A dark cloud streaked past the lightless sky, crossing the expansive dark forest persisting in the Eastern Highlands.
The cloud moved at a rapid pace, closing in at the speed of sound as its body undulated like a surging wave.
It soon arrived at the edge of the forest where the sea of trees ended before pausing as it evaluated its position.
Just ahead of it, the World’s End was in full view though it didn’t seem to care about the awe-inspiring sight.
A barely humanoid face erged with hollow eyes, looking around for a brief bit before zeroing in on a pit not too far away.
As the face disappeared, the cloud moved again, quickly rushing into the pit before it gave way, revealing the appearance of a man with a clean-shaven face and a well-cut head.
Dressed in a gentlemanly attire while wielding a cane, he adjusted his hat and dusted off his sleeves before moving forward at a slow but steady pace.
He walked forward, his expression relaxed as he approached a large tree at the center of the cavern.
The tree was like nothing he’d seen before.
Its bark was composed of human flesh constantly emitting blood and pus while its branches appeared as pristine white bones that bore fruits that appeared as boils waiting to pop.
There were vines with thorns on its body resembling umbilical cords and moving like tentacles.
The man revealed no aversion to this strange creature as he ca within arm’s length of the grotesque plant, his eyes zeroing in on what looked like a human face at the center of the tree.
The face looked no younger than 21 with its face twisted in despair as it spoke incoherent nonsense, whispering words like ’father’, ’uncle’, and ’aunt’ repeatedly.
"Poor thing." The man began softly in Razan as he reached out to stroke the face. "You must have lost a lot to accept his Glory. Count yourself lucky, the Lord doesn’t easily pick a host. To be picked must an that you are worthy."
Taking off his hat, he continued with a courteous bow. "My na is Obadiah, Obadiah Atwood, at your service. I am here on special orders from the one who rules the Dark to aid you, ensuring that you experience a safe delivery."
As he put his hat back on, he added. "But of course, it is not without a price. As my Lord has decided to aid yours, it is only right that we receive so paynt. For that reason, I intend to carry out my apotheosis here. Do not bother with , it shall be a quick matter and shall not take any ti at all."
Naturally, the face offered no response even as the man... or rather, Obadiah waited for one.
Managing a smile, he remarked. "Give a mont."
With a brilliant smile, he turned and transford into a dark cloud before leaving the cavern, once again appearing outside with the World’s End behind him.
As he turned human again, he stretched out his hand, a mystical card appearing as he did so.
He took a deep breath before letting the card go with the item rushing upward before rging with the dark sky above.
The dark clouds rippled like a wave while switching between solid and ethereal, causing the ground beneath to experience changes.
The already corrupted air of the forest rely changed flavors, switching from one corrupted by the night to one corrupted by darkness, but not just any darkness, but one borne out of the depravity of the Abyss.
Cries of beasts echoed with Obadiah reveling the sounds as though they were a beautiful piece of music.
From the sky above to the ground below, the darkness devoured everything, and the precarious Order that existed slowly but surely crumbled.
The sky tore open, revealing an entrance to the Abyss out of which dark and foul things erged letting out triumphant screams.
Normal humans would be averse to the sight, but not Obadiah.
To him, the current happenings were a picturesque work of art, one that he couldn’t wait to show the world.
So with a brilliant smile, he basked in the glory.
At the sa ti, his aura seed to take on a qualitative change as slight traces of Abyssal divinity ca into being.
***
"Is anyone there?" Lionel inquired while seated in his tent, his expression quite sour as he waited for a response.
Soon enough, a response ca. "I’m here," Godric answered.
"Who else?"
"What do you want, Lionel?... Don’t you have a quadrant to defend?" Noah inquired in faint annoyance.
"Calm yourself, he is only trying to keep in touch," Henry remarked from his end.
Ignoring Arthur’s aggressive words as he understood the situation in the empire was tense, Lionel intoned. "Anyone else?"
"The others are either too busy or don’t care," Godric replied.
"I agree. Any word from Robert about the Daemon on the loose?"
"I hear he and Charles ran into a bit of trouble," Henry said.
"So the Daemon is still free?" Noah inquired.
"It would seem so."
Lionel sighed. "I wonder if we offended so hidden entity to have to face so many things at a ti."
"I’m guessing the Blight has affected your quadrant," Henry remarked.
"It has," Lionel answered. "As it is, I’m forced to question if at least it would cause as much nuisance to the Vampires as it has done with us."
"The Blight does affect the Vampires but their healing factor allows them to shrug it off with relative ease. So, even as I’d love to see them dying from a disease, I doubt it would happen." Godric remarked from his end.
Noah sighed. "Are we going to spend the whole ti talking about how we are failing to protect the Empire?"
"In other news, I reached out to Adelia."
"And?"
"She doesn’t plan to assist in the war effort. At least, that’s her stance now."
Noah suddenly questioned. "Who’s quadrant is closest to hers?"
"Don’t even think about it. Leave her be. She has her reasons." Lionel quickly said, privy to what Noah was planning.
Hearing a snort, he let out a sigh. "As things stand, we may have to..."
Suddenly, soone rushed into his tent causing him to pause.
Glancing back to find one of his captains, he inquired. "Is everything alright?"
"We have a problem, General."
"What is it?"
Gulping hard, he replied, his tone laced with an underlying sense of urgency. "Those affected by the Blight are turning into trees!"
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