WHISPERS OF TWILIGHT CHAPTER 7: Bad news

[NIGHTNOVA MANSION]

Regis stormed through the dimly lit halls of Nightnova Mansion, his emotions boiling within him. As he rounded a corner, he unexpectedly came across his sister, Calista. Her eyes widened in concern as she noticed his state.

"What happened, Regis? Why are you so angry?" Calista asked, her voice filled with genuine worry.

Regis took a moment to collect himself, pushing his anger aside. He met his sister's gaze and replied, his voice tinged with frustration, "Sister, it's nothing. I simply wanted to go out, but Father denied my request."

Calista tried to reassure him, saying, "Regis, don't be angry with Father. He only wants what's best for us."

Anxiety filled Regis' voice as he responded, his words filled with helplessness, "I know, but... he should also try to understand me." With those words, Regis turned abruptly and rushed away, his eyes cast downward in a mixture of frustration and sadness.

Meanwhile, Calista arrived in front of her father's study. She knocked on the door and cautiously asked, "Father, may I come in?"

Remus's voice came from inside, granting her permission. "Yes, come in."

Calista stepped into the room, finding Remus engrossed in studying some documents. He glanced up, his eyes filled with a mixture of weariness and concern, gesturing for her to take a seat on the plush sofa nearby. Abandoning his work, he settled beside her, his posture serious and comforting.

"Calista, what I'm about to tell you is important," Remus said, his voice filled with concern.

Worry filled Calista's eyes as she waited for her father to continue.

"Investigation reports have arrived from the expedition," Remus revealed, his tone weighed down by the gravity of the news.

"The expedition?" Calista's voice trembled with increased worry. "What happened?"

Remus took a deep breath before responding, "The expedition team that was supposed to have returned by now has been cornered by werewolves, and some have been taken captive."

Calista's eyes widened in shock. "How is that possible, Father? Morwen was with them. How could they capture him?"

"I share your concerns," Remus replied, his own worry palpable. "Morwen is undeniably our strongest knight, his strength unmatched. Yet, somehow, they managed to corner him."

The revelation sent a shiver down Calista's spine. "Father, does this mean they have broken the pact?"

Remus sighed, his expression heavy. "Not yet. No one has been killed so far."

Tears welled up in Calista's eyes as she desperately asked, "Then, Father, is he...?"

Remus gently reassured her, saying, "Don't worry, my daughter. I will save him."

Calista, overcome with emotion, embraced her father tightly. Through her tears, she managed to whisper, "Father... you must save him."

Remus's voice resonated with unwavering determination as he responded, "Of course, I will."

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In Regis's room, he was still seething with anger, lying on his bed and punching the mattress in frustration. "I'm so angry! Why won't Father let me do what I want? I want to be helpful too... I too long to experience the world beyond these walls and this pact..." he muttered to himself.

Regis's mind wandered back to a conversation he had with his father, Remus.

[Flashback]

Remus began, "When the first dimensional channel appeared, there was a fierce battle between the Risens and Eternals. Our Nightnova clan didn't participate at that time. The strength of the Eternals and Risens was evenly matched. Even when the werewolves and Eternals fought together to drive the Risens away from their realm, the Risens were pushing them back. Nirvana was on the brink of defeat. But then, everything changed when a single person stepped in—the true ruler of Nirvana, known as the Eminence. He was overwhelmingly powerful, and no one could defeat him. The Risens were on the verge of annihilation, but our Nightnova clan's ancestors stepped forward and joined the battle. They managed to halt the Eminence's advance but couldn't defeat him. The Nightnova clan offered to negotiate, and the Eminence agreed."

Regis listened intently as his father recounted the events.

Remus continued "The negotiations began, and both realms agreed to cease the hostilities immediately. They established borders to mark each group's territory. Crossing into the other side without permission was considered a severe offense with severe punishment. They also agreed to share vital resources fairly, establish diplomatic channels for ongoing communication, promote cultural exchange, and pledge to protect each other from external threats."

Regis interrupted, his anger evident. "So, has the pact been broken?"

Remus shook his head. "No, the Eminence stated that no one has died yet."

Regis seethed with frustration. "Are we going to wait until someone dies?"

Remus's voice grew firm. "No, we won't. The Eminence granted us the authority to enter the werewolves' territory whenever we need to."

Regis exclaimed, "Then what are we waiting for?"

Remus sighed. "In our clan, there's no one with enough strength to face them. I'll have to seek help from others."

Regis thought for a moment and then said determinedly, "Send me there. I have enough strength."

Remus stood up, anger flashing in his eyes, and shouted, "No, not you!"

[Flashback ends]

Regis's gaze fixated on the moon's soft glow spilling into his room through the window. Restlessness overwhelmed him as he muttered to himself, "There has to be a way." Suddenly, an idea struck him.

He rose from the bed and opened the drawer beside it, retrieving the badge Rai had given him. "For now, let's go there," he whispered, his voice filled with resolve.

Regis opened the window and felt a strong gust of wind on his face. He jumped down from the window gracefully and walked confidently towards the cave. When he reached the entrance, he entered without hesitation and went deeper into the cave until he reached the farthest room. Holding out the badge he had, he pointed it towards the wall and said firmly, "Open."

The badge emitted a bright red light, and a hole filled with red energy appeared before Regis. Without any second thoughts, he stepped courageously into the opening, disappearing into the unknown.

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Nirvance eminence palace,

Rai sat with his eyes closed on his throne, while Aric, standing nearby, poured tea and presented it respectfully,

"Lord, about the werewolves, they have crossed the line many times now" Aric said, waiting for Rai's response.

Rai remained silent, and suddenly an aura emanated from him. Aric was taken aback, exclaiming, "Lord!"

Rai opened his eyes and muttered, "He's here."

In an instant, he vanished from his throne, leaving Aric bewildered.

"What... What happened? Where is the Lord?" Aric wondered, his face filled with confusion.

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In the  Secret Realm,

Regis sat beneath the shade of the same old tree. The gentle breeze brushed against his face, offering a soothing sensation. Lost in his thoughts, he whispered softly

, "Hmm, he hasn't arrived yet." he murmured to himself.

Suddenly, Rai's voice came from behind, asking, "Did you call me?"

Regis turned around and was met with the sight of a younger version of Rai standing before him. A mix of happiness and sadness flickered across Regis's expression as he took in the familiar face. With a contemplative sigh, he turned back around and settled into a comfortable cross-legged position.

Rai noticed that Regis seemed to have mixed feelings, so he moved closer and sat down on the other side of the old tree. With a caring tone, he asked, "What's wrong? What's been bothering you?" Rai genuinely wanted to understand and offer support, creating a comfortable space for Regis to open up and share his thoughts and worries.

Regis, sounding somber, said, "Rai, you know about the dimensional channels, so you must also know about the Infernous and the pact, right?"

Rai nodded. "Yes, I do."

Regis continued, his gaze fixed on the ground. "Are you from the Nirvana realm?"

Rai confirmed, "Yes, I am."

Regis looked down even more and said, "Then you must know about the werewolves."

Rai replied, "I do. Regis, tell me clearly what happened."

Regis's voice trembled with sadness. "My brother-in-law went on an expedition to Nirvana... It's been a long time since he left... And only today, we received a report that he has been surrounded by werewolves... That bastard, I really want to go and smack him."

Rai let out a small chuckle and asked, "Which bastard is so unfortunate?"

Regis's anger flared up as he responded, "The Eminence."

Rai was shocked and pondered to himself, "Me? Why? I'm innocent."

Rai stood up, moved closer to Regis, and spoke with an annoyed tone, "Why do you want to confront him? He's not the one who ordered the werewolves to do this."

Regis's tone matched Rai's annoyance. "You're annoyed because you're from Nirvana."

Rai's voice carried the same annoyed tone as before. "You-"

Regis interrupted him firmly, his voice resolute, "But right now, Rai, you are my friend, not a representative of Nirvana. don't take their side in front of me."

Rai paused, and he pondered silently to himself, his mind raced with the question, "How did he come to this conclusion?"

He sat in front of Regis and asked, "Then, what did he do?"

Regis sighed, "Well, in his statement, he said that no one has died yet, so he won't take action. Does he want someone to die first before he acts justly?" Regis's voice quivered with sorrow.

Rai tried to reason, "But he also gave permission to freely enter the realm."

Regis replied, "Yes, he said that, but in my family, no one is strong enough to go there yet."

Rai questioned, "Aren't you strong enough?"

Regis's frustration became apparent. "I know what you're trying to say, but my father won't let me go. He's trying to seek help from others, but it will be too late then."

Regis looked up at Rai, determination burning in his eyes. "I want to do something. I want to help my sister and my brother-in-law.

Rai reassured him, saying, "It's simple."

Regis wondered, "How?"

Rai explained, "As I said, the Eminence has given permission for anyone to enter."

Regis still seemed confused. "I don't get it."

Rai clarified, "Basically, you just need to escape without anyone noticing and cross the dimensional channel."

Regis, seeking further clarification, asked, "But don't we need the owner's permission for marked dimensional channels to open?"

Rai reassured him, "You already have it."

Regis's eyes widened with surprise, "I have the permission?"

Rai nodded, a smile forming on his face, "Yes, Regis. With the permission granted by Eminence, you can enter any dimensional channel whenever you want."

Regis exclaimed, "So, Eminence's permission is enough?"

Rai nodded once more, confirming, "Yes."

Filled with gratitude, Regis embraced Rai tightly, expressing his thanks, "Thank you, Rai! This means I can prove myself and save my brother-in-law. I'm so grateful."

Rai patted Regis's head affectionately, returning his gratitude, "You're welcome, Regis. Now, if you're in the right mindset, shall we spar? I'll teach you how to use your strength effectively."

Regis's eyes lit up with joy, "Yes! I'm ready to learn from you and train together."

The wind gently rustled the leaves of the old tree, And the spar between Rai and Regis began.