The Legendary Mage (Alavin)

Stormcast.

From the citadel burst forth eight beams of intense light, like eight mighty rivers spanning the heavens and earth, stretching for miles. Their ever-shifting positions boomed incessantly, illuminating the vast ancient city and shaking the hearts of all its denizens. Yet, they could not alter the oppressive atmosphere that weighed upon the city.

Now, all across the city, the news of Alavin receiving the Kings' Acceptance spread, as did the word of the Cobalt Strike rebellion. Everyone was all too aware of what was likely to come next. Should the warlords descend and vie for power together, Stormcast could be reduced to rubble in the blink of an eye, leaving naught but the bones of its two hundred thousand citizens.

Dark clouds loomed over the city, threatening to crush it. The air was thick with tension, the winds bitingly cold, and the ancient city desolate. People huddled together, shivering and looking helplessly toward the sky.

Scattered across the wilderness outside the city were groups of powerful beings drawn from nearby realms by the spectacle of light and energy. None dared approach too closely unless they had grown weary of life itself. Surely, the Cobalt Strike Commander himself was presiding over the city in his raging fury-who would dare provoke him?

Five days after the incident.

The cry of a celestial crane pierced the air, and the sky was awash in a myriad of colors. The overwhelming aura of holiness pressed down upon the wilderness and neared Stormcast. The surge of energy was as real and forceful as a tsunami crashing through the wilderness, breaching the city walls and inundating the entire city, filling the streets and trembling the hearts of the people. Who had come? Lucan and the others anxiously peered towards the east.

"The Floral Enchantress Commander-why has she come?" From deep within the citadel, the authoritative voice of the Cobalt Strike Commander thundered across the land, shaking many to their core. A magnificent crane glided through the skies. Its wings were gently flapping and scattering divine radiance. The Floral Enchantress Commander was the first to arrive. In terms of distance, the Floral Enchantress resided closest to Cobalt Strike.

From atop the crane, the cool voice of the Floral Enchantress Commander rang out, "Commander Kashann, no need for alarm. I am here only to seek answers to two doubts. Is Alavin within Stormcast? And what exactly is the Kings' Acceptance?"

"Ha! It seems that even the noble Floral Enchantress Commander cannot escape mundane concerns. You've traveled a great distance merely for Alavin and the legacy. The Eight Orders have always stood united against common foes. Now, with Cobalt Strike under assault by Lord Viperbane, does the Floral Enchantress Commander not care to inquire?"

"Commander Kashann, now you speak of the unity and mutual support of the Eight Orders? Who was it that opened Atlantis, toyed with the warlords, and secretly nurtured Alavin?" The pressing tone of the Floral Enchantress Commander sank the hearts of those within the ancient city. If the first to arrive adopted such a stance, what could be expected of the other mighty beings? Was Stormcast truly destined for destruction?

"Ridiculous! Does Cobalt Strike really need to share a magical treasure with the Eight Orders?"

"Answer me! Is Alavin in Stormcast? And what is the Kings' Acceptance?" The voice of the Floral Enchantress Commander suddenly rose, icy and commanding, an authority unmarred by anger.

"Come and see for yourself!" The Cobalt Strike Commander soared into the sky, with a convergence of intense light forming a protective barrier around him. Though he was not fully healed, he could not afford to show any weakness. His raging will twisted the very space around him, filled with anger.

The Floral Enchantress Commander stood on the soft, snow-white back of the crane, gazing at Stormcast furiously. After a long and cold silence, she finally let out a sigh and spoke no more. Her visit today was not to seize Alavin or claim the legacy. The incident had become well-known, stirring up a storm of attention. Securing the legacy was not difficult. The real challenge was in keeping it safe. She wondered why the Cobalt Strike Commander had not fled with Alavin but chose to remain in Stormcast, adopting a stance that seemed to invite challenge from all corners.

She strongly suspected that the Cobalt Strike Commander was deliberately drawing attention to provide Alavin an opportunity to escape. Perhaps Alavin was not in Stormcast at all.

"What grandeur, Commander Kashann!" A stern and cold rebuke echoed from the depths of the Cloudveil Woods as Lord Viperbane descended upon the wilderness. He stood proudly in the sky, surveying the ancient city. His overwhelming holy aura stood like a massive mountain range hanging in the air. His heavy presence made it hard for many powerful beings in the wilderness to breathe. "Lord Viperbane!" A chorus of shocked cries rose from the boundless wilderness.

"Lord Viperbane has arrived." Lucan and the others gathered in the citadel, staring into the distance, filled with despair. Faced with such a superlative being, they lacked even the will to resist.

"He's come quickly." Celesse had hoped that Commanders from the other Organizations would arrive before Lord Viperbane to lessen the pressure. Alas, fate did not comply, and Lord Viperbane had come ahead of time.