Alen's lips moved several tis, but no words ca out. He was trying to process what had just been said, but it wasn't quite connecting in his mind.
Then, out of sheer disbelief, laughter escaped his mouth, the only natural reaction he could muster.
"You almost got there. Every ti we et, it seems like you've got sothing ridiculous to say," Alen said with a forced chuckle.
But there was no laughter from Raze. Not from anyone else in the room. Even his sister, Aurora, eventually tilted her head, giving her brother an awkward and serious look.
"Alen… he's not lying," Aurora said softly. "Enaxx, the Grand Magus, he was there in that other world. He crossed over. I saw it myself, I saw the things he did, the power he wielded. And Raze… Raze is the one who stopped him."
Alen blinked rapidly, overwheld by the wave of new information. The death of the Grand Magus, it was the kind of news that would shake the very foundation of their world, yet it was being spoken so plainly… in his own living room.
He was supposed to believe that one of the most powerful and revered mages in existence had been defeated by the young man sitting across from him? Soone he had only encountered a handful of tis?
Yet, if there was one thing Alen could trust in all of this, it was his sister. He could always tell when she was lying, and this wasn't one of those tis. Her tone, her eyes, everything about her was sincere.
Before coming into the manor, Aurora and Raze had established a few important ground rules with the group.
They were allowed to use his real na, Raze. It wasn't an uncommon na in Alterian, so no one would imdiately associate it with the infamous "Dark Magus."
Second, they were not to ntion who Raze truly was. The title of Dark Magus carried weight and suspicion. Very few would accept the truth. And with soone like Alen, a commander, it was especially sensitive. He acted based on what he could prove, what he knew. Which is why Raze needed him to see things for himself first, before asking for his support.
"You should be able to figure out it's the truth for yourself," Raze said calmly. "The Grand Magus, Enaxx included, they were up to sothing.
"They were trying to reach this other world for a reason. I believe, in the process, that's what caused the portals to open. That's why your sister, and others like , ended up in that strange world.
"Enaxx found a way to cross over. He was working with a particular group of mages already embedded in that world.
"Together, with their help, we defeated him. He tried to launch an attack on their world, and failed. Although you already know… I've been feeding you bits of information about his corruption for a while now."
Raze leaned forward slightly.
"So, ask yourself: why has there been no sign of Enaxx for weeks? No sightings. No ssages. No reports. Nothing."
Alen, being in the military, got access to information faster than most in Alterian. And he couldn't deny it, Raze was right. There hadn't been any word from Enaxx in so ti.
The dia was quiet, but internally, there was unrest. The military, the governing bodies, even the mbers of the Glory Guild, all of them were growing increasingly uncertain. With no leadership, no guidance, everything was starting to fracture.
"It's… it's so hard to believe," Alen finally admitted. "You're telling … you all killed the Grand Magus. That he invaded another world?"
"It's all true," Da said as he stepped forward. "That mage tried to kill us the second we appeared. If it wasn't for Raze, we'd be dead. He united us, gave us a chance, and led us to victory.
"And that's why we're here now. He told us the sa mages that nearly took over our world are trying to destroy his. So why wouldn't we help him?"
Da's words were exactly what Raze needed in that mont. It reminded him how good Da was at lying when it counted, but in this case, it wasn't even a lie. It was the truth.
"How is the world supposed to handle this news?" Alen said, almost to himself. "What happens when people find out Enaxx is gone? What happens to the Glory Guild without him?"
Alen's face reflected more than disbelief, there was sadness there, too. His connection to Enaxx wasn't just professional. Enaxx had taught him most of his fire spells. He had been a ntor. A trusted guide.
Which was how Alen had managed to get his hands on highly classified files, docunts detailing many of Enaxx's actions. His secrets. His wrongdoings.
"Even if Enaxx was corrupted… to fall like that, in silence, and for no one to know?" Alen stood up suddenly. "No one will believe it. And if the other Grand Magus find out, you'll be hunted! And if they know you were involved too, Aurora… they'll co after you next. This is dangerous. This is beyond dangerous!"
It was the first ti Aurora had seen her brother like this, shaken. Alen, the one who always kept calm no matter the circumstance. The one who earned his place as commander in the military through calculated leadership. Seeing him panic now only drove ho how big this really was.
The fall of a Grand Magus, it was more earth-shattering than a pri minister being assassinated. It was a threat to the stability of the entire continent.
"I already told you," Raze said, rising to his feet. "You don't need to worry. We already took down one of them. That's the first step. My goal is to take down the rest, and expose every last thing they've done."
He paused, locking eyes with Alen.
"And I ca here… hoping you might help. Not directly. You don't have to fight. But from the shadows, use your position, your knowledge. Give us the edge we need to finish what we started."
*****
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