Echoes of the Abyssal Blade: Path to Free Will

Listening to Jonan's heartfelt speech, everyone had mixed reactions, while some scorned his emotional response to the elder's questioning, with visible displeasure and arrogance etched on their faces, Draven The Hero and many among those of the Starfall family had such reaction, and they didn't bother to hide their disdain, as for the rest of them, they had shifting emotions on their faces, revoking memories of their own past.

Among them were the parents of the kids missing in the woods, listening to Jonan recounting how their kids were feeling, made them full of guilt, while they cared deeply for their kids, they weren't able to understand them, because they were all from prominent clans, and had to be away from their kids occasionally.

The weirdest part was that even Elder Greedwyn had a similar reaction, and it was the same with the other elders present of the Starfall family as well as those of the subsidiary clans.

"After getting to know about my missing friends, I was shocked the same as you all are, and I am also worried about their whereabouts, I just hope all of them are safe, and I promise, I will find them at any cost, no matter what", said Jonan with a resolute expression.

Elder Greedwyn just scoffed, and sat back, without any emotion, which puzzled many, after all, everyone knew that this was an optimal time to target those of the Main Descendants and win something for their side.

Truth be told, no one really cared if Jonan was guilty or blameless, while those of the Branch descendants cared deeply about the whereabouts of the missing kids, but on the side, they also sought a justification to attack their enemies using Jonan.

Inexplicably none of that happened somehow, as Elder Greedwyn, who is said to be someone of ruthless demeanor remained perplexingly silent, offering no further inquiry, the same was with the other elders, who were displaying expressions of restlessness.

Draven The Hero smiled slightly, aware of what the elders were apprehensive about, "The boy's got a pretty smart mouth on himself, I seem to have underestimated this little guy, and here I thought, I will have to go for the save", spoke Draven The Hero, softly, which was only heard by one of his wife, who was sitting close to him, Aurelia.

Which surprised her greatly, "What, he was going to save Jonan either way, then why throw him in this fire pit, that you have created for him, it's almost impossible to keep up with these Hero's thoughts, god knows what they want", thought Aurelia to herself.

Elder Greedwyn might have caught wind of his father's words, had his mind not been besieged by a tumultuous cascade of unwelcoming thoughts, the very boy he had chosen as a potential scapegoat, had uttered something unsettling that it caused a lump to form in his throat, little did he know, he was not alone in this unsettling unease, his fellow elders of the Starfall family, from both the Main Descendants and the Branch Descendants, as well as those from the other allied clans shared his sense of disorderly thoughts.

As the council chamber echoed with the weight of Jonan's words, Elder Greedwyn sat in his ornate chair, fingers steepled beneath his chin, his eyes, usually sharp and commanding, now flickered with an abnormal uncertainty, the plan which had been meticulously crafted by him, with each move calculated to deal with those of the main clan, has now gone down the drain.

Across the room, Elder Sylvan, a venerable figure with silvered hair and piercing blue eyes, shifted uncomfortably in his seat, the usually serene demeanor of the elderly elder betrayed a hint of anxiety, as he exchanged a brief, knowing glance with the other elders of the subsidiary families, whose steely demeanor had softened imperceptibly.

Meanwhile, on the periphery of the chamber, those unaware of such thoughts exchanged cautious whispers, words which were spoken in hushed tones carried the weight of shared concern for what fate awaits the boy Jonan.

Elder Greedwyn cleared his throat, breaking the heavy silence that had settled over the chamber like a shroud, he began, his voice low but commanding, "Boy, what you've said is quite unexpected".

Jonan, standing with a quiet resolve at the center of attention, met Elder Greedwyn's gaze evenly, his youthful features bore the marks of determination, tinged with a hint of vulnerability, despite the undercurrent of tension in the room, he replied with his voice steady, "I understand your concerns Elder, but I speak the truth as I know it".

The air crackled with tension as all of the elders exchanged cautious glances with each other, each understanding the other's thoughts and seemingly ready to accept something which has plagued them for years on end.

Elder Greedwyn leaned forward, his expression unreadable, "Truth".

He mused, the word hanging in the air like a solemn decree. "Truth is a rare commodity in these halls, boy, It is often obscured by those of ambition and concealed by necessity, and most of all, how will you find our descendants, whom you claim to be your friends".

A murmur rippled through the chamber, a chorus of agreement tinged with apprehension, and uncertainty.

Jonan squared his shoulders, his voice unwavering, "While it's true that I have no recollection at all of the reason for the disappearance of my friends, I seek to find them at all costs, and ensure you, that I will also find the one responsible for it," he declared, his words echoing with conviction.

The elders exchanged meaningful glances, each grappling with their own inner turmoil, behind the veneer of authority, doubts gnawed their minds, and were waiting for Greedwn's decision, after all, they cannot openly discuss their minds in front of everyone present, especially not in front of that person, the one they call their Hero.

However, there was one amongst them, who had some other thoughts of his own, Elder Sylvan, his voice resonant with years of wisdom and experience, spoke up, "While it's true that our children have mysteriously disappeared in the woods, and Jonan is the only survivor among them, I believe it's better not to be haste, and blame this young child, who was but a dear friend to our kids, we must proceed with caution and invest our thoughts and resources into finding them, instead of wasting our time bickering and blaming each other," he advised, his tone measured.

The council chamber descended into a thoughtful silence, interrupted only by the soft rustling of robes and the occasional whisper of deliberation, each elder acknowledging the words of Elder Sylvan of Mistfall Family.

Outside the chamber, beyond the gilded walls that shielded their deliberations from the outside world, the faint murmur of unrest could be felt.

Elder Greedwyn's mind churned with conflicting emotions as he also agreed with his dear friend's words, while he hated the fact, that he would be losing such a wonderful opportunity, he held back his emotions, after all, there was another kind of emotion that triggered him and was far worrying and heavy on his heart.

The boy's words had stirred something dormant within him, a nagging doubt that refused to be ignored, was it possible that their life of luxury had blinded them and made them forget the truth all along, and made them forget about those true immortal monsters, that live amongst them.

One of which is his own father, the Great Hero Draven, and how in a similar manner to Jonan, once he and his most talented siblings also used to feel that way towards their father, worthless, that was how they all felt, and the crippling despair of death and being in one same realm.

Almost everyone in this world, be it Humans, or those of the two races, all of them have people who are simply stuck in the Weapon Sage realm, not even advancing a single bit, while there are also differences in strength among those of the Weapon Sage realm, but all of them have limited lifespan, and their fate which inevitably leads them to death.

Many challenged the heroes, for their secrets of immortality and strength, unfortunately, all of them met their demise, even their own children were not favored, when asked about their realm, the heroes would simply state to have patience and keep persisting, and apart from that they kept their mouths shut even to their close ones about the realm after Sage realm.

In the midst of uncertainty, one thing remained clear, their fate was stuck, not even his monstrously talented Granddaughter would be able to breakthrough the Sage realm in the future, so what was the use of being better in talent, when you have to inevitably die, whatever path they chose to tread, the outcome would be same, and giving up was not an option for them, at least not for themselves, but for their children, and winning would mean that their legacy will reach heights of immortality.

As the council deliberated, the flickering torches cast long shadows across the chamber, a poignant reminder of the shadows that now loomed over their fragile thoughts.

Under the vast halls of the Starfall family, Elder Greedwyn, his mind a tempest of conflicting emotions and unanswered questions, the weight of responsibility bore down upon him like the heavy cloak he wore, a mantle of authority that now felt more burdensome than ever before.

Within the heart of Elder Greedwyn, a resolve began to form, with a newfound clarity and understanding that the path forward would demand sacrifice, and the worst of all possible extinction of them all, after all, what they have to face are not mere living beings, but Immortal Heroes.

"My friend Sylvan, your words are wise, and has cleared my mind", voiced Elder Greedwyn, then he moved towards his father, "I apologize father for delaying important matters, because of unnecessary emotions, I with the help of everyone in the Starfall family, and those of the subsidiaries family will try to look for the missing kids", after hearing which Elara, Jonan's mother released her tightened fist, and breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that her son will not be implicated for this matter anymore.