A/N: sorry for the last couple of weeks without update but I have been facing minor issues starting from now I would be serious and this past week could be said to be an eye opener for me
And also I'm not dead
—-
*Chapter 29: Searching for Kamar Taj (Part 2)*
*Year: 2000–1985*
*Location: Timeless Phantom HQ*
In the Council Room—a vast, dimly lit chamber infused with artificial shadows and golden ambient light—stood a throne made of obsidian trimmed with gold. Before it lay a wide metal table, cold and sleek, flanked by two elongated side tables with four seats each, and one chair directly opposite the throne. These seats weren't ordinary—they belonged to the heads of Timeless Phantom's most powerful departments.
Every department head was already present. To qualify for a seat at this table, you had to be either an Apostle or a Pseudo Apostle. There were only nine such beings in the entire organization. That number may seem small—until you realize each one bore strength on par with Hela herself. Titans in human form, capable of destroying gods, slaying Hulks, and rivaling Celestials in potential.
The departments were as follows:
- *Intelligence Division* – Led by *Illias* (Apostle)
- *Operations & Field Division* – Led by *Uruk* (Apostle)
- *Espionage & Infiltration* – Led by *Seraphine* (Apostle)
- *Science & Research Division* – Led by *Karl* (Apostle)
- *Weaponry & Combat* – Led by *Anara* (Apostle)
- *Technology & Development* – Led by *Ayaka* (Pseudo Apostle)
- *Finance & Resources* – Led by *Navarra* (Pseudo Apostle)
- *Recruitment & Indoctrination* – Led by *Nefret* (Pseudo Apostle)
- *Global Influence & Diplomacy* – Led by *Lucien* (Pseudo Apostle)
For the first time in what felt like centuries, they were gathered together to respond to a single message from their master—Pluto.
Illias was about to speak, to formally begin the meeting, when Uruk—impatient as always—cut in.
"Illias, we don't have all day. Get to the point. Why waste time?"
"Hey, Uruk, calm down," Seraphine interjected sharply. "We all know Illias. If he's calling a council meeting, it isn't for something trivial. Unlike you, he doesn't act on impulse."
"Thank you, Seraphine," Illias said with a small nod. "As for the reason we're here…"
He reached into his cloak and pulled out an old, broken pocket watch—rusted, chipped, and silent. Every Apostle in the room immediately recognized it.
The murmur that followed echoed like thunder in a canyon.
Karl leaned forward slightly, his voice unusually respectful. "What does it say, Illias?"
It was worth noting: Illias and Uruk were among the few apostles who had served directly beside Pluto in the early days. That alone kept Uruk from being punished during his many reckless actions. Had someone like Seraphine acted as rashly, even her department would've faced suppression for a thousand years.
—*Back to the present*—
"I haven't opened it yet," Illias replied. "I wanted everyone here to see it together."
He slid the note into a cube built into the table. Instantly, a holographic projection burst to life above it. A single word appeared, glowing in a deep, mystic red:
*"KAMAR-TAJ"*
The room fell into a deep silence. No one asked what it meant—they already knew. Kamar-Taj. The name was old… sacred… elusive.
"Hmmm. Kamar-Taj is no ordinary place," said Anara, her voice calm but edged with caution.
"I know that," Illias said. "We've never had direct contact with Earth's dimensional guardians, but their reputation speaks for itself. Still, this is a direct message from Pluto. We must act."
He stood.
"Each department must treat this as a top-tier mission. But remember—*do not engage*. Do not make contact. Locate them. Confirm their position. Then report back."
The apostles nodded solemnly.
*Meeting dismissed.*
---
Thanks! Here's your polished continuation with consistent tone, deeper character depth, and clean grammar—all smoothly integrated with the earlier parts:
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**—
Illias P.O.V
—**
*"This is a one-in-a-billion opportunity. I can't afford to waste it. We need to recall all our elites and agents—immediately."* Illias's thoughts raced as he stood alone in his office, the air heavy with the weight of responsibility. His fingers hovered over his device for a moment before dialing swiftly.
He didn't hesitate. "Jasmine," he said firmly as the line connected. "Recall all active agents. Everyone is to return to HQ. This takes top priority. Now."
—-
Uruk P.O.V
Not long after the meeting ended, Uruk sat in his dimly lit command room, his face unreadable. He tapped his fingers on the armrest of his chair before issuing a direct order. "Send in Leo."
Moments later, the door slid open and Leo, his chosen successor, stepped in, tall and focused.
"I need you to relay the council's decision," Uruk said without preamble. "Mobilize all our field units. Tell them to begin the search for Kamar-Taj."
Leo hesitated slightly. "My lord… with all due respect, our division isn't known for intelligence gathering. We're better on the frontlines."
Uruk stood, his presence towering. "It doesn't matter. We serve the Master. Every department moves. If we find Kamar-Taj, we rise. Do you understand?"
"Yes, my lord."
"You're dismissed."
As Leo left, Uruk stared at the silent emblem of Pluto engraved on the wall.
*"They think Apostle is the peak. Fools. There is a rank above us... one so veiled in secrecy, even we dare not speak its name. But maybe—just maybe—this mission is the key to it."*
---
*Seraphine P.O.V*
"Ma'am, what was the meeting about?" Agape asked respectfully. She was Seraphine's vice and her personally chosen 1st rank disciple.
"The Master has given us an instruction," Seraphine replied, her voice calm but resolute.
"And… what is the instruction about?" Agape asked again.
"The Lord wants us to search for Kamar-Taj," Seraphine said, eyes sharp as she scanned her holographic display.
"Kamar-Taj? Why would the Lord be interested in that place?" Agape asked curiously.
Seraphine's gaze darkened slightly. "Since when did it become your place to question the will of the Lord? Our duty is to obey—not to inquire."
Agape stiffened in surprise. This was the first time Seraphine had ever reprimanded her. She had been chosen directly by Seraphine and trained personally, with an intimacy few others could claim. But now, she realized something unsettling.
*She had underestimated Pluto's place in her master's heart. To Seraphine, his word was law, unshakable and absolute.*
---
*Anara P.O.V*
*The Master has finally given us a mission…* Anara's eyes narrowed with determination. *A chance to repay his kindness—and increase my worth. This might be the step toward my true goal.*
She activated her communicator. "Gideon, report."
Moments later, a tall figure entered the room—calm, disciplined, and sharp-eyed.
"Master, you summoned me?" he asked.
"Yes," Anara said. "Prepare the special unit. Mobilize them immediately. Spare no expense in locating Kamar-Taj."
Gideon bowed. "As you command, I shall begin at once."
Unlike many other assistants chosen for emotional reasons or tragic backstories, Gideon had been selected purely on merit. He was a rare combat genius—capable of mastering any weapon or adapting to any fighting style within minutes. A true 1st Class warrior.
Anara had greater plans for him. The moment he ascended to pseudo Apostle or Apostle rank, she would promote him to head of the Combat and Weaponry Division—while she herself would step back into the role of a council elder. Not out of retreat, but strategy.
Her real aim was to create her own faction—*outside* the direct command of the Timeless Phantom. A force loyal only to her and Pluto. If it succeeded, her faction would answer to no one else on the council.
*And she wasn't alone. Every Apostle had a similar dream: to rise beyond the Phantom—to sit beside the Master, not beneath him.*
——
*Ayaka P.O.V (Technology & Development – Pseudo Apostle
Ayaka sat before a transparent display screen, her fingers dancing across glowing keys. Her mind was a hive of algorithms, schematics, and blueprints.
The moment the council meeting ended, she had locked herself in her lab—her sanctuary.
*If I can find Kamar-Taj through tech alone, it'll be undeniable proof of my worth.*
Ayaka's eyes flickered with determination. She had long served faithfully, developing tools, gadgets, and software that even the Apostles relied on. Yet, she remained a pseudo Apostle.
*I don't want to be useful. I want to be recognized.*
She summoned her chief engineer. "Deploy the drones and quantum scanners. I want a full net across all mystical energy fluctuations—especially those tied to ancient coordinates."
"Yes, Master Ayaka," the assistant bowed.
As the lab hummed with activity, Ayaka whispered to herself, "This is my chance... to finally stand as an Apostle."
---
*Navarra P.O.V (Finance & Resources – Pseudo Apostle)*
Deep within a secure vault, Navarra reviewed the ledgers of global accounts tied to the Timeless Phantom. Every investment, every bribe, every laundering route passed through her fingers.
But today, her calm was gone.
*Kamar-Taj. Even its name bleeds mystery. If I can fund the team that finds it, the council will have no choice.*
She activated her secure channel to her agent network.
"Triple the rewards for any lead connected to Kamar-Taj. I want results, not excuses."
Her vice, Marek, raised a brow. "You're allocating more than the annual weaponry budget."
Navarra smirked. "You think small, Marek. One Kamar-Taj is worth a thousand arsenals."
She paused and whispered to herself, "Let them see... I deserve the Apostle title."
---
*Nefret P.O.V (Recruitment & Indoctrination – Pseudo Apostle)*
Nefret stood before a group of robed initiates, her voice weaving control into their minds. She was not just a recruiter—she was a sculptor of loyalty.
When the command to find Kamar-Taj reached her, she returned to her chambers in silence.
She looked into a mirror, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
*They call me a pseudo Apostle... as though I'm incomplete. But when I bring the Master a gate into Kamar-Taj, he will know who truly understands devotion.*
She summoned her elite indoctrinated spies. "Send sleeper agents into every order of mystics, monks, and forgotten cults. Kamar-Taj is hidden in myth—we must search through faith, not fact."
Her eyes glinted. "And once we find it... I want to be the one who speaks the name before Pluto himself."
---
*Lucien P.O.V (Global Influence & Diplomacy – Pseudo Apostle)*
Lucien stood at the highest balcony of his tower, overlooking a city that bowed to his whispers. Presidents, monarchs, and shadow governments—all threads in his web of influence.
But today, his heart wasn't calm.
*The Lord has spoken.*
He clenched his fist as he recalled the council meeting. *Kamar-Taj... The mystical stronghold even the greatest world powers know not to tread. If I can be the one to trace it—*
He turned to his vice, Thalia, a poised woman trained in manipulation and diplomacy.
"Send directives to every sleeper agent. Activate the ones in high priesthoods, occult institutions, and ancient bloodlines. Tell them we're looking for a myth, one that breathes beneath veils of time."
Thalia blinked. "Kamar-Taj?"
Lucien gave a single nod. "The Master asked. That's all the reason we need."
He turned back to the city skyline, eyes sharp with ambition.
*I've bent nations to our will. Now I must bend fate. Once I give him Kamar-Taj... I won't remain pseudo anything. I will be named Apostle.*
---
*Karl's POV*
Deep in the heart of the Science & Research Division, where neon-blue lights danced across crystalline walls and machines whispered secrets in electric hums, *Karl* stood silently, absorbing the echoes of the Council Meeting.
The name *Kamar-Taj* still rang in his mind. Not with fear—no, Karl did not fear mystery. He disassembled it.
All around him, floating interface screens displayed simulations, dimensional maps, and theoretical constructs. Yet Kamar-Taj had never shown up in any scan, any equation, any anomaly. It was as if it *chose not to exist*—and that fascinated him.
He walked toward the Echo Core Chamber, a spiraling nexus of data streams and energy spheres, and said with quiet authority, "Initiate Search Protocol Theta-Nine. Subject: Kamar-Taj."
A calm AI voice responded, "Parameters locked. Insufficient references. Suggest alternate strategy."
Just then, his assistant *Elias*, a 1st class disciple and pure scientific mind, entered with a hesitant expression.
"Sir… if I may. The order—about Kamar-Taj. If it's truly rooted in magic… wouldn't that make our search impossible? Magic doesn't obey scientific law."
Karl turned slowly, his gaze sharp as a scalpel, yet his tone stayed level.
"Elias," he began, "there is no such thing as *magic*. Magic is simply science we don't yet understand. The only difference is the observer's ignorance."
Elias frowned slightly, unsure.
Karl stepped toward a glowing panel, conjuring an ancient diagram of arcane symbols, quantum loops, and geometric constructs. "In this universe, everything follows a rule. What you call 'magic' is energy—raw, chaotic perhaps—but measurable. If it interacts with space, matter, or time, it is science."
He let that settle in.
"Kamar-Taj may cloak itself in mysticism. But it cannot break the universe. It must bend it. And if it bends it... I can find the curve."
Elias straightened, newly inspired.
"Should I activate the Dimensional Resonance Tracker?"
Karl gave a slight nod. "Do it. And expand the waveform sensitivity to pick up non-Euclidean distortions."
As Elias moved, Karl turned inward.
This was more than a mission—it was an *opportunity*. The other apostles relied on faith, on legacy, on the favor of the past.
But *Karl* would build his legacy with knowledge—and when he stood before Pluto next time, it wouldn't be to *ask* for recognition. It would be to *present truth* itself.
Let the others chase mystery. He would *map it*.
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A/N: I would post another chapter tomorrow's