Legendary Architect of Apocalypse

"There's no need to pay heed to such foolish rumours." Freya also found it hard to believe many of the rumors that she had heard about Aliath's whereabouts. "His body is most probably already destroyed. That's why it couldn't be found."

She was certain that they would have already heard something about him if he was actually alive. His death had more or less been confirmed. Aliath wasn't the kind of person to stay hidden for so long if he was alive.

Jeskirin nodded with Freya's assessment. Even Chronos had tried to search for Aliath's whereabouts after his disappearance, but even they couldn't find anything.

If he was alive, it was impossible for there to be no information about him. He was far from a patient person after all.

He stopped thinking about Aliath, and glanced back at the portal that was starting to close, as soon as the keys stopped shining.

"How many of them do you think can return alive?" Freya asked Jeskirin, who only smiled in response.

"Besides my daughter, I believe none."

His confident laughter filled the atmosphere as he turned his back on the portal that had completely disappeared. He returned to the battleship.

"If you had sent that Ice Phoenix Flames Inheritor, then there might have been a second person returning alive. But you're too protective of him. Amongst the ones you have selected, none will return alive. I can give that in writing."

Freya's lips twitched. She couldn't even retort as she thought that he wasn't wrong. If she had sent Kaelen, then the chances of the Academy's success were higher. But she couldn't let that boy take a risk. He was the future pillar of the academy that couldn't be sacrificed.

She also turned around and returned. Although it was a pity that so many talented seeds of the Academy were going to be sacrificed, if even one of them could return alive with something good, then it was a worthwhile investment.

....

In the Ashborn Family Estate, a woman was sitting next to a window. Her slender fists were clenched tightly, to the point that veins could be seen on her fair arms.

"Any update from the people I sent to capture that child?" she asked.

She had sent the people from her family to capture Elias, as soon as she heard the news about him leaving the Academy.

Even if the Academy wanted to protect the child, they didn't hold any leverage as it was the Ashborn Family territory.

She had been eagerly waiting for the child to be caught and brought back, but even after so long, there had been no response at all.

"We can't seem to establish a connection with them. If I'm not wrong, they are most probably already annihilated."

"The Academy dares to kill our people in our own Territory? Are they challenging us?" The woman frowned. "Are we still not going to do anything?"

Even though she couldn't use the forces of the Ashborn Family without the permission of her husband, it was a different matter if someone was challenging the dignity of the family.

"This... This seems to be a little more complicated than that."

"What do you mean?"

"The connection with our people was cut much before we received the news of the Academy's battleship entering our territory. I don't think we can blame them for this."

"Hmm?" The woman was also taken aback. If the Academy didn't kill her people, then who killed them? There was someone else in their territory that dared to challenge the might of the Ashborn Family?

"I have already sent the Seventh General to check personally. We should have more updates soon."

Silence returned to the room with the voice disappearing. All that was left in the room was Dreke's mother, who was lost in thoughts.

"Is there someone else who is trying to protect that child?"

The people she had sent to 'invite' Elias back, were not weak. No ordinary person could kill them to the extent where they couldn't even send any information back.

Even if Freya was to try to kill them personally, it would've still taken her a few seconds at least, which was enough time for them to send the information back.

If there was no information, it meant that all of them were killed in an instant, something that truly felt surreal.

"Is my dear husband trying to protect him? No, it can't be him. I have credible information that he has already left the Territory. Then who?"

While Dreke's mother was thinking about the person that might have spoiled her plans, blood and torn limbs were floating in the endless space, near the place where they were supposed to capture Elias.

Hundreds of people had died here, leaving only remnants of their bodies, as if someone intentionally left them behind.

When the seventh-ranked General of the Family arrived, even he was left stunned at the gruesome sight that was waiting for him.

Other than the blood and flesh of those who had died here, there was nothing left behind. Even the ship that they had brought with them, had gone missing.

There were no signs of a battle. It was a complete slaughter, and nothing less than that. The killer didn't even leave any trace behind, despite causing such a big scene.

It was the first time that an incident like this had happened in their Territory. And the person responsible for it has already disappeared like a ghost that never existed.

The General left a few people behind to collect the remains, and went ahead. He reached the world, which was the destination of the Academy.

He met up with Freya and Jeskirin, and asked them if they knew anything about what might have happened. Freya was as surprised as the general when she heard what had happened before their arrival.

She offered no useful information about who could have done this, as they didn't even see it happen. They had only heard it.

The General could also see that Freya wasn't lying.

"Did you see anything?" he asked Jeskirin, who simply laughed in his face.

"I have nothing to say to the dogs of Ashborn." The equation between the Ashborn Family and Chronos was already as bad as it could be. And even amongst Chronos, if anyone hated the Ashborn family with their entire existence, it was Jeskirin.

"If I knew that person, I would instead thank him for cleaning trash from our universe." He crossed his arms, and arrogantly said.

If it was Silas Ashborn, then he might have had an equal standing with him. But a mere general of the Ashborn family was no different than a servant in his eyes.

The General didn't show any unsightly reaction, even though he was insulted. He maintained a calm exterior, knowing Jeskirin's position.

"If you learn anything about it in the future, please let us know. We would be really grateful." He left a communication stone with Freya, and left their battleship to return to his investigation.

He searched for an entire week, trying to collect every clue that he possibly could. He even asked for help from other Generals, who were more perceptive.

Unfortunately, after a week of investigation, they still came up short. Even after investigating the remnants of those who had died, they couldn't find anything.

It was the first time that they couldn't even determine the cause of death. Did someone use an ability? Or did they use a weapon? They couldn't even confirm it for some reason, let alone getting more information.

"You're all useless!" Dreke's mother kept scolding them almost every day, even though there was no point of it.

In the end, the investigation was closed, and the Ashborn Family increased their Defences, especially around the main house and every other branch that was spread across the universe.

The Generals also came to a decision that they were going to assign more guards to patrol around their territory, to face the unknown enemy.

Just like that, the investigation came to an end, but its impact was left for a long time. Many founding families had already learned about their plight.

Some were celebrating the misery of the Ashborn Family that had formed multiple enemies across the universe. While others were cautious, and strengthened their own defences as well.

Elias was far away from the commotion, unaware about what had happened in his absence. He had wondered why his Family didn't send anyone to capture him, but he was unaware of the reality.

It wasn't that they didn't send anyone to bring him back. It was just that the people that they had sent, couldn't even reach him before they were annihilated.

Meanwhile, Elias had already left the reach of his family after entering the unknown realm, which was said to be comparable to the upper realm of their world, if not stronger.

After entering the portal, he was separated from the others. Not just him, almost everyone who entered the portal was sent to a random location, just as the information in the book had predicted.