meldy abruptly touched the blue poplar ring on his pointer finger and activated the 1st spell of his Holy Guardian set, chanting “Ancient Spell: Elesius’ Dispel.” Being a level 5 holy mage blessed by Elesius, he had access to spells up to 5th level exclusive for the Celestial God’s followers, which were more potent than the normal mage spells, regardless of attributes. The ring emitted orbs of light, which then expanded to about 5 meters, surrounding them with an azure aura. There was a sudden gush of dark energy from Elena’s body, dispelling the malevolent drain spell. Elena wheezed for air, gasping, finally free from the restrictive spell.

“As expected of Chief Elder. Greetings to the holy mage of Elesius.”

Meldy turned his gaze towards the big Oak tree where the sound came from. The voice was familiar to him, in fact, he couldn’t be mistaken about the hiding person’s identity since he had always heard this everyday, since the time he became the Chief Elder of the Rechione Clan 50 years ago. Frowning, he felt a foreboding in his heart, denying the inkling suspicion that surge in his heart. “No need to hide, Vice Chief Garett!”

The great tree swayed and transformed into a middle-aged man. Dressed in black garb, he slowly walked towards them and his countenance come into full view. His features were similar to that of an elf: pale skin, pointy ears, green eyes, and a feminine face that looked gentle and kind. On his hands, 4 poplar rings - similar to that of Meldy’s - adorned his fingers, indicating his status as a holy mage of Elesius as well.

“How are you, Chief Elder?” Garret asked, bowing his body in a slight manner. “Have you enjoyed your stay here in the hospital?”

“Cut the crap, stinkin’ Garret! What’s the meaning of this, you fuck?!” Meldy clenched his fist as he glared at him. “Care to explain, you old fart?”

“So much for the infamous Cursing Elder, still a vulgar, old chap,” Garret smirked as he flicked his fingers in the air. Immediately, 50 figures clothed with black armor emerged from the woods, all were fighting personnel of the clan, surrounding Meldy and the rest, as if they were forming a formation. “Do I still need to explain this?”

Meldy was surprised for not noticing these many people hidden in the forest. Frowning, his face becoming more grim, knowing that the formation of these people he was seeing right now was meant for destroying enemies - the Barrel Formation. There was never a case wherein a holy mage would attack another holy mage of the same deity; it was a great taboo and an insult to the God they served, and these actions usually results to severe judgment either by physical death or soul dissipation. Not sure if Garret was bluffing, he asked, “Are you forgetting about our sacred pledge?”

Garret chuckled heartily as he heard Meldy’s inquiry, as if pleased with the thing he was hearing. “Do you think I have the guts to break our holy oath to the Holy God of the Celestials? Do you think I would waste my time doing things that can’t please God Elesius? Ha! ha! ha!”

“Fuck your face, you monster whore!” Meldy cursed him, positioning his body in a battle stance, as if ready to lunge at Garret any moment. Garret being able to attack his family without any dire consequences happening to him meant only one thing: this was a decree from Elesius himself! “You’re telling me that you attacking my daughter is a decree from God Elesius? Screw you!”

Garret just sneered and shouted with a loud voice, “Obliterate them!”