The Truth of the Masters

In the neutral dimensional chamber, the air hung heavy, charged with the tension of colossal powers. The white heptagonal table glowed softly, each side occupied by a hero: Kaelith, Zeryn, Elara, Thorne, Mira, and Draven, their weapons and armors pulsing with unique energies, reflecting their essences. The three figures, the GMs, loomed before the table, their presence overwhelming: the woman in a robe of liquid light, her constellation-like eyes gleaming; the man in glitched-data armor, a digital tornado swirling around him; and the faceless ethereal silhouette, pulsing with indecipherable runes. The ebony floor mirrored the starless gray sky, and the absence of magical energy made the space oppressive, as if reality itself were paused. Athos, the Hero of the Desolate Continent, had yet to sit, his glitched armor shimmering with liquid data, the Tear of Eryndor pulsing at his neck, a cynical smile on his face.As Athos stepped forward, Zeryn and Kaelith exchanged stunned glances. Zeryn, her silver robe rippling with runes, gripped her Arcane Tome, her blue eyes sparking with suspicion. Is he the one who shattered the moon? she thought. Kaelith, clutching his Blade of Wrath, his scarlet armor smoldering, clenched his jaw, ready to rise. This glitch… he’s dangerous. Before they could act, the glitched-armor figure snapped his fingers, and an invisible wave of energy froze Zeryn and Kaelith in place, their bodies locked like statues. The silence in the room grew denser.Athos laughed, crossing his arms, his voice dripping with sarcasm: “What’s gotten into you two? Why all this hate? Wasn’t the last beating enough?” He strode to his side of the table, the last empty spot, and sat with a defiant air, the Tear of Eryndor glowing brightly.The liquid-light figure raised a hand, her voice sharp as a digital command: “Quiet. Allow me to speak.” The tone was absolute, silencing even the echo of Athos’s steps. The heroes, even the most rebellious, felt the weight of that authority. Zeryn and Kaelith, released from paralysis, exchanged glances but stayed silent, tense.The faceless ethereal figure spoke next, its voice echoing as if from every corner of the dimension: “This emergency meeting was called for a reason: the demons are about to strike again.” A murmur of shock rippled through the table. Elara, her Scepter of Life pulsing, widened her emerald eyes: “Another offensive? Now? Our realms are in ruins!” Thorne slammed his Hammer of the Eon on the table, his deep voice echoing: “Ironforge can’t withstand another attack so soon!” Mira, her blue scale armor gleaming, exclaimed: “Aquilon is vulnerable! We need to return immediately!”The glitched-armor figure raised a hand, his metallic voice cutting through the pleas: “Calm yourselves. Listen.” Silence returned, but the tension was palpable. The heroes, with their realms ravaged by the last war, knew another offensive would be catastrophic. Draven, his Shadow Reaper resting on the table, muttered: “If Morgath strikes now, Necrosia will fall.” Kaelith gritted his teeth: “Iragor won’t wait. We need to act!” Zeryn, pensive, looked at the GMs: They know more than they say. Why summon us like this?Before the GM could continue, Athos, who had been watching silently, leaned forward, his cynical smile fading, replaced by a calculated glint in his eyes. He spoke, his voice firm but laced with sharp curiosity: “I think you owe us some explanations first. Who are you, and why did you summon us to this world?” He pointed to the Tear of Eryndor, pulsing as if answering his question. “I know a system when I see one, and you look like the admins. So, spill it. What’s the game?”The GMs turned their gazes to Athos, and a heavy silence echoed through the room. The liquid-light figure tilted her head, her constellation eyes sparking. The glitched-armor figure crossed his arms, the data around him swirling faster. The ethereal silhouette pulsed, its runes glowing brighter. The air was thick with discord, and the answers the heroes sought—about their summoning, the world of ATHOMIS, and the GMs’ role—were about to be revealed.