The herald of their downfall didn't appear bearing pomp and splendour. Her arrival brought an overwhelming might and dread, one that fundamentally surpassed what all of the Patram present could even compute.
One would expect a huge uproar to take place, and for some to attempt to flee–yet everything was silent and unmoving. It was as if Samar itself, as well as all those within this world, had been forced to pause. They could still feel, sense and think, but no further actions could be taken. Whether it be sounds, light rays, the air, any and all objects, or even the ambient Energy itself–everything had halted in its tracks.
With his perception still spread out and his eyes wide open in now already dissipated joy, Tarkhun recognized the one responsible for what was happening immediately. How could he possibly not, considering that she had made no effort to hide herself, and was steadily strolling towards him out in the open?
It was an otherworldly woman who appeared entirely out of place, but not in the way one might expect. Rather than not belonging to this world, it seemed more like the world itself was not worthy of her presence, recoiling in instinctive terror and inferiority.
Her exact facial features could only partially be made out, as the top half of her face was hidden underneath a golden, intricate mask. Her succulent lips and perfect skin made her beauty painfully evident, whilst a pair of maroon phoenix eyes took in her surroundings with absolute detachment.
She wore a black, beautifully gold and crimson embroidered robe, which was tied firmly around her waist with a dark red belt. Her jet black hair was done up in a singular bun at the upper back of her head, decorated with a few long, aureate hairpins.
At first glance, she almost seemed like someone attending a masked ball, but her gait and aura were very unmistakably militaristic in nature. This lady was not a beautiful rose to be admired, but rather a terrifying soldier on a mission. And as soon as he realized this, Tarkhun understood that everything had gone even more horribly wrong than he had already feared.
No matter how much he struggled to break free, or to convey a polite, almost submissive attitude towards the newcomer, nothing changed. He could not do anything whatsoever. He was utterly powerless.
It might have been mere moments, seconds, or even minutes–in his frantic mental state, he couldn't be sure–but eventually, the woman arrived in front of him.
Barely glancing at him, she did not give him any sort of explanation. She did not speak at all, actually. Without a change in expression, she unceremoniously waved her hand, ripping out most of his Divine Energy and directly sealed his access to higher cultivation stages. His breakthrough, which had merely been paused prior to this, had now completely failed.
But that was not all. The Array that had been empowering him, as well as the connected Energy Veins, dried up thoroughly. The entirety of Samar, alongside every single living being, followed soon after. Whether it be their Energy, their life force or their souls, they all got consumed.
The sun and moon lost their lustre, then shattered and turned to dust. The flora and fauna withered away until even the bones and husks had vanished. Buildings collapsed, and all remnants of the Patram's civilization disappeared. Soon, every living being but Tarkhun had breathed their last. All of the experts that had worked for him, and his trusted companions... were gone.
He himself didn't get away unscathed either. His abundant vitality left him unceasingly, until he had turned old and gray. He wasn't entirely without residue of power, but compared to the heights that he had just touched upon, he felt extremely miserable. Worst of all, however, was that he instinctively knew that he didn't have much longer to live–well, for his standards.
'All of this, just because we were trying to improve?! This is ridiculous!'
Filled to the brim with unwillingness and a dash of hatred, Tarkhun awaited his personal demise, yet it never came. Pulling back her hand, the dreadful lady looked at him directly for the first time, locking gazes with him.
"You have overstepped your bounds. In recognition of your ingenuity, your life shall be spared. Let this serve as a small warning. Accept your fate."
Although her voice was as beautiful as a lark's, it held no passion or warmth. Her words were delivered with an unquestionable authority, akin to inviolable orders. As soon as she had stated her piece, she disappeared from this place instantly, without leaving a trace.
Freed from her influence, the world continued. And consequently, it began to fall apart and die. With little more than a whimper, the World's Will descended into an eternal slumber–one which it would never awaken from again–leaving Samar itself to shatter and crumble.
Left behind in his home's ruins, Tarkhun's heart was wracked with pain, regret and guilt. If it hadn't been for their desire to go further, none of this would have happened! The cradle of their people wouldn't have been consigned to utter annihilation, and his close companions wouldn't have headed to an early grave either!
He wanted to bemoan his fate, to claim that there was no way that they could have known that the consequences would be this dire... but he couldn't. For they had indeed suspected that some higher power was at work here. However, that didn't suddenly make any of this sit right with him.
'No matter what, this kind of punishment is in no way commensurate with our 'crime'. This confirms it: We're locked in some sort of prison, and escape is forbidden.'
Narrowing his eyes, he suppressed the despair and fury at this setback. Just like almost all Patram, he wouldn't let a singular defeat keep him down. Stubborn until he would breathe his last, he rationally analysed his people's circumstances.
The conclusion he had come to was not an unfamiliar idea to him. Long since had suspicions along these lines made the rounds amongst the brighter minds of the ages. Although costly, this was at least still a step forward. Albeit one that would haunt him for the rest of his days.
'But what now?'
With this path having been proven to be a dead end, they would have to look for a new approach. And Tarkhun already had a vague plan of action–or perhaps, it was but a personal goal.
'What better way to break free than to eliminate the warden?'
Even if they found another loophole, the events of today would merely pretty much repeat themselves. Without the ability to handle that woman, all further attempts wouldn't end well either.
Naturally, at this point in time, he had no clue how to feasibly overcome this obstacle. But that didn't mean that he would simply give up. Heck, that term wasn't even in his dictionary!
'And if I can't do it, then future generations will pick up the slack.'
With his kind in mind, he made his way to the Lesser True Void, staring at the Voidfaring Vessels filled to the brim with too many people to count. Behind him, everyone's home world was creeping ever closer to its total obliteration.
'Until now, we've been a civilization of peace. But it's time we stepped on the warpath. With no home and a new purpose, we should christen ourselves anew. Instead of domesticated cattle, we shall become wild beasts! So how about... Naxsir?'
-----
Retreating from Devashtich's memories, Theodore was deep in contemplation. What he had just borne witness to had left him with far more questions than answers–although he could make a couple of educated guesses. Still, he was too far from figuring out anything concrete when it came to the 'great undertaking'.
'That Tarkhun was a truly extraordinary individual. If he was still alive, I would have even considered making him my Retainer.'
Although the memory within a memory hadn't really showcased the man's Talents or detailed aptitude, there were enough bits and pieces to pick up on to develop a decent understanding of him. In the Heavenly Court at large, he would have likely managed to carve out a small territory for himself.
'That aside, they really did something crazy. Not that I can blame them. If I were in their position, I would have tried my hardest, too. But with the Brocade Guards in the mix, there was never a chance of success. They shouldn't intervene too much with us contestants, though–unless we somehow go way too far in circumventing the rules.'
Of course, he had recognized Tarkhun's attacker. Whilst he wasn't personally acquainted with this exact woman, her uniform, mask and behaviour made her true identity unmistakable. She was one of the Heavenly Empress' Brocade Guards, who had apparently been tasked with enforcing some of the event venue's rules.
The Brocade Guards were an elite unit directly under the control of the Heavenly Empress, who answered to no other sovereign. Even before the Heavenly Emperor's demise, his wife had been gathering a private force of her own, one which only accepted some of the most outstanding female prodigies in all of the Heavenly Dao's worlds.
Being the executive arm of the Heavenly Court's presently sole ruler, they could operate without any restrictions. They weren't usually employed to deal with minor affairs. Threats on the level of Named Families, Pillars or even Supreme Pillars were what they were used to contending with.
It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows in the upper echelons of power. Oftentimes, some would significantly overstep, and would need a grim reminder of their place in the overall scheme of things.
Still, it wasn't too strange for the Brocade Guards to interfere in such a comparatively inconsequential, irrelevant matter. After all, with the Heavenly Empress herself in charge of the Heavenly Succession, her most faithful and loyal soldiers would be best suited to keep everything running smoothly.
'If I do end up meeting a Phoenix Family member, I'll have to be extra careful. With so many of their people having become Brocade Guards over the eons, they have more backdoors than any other force that is taking part. Whilst there won't be any actual cheating involved, as that would go against their principles, giving their kin some hints and showing preferential treatment within reason is to be expected.'
With this general warning in mind, he thought back on Tarkhun's goal: To slay a Brocade Guard. To put it simply, there genuinely was no chance of success. No matter what.
Not only were these women far too powerful, they were also under the direct, personal protection of the Heavenly Empress. Basically: Fighting them was practically equivalent to challenging her. Even though she was unlikely to get involved easily, if things went too far, that would certainly change.
'So... what exactly are the Naxsir planning? I'm quite curious now. Although there is absolutely no way for them to make it, how far have they managed to come until today? Whatever their results are, I want to have a look at them eventually.'
Obviously, he wasn't reckless enough to charge all the way to their headquarters at this present moment. Not when even that one fleet currently on the way to Pytho still posed a non-negligible threat to him. But later down the line, he would definitely pay them a visit.
'I doubt I'll learn much more of substance about this for now. Let's wrap up the interrogation and get on with the next item on today's agenda.'
Opening his eyes once more, he proceeded to give his inner circle a short summary of what he had encountered. He also made sure to reassure Spandarmad that her brother would be alright. After a brief period of confusion and healing, he would be as good as new.
Not too long later, he made his way to another, more heavily Array-fortified room for a private meeting. Nobody else was allowed to approach the area, for their own safety.
Taking a seat opposite his invited guest, he showed a small smile.
"Thank you for coming, Ms. Owain."