Hero of Darkness

The emperor listened intently to the words of his ancestor, his voice stern and filled with curiosity.

Their God's Decree to safeguard the Hero of Darkness was something he could not even fathom in his wildest dreams as they were enemies to this day after the events of 300 years ago.

"But why spare the Hero of Darkness? What purpose does it serve? How can a single Hero affect the changed timeline?"

He questioned the purpose of sparing the Hero of Darkness and how a single individual could have such an impact on the altered timeline.

The emperor sought to understand the significance and reasoning behind this decision.

"Our God has informed me that it was the Hero of Darkness from the future who killed the Hero of Time.

And our God wishes to protect him in the altered one instead.

As for the reason… The answers lie in the intricate tapestry of destiny.

Our God sees something within this individual, something that may tip the scales in the grand scheme of things."

The remnant soul conveyed the gravity of the situation, emphasizing that the survival of their empire depended on the outcome.

"It is detrimental for our survival whether our Hero or the Hero of Darkness completes the task…

We now have reasons to betray other gods and empires. And the Hero of Darkness will be present during the Conclave of Heroes.

And thus, if our Hero and his party also meet him in that place, order them to assist in Hero of Darkness and ensure his survival." decreed the remnant soul.

To this command, the emperor asked in a gloomy tone…

"But what about our God and his previous commands? What caused him to shift his previous goals so suddenly?

I fail to understand why he would go to such great lengths." stated the Emperor.

To his justified query, the glowing remnant soul responded kindly…

"He has decreed that he no longer cares who kills the Demon God as he will not cease to exist even if no Hero/Heroine succeeded.

But he wishes for our survival. So having 2 heroes sharing our interests is more than enough for him and for us." the remnant soul shed light on the truth.

Emperor gave an understanding nod.

Although the objectives deviated from the past, the fact that their God chose to make such an altruistic decision for their survival was more than enough to agree with this divine decree.

However, his expression suddenly turned gloomy as he spoke…

"But we don't know how to track Hero of Darkness. The artifacts we had from the Abyss Empire were given to 'him' in that hunting group."

To this, the ancestral soul remnant lightly chuckled and replied…

"But we do have a way. Our God just told me about a certain somebody helping the Hero of Darkness from the shadows.

Someone no one has been able to know of.

And the very reason why no one has found the Hero of Darkness in the past 3 years." revealed the remnant soul.

Their God did not just send an ambiguous instruction but also provided aid for them to act effectively and immediately.

"Who?"

With a calm tone, the ancestral specter then told the current emperor about the identity of that being.

"Impossible!!

How can he be related to the Hero of Darkness?! He has no reason to." said the emperor, unable to digest the revelation.

"It is of no concern to us. We need not care about what agenda he had or what reason caused him to protect this Hero.

However, it is imperative that we must join hands with him if we wish to succeed anyway." spoke the remnant soul in an adamant voice.

The remnant soul's response was resolute and unwavering. He acknowledged that the motives and reasons behind the said person protecting the Hero of Darkness were not their concern.

What truly mattered was the necessity of forming an alliance with him if they were to achieve success in their endeavors.

The emperor himself did not dare to rebuke since the remnant soul's adamant voice left no room for doubt or hesitation.

It emphasized the critical nature of their decision and underscored the importance of setting aside personal reservations or preconceptions in order to forge a cooperative alliance with the person aiding Hero of Darkness.

This being had successfully evaded the suspicion of the entire world and no one in their wildest dreams would imagine him being the supporter of the very chosen Hero who was on the world's most wanted list.

Yet somehow, this individual had managed to stall their search for the Hero of Darkness using means unknown and hence, no one had succeeded even now.

This alone was a testament to how powerful and farsighted this person was and how it would only be a wiser choice to join forces with them after their God's divine decree.

"Then I shall contact him through our emissary placed at the border of the Demon Empire." replied the Emperor in a compliant tone and bowed again.

"And I will make sure that no one else even finds our connection to him before the Conclave of Heroes starts this month." spoke the Emperor with a resolute countenance.

The Emperor contemplated the magnitude of the task before him. With a sense of duty, he acknowledged the necessity to redirect his resources and the loyalty of his Hero and their party.

While the rest of the Gods and Empires wished to hunt the Hero of Darkness for his Divine Key, the same as their own previously wished to… The fate of the altered timeline now rested upon their actions.

And even if it means garnering the enmity of other empires or even risking a war had they been exposed at the wrong time… The emperor was willing to risk it for the survival of his people which he was responsible to protect.

"Good, bring me…" spoke this ancestral remnant soul with a great sense of foreboding as the fate of not only their empire but the world itself dangled on a thin thread.

"Argos Belmont."