Martial Arts Worlds

[Old King: Tell me more]

Kiernan looked at the sudden message, gathered his thoughts, and started typing, his thumbs gliding across the touchscreen.

He tried recalling the phone call he had with Sabbath a while back.

[Revenant: Rockstar went to Bulwark, looking for someone, and it didn't go well—he got captured by the person he was looking for—and now that person is calling me]

[Revenant: I am on God Island, participating in the Junior Martial Arts Championship, and he wants me to use the Teleportation Ceremony on him, bringing him here]

[Revenant: Otherwise, he will kill Rockstar]

Kiernan finished typing, put the phone down on the table, and checked the time on his wristwatch quickly.

He still had plenty of time before the time was up.

'Sabbath told me that I should contact Martial Order if I had any problems. I think during the phone call he already knew that he was going to be captured.'

Kiernan thought to himself and then heard a dinging sound coming from the phone, and as he checked, he saw another gold-plated message.

[Old King: And I assume that you want one of us to come to you via Teleportation Ceremony and guarantee that you won't get killed by them, and Rockstar will get freed like promised?]

'He immediately understood my plan thoroughly. I think the name suggests that he has been living in this world for a long time and isn't new to these schemes and trickery.'

Kiernan quickly typed on the phone.

[Revenant: Correct]

Shortly after, another gold message came.

[Old King: I understand, but this is something I cannot force anyone to do. If someone is willing to help you in this, I'll give them permission]

'Now I have to convince someone to help me in this. It must be someone powerful, as Sabbath is really powerful, but even he got captured.

'I am not sure if one person alone is enough if Alabaster is with more people this time around.'

[Revenant: Is anyone willing? I have to call that person back in less than an hour, and if it comes down to that, I must refuse. I don't believe they will respect the promise]

Kiernan finished typing and bit his nails till they bled.

'If I don't do what Alabaster… or is it Sacrael now… asks… then he might go after me once I've departed from God Island.'

At that moment, a message came to the chat app.

[Imperio: Bulwark, you say? The tribal chief of the Bulwarkians is having a birthday soon, and they have a tradition of having a competition]

[Imperio: A competition to give the best birthday present for the tribal chief. I've heard that he is close to reaching the Immortal Stage of the Martial Arts Path]

[Imperio: One more push is needed… And I believe that this person of yours is seeking God Island's treasured possession—Blood of the Martial God—that is strong enough to help the tribal chief reach the Immortal Stage]

[Imperio: With that birthday present, he is guaranteed to win the birthday present contest, and he'll most likely become second-in-command of the Immortal Martial Artist]

[Imperio: The tribal chief is also young enough to push for Martial God Stage, so being second-in-command of a man like that makes people go to crazy lenghts]

Kiernan read through it all and frowned.

While it all sounded silly to go so far for a simple birthday present, he knew that when it came to godhood, people were willing to go to crazy lengths.

[Imperio: I am intrigued… I am with you, Revenant. Teleport me over to where you are]

[Fish Who Drowns: Are you serious?!]

[Hero Among Rulers: Imperio… We are Grandmasters of Martial Order, maybe we should leave this to the younger generation]

[Imperio: Haha! This is Bulwarkians we are talking about, and they'll definitely come with a large group over to God Island]

[Imperio: None of Masters and Students can handle them alone. I can!]

Kiernan looked at the chat messages, leaned back, and was relieved that someone wanted to actually help but also quite cautious.

'Imperio is Grandmaster. I know he always bickers with Sabbath, but I feel like he has an ulterior motive for coming here…

'Well, I don't care what that is. I believe he is a great guarantee that Sabbath will be returned safely, and I won't die.'

Kiernan leaned forward over to the phone and started a private message chat with Imperio and found a knife from the kitchen.

He didn't have a marker pen with him, so he had to draw everything on the table with a knife instead.

Creak~

He carved the eight-pointed star into the wood of the table, a big circle, and then started with the words.

Virtus! Sapientia! Honor! Fortitudo! Unitas! Spes!

After he was done with the carving, he searched through the entire house for candles but didn't find anything.

He asked Imperio if it still worked without them—he said no—but then he said that anything burning is fine.

Thus, he just found anything flammable, lit them on fire, and put them at the end of each point of the star.

Kiernan turned off the lights, and then looked at the phone.

[Imperio: 3…]

[Imperio: 2…]

[Imperio: 1…]

[Imperio: Go!]

"Transvectio Per Spatium!"

Kiernan shouted.

Swoosh!

A strong gust of wind blew through the room, killed the fire on the table, and made the room dark like a stormy night.

Boom! Tss! Boom! Tss! Boom!

He couldn't see anything, and he couldn't hear anything—except his breathing and heartbeat—but he felt the air turn very suffocating.

It was like something was grasping at his throat, slowly tightening its grip, and then, he could almost feel a presence.

A presence at the table.

"You can turn the light back on."

A voice sounded—it was surprisingly youthful sounding—and then Kiernan flicked the lights back on.

At the table, sitting like it was a chair, a man with white hair—as white as snow—and eyes as black as the night was sitting.

He looked young—no older than twenty-five—and he was wearing a billowing white shirt and black trousers.

Sandals on his feet, as if he had just come from a beach, and his expression was serene and peaceful, as if he held all the wisdom of the world in his gaze.

"Imperius Rex at your service."

He said with a smile.