At almost the exact sa mont the Wizard’s soul was annihilated.
In a natural cavern, at the end of a more secluded branch tunnel deep within an old mine west of Blackstone Fortress.
The rivulets of dark-red energy coursing along the walls suddenly erupted into chaos, like discordant strings, emitting a piercing hum.
They frantically surged toward a relatively flat, black rock face in the center of the cavern, where they converged, twisted, and finally coalesced into an extrely blurry pattern with edges that constantly dissolved and reford.
It was a bizarre, shattered symbol—a fusion of an eyeball and a vortex.
The instant the symbol took shape, a dark-red form in the shadowed corner of the cavern—one that looked as if carved from cooled lava—jolted violently.
The Observer’s eyes, which had been like two clusters of slowly burning Dark Gold fla, suddenly erupted with a blinding light!
It made no sound, but the air in the cavern instantly grew thick and scorching, the stench of sulfur and corroded tal intensifying more than tenfold.
It ’watched’ the shattered symbol on the rock wall as it rapidly faded, ultimately vanishing completely.
This was the sign that the one-way soul link between it and the Wizard had been completely severed.
’Confirmation: Link severed. Executor, fallen.’
A cold, emotionless ntal ssage flashed through its consciousness.
The Observer’s inhuman face betrayed no emotion, but the Energy Fluctuations radiating from it beca like a suppressed volcano, growing ever more unstable.
It slowly erged from the shadows, its heavy footsteps landing on the scree-covered ground with a grinding CRUNCH, CRUNCH.
Its molten eyes stared intently at the spot where the symbol had vanished, as if trying to discern the lingering image of its foe.
’Failure was acceptable.’
’The plan had redundancies.’
’But death... especially such a sudden, near-instantaneous annihilation... ant that the mortal Governor nad lfield was far more dangerous than any previous assessnt had indicated.’
’The results of the "test" in Ximu Town had to be revised imdiately.’
’More importantly, the special "Ancient Spirit Coin" the Executor had been carrying...’
The Observer looked again at where the symbol had been.
’Location: D23564, G21143, J54.’
’That was precisely where contact with the Executor had been lost.’
’This ant the target had very likely reached that area. He might have even... triggered the pre-set "information resonance" within the Ancient Spirit Coin.’
’The target absolutely could not be allowed to carry that special Ancient Spirit Coin deeper into the ruined temple!’
’And he certainly could not be allowed to co into contact with any lingering traces of the "Ancestor of Light" or the "Seed of Origin" that might remain in the temple’s depths!’
’That information belongs to the "gardener," to the future "Harvesters." It absolutely cannot be glimpsed ahead of ti by a pawn with unknown intentions—a pawn that might even introduce an unforeseen variable!’
’It had to act imdiately. Following the contingency plan arranged with the "Star Speaker," it would mobilize the native forces of the Deep Red Wilderness to interfere, to obstruct, and, if necessary... to eliminate the target completely.’
The Observer hesitated no longer.
It walked to the center of the stone chamber. There, the ground ford a natural, irregular, shallow depression, at the bottom of which lay dark-red sand that glinted with a tallic sheen.
It raised its right arm, which was covered in Obsidian-like keratinous protrusions. Spreading its five fingers, it thrust its palm downward!
VMMMM!
A deep, imnse resonance erupted, seeming to emanate from the very depths of the earth!
The dark-red sand in the depression boiled as if alive, levitating into midair. It began to revolve rapidly around the Observer’s palm, forming a miniature vortex that radiated scorching heat and a chaotic aura.
The flas in the Observer’s eyes flared to their zenith. It tilted its head back slightly, and a psychic pulse—ancient, esoteric, and filled with a primal, savage aning—spread like invisible ripples. It radiated madly outward from the Observer, penetrating deep into the cavern rock and toward the deeper planes intrinsically linked to this land!
’In the na of the ancient blood... by the thirst of the scorched earth...’
’Awaken... Hunt...’
’Expel... or devour... the anomaly that does not belong to this realm...’
’D23564... G21143... J54... All who wander, all who lurk, all who hunger... converge upon that location...’
’I grant you... a mont of clarity and fury... Find him... Tear him apart... Reclaim... the lingering radiance...’
As this psychic command spread, the cavern began to tremble slightly, dust raining down from the walls.
The vortex of levitating sand in the depression flared brightly. Within it, a distorted, blurry image vaguely appeared: the terrain of the Rift Valley Slope, and a single point of light emitting brilliant fluctuations.
The instant the command was issued.
Ripples spread across the intangible plane of Law throughout the Deep Red Wilderness for dozens of kiloters around the Rift Valley Slope.
The large Scorching Beasts wandering the Scorched Plains all paused in unison. Their Dark Gold compound eyes swiveled in the sa direction as agitated, low roars rumbled from their maws.
The Earth Rock Worms lurking in subterranean fissures twisted their colossal bodies, shattered the rock strata, and began tunneling toward the location indicated by the psychic command.
Other, more bizarre creatures nesting in the shadows of the Molten Lava Skeleton Hill also began to erge, their eyes glinting with a savage light ignited by fury and greed.
Even farther away, from regions of chaotic Energy considered perilous badlands, ca the sounds of heavier, more heart-stopping movent and hissing...
A hunting storm targeting Murphy, comprised of the native monsters of the Deep Red Wilderness, was rapidly taking shape under the Observer’s guidance. Like a frenzy of sharks that had scented blood, they surged from all directions toward the ruined temple on the Rift Valley Slope.
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