137 Dawn Of War (1/2)
Inside Desmond's apartment before the explosion on the surface that alarmed the city. The room was just as messy and dark as when Desmond left it a month ago. Dozens of piles of papers filled with runes, incantations, art work, and failed attempts at enchanting could be found everywhere even in the shower. Oleg's music reverbed through the walls pounding in the head of a shadowy figure that sat still on Desmond's couch in the darkness.
Poor lighting resulted in not being able to see many of the figures details but the outline of a gun on his lap hard to miss. That mysterious figure who sat patiently in the dark was Gresham Stokes. He had been waiting for Desmond's return for a while but only received an endless amount of torture from Oleg's music instead.
Time and again Gresham contemplated switching targets it was only was only natural he'd think, so because he'd been driven to his wits end. A simple revenge mission for all the people Desmond kill was all it was, yet it was proving impossible to complete since Gresham couldn't find his target. Which in turn means that he can't redeem himself for his massive failure. He may have not been the one to angered Andrea Briggs, but he did lead the group to the bar despite knowing full well that he shouldn't have.
That's why the incident at the steel mill weighed so heavily on his heart because it was his foolish decision that lead to the death of so many good people. As Gresham sat contemplating what to do an old acquaintance contacted him using a communication seal.
”What do you want I'm kinda in the middle of something?”.
”Gresham were are you?”.
”I'm, ahh at my friends place trying to rekindle an old flame. Why did you ask?”
”I'm asking because people are looking for you man”.
”What for?”.
”Because you were the last known person to be seen with Robert”.
”Seen with Robert what do you mean?”.
”He's missing and some people think that you have something to do with it since you where the last known person to be seen with him. His wife is freaking out and his kids are worried sick. His wife contacted us a while ago saying he was gone and we just recently found a video recording with you and him together shopping”.
Gresham felt like what he heard was ridiculous, ”I did no such thing I haven't seen or contacted robbert since what happened at the steel mill”.
”Ya, well you still gonna have to come in and explain your side of things”.
”Fine I'll be right over”.
Gresham cut off the communication and was annoyed by what was going on. Though it was a displeasing situation Gresham was happy to finally leave that dreary place. Being surrounded on all side with text refering to magic wasn't a pleasant feeling. It only reminded him of his mother Martha and what she did to ensure his future. Those memories were what kept the embers of his hatred burning brightly no matter the amount of time that had passed.
Just as terrible memories in Gresham's mind began to resurface the sound of a monsterous explosion over took every thing. The air visibly shook as the room swayback and forth. Gresham clung tightly to the couch as he endured the whole experience. After the effects of the explosion ended a siren blaired loudly in the background all throughout the city. That siren informed all civilians to migrate underground for refuge because the war had begun.
”You've got be kidding me the war has started already, uhh”.
War brought endless troubles for ever body and made you realize your insignificance because war was the time that all of the side characters stepped down while the true protagonist of the world took to the stage.
Knowing how little time he had left before the streets became flooded with all sorts of people. Gresham didn't dally he stood up and prepared to leave. Before he left Gresham took out a small brown bag from inside his pocket. The bag contained a fine red powder of which Gresham began to sprinkle in every room in the house. The powder was called [spark powder] once ignited the powder burns better then magnesium.
After the powder was spread Gresham ignited it, almost in an instant most of Desmond's hard work over the nearly 2 year he had been on Theotera went up in smoke. All of the precious books Desmond obtained from Zane along with the book copies Desmond spent endless hours copying and thousands of magic crystals obtain. The flames engulfed everything except the 500 spare magic crystals ($5 million U.S) Desmond kept in his apartment Gresham happily walked outside of Desmond's apartment complex with that. As the flames spread Gresham walked down the street like nothing ever happened.
...
Memorial wall-South Gate, Delmar City
Before the explosion that rattled all of Delmar City it was an ordinary peaceful night. At the top of the memorial wall a strong wind blew. The cold wind that would send shivers down ordinary peoples spines couldn't faze any of the men or woman there. There mind, bodies and spirits were far to strong to be disturbed by such a thing because they were all at minimum rank 1 cultivators or magi.
The thousands of artificially generated stars illuminated the dark allowing the enchanting beauty of the city and Clover Forest to easily remain within view. As the guards conducted their duty a red star was suddenly birthed in the sky. That red star hurdle towards Memorial wall faster than an of the rank 1 or 2 soldiers could perceive. Moments before many of the soldiers thought that the red star was going to crash into them that red star stopped and hovered in the air above Memorial Wall.
The blinding light from the star that parked its self above everyone basked the world in a red glow. The glowing ball of light gave off a sinister energy that made everyone's skin crawl, while threatening the rank 3 soldiers on duty were not impressed they resisted the imposing aura easily. To handle the situation a rank 3 brigadier general nearby rushed to the scene. He released a monsterous aura of his own as he spoke to the person above him.
”I am brigadier general Damon Reed and you are trespassing in Delmar City's air space. It is forbidden for anyone not associated with Delmar City to fly above 500 feet within Delmar City's territory. Cease flying now, return to the ground, and you will only receive a fine. Disregard my instructions and we will attack you with lethal force”.
The person who stood above everyone didn't heed Damon's words in the slightest they kept standing still but they did retract their energy allowing their appearance to clearly be seen. A well decorated woman in a red and gold metallic dress that was created by sowing together precious metals and gems that have all been heavily enchanted. The outfit made here look like a warrior but could also double as an evening gown. She had a well defined jaw and facial features, black hair that flowed like ink and almost demonic eyes that glowed a light shade of red.
After getting a clear look at who the person above him was general Damon was stunned then his attitude became even more serious.
”Rank 3 blood mage Minerva The Crimson Cloud what in the world is someone like you doing here?”.
”So you know of me?” Minerva asked lazily.
”Of corse I know about you I aften look some of the famous wanted posters in the world and dream about what it would be like to catch someone like you. Now that someone with a 3 billion magic crystal reward on their heads is standing before me I can't help but feel elated because that means that I can now accomplish that dream. A vile rogue blood mage like you should just hurry up and die you bring mages everywhere a bad name”.
Minerva didn't care about anything Damon said to her the fates of people like Damon who foolishly challenge her all had the same pathetic end. Continuing to talk to trash like those before her brought Minerva no benefits so she simply did what she came to do.
Abruptly a nightmarish power that made even the rank 3 officers on top of Memorial Wall feel as weak and vulnerable just like back in their apprentice days spirted out of Minerva. That power made everyone on the wall take a few steps back without hesitation and made a majority of them literally sweat bullets. Though Minerva was only one rank 3 mage there were very few people dumb enough or brave enough to confront the kind of attack Minerva was about to release.
Merely being at the same rank as another person doesn't mean that your as strong, smart, or even skilled as another it only meant that you've reached that grades standard. But there are still people who are regarded as exceedingly strong even in their own rank. Minerva wasn't a famous wanted criminal because she played games. It was because she was strong that people feared her and also because she had all the skills to back up any claim she made.
”Full retreat its a rank 5 mystic item, retreat”.