The large iron gates of the Training Centre open.
Golden colour carriage come inside and stop at the Main Hall of the Training Centre.
Saintess Elowen came out from the carriage, wearing a robe with golden lines and holy church symbols on her robe, her long silver hair and calm golden eyes deep with quiet wisdom.
Guards were standing at the Main Hall door.
"Saintess," they greeted in reverent whispers, voices laced with awe and devotion.
The door is opened by Guard's.
Elowen nodded lightly, a faint smile touching her lips and continued walking toward inside the Hall.
She soon reached the Commander's office, where the heavy oak door stood carved with dragon design.
Inside the Office.
The Saintess came inside the office.
Commander Darius Ironfist stood up from his chair when he saw her.
He placed his fist on his chest and bowed.
"Welcome, Saintess Elowen."
Elowen smiled gently.
"Thank you for your hard work Commander Darius."
"Commander, how is the heroes' training going?" she asked in her tone steady and melodic.
Darius paused before saying he was rubbing his stubbled chin thoughtfully, his sharp gray eyes flicking to the reports on his desk.
"They're mastering basic sword style and elemental magic control," he replied. "Their bodies harden day by day—muscles forging like tempered steel under the drills."
Elowen walked closer to the window and looked outside of the window toward the training field where students were running and swinging wooden swords.
"They already wield powerful innate skills," she observed calmly, a faint breeze from the open pane stirring her silver hair. "We must accelerate their growth. Their abilities need to surge like a wildfire—quickly, to protect humanity."
Commander Darius nodded slowly.
"Yes, I agree with this Saintess."
Then he added firmly, crossing his arms over his iron-plated chest, "they're here only 3 days and you expect me to train them like a warrior. I think you need to wait for 6 months, which is enough time for them to control and use their powers."
"You are right, Commander," she said softly. "A strong foundation forges unbreakable warriors."
Darius straightened his back.
"Don't worry about them, we'll balance their power before the real battle begins this time humanity is going to win."
Elowen inclined her head gracefully.
"I like your spirit Commander... Time slips like sand through clenched fists, they are also operating for this war."
Both of them looked outside the window toward the training field again.
The sound of swords and shouting echoed in the distance.
The future battle was slowly getting closer.
Unknown Hall – Dark and Silent.
The hall was large, it's little cold and there was not a single noise.
Several people were lying on the stone floor.
Some of them slowly began to move.
A boy blinked his eyes open little by little, his vision blurring into focus amid throbbing pain.
He wore white coat, golden hair hung messy, his striking blue eyes flickered around in confusion and clinging to sweat-damp skin.
"…Where are we? This isn't a party hall?" his voice trembling and throat dry as ash.
Another boy next to him pushed himself up on trembling arms and winced as the cold bit into his palms.
He was also wearing a white coat. His piercing green eyes gleamed with unease beneath and white hair.
Alex… I don't know either," he replied quietly.
"I just remember… darkness."
Others around them started waking up too.
Whispers spread around and the quiet hall became a noise hall.
"What is this place?"
"Did we get kidnapped?"
"My head hurts…"
"We are at the party right."
Suddenly—
Creeeeak.
The large gate at the front of the hall slowly opened.
Footsteps approached towards the hall.
Everyone froze when they saw them their breaths catching like trapped animals.
Knights marched first inside the hall.
Their shiny black armor covered them from head to toe like living shadows, with visors concealing eyes devoid of soul. The edges of their drawn, thirsty swords were sharpened to whisper death.
Behind them came several people in white robes coming inside the hall.
Black church symbols—twisted thorns encircling a flaming skull—were stitched boldly across their chests.
Fear filled the hall.
Then—
A woman walked inside the hall, walking calmly between the knights and her presence sucking the air dry.
She wore a majestic black robe it's decorated with dark church symbols on robe, her purple eyes looked at them like predator looking at prey and her red hair fell smoothly down her back.
She raised her hand, palm glowing with unholy power to cast a magic spell.
Every whisper vanished in an instant. Heavy as chains cover their mouths they try speak but not a single word come out from mouth and silence falls again in the hall.
Her eyes swept over each of them, her lips turning into a predator's grin before she spoke in a cool and collected voice that absorbed into their bones.
"I am Sophie," she declared. "And I am a Saintess of the Demon Empire."
Due to magic they can't speak loud but their thoughts are running wild in their mind.
"D-Demon Empire…?"
"A Saintess…?"
Fear spread through everyone's hearts.
Sophie faintly smiled while looking at their facial expression.
The game is about to begin.