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"If I am not mistaken, something terrible is about to happen, not just to our village, but possibly to our entire nation," Albus said, his brow furrowed with worry as he walked along the riverbank with Davis, Dennis, and Woody.
"The day you were injured, our village was attacked by a group of unknown assailants," Dennis continued. "We first encountered their vanguard, and you, me, and Woody managed to repel them together. But then, their powerful leader arrived, and before we could even react, he launched a devastating attack."
"Do you know how reckless you were? You risked everything to block his attack alone," Woody interjected.
"We were all injured, and you lost consciousness," Dennis recalled, his heart pounding as he recounted. "Knowing we couldn't win, we quickly rescued you and fled to the village."
The menacing figure, brimming with confidence, did not immediately pursue Dennis nor Woody. Both were injured and were still conscious, with their sole focus on returning to the village to seek Albus's help and warn the villagers of the impending danger.
As they ran towards Albus's residence, the enemy force had already begun their assault on the village outskirts. They shot fire arrows, seemingly as a warning.
Upon grasping the situation, Albus rushed to the scene. The enemy was poised for a full-scale attack, but just as they were about to strike, Albus stood in front of them.
The menacing leader, upon seeing Albus, locked eyes with him. Memories and thoughts surged through their minds, but neither spoke. Then, without a word, the leader attacked.
"I think I know who he is," Albus said, remembering the fight, the very memory causing him immense pain. "But he has changed."
Julian and Albus, once known as the Twin Pillars of the Empire, had served the King of Heros as the Emperor's right-hand men, aiding him in defeating the Evil God who once ruled the world. Together, they established the Dreamland. They believed that peace would prevail, but the Emperor, after his victory, felt that the world still held many regions beyond his control. He believed that true peace could only be achieved by conquering all lands, and thus, he embarked on a relentless war.
Unwilling to bear the Emperor's warmongering, Albus decided to resign, citing his age, and retired to the Lion Rock Village. Julian, however, promised Albus that he would stay by the Emperor's side, serving as his Great General, hoping to ensure that war would not unduly burden the people.
"That man... is Julian?" Dennis asked.
"I'm not sure, but I feel a familiar presence," Albus said, his emotions swirling within him.
"Regardless, it's good that you managed to drive them back," Dennis said, raising his voice in an attempt to lift his teacher's spirits.
Indeed, although Julian wore a mask, the years they had spent side by side on the battlefield had etched his movements and posture deeply into Albus's memory. The only thing that puzzled Albus was the sinister aura that emanated from Julian, an aura he had never sensed before.
From the outset, Julian held nothing back, his fists and feet raining down like a storm. While Albus may not have been as young as he once was, his years of battle-hardened experience remained. He opted for a more conservative approach, deflecting each blow with minimalist movements, hoping to conserve his energy as he searched for an opening in his opponent's defenses.
Julian, despite his desire for a swift victory, could not easily achieve it. His every move bore the imprint of Albus, for he had received countless martial arts teachings from him in the past.
"Soul Punch!" Julian glowed with energy, unleashing a powerful punch aimed directly at Albus. Albus narrowly dodged the attack, swiftly retaliating with a series of Energy Blasts. However, Julian, even more powerful than he had been during their fight against the Evil God, quickly spun around, unleashing a series of purple Energy Blasts, eerily similar to Albus’s Energy Blasts.
However, these Energy Blasts bore faint, skull-like reflections, sending a shockwave through Albus. When he taught Julian this technique, the pure and righteous Julian had unleashed Energy Blasts as bright and clear as the blue sky was. At that moment, Albus realized with a heavy heart that the comrade he had considered a brother was gone.
In an instant, Albus made his decision. He channeled his inner energy to its peak, then pushed his hands forward from his flanks, summoning a blue energy sphere larger than his own body.
What Julian felt as he saw Albus unleash his ultimate technique, Albus did not know, nor did he dare think about it. He never imagined he would use this move against the man he had once cared for.
And what he could not have imagined was that as he unleashed his ultimate attack, Julian also struck the same pose with a colossal purple energy sphere rapidly forming before him.
There was no time for thought. No turning back.
"Spirit Bomb!"
"Soul Bomb!"
Both men unleashed their near-identical techniques with all their might. The two colossal energy spheres slowly converged, and all those on the battlefield witnessed a blinding explosion, a spectacle akin to the end of the world. The energy whipped up a powerful current, sending sand, gravel, and debris flying across the battlefield. Everyone present was knocked to the ground by the shockwave. After a while, the dust settled, and the fallen people looked up to see Julian struggling to rise from his kneeling position. Albus, on the other hand, stood tall and proud, his piercing gaze fixed on Julian.
It seemed the duel between Albus and Julian had concluded. Julian clutched his chest, clearly injured. He looked at Albus but did not speak. He raised his arm, slowly turned, and began to walk away. His subordinates understood the signal to retreat and, though reluctant, followed their leader.
"So, does that mean we've won?" Davis asked, still feeling a sense of bewilderment after Dennis had meticulously recounted the entire battle. By now, they had reached the edge of the village, a distance away from the other houses, almost at the entrance of the forest.
Albus stopped there and slowly drew awide his shirt in front of Davis, revealing a horrifying sight. A massive, pronounced, semi-circular depression marred his chest, the surrounding skin resembling centuries-old, dried-out wood as if his heart and lungs had been completely hollowed out.
Davis immediately understood that Albus had been pretending to be uninjured during his fight with Julian and that he had nearly lost his life.
"The next challenge is for you to face," Albus said in a gentle voice, raising his right arm and pointing towards an inconspicuous hut ahead.
Following Albus's finger, Davis and the others looked towards the hut.
The circular hut was smaller than the other houses, originally used as a storage space, resembling a giant mushroom. What made it unique was the thick, lush vines that climbed its walls, adorned with clusters of purple flowers. Situated on the edge of the village, it was rarely visited, and the area was eerily quiet, save for the rustling of leaves as the wind blew through the trees.
"This is where the Prophet lives," Dennis told Davis.
Davis turned to Albus, who nodded slightly in encouragement. Davis then stepped forward. As he reached out to knock on the door, it creaked open on its own.
A girl's voice echoed from within, "Come in."
Davis took a deep breath, pushed the door open, and entered.
Used as a storage hub, the small hut had no windows. The circular space was filled with odd-shaped stones, carvings, and pieces of wood. Dried plants and flowers adorned the walls, while hundreds of lit candles stood on the floor. They had been burning for an unknown amount of time, and the melted wax dripped in a melancholic glow.
A woman in a monk's robe sat on the floor in the centre. Her face was hidden beneath the robe's hood, but her voice and the smooth skin of her hands revealed her youthfulness.
Even more striking was the crystal ball, the size of a human head, placed in front of her.
"Please, take a seat," the girl said, pointing to several cushions in front of her. Davis hesitated, and the girl, as if she could read his mind, said, "You can bring your two friends in. They will be the most important people to you in this world."
Davis nodded and turned to greet the others outside, only to find that Albus had vanished.
"Master has gone back," Dennis said.
"Right," Davis said, though he had much he wanted to say to Albus, he decided to save it for later. "Come in, both of you."
Once they were all inside and were seated, Davis began to speak: "Prophet..."
At that moment, the Prophet slowly pulled down the hood covering her head. The moment Davis saw her face, he was stunned, and without realizing it, a drop of tear rolled down his cheek.
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