Rise Online: Return of the Legendary Player

Chapter 815: Maria

"Do you know the dangers you bring by allowing such beings to enter our domain and use our knowledge with such freedom?" Maria, an Elder, asked Varian with an outraged tone.

The fair-haired Elder took a deep breath to keep calm, raised his eyes and said:

"Madame, knowledge has no borders, no prejudices." he replied, his voice echoing with quiet determination. "The paths that lead to the truth are tortuous and often dark. The fact that I am helping you does not bring disorder to Olaynore, quite the opposite. Kaizen, Jayaa and Alina are looking for answers and in exchange for a peaceful search I offer the answers we can give.

Otherwise, as you know, they would try to get them anyway."

Maria's eyes widened as she heard Vorian's names. She ran her eyes over the three individuals standing next to him, analyzing each one, and then her eyes were caught by the intense gaze of one of them, the one with black hair, broad shoulders and dark eyes. She had no doubt, it was Kaizen.

"So, you're the famous Psyker... Brave of you to invade Olaynore for the second time. Aren't you afraid of the consequences? Your presence is an outrage to us!" She took a step forward and her staff glowed with even more intensity than before.

Kaizen remained serious. "Outrageous that someone like you is threatening me."

"Someone like me?" She sounded insulted.

"Yes, after all, you're weaker than my friend Vorian here. After all, unlike him, you haven't realized the extent of my true strength." replied Kaizen.

Silence hung like a thick fog over the room as Maria and Kaizen locked gazes. Tension hung in the air, palpable like static electricity before an impending storm.

The others in the room, Jayaa, Vorian and Alina, watched in silence, their gazes alternating between Maria and Kaizen, aware of the latent power that pulsed between them. Vorian, the Elder, remained motionless, his eyes revealing a mixture of concern and curiosity at the clash about to unfold.

Kaizen, with his firm, confident stance, didn't flinch at Maria's indignant expression. His deep-set eyes seemed to contain ancient mysteries, as if each glance was capable of unlocking secrets hidden in the depths of the universe. He was the Psyker, not just anyone.

His countenance was serene, but he carried with him an aura of determination and power, as if he were ready to face any adversity that stood in his way.

While Maria wielded her staff with determination, prepared to defend Olaynore's interests, Kaizen stood erect, immersed in an aura that was slowly beginning to pulsate and grow around him. A mysterious and powerful energy emanated from his imposing figure, enveloping him in a kind of ethereal radiance.

His eyes, as deep as the darkness of an abyss, shone with an intensity that suggested the existence of an uncontrollable power.

Maria looked away for a moment, unable to bear the immensity of what she was witnessing. Kaizen, with a subtle smile, understood the fear that was beginning to penetrate the Elder's heart. Her power was not just physical; it was a force that transcended the boundaries of the tangible, penetrating the essence of the paranormal's existence.

"You judge strength by outward appearance, Elder Mary, but it is the essence that truly defines power," Kaizen declared, his voice echoing like a deep whisper that reverberated in the hall.

As he spoke, the aura around him began to dance with subtle colors of gold and lilac.

Maria, unable to look away for long, saw patterns of ethereal spheres forming in the atmosphere around Kaizen, as if he were interwoven with the very fabric of the universe.

The spectators, including Jayaa and Alina, watched in amazement as the display of power unfolded before them. Jayaa's eyes shone with genuine fascination, while Alina, with her keen intuition, realized that Kaizen was tapping into something beyond ordinary comprehension.

In a gentle gesture, Kaizen raised his hand, and the aura around him responded obediently, increasing significantly all at once and all the air in the room seemed to suddenly leave, almost bringing Maria to her knees.

Maria, now completely enveloped by this display of power, felt diminished by the vastness of the Psyker's unknown power. Her staff, once shiny and menacing, seemed to wither before Kaizen's grandeur. She tried to maintain her posture, but her hands trembled subtly.

"W-what are you doing?" She asked, her voice losing some of its earlier firmness.

Kaizen didn't answer verbally. Instead, he reached out towards Maria, and the aura intensified, enveloping her in a delicate but inescapable way. Maria felt gravity press down on her spine, a feeling of total oppression.

"This isn't a threat, but a reminder that you shouldn't threaten what you don't know," Kaizen explained, his voice resonating softly in Maria's mind.

Maria, surprised by Kaizen's display of power, instinctively stepped back, her staff trembling slightly in her hands and being used to support her upright. Her eyes, once full of confidence and determination, now reflected a mixture of admiration and awe at the magnitude of what she was witnessing.

"You... you are truly powerful," Maria murmured, her voice laden with reverence and respect.

Kaizen remained impassive, his aura pulsing with an intensity that seemed to transcend reality itself. He didn't need words to assert his dominance over that space; his presence was enough to make clear the scope of his strength and determination.

Vorian watched the scene with a mixture of fascination and apprehension. He had seen many things in his long life as an Elder, but nothing compared to the manifestation of Kaizen's power. It was as if the very fabric of reality was bending before the Psyker's unbreakable will

"You see now, Elder Mary, that my power is as vast as the heavens themselves," said Kaizen, his voice echoing with an authority that brooked no contest. "I am not your enemy, but an ally that you should value."

Maria nodded slowly, recognizing the truth in Kaizen's words. She knew that, despite the differences that separated them, he was telling the truth because, with such power, if he wanted to, he could destroy the Forest of the Forgotten, the City of Tears and much of the Citadel of the Magi. Somehow, he was now dozens of times stronger than he had been told before.

With a solemn gesture, she lowered her staff, a sign of surrender before Kaizen's undeniable power. Her eyes met his in a silent bond of mutual understanding, each recognizing the strength and purpose that existed in the other's heart.