Wyseforge: Temptation of Time

The Time We Lost

Azura and Empress Eiríni waited in the Heavenly Palace, their anticipation palpable. The palace was adorned with intricate golden carvings and shimmering crystal chandeliers, reflecting the ethereal beauty of their celestial realm. But today, their minds were preoccupied with thoughts of something else.

"Stop pacing around already, you're making me uncomfortable in my own room," said Azura, her voice filled with a mix of annoyance and concern.

"It's something I've been trying to work on myself, but every time I think of the time we lost because of the forbidden faction and senseless infighting, it gets me worked up," replied Empress Eiríni, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness.

Azura glanced at the clock on the wall. It had been over two years since they last saw Victor.

"I understand where you're coming from, hopefully with Victor's detective capabilities after the faction, we'll make contact with them soon," Azura said.

Just then, Azura's phone began buzzing on the table, interrupting their conversation.

"I wonder if that's him," Azura said, picking up the phone.

Azura answered the call, her heart pounding with anticipation. "Victor, is that you?"

"I've finally made contact with the enemy or something like that. I'll explain everything, but it's worse than I predicted," Victor explained, his voice filled with a sense of urgency.

"What's going on, Victor? Tell me what you've found," Azura replied, her voice filled with concern.

"No, this is something that must be explained in person. I assume you're with the empress right now, make sure you two stay together until I return to Helguard," said Victor, in a calmer tone.

"Wait, what the hell is going on, Victor!" Eiríni questioned, her voice filled with worry.

Victor hung up the call abruptly, leaving the two women in confusion.

Sometime earlier, Victor stood in the middle of a forgotten realm, named Khatz Plain, scanning the desolate void. He stepped over the numerous bodies of dead celestials and eternals, analyzing the void with his Neuroquantic armor AI system.

"I've heard cultivators tell stories of this battle, but even the exaggerations pale in comparison. The entire void was erased into near nothingness," thought Victor, his mind filled with sorrow.

Suddenly, a woman with a holeless white cherry blossom mask wearing a black robe with a chain wrapped around her right arm appeared in front of Victor from a warp in space.

"So, you've ventured all the way out here to find clues about us. You could prove to be a useful tool in our plan if you keep this up," the mysterious woman said condescendingly.

"I'd take it you're the one behind this faction, your aura is completely different from everyone else's. Tell me, what's your goal here in Helguard?" Victor said, turning to face her.

The mysterious woman started laughing, her laughter echoing through the void as she began warping the space around her with her enormous aura.

"My goal is one you're all too familiar with. It's something that only a few beings in existence have ever sought after and achieved any level of success," the woman taunted, her voice filled with amusement.

"Stop being so cryptic, asshole, just tell me what you're after already!" Victor snapped, his annoyance evident.

"We'll meet very soon... Victor Temporis," the woman whispered before teleporting away.

Victor couldn't shake off the unease that settled in his heart. Something about the nature of that woman felt oddly familiar, but Victor couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Damn, I gotta get back to Helguard!" Victor thought, his mind racing with thoughts.

Taking a moment to calm himself, he decided to contact Azura, hoping to find some answers.

In a mysterious isolated void, the leader of the eternals, a woman named Omec, patiently waited while sitting on her throne in her luxurious castle. In the blink of an eye, the mysterious woman from before appeared in front of Omec from a warp in space. The woman tossed Omec a golden pill before stepping forward.

"I've made contact with our target, he's different from what our intelligence teams reported. I was planning on dealing with the empress first, but I think Victor is more of a threat to our plan than we've given him credit for," the mysterious woman said.

"You seem to be more interested in this matter than you've been in anything else. Will you be getting involved in this battle when the time comes or..." Omec asked, intrigued by the mysterious woman's sudden interest.

"We'll let this game play itself out for now. I'll be keeping an eye on you, of course. You should also remember your soul isn't completely evolved yet, so avoid partaking in reckless actions," said the mysterious woman before teleporting.

"It seems she's more interested than she's been since the ascension war. Maybe she needs something that's in Helguard's possession. No matter, at the moment, I should focus on our new friends," Omec thought, her mind filled with curiosity and anticipation.

Omec called for two of her eternal guards, waving her hands to summon a golden aura that teleported all of them away.

Meanwhile, the mysterious woman stepped through a warp in space, looking over the cultivation academy. She began teleporting all over the academy, placing her talismans in specific locations.

As the mysterious woman placed her talismans, a blue-haired woman observed her from a distance for a moment before turning to leave.

THE NEXT DAY