Lord Bane sat upon his grand obsidian throne, shadows dancing around him like obedient specters.
His cold gaze swept across the darkened hall as a holographic image flickered into existence before him, connecting him to the hidden enclaves of the Transcendent Faction.
He began, his voice steady.
"Greetings, members of the Transcendent Faction. I am Bane. My master, as you may have heard, has passed on to the after life."
"By his decree, I am now your leader."
"My first order as the new leader of the Transcendent Faction is a change."
"From this day forward, we march under a new banner—we will no longer be in hiding."
A pause, long enough to let his words sink in, before he continued:
"Our purpose remains the same—domination. we have spent so long hiding but now we shall strike."
"I now call upon you, scattered remnants, to join me in the creation of a new order: The Umbral Order. Refusal to comply will mark you as traitors, and I will personally see to your end."
The gathered representatives remained silent, but tension rippled through the connection.
Then, a voice cut through the silence—a voice filled with disdain.
"You are but a fool, Bane... Who even calls themselves such name," sneered Master Itharen, leader of the Burning Ember Temple.
"We of the Burning Ember Temple have no interest in joining a child's crusade. We are now independent and we plan to remain so."
Without waiting for a response, Master Itharen disconnected.
*******
{Velkaris Prime, Burning Ember Temple}
Far away on Velkaris Prime, the central world of the Burning Ember Temple, Master Itharen leaned back in his ornate chair, rubbing his fingers together thoughtfully.
Before him, another holographic figure flickered to life.
It was General Kael Draven, a well-known mercenary captain.
"Itharen," Kael said with a nod. "I take it you have work for me?"
"I do," Itharen replied. "I want you to attack the headquarters of that fool immediately. Crush this Umbral Order before it can spread its roots. His forces are weak—this will be a simple job."
Kael chuckled. "Consider it done. Where is this headquarters of his?"
"It's located on Morvantis. The base itself is called the Void Bastion."
Kael's grin widened. "Understood. My fleet will depart within the hour."
*******
Before Bane could issue any further commands, the distant echo of laser fire reverberated through the hallways of the Void Bastion.
His expression remained unreadable, but the cold gleam in his eyes hinted at something far more dangerous brewing within him.
The intercom beside his throne crackled to life, and the voice of his trusted commander, Commander Darius Cain, came through, urgent and tense.
"Lord Bane, several factions have turned against us. We're under attack from all sides. The defense team is being overwhelmed, and we're losing ground fast."
There was a brief pause before Darius added grimly, "Some Aetherians have breached the inner sanctum and are heading straight for your throne room. Be prepared, my lord—they are well-armed, and I count ten of them."
Bane rose from his throne.
His hands behind his back, exuding an aura of calm authority despite the chaos unfolding around him.
The massive doors of the throne room burst open.
Ten Aetherians strode in, each bearing Aether weapons of different kinds.
Their leader, a tall, scar-faced man named Aetherian Captain Lorik Voss, stepped forward and pointed his swords directly at Bane's head.
"You are surrounded, Lord Bane. Surrender now, and we may spare your life," Lorik said, his voice hard and confident.
Bane's lips curled into a faint smirk, his eyes narrowing.
He took a single step forward, his hands still behind his back. "Surrender…? You speak with betrayal and treachery as though your supposed backers grant you the right to make demands."
His voice, cold as ice, sent a chill down the spines of even the boldest Aetherians present.
Lorik sneered, tightening his grip on his spear. "We outnumber you. You can't win this fight. Don't make us kill you."
Bane chuckled softly, an ominous sound in the tense silence. "Outnumbered? Perhaps. But do you think that would make you victorious?"
With a subtle motion of his hand, the temperature of the throne hall plummeted as Bane prepared to unleash a portion of his power but then he held back.
The Aetherians stood firm, their weapons activated and ready to strike.
Lorik Voss, swords in hand, remained poised, his eyes locked on Bane, but one of his men could no longer contain his fury.
"Lorik, why should we bother talking to him?" sneered Aetherian Jorath Krell, a burly warrior whose impatience was matched only by his thirst for battle.
Without waiting for an answer, Jorath lunged forward, the Aether blade in his hands glowing blue.
He shouted, "Die, you fool!" as he descended upon Lord Bane with the ferocity of a predator.
Time seemed to slow as Jorath's blade whistled through the air, aiming directly for Bane's head.
But Bane didn't flinch.
In one fluid motion, he flicked his wrist, igniting the aether sword in his right hand with a sharp hum.
The two blades met in a flash of light, sparks flying as the clash echoed through the chamber.
Jorath pushed down with all his might, his muscles straining as he tried to overpower Bane.
But Bane, calm and unyielding, held firm, his expression unchanged.
Without a word, he reached for the second aether sword hanging at his belt.
With a swift, effortless motion, he raised it to the side of Jorath's head and activated it.
The blade ignited instantly, piercing Jorath's skull with a blinding flash of blue light.
The warrior's eyes widened in shock, his mouth parting as if to speak, but no words came.
His lifeless body crumpled to the ground, the blue glow of his Aether blade flickering before fading.
Bane deactivated the second sword, letting the silence hang heavy in the room before speaking, his voice cold and deliberate.
"Now there are only nine of you."
His gaze, sharp as a dagger, moved from one Aetherian to the next.
The nine warriors shifted uneasily, their earlier confidence wavering in the face of Bane's ruthlessness.
Lorik's grip on his swords tightened, the faint glow around him betraying his growing rage.
"You'll pay for that," Lorik growled through clenched teeth. "You may have been the student of a great master, but you're still just a pretender." He motioned to his remaining men.
"Take your position. We take him down together."
As the Aetherians began to spread out, encircling him, Bane allowed himself a faint smirk.
He twirled his aether swords, the hum of their blades cutting through the silence like a predator's growl.
"Come, then," he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper pointing at the body at his foot. "Let's see if your bravery lasts longer than it took to take his life."