Goo casually waved his hand.
A ripple spread through space.Instantly...
A long table appeared beside him.
Roasted meat.
Fresh fruits,
steaming dishes,
golden pastrie
Crystal bottles filled with ancient wine.
The aroma quickly filled the Hall.
Emil stared..You actually brought food."
Goo looked genuinely confused.
"Of course I did."
"You expected me to survive this meeting hungry?"
Emil rubbed his forehead.
"I knew you'd do this."
"I've known you for thousands of years...and somehow you still manage to disappoint me."
Goo picked up a roasted drumstick.
"You worry too much."
Before he could take a bite— a hand reached across the table.
Anyam calmly picked up a cup of wine.
Then a slice of roasted meat.
He took a bite.
His eyes widened slightly.
He nodded with approval.
"As expected...you still bring the best food."
Goo smiled proudly.
"I never disappoint where food is concerned."
The two quietly began eating.
Lord Mgbera accepted a cup of wine.
Even Zainab smiled as she accepted a plate of fruit.
Nyeme shook her head with a soft laugh before taking a small pastry.
Only Emil refused.
He folded his arms.
"I refuse to encourage this behavior."
Goo took another bite.
"More for us."
The Hall, which had moments ago echoed with ancient power, was now unexpectedly lively.
It no longer felt like a gathering of legendary Guardians.
It felt like old friends...a family...
Finally reunited after more than two thousand years.
Lord Zulu looked around the table.
For the first time in over two millennia...every Guardian had returned.
His expression slowly became serious.
He rose to his feet.
The laughter gradually faded.
The room fell silent.
"This Council..has not been assembled for over two thousand years."
He paused, looking at each Guardian in turn.
"I did not summon you here simply because the Power Stone was lost."
His voice grew heavier.
"I summoned you because something far worse has happened."
"The prophecy...has begun."
A heavy silence settled over the Guardian Hall.
Not a single Guardian spoke.
Everyone knew what those words meant.
The age of peace..was over.
While the Seven Guardians gathered within the ancient Guardian Hall, another meeting was unfolding far beyond the knowledge of the world.
Hidden beneath layers of powerful enchantments...
Deep within the forgotten land of Gaia...
A secret that had survived for thousands of years stirred once again.
No map recorded Gaia's existence.
No traveler had ever stumbled upon its borders.
Even if someone stood directly before its entrance, they would see nothing more than an ordinary wall of black stone.
Only those who bore the Mark of the Dark Mages could find it.
Upon the back of every Dark Mage's hand rested the mark of a black flame.
The moment one carrying that mark approached the concealed entrance, the ancient seal reacted.
A door of crimson fire slowly emerged from the darkness.
Its flames burned without heat.
Its light revealed only those whom it had accepted.
Only then could they enter.
---
Footsteps echoed through the silent wilderness.
A young man sprinted desperately through the forest, his breathing ragged.
Behind him came the shouts of soldiers.
"There!"
"He went this way!"
"Don't let the Dark Mage escape!"
The young man clenched his teeth and continued running.
Branches whipped across his face.
His robes were torn.
Blood trickled from a wound on his shoulder.
At last...
He reached an ordinary cliff of dark stone.
Without hesitation, he raised his right hand.
The black flame engraved upon the back of his hand began to glow.
Instantly...
The cliff rippled.
A massive doorway made entirely of crimson flames slowly appeared.
The young man rushed through.
The fiery entrance closed behind him.
The pursuing soldiers arrived only moments later.
They searched every direction.
"There is nowhere else to run..."
"How did he disappear?"
Their captain frowned.
"Search the area!"
For hours they searched.
Yet they found nothing.
Eventually, they left.
None of them realized they had been standing directly before the hidden gateway to Gaia.
---
Beyond the enchanted entrance lay an entirely different world.
A magnificent kingdom stretched across the horizon.
Towering black castles pierced the sky.
Crystal rivers shimmered beneath an artificial moon.
Bustling streets were filled with merchants, scholars, warriors and children.
It was alive.Peaceful, beautiful.
A kingdom the world believed had vanished thousands of years ago. The Kingdom of the Dark Mages.
For generations, history had painted them as monsters.
The survivors of the Great War had been hunted without mercy.
Kingdom after kingdom had declared them enemies of the world.
To survive..they abandoned the outside world.
They disappeared
And here within Gaia...they had waited patiently.
For the day their masters would return.
The young mage hurried through the streets before entering an ancient temple at the heart of the kingdom.
He walked into a vast chamber lit by dark-blue flames.
At its center sat an elderly man upon a throne carved from obsidian.
The young mage immediately dropped to one knee.
"Master."
The old man slowly opened his eyes.
The Council has gathered.
The young mage lowered his head.
Yes, Master. I witnessed the pillar of light with my own eyes.
The old man remained silent for a moment.
Then a faint smile crossed his aged face.
I know....
I felt it... I felt the awakening.
His eyes slowly looked toward the distant heavens, as though he could see beyond the enchanted kingdom.
The eyes of our Supreme Master have opened once more.
I heard his voice.
The chamber became completely silent.
He said...
'The world has forgotten us.But soon —they shall remember.
The old man's voice grew firm.
The prophecy has begun. The time for hiding has ended. We shall reclaim the honor that was stolen from us.We shall fight beside our Supreme Master once again.
He slowly rose from his throne.
For thousands of years we concealed our strength.
We endured humiliation—We allowed ourselves to be hunted.No more."
He looked directly at the kneeling young mage.
There is no longer any need to flee from ordinary soldiers.
Should they force your hand...Show them the difference between a true Dark Mage and those who merely play with magic.
But remain cautious.This is not yet the time to reveal everything."
He raised one hand.
Increase the number of spies.
"I want every kingdom watched. Every empire, every clan but be careful not to be discovered by the guardians.
The world outside is moving once again...And so shall we."
The young mage struck his chest with his fist.
"Yes, Master!"
His voice had barely faded...When dozens of other voices echoed throughout the chamber.
"YES, MASTER!"
The young mage looked around. There was no one there.
Only the old man remained seated before him.
Yet the voices continued to echo from every direction.
Calm, cold, watching. The old man smiled.
The Unseen Council
They have already begun. No one had ever seen the faces of the Unseen Council.
They lived among ordinary people.
Some were merchants, some were scholars, some served in royal courts, some even wore the armor of kingdoms that hunted Dark Mages.
For thousands of years, they had hidden in plain sight—waiting,watching, preparing.
And now their time had finally come.
Far beyond the reach of kingdoms...
*******
Beyond the territories of the Guardians...
Hidden within an endless expanse of barren land where not even a blade of grass dared to grow...
Another gathering was taking place.
The land was eerily silent.
The sky was gray.
The earth was cracked and lifeless, as though every trace of life had been drained from it long ago.
At the center of the wasteland stood an ancient stone fortress.
Deep within its halls...
Four figures sat around a circular table.
They looked nothing alike, yet the resemblance in their eyes made it impossible to mistake them for anything other than brothers.
Each possessed an overwhelming aura.
None of them carried an Infinity Stone.
None of them possessed the divine authority of a Guardian.
Yet every one of them radiated terrifying power.
If a Guardian fought any one of them without using an Infinity Stone, the battle could last for days without a clear victor.
Only by drawing upon the true power of an Infinity Stone could a Guardian overwhelm them.
Silence lingered in the chamber until one of the brothers finally spoke.
The eldest brother slowly rose to his feet.
His gaze settled upon the ancient ring on his finger.
A faint golden light pulsed from its crystal.
The world believes our Master is dead.
They celebrate a victory they never truly achieved.
Our Master was not destroyed. He was imprisoned.He was turned into stone.
He raised his hand, allowing the glowing ring to illuminate the chamber.
As long as the Ring of Life continues to shine..our Master still lives.
Silence filled the hall.
Another brother spoke.
Our research has revealed only one truth.
A part of this world serves as the seal that binds our Master. If that seal is destroyed..our Master will return."
The eldest brother nodded.
But history never revealed where that place lies.
Thousands of years have passed..yet its location remains hidden.
He slowly looked at his brothers.
That is why the coming war is our greatest opportunity.
While the Guardians wage war..While the Dark Mages pursue their own ambitions..We will free our Master.
If fate leads us to the sealed land..we shall destroy it without hesitation.
His voice became cold.
And if this world itself must perish for our Master's glory to be restored..then let the world burn.
The other three brothers rose from their seats.
Their rings shone with dazzling light as they placed their hands together.
Our Master shall rise again. No matter the cost.Even if the entire world must be sacrificed.
The chamber trembled as their oath echoed through the ancient fortress.
Far away within the Guardian Hall...the Seven Guardians had no idea that hidden forces were already moving against them.
Within Gaia—the Dark Mages prepared for war.
Within the forgotten wasteland...
Four brothers prepared to awaken the one the world believed had perished long ago.
The prophecy had begun.
And with it..the balance that had preserved the world for thousands of years was beginning to crumble.