Peaceful Life System: I only need to live peacefully-Chapter 182: Trouble again? (1)

The golden motes of the Herald faded into the air. A collective, shuddering breath passed through the thousands of citizens kneeling in the plaza. The divine pressure was gone, but the cold dread of the warning remained.

Panic began to set in. A woman sobbed openly. A man shouted a prayer. The crowd started to surge, their fear turning into a chaotic murmur.

"SILENCE!"

King Harius’s voice boomed across the plaza. He stood tall on the dais, his face a mask of regal authority. He would not allow his city to fall into chaos.

"You have heard the words of the Herald," the King declared, his voice firm and steady. "A warning has been issued. A storm may be coming."

He looked out at the sea of frightened faces. "But we are not a kingdom of cowards! We have faced down the Crimson Creep! We have rooted out corruption from our most sacred halls! We are strong!"

His voice rose with every word. "The Light protects us! The Crown protects you! Trust in your kingdom! Trust in your King! Now go to your homes. Be with your families. We will face whatever comes, together!"

His words, filled with conviction, had their intended effect. The panic subsided. The crowd, reassured by their king’s strength, began to disperse in an orderly, if somber, fashion.

Once the plaza was clear, the tension on the dais returned.

"A primal being," Lord Arnold murmured, his face grim. "What does it mean?"

"And the Dark Empire stirs," Seraphina added, her gaze distant. "This is grave news."

Before the speculation could continue, a new figure approached the dais. It was an old man, frail and bent with age, leaning heavily on a gnarled wooden staff. He wore the simple, unadorned robes of a royal seer.

"Your Majesty," the old man said, his voice a dry whisper.

King Harius turned, his expression softening slightly. "Old Man Hemlock. What is it? Have you seen something?"

The seer nodded slowly. He raised a trembling hand and pointed towards Riku. "The prophecy... has changed."

A tense silence fell over the jury. All eyes turned to the old man.

"The spark I saw before," the seer continued, his voice wavering. "The one that would ignite a great fire of change from the east... it is still there. But the path ahead is no longer clear."

He closed his eyes, as if looking inward. "The threads of fate... they are tangled. Obscured. A great shadow has fallen over them. I see two paths. One leads to salvation. The other... to an all-consuming darkness."

He opened his eyes, his gaze filled with a profound uncertainty. "I cannot see which path we are on. The future is a storm, and the spark is at its very center."

Riku listened, his mind racing. He didn’t need a seer to tell him the future was unclear. A primal being... an ancient hunger... Duriel’s words echoed in his head.

He thought of the Eye of Cauli. Could that be responsible for this?

System, Riku asked mentally, his thoughts sharp and urgent. Information on the Beast God Cauli. Information on the Dark Empire. What is the connection?

The familiar blue panel shimmered in his mind. But the answer was not what he expected.

[Insufficient Data.]

Riku frowned. What do you mean, insufficient data?

[The entities and events referenced by the Herald Duriel exist outside of the current known data. No reliable information can be provided at this time. Suggested path of action - look for clues within the Dark Empire at the earliest.

A cold knot formed in Riku’s stomach. The Dark Empire again? He had just left that place not so long ago, and he had to go right back?

The leaders on the dais continued to debate, their voices filled with worry and speculation. But Riku didn’t hear them.

He was lost in thought, staring out at the now-empty plaza. A storm was coming. And for the second time since he had arrived in this world, he had no idea how to stop it.

---------------

Later, in a private chamber within the palace, the group prepared to leave.

"I must stay," Seraphina announced, her face grim. "The King and I have much to discuss. We need to prepare the kingdom’s defenses." She looked at Lysaria. "You should return to Elowen. It is the safest place for you right now."

Lysaria nodded, though her expression was worried.

Riku gathered them together. With a final nod to Seraphina, he activated the teleportation spell.

They reappeared in the familiar warmth of the Elowen longhouse. The journey was instantaneous, but the mood was heavy. They sat around the large table, the Herald’s words still echoing in their minds.

Barou and Rennan, who had been going over supply manifests, looked up as they appeared. They saw the grim expressions on their faces.

"What is it?" Barou asked, his usual cheerful demeanor gone. "What happened in Luxia? You all look like you’ve seen a ghost." frёeweɓηovel_coɱ

Lila took a shaky breath. "It was... a lot, Father."

She recounted the events of the trial. She told them about the testimonies, Sherry’s unexpected and damning statement, and then, the arrival of the Herald.

"Duriel himself appeared?" Rennan asked, his eyes wide. He had only heard stories of the divine intervention in Vintross.

"Yes," Lysaria confirmed, her voice quiet. "He sentenced Elian to exile. He stripped him of his power."

"Good riddance," Barou grumbled. "But that doesn’t explain why you all look so troubled. Justice was served, wasn’t it?"

"That’s not all he did," Riku said, his voice low. He met the eyes of the men at the table. "He warned that a seal in the north has been broken, unleashing an ancient hunger, and that a great storm is coming."

"Ancient hunger??"

Riku gave everyone a brief explanation of what had happened earlier in Luxia. After hearing his account, a heavy silence fell over the longhouse.

"A primal hunger," Lila said, breaking the silence. "What could that mean?"

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