Year 2000 AGS Underhaven Calendar
*2:40 Earth
"You keep scaring me, Natasha. Good thing the kid was too young to process what you did there." Laios said, looking Natasha in the eye with a very serious face. "In time, my son will understand everything," Natasha looked down, feeling downhearted and scared while riding her horse. "What do you say about this, Daniel? What she did might have traumatized the kid." Laios turned to Daniel. "Don't mind her. Let her feel those emotions. Those are the emotions of a mother. The kid won't remember it afterward. Don't worry," Daniel answered in response, looking straight at the pathway stoically, showing no feelings. "By the Makers, I am beginning to worry for Equirel because of you two". Laios exclaimed, sighed, face-palmed, and then shook his head. "We're here. This is Elder Abaddel's new secret location". Laios said and got down from his horse.
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"The rainclouds are absent today. We are lucky." Laiossel knocked five times on the door and stood by the entrance. "Come in." Elder Abaddel's voice sounded low as he replied behind the door.
"Laios, right on time. Good thing you are good at following orders. Or else I would have complained to Michael." "Thank you, Elder, for your praise, but the thing is, why do you need all three of us?" "On the contrary, I only need those two. But this time, you are the only one who knows this place, so you are needed. Now, could you give us time? I will orient them about our future strategy." "Then why do I need to go?" "You, my friend, have a different task. Guard the entrance. Make sure no one's eavesdropping." "From a legion commander to a butler. Life sure is erratic." "Quit complaining and just do it. You know you're talking to an Elder, right?" "Yeah. Yeah. You're so easy to talk to that I sometimes forget. You owe me one after this mission." "Fine. Now get going." Laiossel answered Elder Abaddel, then went outside the small house.
"You seem to be close already. Haha." Daniel said to Elder Abaddel, casually looking him in the eye, and smiled. "Good kid. Straightforward and honest." Elder Abaddel replied bluntly, walked to his makeshift command desk, and seated himself with dignity. "Thank you, Elder, for doing us a favor. I need Laios to physically be there with my son before everything gets crazy." Natasha said softly as she was looking down, expecting Elder Abaddel's negative reaction.
"You know. I had difficulty finding a good excuse to send him there so early. But this is for the Fate. So, it is fine. After Shaman Nostra died, I thought Bastion's connection to Fate truly disappeared. I am so honored that we had you, Daniel." "You honor me, Elder." "Are there any changes from what you told me?" "None, still the same. Although, as I told you, Elders, I cannot see every detail. Only fragments. They will strike at the Mantle at approximately 3:30 Earth, and the anomalies will arrive by 4:00 Earth." "Are there really no changes about your fate and Natasha's?" "None Elder. But we accepted it already. For Fate, for Underhaven, and for our son. It needed to be done." Daniel replied.
"After the age of unification, when Nostra told us about the chosen one, at first I found it hard to believe that someone could surpass us, Elder Templars…" Elder Abaddel put his feet on the table and looked up at the ceiling. "But when you told me about your visions of the future, and just recently the Makers declared to us the 'Blessed Generation', my doubts about 'the great peril' that will arrive disappeared." Elder Abaddel, seated properly this time. "Why did you tell only me out of all the Elders, Daniel?" Elder Abaddel suddenly looked like a dignified Elder, far from the close-companion image he had shown earlier, and told Daniel, looking him in the eye. ---"So, the story about the 'prophecy of the chosen one' is true. Without revisions. You were really there." Natasha suddenly interjected while looking determined. "Yes. I made sure no revisions happened. Well, in Underhaven at least." Elder Abaddel replied unexpectedly, with patience, unlike the mighty, strict persona Elder Templars usually exude.
"Out of all the Elders, you are the one who believes the most in Fate, and you were there yourself when the prophecy was made. That is why I trusted you. Had I told the other Elders, they would have dismissed it." "Then why not Michael? Although he is not fully devoted to Fate. He would have believed that." "Elder Michael would not have agreed to the plan, unlike you. I did not ask the other Elders because it would have led to a long debate. It might have even reached the council of Templars in general." "I see." "And you are the most flexible in terms of reasoning among the Templars. You also have stigmata like Elder Michael. You are as strong as him." "Hmm. I see. Still, we are not sure that your son is indeed the chosen one. The prophecy is not clear with the gender or even the race." "I will risk it for his sake. I saw some parts of the future that made me conclude he is the one."
"No one has known that I am stationed here at the Mantle. I told Michael to keep it a secret, even to the other Elders…" Elder Abaddel stood up, placed his hand on his contraption, a small molecular digitalization device commonly used for spatial storage, and activated it for reconstruction of the stored items in it.
"Here, I took the liberty of having the forgers use Somatic Imprint Sealing with my Golden Black Flames on these custom-made armors." Elder Abaddel took the armors and gave them to Natasha and Daniel. "Yes. This is extremely important." "I have adjusted just enough power of my Golden Black Flames in its sealing technology based on what you mentioned." "Thank you, Elder." "It's the least that I can do." Elder Abaddel replied.
"So, does everyone still think that you are coming with Golden Black Flames reinforcement, Elder?" Natasha asked. "Yes, the story 4 days ago was that I just went here for inspection to check the forces before my legions arrive. As of now, it is still only you, Daniel, and Laiossel that knows I am here." "Sorry for leaving my post for 3 days, Elder." "Child, I understand everything."
"We have adjusted the conditions. I am sure the enemies have decoded that reinforcements will arrive at about 12:00, full moon, later. To be honest, I expected them to attack in the early days, but they did not. Your visions are likely accurate. They will attack this early morning out of desperation." Elder Abaddel stated. "It is likely they are still afraid of Templar might," Natasha added.
"Now you three go back to the Mantle. I will be there when the battle starts..." Elder Abaddel moved his hand, making a dismissive gesture to Natasha and Daniel. "And Daniel, may the Fate be with you." Elder Abaddel looked at Daniel's eyes, firm with resolve to see things through. "Yes." Daniel made a short nod, returning the intensity to Elder Abaddel.
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*3:00 Earth
"My lord, the Templar reinforcements should still arrive by around 12:00 Full moon. Old, intercepted transmissions align with the recent one." Cipher, Neo-Illumina's spymaster, told Apex, their supreme leader. "Hmm. The Gods are with us. Prepare. We will move exactly as planned." Apex replied. "So, same as planned? We weaken them enough, then we make the declaration?" "Yes. See to it that the plans are performed flawlessly. This will be the time those detestable templars experience true fear."
"Lord Cipher, we are sure that the Templars have yet to detect us. Our tracks are clean." A Neo-Illumina spy entered, kneeled, and informed Cipher. "Good…" Cipher said as he stroked his chin like he was thinking of something important, but somehow it slipped his mind. "But I have second thoughts whether the intelligence saying there is no Elder Templar in the Mantle and 4 entrances is true."
"That is because we ensured to confuse them with our main forces trying to force themselves into Underhaven through digging through the intermediate lands." Catalyst, the mastermind, standing near the table on the left side of Apex, said in reply. "Indeed, false eye spies secured visual evidence of more than half of the Elder Templars. Most likely, the rest are with their armies in the backend areas." Cipher confirmed, looking more mildly assured than before. "I personally orchestrated everything so that things would go smoothly. They have yet to detect us here, and their elders are running around confused. Templars are not as invisible in tactics as they said." Catalyst smiled, her arms open and palms up, as she shrugged to Cipher.
"Then, with this. I order everyone to commence the operation 'Dawn of the New Lights'." Apex stood from his kingly seat, extended his right hand, and stated to all the officers in their chambers. "Hail, Neo-Illumina." All the officers in their chamber said in unison as they saluted the Supreme leader, Apex.
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*3:33 Earth
Clang. Clang. Clang.
"Good. You're still sharp and correct in form. Here I thought that emotional goodbye earlier dulled your senses." Laios told Natasha as their swords clashed. "The plan became lucid after our talk with Elder Abaddel; it cleared my mind," Natasha said in reply as she defended against the aggressive swordplay of Laios.
Thud. Thud. Thud. The sound of the scout horses' hooves was heard.
"Scouts coming in hot!" one of the soldiers stationed at the Mantle shouted.
"Incoming!!!" some soldiers in unison shouted while running and jumping away from the mortar fire.
Boom!!! The sound of the mortar shells reverberated in the peaceful surroundings of the Mantle.
"Defensive positions!!!" Natasha shouted loudly so that every soldier in the area was alerted.
"Magna, have someone inform the 4 entrances that we are under attack. Come back here to defend as soon as you're done!" "Yes, commander!!!" "Now, go!"
"Legion of the White Flames! Binary Eclipse Formation!!!" Natasha shouted as she lowered her gladius in her left hand and raised her bastard sword in her right hand above her head, both facing the entrances.
"Rune Masons!!! Solidify the fortifications with dark energy!" "Yes, commander!!!"
Boom!!! Boom!!! Another round of mortar shells hit the fortifications.
"Looks like Domcrean rune-artillery..." Laios commented while he stood beside Natasha. "How in the heavens did they get here unnoticed?"
"Focus on the defense, Laios," Daniel stated. "The abyssal mass caused by the dark energy is holding the mantle walls together. The kinetic absorption matrices are absorbing the impact, but it won't last long with this many."
"Runic-plasma artillery!!!" One of the white flame legionnaires shouted.
Thoom!!! Thoom!!! Thoom!!! A massive number of plasma beams suddenly hit.
"White Flame Legionnaires! It is only a matter of time before the runic defenses shatter. The enemy is charging straight at us. Let us show them the might of the Templars! Kruhay! Kruhay! Kruhay!" Natasha shouted, then raised her right hand holding the bastard sword. Holding true to the moniker of the princess of weapons given to her.
"Kruhay! Kruhay! Kruhay!" the white flame legionnaires shouted.
Thoom!!! Another plasma beam hit, and the walls of the Mantle crumbled.
"Hold the binary eclipse formation. Defensive anchors prepare to hold the line!" Natasha, together with Laios, looked straight at the enemy as it charged. They saw dragons, dragonoids mounted on their wyverns, trolls, chimeras, elementalis, and other races of the intermediate lands, as well as the different races of Domcrea.
"By the Makers, this is not an attack. This is an invasion." Laios stated grimly