The Grand Magic Council chamber remained heavy with tension. The incident of a mysterious mage executing the captive demon without consent left a mark of anger and disappointment among several members. Fenrath, the representative of the Moongrim Clan guardians of the night known for their ability to transform into powerful werewolves loyal to mankind had returned to his human form, but his eyes, sharp and glinting like a wolf's, remained locked on a single figure in the corner.
The Council Leader raised his hand, calling for calm. His voice was deep, composed, and held an authority that none could deny.
"Enough. We must not let emotions cloud this council. Let us focus on the mission: protection, investigation, and prevention."
The mages exchanged looks some still visibly upset but they sat down. All except one.
The mysterious mage lounged in the seat of an absent member, legs propped on the round table. He was eating a dark purple magic fruit clearly meant as an offering for the formal ritual.
"Hmph... so tense. As if you'd get anything useful out of that demon. Its tongue was sealed with blood magic. If you want answers, ask me. I saw the ritual."
The room froze.
An elderly mage from the Aegerin Clan stood. His hair was silver, and his robes bore the emblem of lightning.
"You know too much for someone who has never attended an official council! Who are you, really?!"
The mysterious mage only smiled, saying nothing.
Before the tension escalated further, a calm yet firm voice echoed from the right side of the chamber.
"That's enough."
Gorion, the legendary sage, finally spoke. His body was old, his wooden staff cracked and worn, but every word he uttered still made the room tremble.
"He's insufferable, yes. But he is not our enemy."
Several mages gasped. One of the more vocal members shouted, "You defend him?!"
Gorion gave a slow nod. "Something is stirring in the shadows. I've seen it... like echoes from the past. Infants vanishing, hearts forcibly extracted, mana interference across leyline points... this isn't an ordinary demon plot. This is history repeating itself."
Silence.
Lurelya, a mage of the Sky-Eye Clan, rose and said softly, "If this is history repeating... then we'll need the old keys again including the ones you once hid, Gorion."
Gorion's gaze hardened. "That's why I've returned."
The Council Leader sighed. "We will form a Southern Investigative Team and reinforce the Frontline Wardens. Preparations begin tonight."
Everyone began to rise.
But before the first step could echo, the mysterious mage tossed a red spell scroll onto the center of the round table. The scroll ignited in midair, transforming into a vivid blood-soaked illusion.
What it showed stopped everyone cold.
An abandoned, ancient temple shrouded in thick violet mist. At its stone altar, thirty unconscious infants lay arranged in a pattern of ancient magic. Above them, twelve still-bleeding human hearts spun in a vortex of dark mana.
"They're summoning something," the mysterious mage said, taking another bite of his fruit. "And the ingredients... well, you've seen for yourselves."
One female mage covered her mouth in horror. "Those... those are human hearts! They're still fresh..."
The Council Leader stood, his voice shaken. "This... this is a high-tier summoning ritual. Banned since the First War!"
Gorion slowly stood. "There's no time. If this is a fusion ritual and if it's using innocent blood and life cores... they're crafting a vessel."
"A vessel for what?" asked Lurelya.
Gorion stared at the magical projection. "For something that should never return."
Fenrath snarled. "Tell us the location of this ritual, you bastard!"
The mysterious mage snapped his fingers. A map floated down, revealing the location: a ruin named Erh'Nalas, hidden on the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
"But you'll have to hurry," he said casually. "The ritual ends when the full moon reaches its peak... midnight tonight."
"And if that happens we lose everything," Gorion whispered.
The Council Leader finally roared, "We declare Emergency Protocol Level Three. Deploy all elite units. This is no ordinary threat. This is a summoning that could tip the balance of the world."
All mages stood. Preparations began.
Yet one thing was undeniable:
For the first time in decades, the Grand Magic Council was shaken—not by power, but by fear.