[The god of this country, now known as the Forbidden Realm, is a forbidden god known as Glitch, the disaster amongst gods.]
[Note: The questions of your subordinates are now yours to use.]
"We are in for more trouble than I thought," Hazel muttered, a shadow crossing his face.
"Stop leaving us in the dust with your cryptic information," Ashton said, frustration lacing his tone.
"Oh, my bad," Hazel said. "System, share this information with all my subordinates."
[How many of them?]
"All of them," Hazel confirmed
[Information shared.]
"Shadow, bring everyone out," Hazel commanded.
From the edges of the visible world, figures began to coalesce, emerging from the shadows. These were all those under Hazel's protection. During the brutal confrontation with Doom, when the odds seemed stacked against Hazel, he had instructed Shadow to take them to the relative safety of the Shadow Realm.
There were twenty individuals in total, including the newly awakened sovereigns. Fifteen of them, close to Hazel's age, were merely title bearers, lacking the immense power of a god's title. In a true battle, they would be little more than liabilities. Among these fifteen, five possessed the ability to create barriers, while the rest were warriors of varying skill.
As they fully materialized, Hazel stepped forward. "You have stayed with me, and you have remained safe. But things are escalating. The chances of survival dwindle with each passing day. You all received the system's message. We don't know what the next scenario will bring. The only way you will survive is if you become stronger. So, I am giving you a choice. You can stay with me, and I will put you through unimaginable training to forge you into something greater. Or, you can leave now and try to survive with the limited power you currently possess. If you choose to go, I won't stop you, but you must also leave this guild."
The weight of his words hung in the air. After a tense silence, six individuals stepped forward, their faces a mixture of fear and resolve. Four remained: two barrier makers and two warriors.
Hazel nodded, accepting their decision. A smaller group meant fewer he had to protect. "Alright then," he said to those who remained, a new intensity in his eyes. "Are you ready for your training? We start immediately."
A chorus of determined voices answered him. "Yes, sir!"
"First, let's forge you barrier creators into barrier warriors," Hazel declared to the two remaining figures. His gaze held an intensity that promised transformation.
A hesitant voice broke the silence. "Sir, with all due respect, how is that even possible?" One of the boys shifted his weight, his skepticism palpable.
Hazel's lips curved into a confident smile. "It's simple, yet demanding. Trust my guidance, and you will become barrier creators the likes of which this world has never seen."
"Begin by erecting a barrier around yourselves," Hazel instructed. Without hesitation, the two boys complied, shimmering green energy outlining their forms.
"Now," Hazel continued, his voice dropping a note lower, "compress it. Draw it inwards, make it a second skin."
Frustration flickered across their faces as they struggled. The green shields wavered, resisting their will. Sweat beaded on their foreheads with the effort. Finally, slowly, painstakingly, the barriers thinned, clinging to their bodies like an invisible film. The once vibrant green faded to near transparency, a subtle shimmer their only indication.
"Excellent," Hazel affirmed, a hint of satisfaction in his tone. "Now, create another."
"Wait… a second barrier?" The other boy blurted out, his eyes wide with disbelief. The ingrained understanding was that one barrier was the limit.
"Do as I say," Hazel repeated, his voice firm, brooking no argument.
They tried, their concentration strained. Flickers of a second barrier would appear, only to dissipate like smoke. Doubt gnawed at their resolve. Yet, driven by Hazel's unwavering belief, they persisted. After what felt like an eternity, a second, distinct barrier shimmered into existence around each of them, this one remaining a visible green.
"Very good," Hazel acknowledged, a subtle nod of approval. "Now, focus. Compress this second barrier, not around your entire body, but onto your right fist alone."
"What? That's even harder!" one of them exclaimed, his voice laced with protest.
"Do it," Hazel commanded, his gaze unwavering.
The training became a grueling cycle. They would summon the barriers, struggle to compress the second, often losing control and shattering both. Each failure meant starting anew, their bodies aching, their minds weary. While the other warriors honed their skills elsewhere under Alexa's watchful eye, Hazel remained a constant presence, his focus solely on the barrier creators. The night bled into day, an unbroken stretch of exertion with no respite.
Slowly, painstakingly, they achieved the impossible. Three shimmering barriers now clung to each of them: one a near-invisible shield around their bodies, the others focused on their individual fists.
A rare smile touched Hazel's lips. "Maintain these barriers," he instructed. "Always."
The following week was a testament to their dedication. They learned to live within their layered defenses, the constant energy drain a new reality. They pushed their limits, discovering the ability to project these barriers onto others, offering fleeting moments of protection. By the week's end, they could sustain five barriers simultaneously, a feat that defied their previous understanding.
Hazel observed their progress with quiet satisfaction. Yet, a knot of unease tightened in his chest. Loris and Zig's sudden disappearance before the encounter with Doom still troubled him, the inability to summon them a stark reminder of the unknown. He resisted the urge to expend his limited questions, choosing to hoard them for a moment of true significance.
Meanwhile, the other two warriors flourished. Their training under Alexa and the other Sovereigns pushed them to the very edge of their potential, their strength growing exponentially with each fallen Sovereign they faced.
Then, Hazel shifted his focus again, guiding the barrier creators in the offensive application of their abilities. They learned to shape the barriers into concussive blasts, energy blades, and impenetrable gauntlets. Time blurred, marked only by their relentless training. Inevitably, their efforts bore fruit. They ascended.
[Sovereign of the Void] - Mike
[Sovereign of the Void] - Nicole
Mike and Nicole became the first dual Sovereigns, their intertwined abilities a testament to their unique training.
The other two warriors also achieved their Sovereign titles:
[Sovereign of Thunder] - Link
[Sovereign of Ice] - Noah
With their combined might, the landscape of their world began to shift. Dragons and other behemoths, once terrifying threats, fell with increasing ease. The monstrous presence that had plagued the country dwindled, their numbers becoming, almost unbelievably, countable.
~A YEARS PASSED~
~~System notification ~~
[The ruler of your realm has deemed it time for the next phase.]
[All survivors will be summoned to the presence of their god and ruler.]
[Please prepare. You have sixty seconds.]
~End of system notification~
"Well," Hazel murmured, a hint of grim anticipation in his voice. "I suppose this is it."