Chapter 454: The Inevitable

Elsewhere, deep beneath the earth, far from the prying eyes of the outside world, a gathering was underway.

The underground structure was ancient, its stone walls carved with intricate symbols that seemed to writhe whenever the flickering torches illuminated them. Thick pillars supported a ceiling lost in shadow, while strange markings covered the floor in concentric circles surrounding a raised platform.

At the centre of the chamber stood a long, obsidian table.

Seated around it were hooded figures, each wearing dark robes embroidered with the same silver sigil: an ornate chalice surrounded by interlocking rings.

The Blessed.

They were people who had devoted themselves to a cause that the outside world would struggle to comprehend. To them, the world above was not something worth preserving in its current state. It was a flawed creation, an unfinished stage awaiting the arrival of beings far greater than humanity.

And they intended to prepare it for them.

There were twelve figures seated around the table.

Behind one of them stood a man dressed in black, his posture rigid and his hands folded neatly before him.

Bilal.

And before him, with an air of effortless authority, stood Aisha.

She wore a dark, elegant outfit that contrasted sharply with the rough stone surroundings. Her expression was composed, her eyes sweeping across the gathered figures as she prepared to address them.

"As avatars of the Great Ones, we must create a world ready for their descent. To achieve that, we will-"

She abruptly stopped.

A sharp pain exploded through her head.

Aisha’s hand flew to her temple as she staggered half a step, her expression twisting with surprise.

For a brief instant, the chamber seemed to spin around her.

Then the pain vanished.

The figures around the table exchanged glances, uncertain whether they should speak.

Bilal, however, immediately stepped forward.

"Lady Aisha? What is it?"

She slowly lowered her hand.

For several seconds, she stared at nothing in particular.

Then her lips curled.

Aisha was naturally frustrated after investing in something she had expected to develop according to her plans, only for it to be disrupted far sooner than anticipated.

And yet...

She couldn’t help being impressed.

A quiet laugh escaped her.

It grew into something more genuine, amusement shining in her eyes.

"He got rid of the mark already."

Bilal’s expression changed.

"Already?"

"Yes." Aisha tilted her head, still smiling. "And here I thought I’d have considerably more time before he noticed anything was wrong."

She let out another soft laugh.

"He’s growing even faster than I expected."

There was no denying it.

The mark she had implanted in Ethan had been intended to serve a purpose, one that required time to develop. Yet he had somehow discovered the problem and removed the parasite before it could finish its work.

More importantly, he’d managed to do so seemingly without external help.

’Ethan Crowe, the Lord Of Beasts...’

Aisha’s smile widened.

’You really are full of surprises.’

Bilal, meanwhile, had already begun considering the implications.

"Lady Aisha, should we dispose of him?"

The question drew the attention of everyone seated around the table.

One of the hooded figures leaned forward.

"A rogue vessel of the Great Ones is too dangerous to leave unattended, especially that one. If he has already freed himself, we cannot assume our other measures will be effective."

Another voice immediately followed.

"Then, we should attempt to bring him into the fold. If his growth continues at this pace, having him on our side would be far more beneficial than wasting such potential."

"An absurd suggestion."

A third figure struck the table with a gloved hand.

"He has already demonstrated that he can interfere with our plans. We should eliminate him before he grows beyond our ability to control."

"Eliminate him? Do you have any idea what kind of opportunity he represents?"

"An opportunity that could become a threat!"

"Enough," another figure interjected. "We should observe him before making any rash decisions."

Their voices began to overlap.

Some wanted Ethan dead, others wanted him recruited, and a few remained silent.

Aisha listened for a moment.

Then-

"Silence!"

Her palm slammed against the obsidian table.

The sharp crack echoed throughout the chamber.

Every hooded figure immediately fell quiet after seeing that Aisha’s expression had lost its amusement. She swept her gaze across the gathering, allowing the silence to stretch until even the most outspoken members lowered their heads.

"You seem to have forgotten something."

Her voice was calm, but there was a dangerous edge beneath it.

"This gathering exists because of the Great Ones. Our plans exist because of the Great Ones. And every decision we make must serve the day of their descent."

She paused.

"Ethan Crowe is not yours to dispose of."

No one dared interrupt.

Aisha placed both hands on the table and leaned forward slightly.

"He will be an offering for the great day we are preparing. His growth, his Title, and whatever strange developments he experiences are all part of what makes him valuable."

Her smile returned, though this time there was little warmth in it.

"Besides, killing him now would be a waste."

Bilal remained silent behind her, but his eyes narrowed slightly.

He understood his mistress well enough to recognise when she was withholding information. She had not explained why Ethan was needed as an offering, nor had she clarified what she intended to gain from allowing him to continue growing.

But he didn’t question the woman he served.

Aisha straightened.

"However, we cannot afford to be complacent. If he can free himself from my creations, we must assume that our timetable has changed."

She glanced around the table.

"We will move our plans forward."

A murmur of surprise passed through the gathering.

"Lady Aisha," one of the figures began cautiously, "are you certain? Some of the preparations are incomplete."

"Then complete them."

"But-"

"Do you believe the Great Ones will wait until we are comfortable?"

The figure immediately lowered its head.

Aisha’s gaze hardened.

"No matter how much he grows, no matter what abilities he acquires, there is no avoiding the inevitable. It’s the same for the rest of humanity’s resistance. The day will come, and everything we have done will lead to it."

She let those words settle over the chamber.

Then she smiled again.

"Until then, let them grow, especially Ethan."

Her eyes gleamed with an unsettling mixture of curiosity and anticipation.

"Let him struggle. Let him discover the limits of his power, and let him believe that every victory brings him closer to standing above the rest."

Aisha’s fingers tapped lightly against the table.

"The more he becomes, the more meaningful his offering will be."

For a moment, nobody spoke.

Then the hooded figures began nodding, one after another.

The meeting resumed, and discussion turned towards the preparations that needed to be accelerated. Maps were unrolled, reports exchanged, and unfamiliar names were mentioned in hushed voices.

But Aisha’s thoughts had already drifted elsewhere.

To the man who had somehow managed to surprise her once again.

’Enjoy your freedom while you can, Ethan.’

She almost laughed.

’I’m looking forward to seeing how far you go.’

In her eyes, his growth changed nothing.

It had merely made the inevitable more interesting...

-

Back at Ethan’s house...

"Ethan?"

Elara’s voice was gentle.

No response.

She sat beside him, watching his motionless body with a growing crease between her brows.

Ethan had been meditating for some time now.

At least, that was what they had assumed when he’d first settled down and closed his eyes.

It wasn’t unusual for him to disappear into one of his strange trances. He had told them about the Tower he could access in his dreams, and they had grown accustomed to the fact that his version of training sometimes resembled an extremely deep sleep.

Usually, though, there was something familiar about it.

This time, something felt wrong.

Elara could sense it.

Of the three people gathered around Ethan, she was by far the most versed in spiritual matters. Her experiences with the Blood Demon had forced her to become aware of things most people couldn’t even perceive.

And right now, Ethan’s spiritual presence felt...

Strange.

It wasn’t absent.

Quite the opposite, in fact.

She could sense him, but something about the way his presence settled within his body seemed different, as though he’d been through something that had left a lingering disturbance...