The virtual holographic call between the rulers of the Azure, Kaipo, and Areala universes was supposed to be quick, but today, it quickly spiraled into chaos. Queen Nia initiated the call, expecting to see the faces of both Queen Elara and Seraphina. To her surprise, only Queen Seraphina appeared, her expression already tense.
“Elara’s not here?” Nia asked, her voice laced with concern.
Seraphina shook her head. “I thought she’d pick up, but she’s probably busy. You know how she is.”
Queen Nia didn’t seem convinced, but she pressed on. “We have urgent news. The Valiant Blades have completed their mission in the Land of Spade, but there’s still no solution to breaking Elder Aeliana free from her trance.”
Seraphina’s face darkened, her patience thinning. “I knew Elara should have handled it herself,” she snapped, her voice rising. “Or we should’ve sent a stronger group. Now Elder Aeliana’s trapped, and we’re no closer to solving anything.”
“Calm down, Sera,” Nia tried to soothe her. “Let’s try calling Elara again.”
They rang Queen Elara’s communication line, but once again, no response.
“Where is she?” Seraphina muttered, her frustration mounting.
As they contemplated their next steps, Queen Seraphina quickly rang King Kael and Queen Lila. Within moments, their holographic images flickered into the call, both looking slightly confused.
“We didn’t realize there was a meeting going on,” Kael said with a raised brow.
“Have either of you heard from Elara?” Seraphina asked, her tone sharp.
Both Kael and Lila shook their heads. “No, we haven’t. Is something wrong?” Queen Lila’s voice trembled slightly, concern creeping into her expression.
Queen Nia sighed. “Let’s try calling Apprentice Lyra. Maybe she knows where Elara is.”
But when they rang Lyra’s communicator, there was no answer. Queen Lila, visibly worried, bit her lip. “What if something happened to them?” she whispered.
Nia, trying to maintain control of the situation, reassured her. “Elara is strong. She can handle herself. We shouldn’t be too worried just yet.”
She turned to Kael. “Commander Aiden should be on his way back to brief you. The other Valiant Blades were seriously injured, so they’re staying behind with Captain Doran and Kiera Voss to recover. Captain Solari is on her way to establish a base in the Land of Spade.”
Queen Lila, her voice still tinged with worry, asked, “Is it really a good idea to set up a base in an unknown area like that?”
Queen Nia nodded confidently. “Captain Doran recommended it. He’s one of my most trusted captains, and if he says it’s a good idea, I trust him.”
Queen Seraphina, still standing, began to pace. “I’m tired of waiting around, Nia. We keep holding back when we could be taking real action.”
Just then, the second commander of the Sensory Planet in the Azure Universe entered the call, his face pale with urgency. “Queens, King, I have a message. Elder Aeliana has disappeared into a shadow.”
Everyone on the call froze, their faces reflecting the same shock and horror. Seraphina’s fists clenched. “How could this happen?” she demanded, her voice shaking with fury.
As if the news couldn’t get worse, Thorne of the Areala Universe suddenly joined the call, his expression grim. “Queens, King… Queen Elara has disappeared. Into a shadow.”
Panic erupted. The rulers spoke over each other, their voices thick with fear and confusion. The loss of two of their most powerful figures in such a short time seemed impossible to comprehend.
The second commander of the Sensory Planet continued, his voice steady despite the chaos. “We’ve detected a very pinpointed aura within the Land of Spade. It matches Elder Aeliana’s energy signature. It’s highly likely that both disappearances happened at the same time and that they’re in the same location.”
Queen Seraphina, filled with resolve, stood up from her throne. “Fine. I’ll go.”
Everyone fell silent. Queen Nia was the first to break it. “What are you talking about, Seraphina?”
“I’m heading to the Land of Spade to find them,” Seraphina said, her voice unwavering.
Queen Nia’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You can’t. We made a vow. You leave for the Land of Spade without the unanimous agreement of the rulers, and you forfeit your title.”
Seraphina crossed her arms defiantly. “I know. I don’t care. What good is a title if I sit back and let my friends—my allies—fall into danger?”
“Think about what you’re doing,” Nia urged, trying to maintain control. “We need to move carefully, not recklessly.”
Seraphina’s eyes flared with anger. “I’ve sat and waited long enough, Nia. We agreed to send the Valiant Blades alone, and look what happened. Now Elara and Aeliana are gone, and we’re no closer to a solution. This time, I’m making my own decision.”
Without waiting for further protests, Queen Seraphina added Arion Azraelis to the call. His image appeared—a tall, imposing figure with an air of quiet power.
“I’m appointing Arion Azraelis as the new King of the Azure Universe,” Seraphina declared.
The other rulers were speechless as Arion bowed slightly. Seraphina continued. “I’ll stop by the base we’re setting up in the Land of Spade first, but then I’m heading straight to the location where Elder Aeliana’s aura was detected.”
With that, Seraphina abruptly left the call, leaving the other rulers in stunned silence.
Queen Lila’s voice trembled with emotion. “It’s all falling apart… what’s happening?”
Queen Nia, though visibly shaken, took a deep breath. “We’ll be fine. We’ll put all universes into a state of emergency. In ten days, I want all rulers and their most trusted personnel to gather at the Jack Kingdom in the Areala Universe. Prepare for the worst.”
King Kael, Queen Lila, and King Arion nodded solemnly before disconnecting from the call.
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Back in the Azure Universe, Arion Azraelis walked through the long, dark halls of the Magic Studies Planet, a place that housed the most knowledge on magic in all five universes. His footsteps echoed in the silence, his presence commanding the respect of all who passed by him.
As he strolled deeper into the ancient corridors, a small smirk played across his lips.
“……”
The chapter ended there.45Please respect copyright.PENANAOhuejQjIl3