137 Dawn Of War

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".

Mystic items don't grow on trees and acquiring one depending on its rank becomes exceedingly difficult especially for one that matches your affinity and combat style. The mystic item that Minerva possesses was upgraded by her. She used an already existing rank 4 mystic item that she possesses and with it concocted a recipe that allowed her to reforge it. Creating a recipe to create a mystic item or even reforge it is not easy at all. Minerva was only able to do it was because she was a refinement path grandmaster. But even despite that creating the recipe to upgrade her item was not a simple task and took her over 120 years to achieve that alone.

The actual refinement process in its self was another hurdle all together because the materials needed to reforge a mystic item at such a high level can easily bankrupt a large clan and put them in debt. Not only that but because of the difference in rank between Minerva and the mystic item she was reforging meant Minerva was unable accomplish the task by utilizing her own power.

It was only through the aid of someone or something stronger than herself that she was able to reforge the mystic item. Yet, even then such a massive task bears an immense risk of death. A risk that would be pointless to take because most people can't us items or equipment that are to far out of there rank. If it wasn't that Minerva was in desperate need for that mystic item to be at rank 5 she would have never taken such a huge risk in creating such a thing.

Every soldier around Minerva scattered as fast as they could. There existed a massive dome like shield that protected the entirety of Delmar City but the shield had an upper limit to what it could handle and an attack supported by a grade 5 mystic item was definitely pushing that limit. Minerva gently pushed her hand forwarded after she did so one of the 50 story tall statues of mages clasping their hands activated.

Delmar City which is jointly protected by 3 super guilds, 12 large guilds, and multiple other medium and small guilds is not easily threatened. There may be no being who is stronger than rank 3 in all if Delmar City but there are the one hundred and thirty four 50 story tall statues placed all around Delmar City all of which have rank 4 combat power. None of the statues can express the strength of a real rank 4 powerhouse or ever beat one but it doesn't mean they aren't exceedingly powerful.

The massive statue launched off the ground and shot towards Minerva at a speed that shouldn't have been possible for such a large object. In an instant the palm of the statue collided with Minerva's attack and the collision created a blind white explosion. The explosion expanded in all directions destroying everything in its path for 10 square miles. It slammed against the protective shield encompassing Delmar City and some of it energy leaked though.

That energy expanded thoughout the city at a phenomenal speed in a single breath that energy spread into the homes of thousands of citizens living inside of the wall. Memorial wall significantly reduced how far such an attack could spread but it still spread to a large portion of district-D it even reached all of the soldiers and commanders who tried to flee away before hand by using all sorts of techniques and life saving items that they had. But it was all useless because in the next second they all die.

Only a blood mist and tattered clothes remained of those who once were. There was no resistance the difference between the two opposing powers was simply to great. When the explosion died down a huge dust cloud rose from the after math of the collision that generated a 10 mile wide crater beside Delmar City. Memorial wall while it did waver under Minerva's attack it still stood strong.

The results of the collision of Minerva with the statue left Minerva lightly injured while the statue itself only received a few light scratches. Fresh blood escaped Minerva's lips the taste delighted her as she seductively liked her lips. Though the damage to the statue was minor Minervawas quite happy with it her mystic item is almost completely useless when used against inorganic targets. Plus the difference between rank 3 and 4 is incredibly vast for a mystic item to boost her combat power to even lightly damage a rank 4 target is already a huge achievement.

In Theotera rank 1 is the bottom tier standard for not dying instantly when you walk outside by yourself. They are typically highly skilled combatants, who have a large assortment of abilities, can destroy large plots of land by themselves, but are still used as common foot soldiers by everyone. Rank 2 combatants can wipe out an army by themselves while people at rank 3 can survive a nuke at point blank range. The power of a rank 4 is the equivalent to that of a natural disaster. While rank 5s can destroy entire plants by themselves and anything beyond that is bull shit.

[Note From Author: Just because an item is at rank 5 doesn't mean it can destroy entire worlds it just means that if used correctly it has the power to damage or threaten the life of someone at that rank].

Seeing as he job was complete Minerva turned to leave the magus statue only automatically responds to direct threats since it received no orders to stop Minerva it didn't try to stop her.

"Leaving already, but I just got here that's so rude of you".

Those word made her stop for a moment and turn around. Once she did a charming middle age man with black hair, green eyes, and a scholarly aura floated nearby. Though the woman before him just recently killed thousands that were under his command there was no rage burning in his eyes only an endless sence of calm.

"Nisus Bel to what do I owe the pleasure to your visit". Minerva said jokingly.

"You attack the city I manage and kill thousands under my watch isn't that reson enough".

"I can't believe what i'm hearing to think that such weaklings are still in your view. If I tell other about this they'll think you've gone soft".

"You can test out for your self how soft I've gotten Minerva".

Minerva burst out laughing from Nisus's invitation to battle, "You know I was only joking like hell I'd randomly start a fight with you I'm not looking to die".

"You say your not looking to die but here you are".

"I'm just here to take a few cheep shots at you while I still can. Its not everyday someone like me can spit in the faces of 3 super clans and all those other smaller clans you have under you all in one day".

"Using the war to your benefit I see but you do realize this event will just make our clans start fervently hunting you down. They may even send a rank 4 elder after you for this or simply just to retrieve that grade 5 mystic item in your possession".

"I fear no one and besides you should be more worried about them over there then me".

Nisus had already noticed the peculiarity far off in the distance. The sound of wild beasts roariing and stomping on the ground endlessly sounded clearly in the night.

"It seem like the elves have made their move".

"Yes, and that is also my signal to go".

Abruptly Minerva's body started to break apart as she disappeared into a blood mist. Nisus did try to stop her such an action would be meaningless he only watched her fade away and once she did his body did the same.

...

Eclipse Association, Delmar City

Inside the Eclipse Association branch tower Lord Nisus Bel opened his eyes. What spoke to Minerva earlier was only a mental projection that he created. Immediately after opening his eyes put his hands on a crystal ball in front of him and made an announcement.

"This is an urgent announcement today Delmar City was attacked by rogue blood mage Minerva The Crimson Cloud. In the attack she took the live of an unknown amount of fellow colleagues and citizens. Though she escaped before we could apprehend her I assure you all that the Eclipse Association condemns her actions and the actions of those like her. She will be brought to justice and pay for the crimes she committed. Along with that I bring even worse new the enemy is approaching our doorstep. But it is not a time to feel fear it is time to fight and show our enemies who they should fear".

A loud cheer reverbed throughout the Eclipse Association it even overcame the blaring siren echoing through the city. After that announcement was made Nisus switched to call Velar Kadyn.

"Velar arrange a meeting in the war room with all the clans acting managers if they can't make it let their representatives attend".

"I shall do so right away".

There conversation didn't last long but it got to the point. Trouble was brewing and depending on how its handled will decided the futur of Delmar City.