With the fall of the savage wind, the triumphant cries of victory began to reverberate through the walls of Galehold, uplifting the morale of the TRIBE soldiers.

The Outlanders, on the other hand, lost their will to fight, realizing that their leader had fallen.

As the battle concluded, Fiona dissipated the yellow aura that cloaked around her, returning to her normal form. She was left extremely exhausted by the transformation and almost collapsed to the ground. However, Sarah quickly caught hold of her and helped her to her feet, placing Fiona's arm over her own shoulder for support.

SARAH: "Whoa! Hold on there. You not dying on me, right?" she asked in a teasing tone.

FIONA: "You've got quite the mouth....... Sister," Fiona responded with a complicated expression, hesitantly but certainly deeming Sarah as her sister.

Catching glimpse of Fiona's inner emotions, Sarah couldn't help but feel a surge of warmth in her heart, which made her smile as she continued offering support during their walk.

Meanwhile, Bethany surveyed the surrounding area and eventually fixated her attention on Lord's distant figure. The latter was resting next to a building's wall, surrounded by a group of despondent Galocians.

Concerned by the distressing scene, Bethany called to Sarah and Fiona's attention, urging them to approach the Galocian leader and offer their assistance.

As the three girls approached, Lord immediately called out as soon as he saw them.

LORD: "[Coughs.] Young ladies... I appreciate your help in aiding Galehold. This moment shall forever remain in the hearts of all Galocians," he expressed his gratitude.

FIONA: "You're dying. Why aren't you healing?" Fiona somberly asked, noticing that Lord wasn't recovering from his injuries.

LORD: "[Coughs again.] My divine spark,... Grail Savage compromised it during my confrontation with him. You know how it goes - without the spark's effectiveness, I'm bound not to make it,"

SARAH: "W-what? But you can't die now. Galehold still need you," Sarah responded with a concerned expression.

LORD: "No, child! There's nothing more that can be done - My time has come. You all are the real protectors of Galehold, not me,
"[Faces Fiona.] And you,... You appear to have attained a rare blessing from the Origin of Power. I hope you use this newfound ability well.... Hero of Galehold!"

FIONA: "Thank you, Sir!"

LORD: "No, I owe you my thanks. And these extends to everyone else. You all have retained the honor of Galehold and for that I am...... Grateful,"

With a final exhale, Lord passed away, leaving behind a heavy atmosphere of grief among those who had gathered to mourn his absence.

His passing was a tremendous blow to the Galocians, as it was uncertain when they would see another ruler of his caliber. Adding to their concern was the fact that his great-granddaughter, Celia, was still a child and not yet ready to take his place as the new Galehold ruler.

The weight of the situation hung heavy in the hearts of all who had known Lord.

The gathered mourners looked on in somber silence as their ruler's divine spark gracefully departed his physical form, merging seamlessly into the sacred wind stone next to Grail's body.

Almost immediately following Lord's departure, Grail's own divine spark followed suit, swiftly floating out of his lifeless body and merging into the same Origin's fragment.

The scene was a poignant one, filled with emotional sorrow as those present began to say their final farewells to Lorde's departing essence.

Once everything had been settled, the surviving Galocian monks then attempted to retrieve the sacred stone which was now laying bare on the ground.

However, before they could get their hold on it, a sudden and unexpected phenomenon occurred.

An ominous mist of revolving green flames erupted into being, accompanied by a surge of powerful, oppressive aura that emanated from seemingly nowhere.

In a brutal and unexpected assault, the mist mercilessly blasted away the nearby monks, leaving them writhing in agony on the ground. The once-mournful scene was now fraught with danger and uncertainty, as the source of this terrifying attack remained unknown.

From within the raging mist of green flames, a silhouette emerged, snatching the sacred stone. Fiona and Sarah attempted to spring into action but Fiona's physical exhaustion instantly overtook her, causing her to collapse onto the ground.

Sarah had no choice but to watch over her.

With the stranger now in possession of the sacred stone and their intentions unknown, the situation grew even more precarious, leaving everyone uncertain of what might happen next.

The figure concealed within the swirling, emerald flames gave a cold and unsettling smile as they gazed upon the gathered mourners. Without warning, they incinerated Grail's remains with an intense burst of flame, leaving nothing but ash behind. Then, the figure addressed those present with a parting phrase, their words laced with ominous intent that left a chill in the air.

???: "The first extraction is complete. Pathetic people of Galehold, you would be wise to count your losses and mourn your fallen, for the Origin of Power shall soon serve a new purpose. The dawn of a new ERA is upon us, and it will be Nigh!"

The figure's words were ominous, and it was clear that they was not to be trifled with. Who they were remained a mystery, leaving the mourners to ponder the implications of this ominous message in fear and uncertainty.

With these words uttered, the enigmatic stranger disappeared into the ether, clutching the sacred stone tightly in their grasp. The radiant emerald fire engulfed the stranger, taking along the remaining Outland army who had somehow managed to survive the battle.

In an instant, they were gone, leaving no trace behind.

The Galocians tried to make sense of what had just transpired. A sense of disbelief and bewilderment overtook them, leaving them stunned with silence.

The sight was both astonishing and confounding, leaving all who witnessed it at a loss for words. The theft of the sacred wind stone by an unknown and elusive adversary was difficult to accept or even comprehend.

******

~Central Continental City~
Back at the conference hall, Mako, the regent, and all the attendees sat with bated breath, eagerly anticipating news of the outcome of the Symphony of Dawn.

As they waited in hushed silence, a representative from the council suddenly emerged through the entrance and made their way towards the council's head.

The room remained silent, and all eyes turned towards the newcomer, eager to hear the news they had brought.

Upon arrival to the platform, the representative approached handed over a report to the council's head, along with footage of the Symphony of Dawn that had been captured by their satellites.

The council's head received the report, and after a brief moment of review, turned to address the gathered audience. With a measured tone, she relayed the contents of the report to the anxious assembly, revealing the latest developments in the ongoing conflict.

COUNCIL HEAD: "[Reads out what the content of the report says.] _Dear Alliances, Galehold is safe now and the infiltrating Outlanders and their unveiled leader, Grail Savage have successfully been defeated. We owe our gratitude to the other tribes who came to our rescue.
_Regrettably, our victory does not amount to one of happiness nor triumph, rather it amounts to one of great grievance and losses. We have lost two most important things in our tribe, - we lost our ruler, Lord Lanzors, and the sacred wind stone to an unknown figure. The footage recorded by the Central Continental's intelligence should illustrate more details_"

As the council woman finished reading the report, a somber atmosphere descended upon the audience, with many offering their condolences for the loss of the Symphony of Dawn.

However, despite the grim news, everyone remained eager to see how events had unfolded.

Without delay, the council's head activated the recorded footage, projecting vivid images of the captured events onto a nearby whiteboard. The room was bathed in an eerie glow as the scenes played out, each moment captured in stunning detail.

The atmosphere in the conference hall was electric as the audience watched in rapt attention, desperate to glean any insights they could from the recorded events. Every moment in the scenario was captured in vivid detail.

The shock and surprise on the faces of the attendees, particularly the representatives from Netherworld - the regent and Mako - were palpable.

The shock didn't lie in Grail's defeat but by the presence of the mysterious stranger, who had snatched the sacred stone of wind before disappearing in a brilliant emerald flame.

It was a moment that left everyone reeling, but none more so than the regent and Mako, who recognized the stranger and knew the implications of their actions.

For a moment, the regent wondered how and why that man had shown up directly in Galehold - The mysterious man who was none other than Dargsbon himself. (Tch! What are you up to,... big brother?) Pondered the regent in her clueless thoughts.

Mako, on the other hand, found himself captivated by the girl who had emerged victorious in the fight against Grail. He was convinced that she could become a significant obstacle for Netherworld's forces if left unchecked. With that in mind, he discreetly approached the regent and whispered into her ear.

However, Nebareo, who had been keeping a close eye on Mako, suddenly sneered before addressing the council.

NEBAREO: "Dear council, representatives, and fellow leaders of the TRIBE! As you have witnessed firsthand, the Outlanders have committed an act of blatant treason against us. If we do not act swiftly and decisively, any one of our tribes could be the next target of their treacherous machinations.
"Furthermore, It is very likely that the Netherworld must have orchestrated this ambush as well. Their shadowy influence cannot be ignored, and we must be vigilant against their schemes!"

Hearing Nebareo's words, Mako suddenly flared up with a verbal attack.

MAKO: "Nebareo Deity! Are you openly confronting the Netherworld? I would mind that you watch your tone and accusations before you end up regretting it!"

NEBAREO: "Humph! Is that a threat? You treacherous bastard of the Blaze family. You are nothing but a self-proclaimed patriarch. You do not deserve the mantle of leadership which you stole from your honorable brother, Zakael Blaze!" Nebareo angrily yelled out at Mako, intently pointing a finger at him.

MAKO: "You must be tired of living, Nebareo! I will....!"

REGENT/ COUNCIL HEAD: "Enough!" Both the council's head and the regent suddenly yelled out at Nebareo and Mako, urging them to cease their fuss.

After successfully diffusing the argument between both of them, the regent put forth a proposition to both the council and all those present in the meeting hall.

REGENT: "[Relaxes comfortably with a mischievous smirk on her face.] The Netherworld apologizes on behalf of the Outlands' accountable actions. We also take fault for the loss of the Origin of Power in Crestivenia. I as regent of Netherworld will see to this.
"[Makes an offer.] To make up for the rash actions of Grail Savage, I hereby propose the complete sponsorship of the upcoming Universal Tribe Tournament that would be held here at Central Continental. The leaders nor the council wouldn't need to contribute a dime for the tournament's holdings this time around!"

Upon hearing the regent's proposition, the atmosphere in the meeting hall shifted from tense to skepticism.

The Netherworld had a notorious reputation as a tyrannical force, and the elemental tribes were naturally wary of them. However, the upcoming faithful tournament, a highly esteemed sports event that occurred every fifty years, was just around the corner, and it required a massive amount of resources and funding from all participating tribes to make it happen.

With the tournament scheduled to take place in three weeks' time, the stakes were high, and the pressure was on for all tribes to contribute their fair share towards its success.

However, the recent tragic event that had taken place in Galehold had only added to the already mounting challenges. The grieving process of losing their leader had put additional strains on the resources of all respective tribes, making it increasingly difficult to contribute toward the tournament's funding.

Nonetheless, the tournament's successful completion was crucial for the reputation of the superhuman world. If the event were to be canceled, it would leave a permanent mark on the world stage.

Given the situation, the Netherworld's proposal to sponsor the tournament singlehandedly emerged as the most feasible option for the council and all tribal leaders. It was the best course of action to ensure the tournament's continuation, and it would allow them to uphold their honor and commitment to the superhuman world.

After careful consideration, the council's head opened the floor for a vote on the Netherworld's proposal. Though hesitant, majority ultimately agreed to accept the offer.

With the vote concluded, the council's head turned to address the regent's proposal.

COUNCIL HEAD: "With no objections to this proposal, I hereby declare that the Netherworld will have to take full responsibility for the Outlands' actions by sponsoring the upcoming universal tournament alone as agreed.
"However, the cost of the proceedings will also serve as punishment for them regarding what has happened to the Symphony of Dawn. As for the stolen sacred stone, the Universal Truce of Unity will personally be looking into such an incident,"

As the council's head concluded her speech, the meeting abruptly ended with everyone taking their leave to their respective tribes.

Meanwhile, as Nebareo proceeded out of the conference building, he suddenly bumped into Mako who threatened him to watch his back during the course of the upcoming tournament. Deity patriarch also warned the emissary about fighting the Netherworld to the very end if they ever tried to make a move against him or his Deity family.

******