The sun dipped low behind the towering spires of the Seventh Realm’s palace, casting long shadows over the grand entrance steps where Emperor Ryon paced restlessly.
The marble beneath his boots felt cold, but his growing frustration burned hotter with each passing hour. His gaze remained fixed on the horizon, waiting for the news of distant No Man’s Island. He is anticipating the island to reveal some sign, some trace of the half-million soldiers he had dispatched.
“They should have come back by now,” Ryon muttered under his breath, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides.
The golden light of evening bathed the palace grounds, but no messenger had come, no sign of the army he sent to seize control of the teleportation gate. It was as if the wind had swallowed them whole.
A faint sound of footsteps echoed behind him. One of his advisors approached hesitantly, bowing low.
“Your Majesty, we’ve had no communication from the troops since their arrival at No Man’s Island,” the advisor said cautiously, as if afraid his words might stir the Emperor’s growing impatience further. “The outside barrier remains intact, but there is no evidence of battle or movement within the island.”
“No evidence?” Ryon’s voice tightened, his eyes narrowing. “You mean to tell me that half a million soldiers vanished into thin air, and there’s not a single trace of them left behind?”
The advisor lowered his head. “Yes, Your Majesty. The spies have just returned. They scoured the surroundings but found no disturbances. The barrier stands as it did before. It is as if…” he hesitated.
“As if what?” Ryon’s gaze sharpened, cutting into the man’s hesitation like a blade.
“As if they were never there at all.”
Ryon’s fists struck the marble railing beside him with a loud crack. He stared at his knuckles as if the pain might ground him, reminding himself this was no dream.
His army, half a million strong, had indeed marched towards No Man’s Island, following his orders. He had seen them off personally, had watched as the banners of the Quinn family’s might unfurled and marched through the palace gates. And yet, nothing remained. Not a whisper.
“This isn’t possible,” Ryon muttered, his breathing growing heavy. He turned sharply to his advisor. “Send word to the palace master. I want the Council summoned immediately. Every last one of them.”
The advisor nodded and rushed away, leaving Ryon alone once more beneath the encroaching twilight. Silence settled over him like a heavy shroud.
He slapped his palm against his cheek, the sharp sting making him wince. His eyes darted around the empty entrance hall as if searching for a clue, a thread to pull and unravel this madness.
“It’s real,” he whispered, rubbing the spot where his hand had struck. “They’re gone… all of them.”
The thought gnawed at him, the weight of the loss pressing down on his chest. His empire’s finest warriors, reduced to nothing more than a forgotten memory in the span of hours. A chill crept down his spine as his mind raced for answers.
Then it struck him.
“Oh… god.” Ryon’s eyes widened as his lips parted in stunned realization. His hand rose to clutch his head as the pieces fell into place. “How could I miss this?”
His voice trembled with disbelief. Images flashed before him—Madam Clark image standing silently before him, her gaze cold and unreadable. She came for revenge, her presence had always carried the weight of unresolved grudges, family rivalries that had never truly faded.
“That bitch,” he spat through clenched teeth. “She came here for revenge.”
Ryon paced furiously, his boots hammering against the stone steps. His breath quickened, and his shoulders tensed as anger bubbled to the surface. He had let her move freely within the blue planet, allowed her to plant her seeds in the 7th realm while he looked elsewhere.
“She must have laid her traps long before the army even set foot on the island,” he growled. “Damn it all. I should have known. She’s been one step ahead from the start.”
A soft shuffle behind him broke his thoughts. One of his spies approached cautiously, bowing low before speaking.
“Your Majesty, the scouts have returned.”
Ryon spun on his heel, his piercing gaze locking onto the spy. “And?”
The spy shifted uncomfortably. “We found nothing, Your Majesty. The island stands as before. No movement, no remains… not even a hint of battle. But the people of doom nation saw our army in morning.”
Ryon’s fists clenched tighter, but he forced himself to exhale slowly. “She’s playing a long game.” Ryon muttered in a frustrated tone.
He straightened his posture and stepped down from the entrance hall, his cloak trailing behind him. “Inform the Council. We are not to rest until we uncover every corner of No Man’s Island. If she thinks she can erase half a million soldiers without consequence, she will find the full wrath of the Seventh Realm upon her.”
The spy bowed deeply and disappeared into the night. As the palace doors creaked shut behind him, Ryon stood alone beneath the darkening sky, the weight of unseen forces pressing heavily upon his shoulders.
With narrowed eyes and a heart burning with resolve, Emperor Ryon whispered to himself, “This isn’t over.”
After an hour…
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The moon hung low over the Seventh Realm as Emperor Ryon stood at the highest balcony of his palace, his eyes fixed on the distant horizon. His face, usually calm and composed, was marred with frustration.
Ryon clenched his fist and finally pulled out a glass orb from his spirit ring. The orb shimmered faintly with a silver glow as he infused it with mana.
A few moments passed before the faint image of Jason Mama, the head of the Nine Realms Association, appeared within the orb. Jason was draped in his usual dark robes, his long, silver hair cascading down his shoulders like a waterfall. His eyes flickered with annoyance as he responded.
“Brother-in-law Ryon? Calling me at this hour? This better be worth my time,” Jason said coldly.
Ryon wasted no breath. “Jason,This is about the no man island we talked about. half a million of my army vanished at No Man Island. Not a single one has reported back. The barrier remains untouched. It’s as if they were never there.”
Jason’s eyebrows shot up, and he leaned forward. “Half a million? Vanished? That’s not a small number to disappear.”
Ryon nodded grimly. “I believe it has something to do with Kent’s mother, that bitch. That island holds a massive inter-realm teleportation gate, and if my suspicions are correct…”
Jason’s eyes narrowed. “Go on.”
“Madam Clark may be there. I suspect she and her army are using the island as a stronghold.”
Jason’s surprise shifted into a crooked smile, followed by a low chuckle. “Madam Clark? She dares to show herself after all these years? And if she’s truly capable of wiping out half a million soldiers, that means she’s amassed quite the force. This… is interesting.”
Ryon’s eyes burned with fury. “Interesting? Jason, I’ve lost half a million men! This is no game. If Clark has allied with rebels, they could destabilize the entire balance of the realms.”
Jason’s grin didn’t fade. “Relax, Brother-in-law. If she’s strong enough to pull this off, it means they are concentrated in large numbers. That makes them easier to crush.”
Ryon crossed his arms. “I want this handled immediately. I am moving the forbidden army—the same one that’s been dormant for two decades.”
Jason’s eyes glimmered with interest. “The forbidden army? You’re pulling out all the stops.”
“Yes, and I expect the Nine Realms Association to mobilize as well. Call for an emergency gathering of the association’s forces. We’ll strike together.”
Jason nodded. “Consider it done. I’ll have the Nine Realms Army ready within the next two days. This will be a show of power unlike any before.”
Ryon’s face softened slightly, sensing the weight of Jason’s words. “I’m counting on you, Jason. We can’t let this turn into a rebellion.”
Jason smirked. “Don’t worry. We’ll hit them so hard they won’t have time to rebel.”
Ryon let out a dry laugh. “Good. We’ll march from two sides. The forbidden army from the north, and the Nine Realms Army from the south. We’ll squeeze them in between and make No Man Island their grave.”
Jason tapped the glass orb with his finger. “Consider it done. I’ll start preparing immediately.”
The orb dimmed as their connection severed. Ryon stood for a moment, staring into the darkness, the weight of his decisions pressing on his shoulders. With a deep breath, he turned and strode down the palace steps, summoning his generals. His voice boomed through the grand hall.
“Prepare the forbidden army. We march within shortest time possible. This war will end before it begins.”
The great bells of the palace echoed across the land as soldiers scrambled to their stations.
–
The 9 realms soon heated up with the news of Madam Clark present in the seventh realm. The rebel faction moved faster than the 9 realms army to tie hands with Madam Clark army.
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More chapters tomorrow!