After an arduous day of travel, fraught with exhaustion and lingering fear, the faint silhouette of Ashwind Post finally appeared in the distance before Da Vinci, Kiana, and Ryu. The thin wisps of smoke rising from the chimneys of a few huts and the familiar outline of the defensive walls were like beacons of hope and safety they desperately craved. The three of them almost collapsed in relief; the tension that had gripped them throughout their escape began to ease slightly.
However, before they could even set foot within the village perimeter, a booming voice preceded its owner.
"Hey! It really is you guys! Thought you'd gone off to admire wildflowers in the forest and forgotten your way back!"
Two towering figures emerged from the shadows of the hastily repaired village gate. The first to speak was "Bacchus," a powerfully built man whose face was perpetually adorned with a wide grin. His eyes sparkled with mischievous amusement as he teasingly addressed the trio, despite their obviously weary state. Beside him stood "Taurus," his equal in stature, but as solid and stoic as a stone mountain. His grim face was etched with the marks of experience, his sharp, steady eyes assessing the newcomers before giving a curt nod of acknowledgment.
"You gentlemen... Bacchus, Taurus!" Kiana exclaimed, her voice a mixture of surprise and evident relief.
"Little Ryu!" Bacchus strode forward and clapped Ryu energetically on the shoulder, nearly sending him sprawling. "Been gone a while, haven't you? And you've brought back a new face, I see! Not to mention leading our current leader into a spot of bother, from the looks of it! You all look like you've been through the wringer. What sort of adventure did you stumble into?" He glanced at Da Vinci with a curious, appraising look before breaking into his characteristic broad smile.
Ryu bowed respectfully to both men. "Master Bacchus, Master Taurus, I have urgent news to report... We've just narrowly escaped the clutches of one of the 'Seven Hunters.'"
The words "Seven Hunters" wiped the smile from Bacchus's face instantly. His eyes, usually full of mirth, now held a sharp, steely glint. Taurus's brow furrowed deeply, his expression growing even more severe.
"The Seven Hunters, you say..." Taurus rumbled, his voice low. "This is no laughing matter."
Once back inside the village, news of their return and their harrowing encounter with a high-level enemy spread quickly. They headed straight for Eldrin's hut and were met with the welcome news that the old leader had fully regained consciousness and his condition was stabilizing. Though still severely weakened by the loss of his arm, his intellect and the sharpness in his eyes remained undiminished.
Eldrin sat propped up on his cot, his face pale but his eyes still radiating strength. He listened intently as Kiana and Da Vinci recounted their ordeal. When Kiana described unleashing her blood-red fiery power once more to protect Da Vinci, Eldrin's eyes narrowed slightly, the earlier gentleness in his gaze replaced by a clear mixture of concern and admonishment.
"Kiana..." Eldrin said, his voice weak but firm. "How many times have I told you about that power! It is not something you should unleash recklessly, without a thought! Have you forgotten my warnings?!"
Kiana lowered her head, avoiding the elder's gaze. A wave of guilt washed over her, though she still felt confused and uncertain about her own power.
Ryu, standing beside her, looked at his sister with concern before adding softly, "The Elder is right, Kiana... That power... it truly is too dangerous." Ryu's words further convinced Da Vinci that Kiana's power was no ordinary ability, and those close to her were well aware of its formidable nature.
Eldrin let out a long sigh before shifting the topic to the immediate threat they had faced. "'The Seven Hunters'... 'Eagle,' was it?" he said thoughtfully. "I've heard tales of them, from the elders before me, and from a few travelers who survived the Nebula Empire's grasp. They are an elite unit, genetically modified and augmented with the Empire's most advanced mechanical technology. Each one is said to possess terrifyingly unique abilities and is assigned only the most critical and dangerous missions. They are not mere soldiers; they are 'Hunters' in the truest sense... cold, merciless, and unerringly precise. I've never seen one with my own eyes, mind you, and I pray I never have to. But from the codename 'Eagle,' one can surmise he excels in ranged attacks and detection. As for the others among the Seven... I imagine their traits align with their animalistic codenames. For one of them to appear at the Athenaeum of Embers... it means the Nebula Empire is starting to pay significant attention to this region... or perhaps, to something hidden within that Athenaeum."
"They are not just well-trained warriors... there are rumors that some of them... or perhaps all of them... are 'The Awakened' who were persuaded or cultivated by the Empire to become weapons of slaughter."
Eldrin's words cast an even heavier pall over the room. An urgent planning session commenced immediately. Bacchus and Taurus provided additional intelligence about the Nebula Empire's recent movements, which they had gathered on their latest mission, further underscoring the imminent threat.
Da Vinci reiterated the importance of returning to the Athenaeum for information, though he admitted his brush's power was not yet fully restored, and facing "Eagle" again would be exceedingly dangerous. The knowledge they might find there, however, could be the key to everyone's survival.
After several hours of intense deliberation, Eldrin and the other leaders reached a consensus. They would not passively await their fate. Ashwind Post would fight back, preparing on all fronts: they would immediately reinforce the village's defenses to be as strong as possible, with Bacchus and Taurus taking the lead in training the warriors, and Da Vinci designing improved defensive systems and traps. Furthermore, a reconnaissance unit (perhaps Ryu, or the more diplomatic Bacchus) would be sent out to gather more intelligence and attempt to contact other allied factions for aid. And most crucially, a meticulously planned expedition would be mounted to return to the "Athenaeum of Embers," but this time, they would need to be far better prepared, perhaps with stronger reinforcements or a more cunning strategy to deal with "Eagle."
Meanwhile...
The scene shifted to a dark, imposing hall at the heart of the Nebula Machine Empire. A towering figure sat upon a throne forged from pitch-black metal. Dim light illuminated only a pair of glowing crimson eyes, like burning coals, and a hand encased in formidable mechanical armor, tapping thoughtfully on an armrest.
A holographic image of "Eagle" shimmered into existence before him. He was delivering his report on the mission at the Athenaeum of Embers, his voice calm and precise. "...and the other intruder, a seemingly ordinary young man, was able to conjure a golden shield of light, apparently from what looked like a simple paintbrush..."
The figure on the throne listened in silence, then spoke, his voice deep, cold, and resonant with an authority that could shake the very cosmos.
"'The Artificer,' you say..." he uttered, his voice tinged with slight disdain. "Another annoying 'Awakened' has appeared, I see." A thought crossed the Machine King's mind – these Awakened, in whatever form they took, were always thorns in his side, challenging the power and order he had established. "That power of creation, if left unchecked, could truly become a thorn in the Empire's side..."
He commanded, his voice decisive and chilling, "Keep a close watch on him, Eagle... Ascertain his true potential. If he shows any sign of being a threat to the Empire... or if he attempts to delve into secrets he shouldn't know... then eliminate him. Don't let him grow into a bigger problem in the future."
The communication crystal dimmed. The Nebula King remained seated on his throne, his crimson eyes glinting profoundly. "The Awakened... no matter how many come... they will all eventually bow at my feet..."
"...Keep them under surveillance, Eagle... Do not let them out of your sight... And, if the opportunity arises... bring me this 'Artificer'... alive."
[End of Chapter 11]