[Large-scale attack detected. Diaphane fleets approaching. Bloodreaver, Crimsonveil, and Shadowrend systems under siege.]
Lord Khar stood abruptly, his eyes blazing like embers. "Impossible! A coordinated assault on three systems at once? Since when do the Diaphanes have such audacity?"
Lady Zeryth activated a galactic hologram, displaying the network of the ten Nexus portals connecting the major clans.
"It’s not just that. All the other clans are under attack too. It’s a full-scale siege!"
Another alarm interrupted the discussion.
[Urgent ssage from all major clans! Diaphanes have intensified attacks. Imdiate reinforcent requested via the Nexus!]
Lord Khar slamd his fist on the table, shattering it. "Sound the call to arms! Every minor clan converge on the systems under attack. Ebonveil... let them use their Nexus to send troops to the border. If it’s war they want, we’ll give them a taste of our power!" His voice roared like thunder.
"Those dogs of the Ebonveil clan... if it weren’t for their leader, they’d already be dead at. I hope they can buy us so ti," Lady Zeryth added with disdain.
---
The Ebonveil system was a silent place, far from the contested borders of the galaxy. Its five planets, shrouded in dark mists, were guarded by fleets smaller than those of the major clans.
At the center, the Nexus dominated space, a colossal portal surrounded by towers of energy emitting a low hum, like a heartbeat.
On the main planet, Umbravox, an obsidian structure towered imposingly.
Inside, in the throne room, several figures conversed.
"I don’t understand," murmured Lord Varkis, turning his gaze to another figure, Lady Sylvara, another Nova Rank.
"That planet... it was there. Our subordinates sent the signal. But when we arrived, after days of inexplicable delays, there was nothing. Just an echo, as if sothing was watching us."
Lord Varkis was one of the reinforcents sent after the distress signal from Prish, the Stellar Rank who had fought Jeremy and lost miserably.
Lady Sylvara crossed her arms, her horns glinting under the dim light. "You said a force slowed you down. What kind of force?"
Varkis hesitated. "I don’t know. It was like... a shadow bending space. Our ships lost their course, engines shut down for no reason. It was a power far beyond ours..." His gaze drifted into the void.
Before Lady Sylvara could respond, an alarm pierced the room.
The runes on the walls lit up, and a chanical voice echoed everywhere.
[Large-scale attack detected. Diaphane fleets approaching. Bloodreaver, Crimsonveil, and Shadowrend systems under siege.]
[Urgent ssage from all major clans! Diaphanes have intensified attacks. Imdiate reinforcent requested via the Nexus!]
...
ssage after ssage reached everyone in the Ebonveil system. Countless distress calls were sent to the Ebonveil clan.
After all, they were the only clan not experiencing a siege.
With incredible speed, nurous devilish Nova Rank figures rushed into the room.
"Unbelievable, huh? The Diaphanes are really stepping up..."
"Finally, a real war. We could join in and grow stronger..."
They exchanged quips while watching the hologram display Diaphane ships attacking the major systems.
Countless ships breached barriers and defense systems, landing on the outermost planets.
A massive war was taking shape.
Lady Sylvara’s gaze was a mix of perplexity and uncertainty as she observed it all.
"Sothing’s off here... they’re only S and EX Rank soldiers... even weaker ones... what’s going on? And where are their commanders, the Stellar Ranks? Are we missing sothing?"
Lord Varkis didn’t respond. He had noticed but hadn’t taken it to heart. After all, wars always started with the weakest.
Still... it was odd that not a single Stellar Rank was present.
"We’ll send reinforcents based on the situation. For now, it seems only the Grimhowl system needs urgent help."
However, just as they were about to assign troops to send to this system via the Nexus, a voice cut through the air.
"Don’t send any troops for now."
A figure materialized before all the Nova Ranks.
Overlord Zorathar, the leader of the Ebonveil clan. The reason everyone feared their clan, despite being ranked last, and why no clan had interfered with the capture of the devil Cambela.
Cambela belonged to the Ebonveil, and any clan daring to defy her words would face his wrath.
Lord Varkis hesitated. "But, my lord, if we don’t send troops, we’ll be seen in a bad light. Besides—"
"Obey!" Overlord Zorathar thundered, vanishing from sight. The air in the room grew icy, as if the re presence of the Clan Leader had left a lingering imprint of terror, his shadowy aura seeming to cling to the walls like a living curse.
All those present, eager for war, were halted by their leader’s words. They could do nothing but comply with his will.
The only one who agreed with the Overlord was Lady Sylvara. Everything happening felt strange to her.
The Diaphanes had no reason to launch such an assault... unless there was sothing bigger at play...
And so, no devils were sent to the borders, infuriating the other clans.
But none of them could do anything. The re presence of Overlord Zorathar deterred everyone.
---
Ti passed, with the Diaphane siege continuing for days.
However, compared to the start, so Stellar Ranks began to appear, first from the Diaphanes, then from the devils.
The Grimhowl clan was the most targeted. They ranked ninth among the strongest clans, but unlike the Ebonveil clan, they were on the border, making their survival far more challenging.
They received constant aid from other clans and were the most resentful toward the Ebonveil clan, the only one capable of helping but refusing to do so.
The other clans weren’t as desperate.
After all, the Diaphanes’ power was considered comparable to that of the devils.
---
As the siege continued and more troops from both sides perished, the situation on the Ebonveil front remained unchanged.
Aboard the flagship, Prismatic Light, Commander Zyr-Vaelis observed the hologram of the Ebonveil system, their face impassive, their prismatic eyes glinting with a calculating intensity that betrayed their calm exterior.
"I don’t understand..." Commander Xar-Thren’s voice suddenly echoed in the room.
All the commanders were gathered inside the flagship, awaiting a signal that never seed to co.
"Exactly, it makes no sense. Why is the Ebonveil clan the only one not sending reinforcents to the other clans?" another figure in the room said.
"Could it be that we’ve been discovered? Otherwise, this doesn’t add up. They’ve even bolstered their defenses..."
As everyone debated, a voice cut through the room.
"Enough waiting. They won’t send reinforcents. Attack now."
The voice belonged to one of the supre Diaphane commanders, Pry-Greth.
"Zorathar, you’re as cunning as ever... will we ever catch you off guard?" they added in a barely audible whisper.
"At your command!" all the commanders responded in unison.
And so, from the Prismatic Light, countless smaller ships erged, ready to head toward the Ebonveil system.
Their tactic hadn’t worked, but it wasn’t a problem.
After all, their attack didn’t hinge on the success of this plan. They had still achieved their goal, blocking reinforcents from other clans to the Ebonveil clan.
"Ah, finally. I swear, one more day, and I’d have gone alone to wipe out these idiots," Jeremy muttered after Commander Zyr-Vaelis inford him of the attack’s start and everything else.
The plan was as follows: the Diaphanes would begin the attack while Jeremy assaulted the Nexus, alone, shortly after.
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