The Royal Priest, Regvaor, moved silently through the Temple of Beginning, his feet carrying him right to the ter of the building. There, he set his knees upon a velvet cushion as his six hands came up in prayer.

  Pulling the Holy Essence from the air, Regvaor let it slip into his body and crawl underh his skin. It mingled with his own power, almost humming as his form began to emit a soft golden glow.

  Regvaor smiled and looked up at the massive statue of their lord and savior.

  Five pairs of enormous crystal wings grew out of the statue’s back, illuminating the eemple in a myriad of colors. Swords of golden hung limply iity’s hands as it stared ahead with grim determination written all over its face.

  Hundreds of years passed since Regvaor first id his eyes on the silver structure a nothing could take away the childish wonder he felt even now. It was truly the pinnacle of craftsmanship with its size and usage of materials alone. Add to that the Essence flowing out of the statue and it became one of the most unique creations iire Multiverse.

  Bowing his head, Regvaor closed his eyes. Lord of Light and Protector of Creatiohe words of your humble servant. One more Universe has fallen while another is g tears of blood as the Void es its light. Lend us your strength my Lord, bless us with the power of your soul to save those that survived, to give them a ce for normal life… For we are of the light.

  At once, Regvaor released the Holy Essence flowing through his veins into the ground, bowing even lower as the eemple shook. For we are of the light. He repeated, the glow finally leaving his skin.

  “Serafin Kera,” Regvaor whispered, his eyes opening. “I’m gd to have you back. I trust your trip proved fruitful.”

  Hearing the shuffle of feet behind him, the Royal Priest rose to his feet. He gave a st bow toward the statue before turning to face the new arrival.

  Half the size vaor, the humanoid being of blue c had her head bowed while two pairs of small feathery wings remained snugly tucked into her body.

  “Five me, my Lord, for interrupting your rituals,” the Serafin spoke. “I would have waited, but you ordered me to report back as soon as I returned.”

  Regvaor approached Kera and pced a hand on her shoulder. “There is nothing to apologize for, my dear,” he smiled when she finally raised her head. “I gave you an order and you listened, for that I appud you. Now e, I will hear what you have to report.”

  Motioning the Serafin to follow him, they walked around the statue and towards the back of the temple. There, Regvaor stopped right in front of a wall covered in gray symbols and raised his hand, the signs instantly lighting up like a stormy sky.

  Regvaor stepped right into the wall, almost shivering as Essence covered every fiber of his being. The feeling soon passed and he opened his eyes to the sight of a simple dark room, a stark trast to the colorful temple he just left.

  Far away fr eyes, Regvaor mused as he took a seat behind a desk and waited for Kera to do the same on the opposite side. “Anything I get for you before we begin?”

  The Serafin jumped onto the chair and gave him a small smile. “Thank you, my Lord, but I’m fine.”

  “Wonderful,” Regvaor nodded. “You may begin, my dear. If what I felt during the st few days is anything to go by, I fear we might be here for a while.”

  Kera’s small shoulders slumped as she took a deep breath. “Like always, you are right, sir. The sixty-fourth Outbreak might bee one of the worst we had in a while. The previous Universe took too long to fall apart and iurn collected enormous amounts of Void Essence.”

  So it is as I feared… Regvahed, one of his hands running through his thick, white beard. “What is the Academy’s initial summary?”

  “Discerting, sir,” she replied instantly. “Average rank of ps of Universe No. 237 after the first Cataclysms ced at D minus. It is the highest average sihe forty-eighth Outbreak. Even more troubling is the highest-ranked p, my Lord. Our sensors ra at C.”

  “That’s iroubling,” the Royal Priest murmured. “I assume that there are no survivors on that particur p?”

  Kera shook her head. “No, my Lord. No survivors sensed. Master Sargnax specutes that it has already turned into a world of Ever-Darkness. We won’t be able to firm it until the Academy finds out if the star to the p has already died, but I thought it was something you should of know, sir.”

  “Thank you, my dear. Ever-Darkness worlds are no joke as you know. I would rather hear about it now than iure. Void knows hoeople we lost because they wao dive right into darkness without information…”

  “Indeed, my Lord,” Kera nodded. “Oher hand, we have two new ps joining the ranks of Legacies. Ver’Sor and,” she grimaced, “Almok.”

  Regvaor mirrored his subordinate’s expression. “So they made it through… The cil won’t be happy with this particur piece of information. Most of the Lords were sure that we dealt enough damage to stop Almok from asding… No matter, that is a problem for ter. Now please tell me if Master Sargnax and his unit mao sehe Old One's shards.”

  The Serafin bowed her head. “Nothing more than a few echoes, my Lord. Wherever the shards are hidden we ’t pinpoint their location. Although the Academy is still developing their test project so with the echoes still fresh, we might see some progress in the ing months.”

  “While that’s not what I wao hear, it’s more than we had in the past…” The Priest massaged his brow. “I hoped that with an Outbreak so powerful, we would hear more from the Old One. Let’s just pray that other fas were as unlucky as us.”

  “Why should we, my Lord? None of them are actively searg for the shards,” she frowned. “Ger is the only pce equipped well enough to find them, why would we worry about others?”

  “Oh? And please tell me, what happened with the first shard?” Regvaor smiled as Kera ducked her head, almost disappearing behind the desk. “Exactly, my dear… They found them by d to this day the shard is lost to us, even if the oo find it died eons ago. That’s why we always o be wary about others.”

  “I uand, and five me for my inpetence, sir,” she blushed.

  Regvaor chuckled. “You are still young Kera, you have plenty of time to learn... Now did you mao find out what happened during the st hunt? I would rather not ask Lord Stonewell.”

  The Serafin scowled, her previous embarrassment vanishing. “Another unsuccessful mission, sir. Fools thought they could follow the Trinity and recover what they stole. Only one came bad he probably won’t be pced on active duty anytime soon.”

  “The Trinity?” Regvaor repeated, his gaze hardening. “How many times do I have to tell those idiots to stop messing with entities beyond their uanding? Those three are too powerful for normal soldiers to face. Dear Lord, they are even beyond most of our elite… It seems I have another subject to touch upon during the cil.”

  “I doubt Lord Stonewell will be happy,” Kera remarked, a small grin f on her lips.

  “Lord Stonewell, five me for my nguage, go fuck himself,” he grumbled. “His pride and idiocy led many good soldiers intraves. I will make sure that he will be the o the o their families.”

  Kera nodded. “As he should.”

  “Enough about the bumbling idiot,” Regvahed. “It’s getting te and I’m sure you would rather go back to your home thahe few hours listening to my grumbles about the cil.”

  The young Serfin grinned. “I don’t mind, sir. You always have the best gossip, my Lord. My mother is particurly fond of the stories I bring her after our meetings.”

  Of course, she is… The Priest groaned, masking it with a cough. “Yes, well… Why don’t you tell me how the Merts are doing? I would love to know if they already mao find their so-called ‘rifts’.”

  Kera shrugged, the grin still on her face. “My tacts wouldn’t tell me a thing. But they sounded pretty excited so I’m pretty sure that even if they didn’t find any passages yet, they are close.”

  “As expected,” he murmured and leaned ba his chair. “Thank you fathering all of that information for me. Now please go and take a few days to rest. It won’t be long before the gates in the new Universe open and we will have hands full of wain… Oh and please pass my greetings to your mother.”

  The Serafin stood and bowed deeply. “Of course, my Lord. Thank you and I’ll be sure to tell mom that her friend didn’t fet about her.”

  “As if she would let me,” Regvaor scowled. “Now go child. May the Protector shine his light upon your soul.”

  “For we are of the light,” Kera returned, and with a fsh of green, she disappeared from the room.

  Youth, The Royal Priest chuckled.

  Far away, deep ihe dimensions of the Void, a lone man sat at a cliff of a rocky hill. A soft hum stantly escaped his throat as he gazed at the o of miniature stars and gaxies that hung above his left palm.

  The holographic image ged stantly. Colorful purned into crimson globes, while every other star diminished, losing almost all of its light. A another Universe fell prey to the Void’s Curse. I wonder what secrets I uhis time…

  The man’s gaze zeroed on a particur gaxy, its light already almost dead. It seemed like the first dark zone was already developing in the new Universe. Curious… It’s not even close to the Ever-Darkness world. I just might have to drop by and see how it progresses. Dark Zones always have iing things to hide. I wo…

  Pausing, the man brought up his other hand, a small metalliaterializing in his palm. Deep beh the figure’s cloak, an eyebrow rose as the man pressed the siton on the orb.

  “Rikora,” he muttered, his voice rough and scratchy. “I didn’t expect to hear from you three so soon.”

  A giggle resounded from the small orb. “Well, aren’t you a lucky guy then, Traveler.”

  As if… The man sighed. Why couldn't Peria or Kirysk be the oo call him? He shouldn’t be able to get a headache a a single sentence from Rikora made his temple throb.

  “What do you want, child? I’m busy.”

  Rikora snorted. “Yeah? With what? Is there another book by the great Loraveler on the horizon, or are you watg the Universe destroy itself again?”

  Fug brat, the Loraveler growled. “Nothing you should care about. Now tell me why you called, or I am crushing the Transmitter.”

  “Ruin my fun, why don’t you,” she grumbled before chirping out again. “Anyeria wanted me to tell you that some Essence from Nikra’s shard is floating through the new Universe. We are w on finding the source. That’s all, bye!”

  Taking a deep breath, the Traveler ted to ten and dismissed the orb from his hand. “At least she brought some useful information,” he mumbled. Nikra’s Essence could only mean a possible gate leading towards the shard. Not something he could dismiss.

  The Loraveler turowards the holographic image of the new Universe, his gaze going back to the developing dark zone. And I even have a pce to start the search.

  He smirked. Who knows, maybe this cycle won’t be to.