The paragons had immediately gathered in the skies of Sector 3, convening an emergency meeting to discuss the newly revealed threat of the Obsidian Order.
The atmosphere in Sector 3 was filled with tension, the gravity of the situation pressing heavily on everyone present.
What had once been a minor nuisance—a simple underground organization causing havoc in the human domain—had now exploded into a full-scale threat. Their threat level had skyrocketed from a 10 to a 100 in an instant.
The Obsidian Order had been known to all, but the paragons were just now realizing how much they had underestimated them.
While the Order had caused significant damage in the past, no tier one family had taken them seriously.
That changed the moment they attacked the Ravenstein camp, killing many youths, and when Ronad killed Ariel, earning the ire of the Ravenstein family.
In response, the Ravensteins had purged Sector 3, dismantling the Order’s bases and forcing Alvis, Ronad, and their followers into hiding. The situation had been so severe that they ended up seeking help from their allies, the Vermore family, and ultimately found refuge in the Abyssal Chasm.
But now, everything was different. The presence of a paragon within the Obsidian Order had changed the entire landscape. The paragons could no longer afford to underestimate them.
Every paragon of the tier-one families was present in the meeting—except for Aric, who was in the academy.
Even Magnus and Luminous, despite their recently finished battle, were there. Magnus stood silent, the unconscious body of Helios bound by lightning at his side—a sight that made Luminous clench his fists in anger. Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t attack Magnus anymore.
The discussion began quickly, the tension in the air palpable. Seraphina was the first to speak.
“From what I saw, Blackgate’s ability revolves around creating dark portals. He uses them to travel vast distances in an instant. It’s similar to teleportation.”
Her words held great weight, the implications clear. Blackgate had the ability to bypass defenses, infiltrating deep into their domain without warning.
The situation might be different with the Aegis airship, but it couldn’t be left active forever. The resources required would be unimaginable, not to mention the political implications.
Gavic, who had been silent until now, finally spoke, his gravelly voice breaking through the silence.
“Were there any signs they have more paragons?”
The other paragons turned their attention to Seraphina, who shook her head. “We had only brief contact. There was no indication of other paragons, but we can’t assume he’s the only one.”
Oberon tapped his fingers together in thought before speaking.
“It’s hard to believe that one human, even a paragon, could command the loyalty of so many, especially when the Obsidian Order’s reach extends beyond humans. They have roots in the other races, too. We must consider the possibility that there are other paragons among them, possibly from other races.”
The room fell silent as Oberon floated toward the area where Blackgate had appeared during the battle.
His golden eyes glowed, mana swirling around him as his perception activated. The other paragons waited, watching him work.
Finally, after a few moments, the golden light dimmed, and Oberon spoke. “I can sense faint alien remnants here, but they’ve been cut off. It’s like a cluster of energy that ends here, not linking anywhere. I can’t track them.”
Frowns crossed the faces of the paragons, disappointment palpable. They had hoped Oberon could track Blackgate and lead them directly to the Order’s location. Without that, they were back to square one.
But Oberon wasn’t finished. “However, I can work with this. I can create a rune-based detector, something that will alert us whenever this type of energy appears again. It won’t stop them from entering, but it’ll ensure we have early warning next time.”
His words brought some relief to the group. One of the biggest concerns had been Blackgate’s ability to bypass the domain’s defenses. If they could track his movements the moment he appeared, it would help mitigate the threat.
Still, the weight of the situation wasn’t lost on anyone. As Octavius crossed his arms, his sharp eyes narrowed in thought. “This can’t be all we do—just wait to be attacked. We need to go on the offensive.”
Oberon nodded. “Agreed. Gathering intelligence is our top priority. I’ll also continue analyzing the remnants of Blackgate’s energy to see if we can find a way to inhibit his spatial ability. I’ll be engraving runes in every sector to enhance security, but until that’s done, we should all remain on high alert and stay within our territories.”
With that, the meeting began to wind down. One by one, the paragons began to leave, heading back to their sectors to prepare. Now that the Obsidian Order had made an appearance, no one knew what they would do next.
As the Stellaris warriors departed Sector 3, their heads were hung low, intense shame and defeat clear in their expressions.
The once-proud and confident warriors had been thoroughly beaten, despite their earlier confidence. None knew how the Stellaris family would recover from this, especially after the sight of their paragon brought low.
And with them gone, Sector 3 was plunged into an eerie silence. The aftermath of the battle was still fresh, the devastation apparent in every corner.
The capital city, once bustling with life, now lay in ruins.
Rubble filled the streets, and the air was thick with the acrid smell of smoke and destruction.
Throughout the cities of Sector 3, Ravenstein family members moved about in a daze. Anger, grief, and fear filled the streets.
Bodies of Stellaris family members—those unfortunate enough to be in the sector at the time of the war—were strewn across the capital. They had been hunted down and killed by the Ravensteins in the chaos, leaving behind a trail of blood.
The streets were filled with the sounds of crying and desperate pleas for help. Survivors were being pulled from the wreckage, Sentinel Guardians working tirelessly to dig people out from under collapsed buildings.
For many, it was a race against time. Injuries were severe, and death had claimed countless lives, but luckily, it was a world of magic. Most of the citizens were at least at the novice rank.
