Chapter 7: Meeting the president
Upon being released from the med station following a few days of rest, Belial's eyes immediately fell upon Xin.
"Hey, are you feeling okay? Nothing out of place?"
asked Xin.
"I'm fine, just a little stiff from all that sleeping I had,"
said Belial.
"What happened in there? The monsters weren't that strong"
Xin asked
"Yeah but there was-"
Before Belial could answer Xin's question, they were interrupted by a woman in a suit who called for their attention. As they descended the stairs.
"Mr. Belial and Mr. Xin, please follow me. You have been summoned by the president."
With a puzzled expression, they trailed behind her to the 7th floor of the building.
Upon reaching the highest floor, they were greeted by two massive bodyguards. The grand set of doors was opened by the bodyguards, whose appearance belied their accommodating actions. Upon entering, they witnessed a young woman adorned in a black, form-fitting dress with a black afro engaged in an argument with another individual. As the door closed, their attention came focused on the two. The lady moved out of the way and revealed a man with golden eyes and a scar across his face sitting on the chair.
"You two must be tired. Come and sit down. I am the president of this guild, Cole Blackburn. And this is Leah, the one who healed you,"
the man said, gesturing to the woman.
Belial and Xin exchanged a look of surprise. They had heard of Cole Blackburn, of course, but they had never met him in person. As for Leah, they had no idea who she was, but they were grateful for her help.
A cheerful grin spread across Leah's face, and her eyes sparkled with warmth and delight upon seeing them.
"It was my pleasure. I'm just glad I could help."
She was leaning on the desk, and Belial finally asked,
"Thank you for having us here, but what was the purpose of bringing us here?"
"Leah over here said she found some irregular ogre blood on you. If I may ask, what happened in the forest?"
asked Cole.
Belial detailed how they journeyed to obtain the necessary materials for guild registration and accidentally stumbled into quicksand. They later discovered a concealed dungeon, but unfortunately, became ensnared and were forced to engage in a fierce battle against an abundance of monsters. Belial was eventually separated from the others and faced a black-armored ogre in combat.
Without any visible change in his expression, Cole listened closely to Belial's recollection of events.
"Do you know what this means?"
Leah chimed in.
"There's a chance that this ogre is a new species or even a hybrid. It's worth investigating."
"I agree with Leah. This is quite an interesting discovery. We'll need to send a team to investigate further," said Cole.
A look of excitement spread across Belial's face as he contemplated the possibility of his forest adventure leading to an incredible discovery he never anticipated.
Cole stood up from his chair and extended his hand.
"Is there anything else you would like to mention about what happened?"
Belial gripped Cole's hand firmly, his expression solemn as he conveyed the weight of the information he had just disclosed.
"All I can remember is that it had stitches all over its body and a red stone embedded in its chest,"He said, his voice low and serious.
The air in the room grew thick, suffused with tension and apprehension, as Belial and Xin slowly rose from their seats. The temperature seemed to rise in tandem with Cole Blackburn's visible anger, the atmosphere becoming unbearably stifling. In that moment, they couldn't help but feel the weight of Cole's aura—a potent reminder of his elevated status as one of the revered Thirteen crowns, a figure of immense power in the vast expanse of the five realms.
Belial and Xin exchanged wary glances, their eyes betraying the trepidation swirling within their souls. They had always known Cole to be formidable, but today his rage burned with an intensity that set their hearts pounding. As the flickering candlelight cast eerie shadows on the chamber walls, a deafening silence enveloped the room, amplifying the tension that crackled in the air.
Cole Blackburn was more than just a mere human; he was a being who had transcended the boundaries of ordinary existence. Titled as one of the Thirteen crowns, he had earned his title through a grueling and legendary path—Protecting Oasis all by himself during the war, with his own strength, he forged power and authority to forge his own indomitable path. And with that victory, his reputation grew, solidifying his status as one of the most formidable forces in the realms.
For years, the people had revered the crowns, acknowledging their godlike prowess and regarding them as the pinnacle of power. Each crown possessed unique abilities, honed through countless battles and relentless training. These warriors of legend had risen above the masses, becoming near-mythical figures who strode confidently through the realms, shaping their destinies with every step.
"Mr. Blackburn, is everything okay?"Xin asked, his tone laced with worry.
The rage boiling inside Cole was evident from the bulging veins in his neck and the fierce determination glinting in his eyes.
"So, he escaped the purgatory,"
Through gritted teeth, he muttered under his breath, his tone dripping with venom.
"Cole, calm down. There are kids in here,"
Leah said, stepping forward and placing a gentle hand on his arm.
Cole's voice softened as he spoke, and he took a deep breath before removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes wearily. The memories of what had happened were still haunting him.
He cast a quick glance around the room, registering the expectant expressions of his fellow guild members. Although he understood he needed to provide an explanation, he found it challenging to express the enormity of what he had witnessed.
"His name is Lex Drummond,"
Cole began slowly,
"Soon after the guild's inception, he was among the first to join and demonstrated exceptional qualities."
He paused for a moment, trying to collect his thoughts before continuing.
"But when he came back from the trip, he was different. He was distant, moody, and easily agitated. It was like he had been replaced by someone else entirely. We tried talking to him, but he refused to confide in us."
Cole's voice faded away as he reminisced about the events that caused Lex's downfall.
"After coming back, he took the life of a fellow guild member and turned rogue within a week."
The room filled with gasps and murmurs as his guild mates struggled to come to terms with the news. Cole was overcome with guilt and sorrow, realizing that he could have done more to prevent the tragedy from occurring.
"We have to find him,"
Cole said, his voice resolute.
"The safety of others is at stake so it's imperative that we hold him accountable."
The sound of a knock caught their attention, and the guards promptly opened the door to reveal the receptionist, whose voice reverberated through the room.
"Sorry to interrupt you, Mr. Blackburn. I came to inform you that the combat test for these two is ready."
Cole shifted his focus to the receptionist, grateful for the momentary break from the intensity of the discussion.
"Thank you Natalie , they'll be there shortly."
"If either of you ever cross paths with Lex, put a little bit of your aura into this stone,"
Cole said, holding out a small, smooth stone in the palm of his hand.
"This will notify me."
With a nod of comprehension, his two associates took the stone from him.
"Are you sure this will work?"
Xin asked, examining the stone curiously.
Cole affirmed with a solemn gaze.
"It's a new ether technology that we've working on. It should be able to detect any auras that come into contact with it and send an alert to my device."
Belial and Xin, walked out of the door following Natalie outside to the back of the buildings, towards the forest side. They were on a mission, and time was of the essence.
Natalie led the way as Belial and Xin followed her out of the door and towards the forested area at the back of the buildings.
"You have to find and defeat them before the time runs out, and no haxes are allowed for this test" she said, her voice serious."
With a nod of acknowledgement, they positioned themselves at the entrance, and Belial began to speak.
"You take west, I'll take east," he said, his voice calm and steady.
Xin nodded in agreement, and without further discussion, they dispersed, disappearing into the dense forest.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone