The Legendary Mage (Alavin)

Cobalt Strike.

When the news thundered across the Northlands, a tempest of shock and dismay swept through the ranks of Cobalt Strike.

Treason! Betrayal!

Disgrace! Anguish!

They could scarcely believe that such a heinous act of rebellion could unfold within their esteemed and proud Organization! Thousands of Protégés were seething with fury.

The Elders who remained at the stronghold emerged from their seclusion to investigate the truth of the matter. The number of Elders within Cobalt Strike was considerable. Aside from those journeying afield fo experience, the Organization typically maintained about thirty Elders at home. However, not all Elders had sided with the Grand Elder. Many, indifferent by nature, spent their years in isolation, delving into the mysteries of Combat Magic. Now, they came forth in outrage, their opinions of the Grand Elder entirely overturned - some even cursing him openly. Three loyal Elders led a cadre of Elite Protégés and precious Magical Remedies away from the Organization, venturing toward the Stormcast to aid the Commander. Others stayed behind to maintain the stability of the Organization and to calm the distraught Protégés. Some Elders stormed into the Botanic Haven, determined to confront the Botanic Haven Elder - they would have answers, dead or alive.

Chaos reigned throughout Cobalt Strike, with some members so incensed they confronted Semar, Adirich, and their associates, demanding an explanation!

However, the Grand Elder was fixated on capturing the fleeing Commander and had called away all his faction's Elders and middle-aged Protégés, leaving only Elder Connas to secret the unconscious Botanic Haven Elder into a hidden valley.

"Kings' Acceptance? So that's what the Grand Elder truly desires!" Elder Connas, nestled in the valley, felt the tumultuous atmosphere of the Organization. The clamor was rising from every corner. Alas, what should have been a simple ambush had escalated into this dire situation - the caprice of fate.

He didn't blame the Grand Elder's selfishness. He reserved his hatred for the Commander and the Botanic Haven Elder. To think that such a vital relic should be handed over to Alavin! Did their years of devotion to the Grand Elder mean nothing compared to him? Even if they had chosen Alavin, at the very least, all Elders of the Organization should have been informed and consulted in the council. "Damnable fool, I once respected you," Elder Connas muttered, looking at the unconscious Botanic Haven Elder beside him, his fists clenched with the urge to end his life. To think that they had been nurturing Alavin in secret, making light of the other Elders!

But what could he do with the Botanic Haven Elder now? With the Commander escaping and the Northlands in uproar, warriors would soon converge upon Stormcast. The winds of change were blowing, fraught with peril, and the outcome remained unpredictable. Should he kill the Botanic Haven Elder or take him to Stormcast?

After much deliberation, Elder Connas decided to leave Cobalt Strike with the Grand Elder and lie in wait near Stormcast, ready to act according to how events unfolded.

The Protégés of Cobalt Strike continued to reel from the shock, as though their most sacred beliefs had been defiled. They could not bear it. Many Protégés left Cobalt Strike in droves, rushing towards Stormcast. Regardless of whether they could be of help, they were determined to express their outrage and make it known throughout the Northlands that Cobalt Strike would not harbor traitorous rebels! "Alavin, what have you done," Nikulas mused, his gaze fixed on the direction of Stormcast. His expression was exaggerated. "The Kings' Acceptance." Such a thought set his heart ablaze.

"A storm is brewing," Myke remarked, his long hair flowing, calm, and composed. His handsome face was as beautiful as a maiden's.

"Shall we go and see?" Nikulas clenched his fists, his rough demeanor brimming with vigor.

"The news seems deliberately spread. I suspect there's more to it. Let's go. A rare spectacle like this is worth witnessing."

Upon receiving the news, Carlys rushed to Celesse, only to find the courtyard deserted - her mentor and Celesse were gone. Worried and anxious, she quickly gathered her belongings and set off for Stormcast.

Protégés by the score left Cobalt Strike, their momentum unstoppable.

Roald stood in his courtyard, gazing distantly, lost in thought.

"Kings' Acceptance!"

"The true secret of Atlantis!"

"A legacy spanning millennia."

"Why entrust it to Alavin? Commander, why!"

"Where do I fall short compared to Alavin?"

"Alavin, who harbors resentment towards Cobalt Strike - why would you nurture him?"

Roald couldn't fathom it, nor could he accept it. He had always been Cobalt Strike's most cherished prodigy, held in high regard alongside Celesse, basking in glory and resources, with thousands of Protégés looking up to him. The recent string of setbacks had already left him frustrated, but today's news struck a much deeper blow.

"So, in the Commander's eyes, I am far less than Alavin."

Roald stared at the majestic Organization peaks, silent for a long time before resolving with determination. "I will leave!"

"Regardless of the so-called betrayal, regardless of the disaster befalling Cobalt Strike, regardless of the legacy - I shall concern myself with none of it. If I am not valued here, why should I stay and endure this humiliation?"

During a tumultuous period in the Northlands, marked by internal strife within the Order of the Cobalt Strike, Roald, the vaunted Golden Protégé, made a resolute decision to depart from the Order, carrying with him deep frustration and a touch of wrath.