Cloudy Nights

Jin eagerly threw the dice onto the game board, his voice filled with excitement as the outcome unfolded. Ellie, on the other hand, let out a groan of disappointment while playfully pleading with Jin as she handed him fake money. Al and Cesar chuckled, their laughter mixing with the air as Agnethe watched. Stealthily, she slipped some of her own fake money to Ellie.

The five young cultivators reveled in each other's company, their laughter echoing through the jets cabin. In just a few hours, they would be landing and staying for a 30-days in the Antarctic, they were there as added security for the base.

"Agnethe," Al asked, "you never told us why you haven't searched for your family since the world ended." Agnethe smiled, her gaze shifting towards Jin. "Much like the Takahashi who reside within the territory of the Supreme Leaf. My family reside within the Erosion Leaf. They are safe and thriving," she assured him.

Curiosity piqued, Agnethe turned the question back to Al. "And what about your family?" she inquired. Al's response was quick and cold. "They were swallowed by the sea," he said, causing Cesar to avert his gaze.

But before the silence could settle, Ellie's palm connected with Al's cheek in a sharp slap. "You don't know that!" she retorted; her voice filled with defiance. "Linda might have escaped. My mom lives in California too, and I can still feel she's alive." Her words hung in the air, capturing Cesar's attention, while Al remained steadfast, merely shrugging his shoulders in response.

As the aircraft soared past the tip of South America, en route to the Antarctic, they slumbered peacefully, their bodies seeking respite from the journey. However, Al remained awake, his gaze fixed upon the impenetrable darkness outside the window.

Awakened by a sudden flash of lightning, Agnethe stirred from her slumber and noticed Al staring into the cloudy dark night. She rose from her seat, moving quietly towards him. In the dimly lit cabin, she appeared tall and ethereal, like a specter navigating the shadows. Approaching Al, she stood by his side, their silent presence intertwining.

Together, they gazed into the inky expanse, until suddenly, a burst of electrical brilliance illuminated the darkness. In the wake of the ephemeral glow, Al spoke softly, his words carrying a hint of melancholy. "He said the night was ruled by the many, but I don't see that. All I see is darkness."

Agnethe, her mind recalling the words of Loh', contemplated for a moment before responding, her voice gentle yet profound. "Clouds in the day give shade, but at night, their shade morphs into an oppressive darkness. Perhaps the darkness you see is like the shade of a passing cloud. It may offer solace to the one, but for the many, it becomes an oppressive darkness."

Al turned his gaze towards the blonde woman, their eyes meeting for the first time in a meaningful exchange. It was a genuine moment born from both, the realization that their paths had never truly intersected until now.

Al nodded, taking her words to heart. He turned away, seeking rest, yet not without ingesting a pill from the medication Robert had prescribed him, its purpose known only to Al himself.

After their arrival, the group settled into the Antarctic base, which was situated 15 floors underground. As winter began to cast its icy grip, darkness enveloped the landscape, with only a fleeting glimpse of sunlight around noon. Seeking solace from the cold, they made their way to the base's cafeteria, craving warm tea to thaw their bones.

To their surprise, a familiar voice greeted them, addressing Cesar by name. "Hello, Cesar. I'm glad to see you and your Phantom Seed again." Cesar instantly recognized the voice, though its owner had never revealed her name. The soft-spoken super soldier removed her helmet, revealing a cascade of flowing black hair. It was a young woman whom all five of them immediately recognized.

"Call me Ariah," she introduced herself. "Robert sent me here shortly after our rescue mission. By the way, there's another Phantom Seed here." As she spoke, six figures clad in robes entered the room—four men and two women. One of the men, upon noticing the presence of other cultivators, brazenly remarked, "They sent these weaklings? I can hardly sense any Will emanating from them. Are they even in the Mental Domain!?"

However, a woman with short hair, the leader among them, raised her hand, silencing him. With an air of authority, she approached Cesar and the rest of the group. "Hello, my name is Emilia Holt, captain of my own Phantom Seed," she introduced herself. Her gaze rested upon Cesar, who stood out with his gray robe adorned with a red sash, his majestic spear held proudly. "I'm guessing you're the captain?"

Cesar affirmed her assumption, extending a diplomatic greeting. "Yes, I am the captain. It's a pleasure to meet other cultivators who work alongside Robert and the I.S.P."

Emilia smiled, her team joining in with laughter. "Phantom Seeds aren't meant to be friendly. The less competition we have for the 50-year Mortal Rings Tournament, the better for us. So, let's not harbor any illusions of friendship. I simply wanted to advise you to stay out of our way. We prefer to keep to ourselves. However, if you give Robert any reason not to fulfill his promises, then we might have a problem."

Caught off guard by Emilia's directness, Cesar was about to respond when alarms suddenly blared, interrupting the conversation.

In response to the blaring alarms, Ariah swiftly donned her helmet, her communication systems abuzz with updates. "One of our patrol squads has been attacked. A surviving super soldier was found, missing an arm. The base is securing its perimeter and relocating the remaining scientists to the lower levels. We need one of you two to join the other five patrol squads outside," she relayed to Cesar and Emilia.

Without hesitation, Al took charge, urging action. "What are you waiting for? Go out there and earn your pay." Emilia's eyes narrowed at Al, her gaze resembling that of a striking cobra. "Our primary duty is to protect the scientists in the lower levels, and that's precisely what we'll do," she asserted.

Feeling a tinge of frustration, Ellie brushed past the opposing Phantom Seed, her voice laced with impatience. "Come on, let's go. We're wasting our time here." Cesar and the others agreed, following Ellie's lead. As they prepared to venture into the harsh, frigid Arctic night, Ariah ran after them, joining their ranks. "I'll join you guys to even out the numbers. I couldn't help but notice that you're missing the big blue one," she said, referring to the absent Asoto'.

In the midst of their preparations, they took a moment to explain to Ariah how Asoto' had chosen to remain with the Lightning Stone Leaf. With the news of his homeland's downfall and the few survivors left, he had made the decision to stand with his people while Loh' remained with Robert.

The six figures ventured into the abyss of the pitch-black night, their path shrouded in darkness. Ariah, clad in her specialized super skin, required no additional layers to shield her from the harsh temperatures. The others, however, donned thick capes, offering some respite from the biting cold. While their Will provided another measure of resilience, they could still feel the chill seeping through.

A sense of unease lingered among them as Ariah shared the details. "There hasn't been much activity here, aside from a rumored sighting of a Rakh-ahtan warrior. This is the first time a patrol has not only been eliminated but also attacked. The strange part is that despite our extensive camera coverage, nothing was captured. It's all very peculiar."

Al chimed in, attempting to assuage any concerns. "Don't worry. Me and Agnethe have a heightened ability to perceive movement in the darkness due to our Will being anchored in the Material Plane." Al turned towards Agnethe, a smile exchanged between them.

Ellie, wielding her mirror, caused the surrounding darkness to illuminate. "I'll ensure that we can all see clearly," she declared, her voice resonating as she became invisible.

Guided by their patrol instructions, they followed the designated route for half an hour until they stumbled upon a disturbing sight. The pristine white snow was marred by drops of crimson, staining the ground in a haunting display. They hurriedly traced the trail of blood, which led them to a wounded super soldier, writhing in agony, his arm severed slight below his shoulder.

The group's focus sharpened, adrenaline surging through their veins, as they confronted the situation.

"Hhheeelp! Please, please help me!" The man's anguished cry pierced the frigid air, compelling the team to sprint towards him. Amidst the chaos, Al heard a familiar voice resonating in his mind, a message from his etheric shell, the embodiment of his Stubborn Will—a ring adorned with a chain.

The voice urged him to look behind. Al swiftly pivoted, his voice echoing the warning he had received. The team followed suit, but it was too late—their surroundings had transformed into a nightmarish scene.

They were surrounded by Hybrids, their eyes ablaze with a primal hunger, encircled the group, preparing to strike.

Confusion gripped Ariah as she shouted, "I don't see anything!" Realizing that Ariah lacked the awakened Will necessary to perceive the impending danger, Al leaped in front of her, only to be seized by a colossal, winged creature armed with razor-sharp talons.

Shock coursed through Ariah as she watched Al fly away, blood cascading from his form, staining the snow below.

Meanwhile, a sea lion with the sinuous body of a serpent slithered across the snowy expanse, converging on the injured super soldier. In a swift motion, it coiled around him, its maw unhinging to consume its prey whole.

Cesar, wielding his spear, deftly parried the tail of a colossal scorpion. With agility honed by instinct, he narrowly evaded the attack of a polar bear hybrid armed with massive pincers, a near-fatal blow missing him by a hair's breadth.

Seizing the moment, Cesar kicked up a flurry of snow beneath him, manifesting his Wind Will. The hybrid polar bear found itself engulfed in a wave of snow. As the scorpion hybrid lunged once more, Cesar's spear swung with intensified force, shattering the creature's tail into fragments.

Just as the polar bear shed the snowy veil, preparing for another assault, Cesar's spear pierced through the icy wind, impaling the creature with unerring precision.

Jin, with lightning coursing through his gauntlet, unleashed a powerful surge towards a winged beast resembling a flying shark but missed. The flying jaws came swooping down forcing him to keep moving around, narrowly escaping the creature's vicious assault.

Meanwhile, Agnethe found herself confronted by three hybrids, her senses on high alert. Just as the situation seemed dire, Ellie materialized next to her, activating the inhaler provided by Robert.

In an instant, a surge of knowledge flooded Ellie's mind, spells tied to her Reflective Will. Without hesitation, she focused on one, harnessing her etheric shell, her mirror to emit a concentrated beam of light.

The radiant beam sliced through the three enemies, shocking Agnethe, who stood in awe as her Ellie displayed unparalleled offensive and defensive capabilities. Ellie then turned her attention to the winged beast Jin was grappling with, swiftly cutting down the threat.

By the time Ellie directed her gaze towards Cesar, he had already dispatched both the hybrid polar bear and scorpion with skillful precision.

The walrus hybrid, its serpentine body coiled around the super soldier, met its demise as well, releasing its captive. The super soldier, along with Ariah, remained oblivious to the presence of the hybrids, their perception unable to grasp the supernatural occurrences unfolding before them.

Al, blood-stained and bearing torn garments, approached the group. "If hybrids have appeared here, it means Dark Acolytes are nearby," he warned. As he walked towards them, the injured super soldier screamed in agony, witnessing his severed arm regrow before their eyes. Jin observed with curiosity, noting the remarkable regenerative properties of the super skin.

Jin expressed his fascination, but Cesar interjected with a sense of urgency. "We have to get back to the base immediately.".

As the team hurriedly returned to the Antarctic base, a horrifying scene unfolded before their eyes. Dozens of super soldiers found themselves engulfed in a relentless onslaught. Some were hurled through the air, their bodies crashing against the unforgiving ground. Others met a more gruesome fate, torn asunder or shredded into unrecognizable fragments. Only those with awakened Will possessed the ability to perceive the true cause of this carnage.

Among the chaos, four dark figures concealed beneath hooded robes stood out, their mere presence causing a nauseating sensation to grip Al and his companions. It was evident that these figures were Dark Acolytes.

From the inky depths of the sky, a deafening, hellish scream pierced the air, drawing their attention as a shadowy figure descended like a bolt of lightning, striking the heart of the I.P.S.'s arctic base.