***Somewhere on Earth, three years after the release of New Eden, in a timeline that no longer exists***
"Xavier, can you, or can you not cast that spell?" A tall man asked.
"I think I can. But if I do, they will know where we are. There is only one try at this." Xavier replied.
"It no longer matters. They will find us eventually. It's only a matter of time. Cast the spell," the tall man said, his tone final.
"Fine. But I can not be disturbed in the least. It could mess up the spell," Xavier said, exhaling.
"I will make sure you are left alone," the tall man said, leaving the room.
Xavier then started grabbing items off shelves frantically. He mixed a few potions together before forming a pattern on the ground with the liquid.
He then placed items in certain spots of the pattern that was starting to light up in a bright blue light. The last item, he deposited in the center of his glyph like pattern.
This item belonged to the tall man. It was supposed to be the catalyst to send him back.
This was their last hope. The war was lost, and humanity was on the brink of extinction.
As he placed the last item, a siren started blaring all around him.
ραпdα Йᴏνêl(сòm) "They're here!" Xavier gasped.
He quickly got into position and started chanting in a language unknown to most. It was Elvish.
The tall man came back running to this room, blood on his armor.
"Are you casting the spell?!" He asked frantically.
"I just started chanting, don't disturb me!" Xavier replied, going back to his chant.
"Hurry up! We can't hold them back for long!" The tall man exclaimed.
He ran back out, leaving the door slightly ajar. From the opening, Xavier could hear the sounds of battle.
Swords clashing, the screaming of people dying, mixed in with wails of inhuman creatures. Xavier chanted as fast as he could.
The more he did, the brighter the light became. Through that thick, bright light, Xavier failed to notice a shadow slipping into the room.
He finished chanting, and a moment later, a sword pierced through him from the back. The blade swiftly slipped back out of his body as he dropped to his knees, his breath short and painful.
"It's too late, human. We have won. There is nothing you can do about it," came a raspy voice.
Then it walked in front of him. A slim, red, humanoid figure with horns to the side of its head.
In its hand, a bloody sword. Xavier's eyes went wide as he recognized the creature.
"Belenos. You came here yourself. What an honor." Xavier said, coughing out blood.
The creature walked to the glowing glyph on the ground and destroyed the item in the center with a rapid sword slash. He then turned back to the man.
"With no item to act as a catalyst, your spell will flicker out. Just like your life. I hope to see you back in hell, human," Belenos said, cackling maniacally as he left the room.
Xavier's eyes were slowly becoming heavy as his life slipped away from him. He crawled to the glyph.
He painfully pulled something out of the pocket of his robe. He smiled gently, a single tear forming in his eye.
In his hand was a necklace in the shape of an hourglass. It was made of fine aluminium and welded together to form the shape.
"I'm sorry, friend, I must disturb your rest. I hope you can do the right thing for humanity," Xavier said, as he dropped the necklace in the center of the glyph.
The last thing he saw, as he drew his final breath, was the spell glyph flash in a bright white color, before the necklace vanished.
The tear rolled out of his eye as they lost their luster.
***Back to the present timeline, in the stands of the arena***
Khalor was still lost in his terrible memories, clutching a necklace in his hands. His mind kept replaying one particular memory for him.
It was a memory no one should have, since it was one of death. In this memory, demons chased Khalor, with his friends running with him, falling one by one.
He was the last one to fall, crying as he ran, before receiving a spear through the back. He died a coward's death, running for his life, a spear through his back.
This did not sit well for him. He refused to let this happen again.
It was the reason his attitude had changed so much. Experiencing death does not leave one's psyche unscathed.
Losing all his friends and all his loved ones had left him hollow. It locked his emotions behind a terror of losing everything again.
Khalor snapped out of his thoughts, just as the last combat of round two was concluding. He looked up at the current graph to see who had won the one he missed, and was disappointed.
'The butterfly effect has let weaklings into the last phase. Unacceptable,' He thought, gritting his teeth.
To him, this tournament was the start of the forging process, from which would emerge humanity's strongest weapons. The Paragons.
Humanity's hope, and only chance of winning the war. He had to make sure no one unworthy made the cut.
That was why he had pissed off one of the strongest players in this game. He was unworthy.
That gnome had brought about many disasters, and pain to many people, in his timeline. He wouldn't let the same happen again here.
Khalor kept his eyes to the sky, waiting for the chairwoman's deceiving face to appear. And it did not take long.
"Congratulations to our eight quarter-finalists. This round was filled with many unexpected turnarounds, and adrenaline-inducing situations!" Constantine said.
"The next round will be even more exciting and fulfilling, as we get closer to having our final winner. May you all keep giving your all to this in the hopes of achieving victory!" She added.
Khalor clicked his tongue at her words. In his mind, he was cursing her.
'You knew. You knew, and you said nothing until it was too late.' he growled, mentally.
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