Darius and the other top elders, Sylph and Aric, stood in silence over Thorne's lifeless body. The atmosphere was thick with tension, their faces etched with disbelief and unease.
Thorne, one of their strongest and most dependable, had returned only to die in front of them, delivering grim news with his final breath.
Sylph clenched her fists, her usually calm deanor shattered. "How could this happen?" she muttered, her voice barely audible but laced with frustration.
Aric, his face pale with shock, shook his head slowly. "I can't believe it… Thorne, of all people... and in this state?" He looked to Darius, eyes searching for guidance, for so sense of control over the situation.
Darius's expression hardened as he turned to the interdiate elders who stood nearby, equally shaken. His voice, though steady, was heavy with the weight of loss. "Prepare a burial ceremony for Elder Thorne imdiately," he commanded, his tone leaving no room for delay.
The interdiate elders, snapping out of their stunned silence, bowed their heads quickly. "Yes, Elder Darius," they responded in unison, hurrying off to carry out his orders.
As the interdiate elders departed, Darius's face darkened. He motioned for Sylph and Aric to follow him, and the three of them made their way back to the Elder Hall, the weight of Thorne's final ssage pressing heavily on their minds.
Once inside, Darius lowered himself into his seat, his movents slow, as if burdened by the gravity of the situation. Sylph and Aric took their seats across from him, both still reeling from what they had witnessed.
Darius was the first to break the silence, his voice low and grim. "If what Elder Thorne said is true..." He paused, his eyes narrowing, his jaw clenched. "Then we're facing a serious threat. The Necrovauld elders have discovered a new, powerful cultivation manual. And if they really plan to attack, it could spell disaster for the Celestial Academy."
Sylph leaned forward, her eyes flickering with a mix of concern and disbelief. "A new cultivation manual? One powerful enough to challenge us?" Her tone was sharp, incredulous, as if refusing to believe such a possibility.
Aric furrowed his brow, glancing anxiously between Sylph and Darius. "Thorne wasn't one to exaggerate," he said slowly, his voice laced with concern. "If he said it was strong, then we're facing sothing truly dangerous."
Darius nodded gravely, his expression dark and thoughtful. "Exactly. Which ans we have no ti to waste."
Sylph and Aric exchanged uneasy glances, the weight of the situation sinking in. Sylph, her brow furrowed in deep thought, finally broke the silence. "What about the mana stone Thorne ntioned?" Her voice carried a spark of hope amid the tension. "Could it help us?"
Without a word, Darius reached into his robes, his movents deliberate, and pulled out the mana stone. He placed it gently on the table before them.
The mont it touched the surface, the room seed to shift, charged with a potent energy. The stone pulsed with a radiant glow, and all three elders could feel its imnse, pure power—far greater than any mana they had encountered before. Experience tales at m v|l e'-
Aric's eyes widened in disbelief. "I can't believe this..." His voice was barely a whisper, his gaze fixed on the stone as if it held the answers to all their problems. "This kind of mana stone... I've never seen anything like it."
Sylph reached out cautiously, her fingers brushing the smooth surface of the stone. The raw, untad power surged through her hand, and she gasped, pulling back slightly.
A shiver ran down her spine as she looked at Darius, her voice trembling with awe. "This... this could change everything."
Darius's eyes glead with fierce determination, his mind already racing through the possibilities. "Indeed. If there are more of these stones near the Death Volcano, we must retrieve them imdiately."
His voice was calm but filled with urgency. "We can't allow Necrovauld to gain any more power. Not after they had obtained such a strong manual."
He paused, his eyes narrowing as a cold smile ford on his lips. "The Death Volcano is close to Necrovauld's territory, but if we act quickly, we can secure the stones before they do."
Sylph and Aric nodded in agreent, though Aric still looked troubled. He leaned forward, his tone cautious. "What about Roxana? You know she's already suspicious of us after what happened last ti. If she finds out what we're up to, she could try to interfere."
Darius smirked, his eyes glinting with cold amusent. "Roxana? We don't need to worry about her." He waved his hand dismissively.
"She's already guarding herself against us, and her trust in the academy has been fractured. But once we have these mana stones, it won't matter what she thinks." His voice dropped to a near whisper, his words dripping with confidence.
He leaned in, his smirk widening into a grin. "With these stones, the three of us could ascend to nine stars. And when we reach that level, handling Roxana will be child's play."
He chuckled darkly, his eyes flickering with ambition. "Not to ntion Necrovauld. Once we've secured the unique mana stones, no one will stand a chance against us. We'll be the undisputed strongest force in this world."
Sylph and Aric exchanged knowing glances, their expressions shifting from concern to excitent as the full weight of Darius's words settled in.
A slow smirk spread across Sylph's lips, her eyes gleaming with greed. "Nine stars..." she muttered, almost as if savoring the thought. "With that kind of power, we'd be unstoppable."
Aric, still staring at the mana stone, nodded slowly. "And Necrovauld wouldn't even know what hit them," he added, his voice growing stronger, confidence now filling his tone.
Darius's grin grew wider, his fingers tapping the table lightly as if the victory was already within their grasp. "Exactly," he said, his voice cold and calculated. "First, we secure the stones. Then we secure our place at the top and then no one will dare to cross us anymore."
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