Graham, a tall man with pale skin and long blond hair tied back in a ponytail, stood among the group. His presence was imposing, and he was one of the most respected and highest-ranking members of the Dragon Roar Faction. In fact, he was the only Stage 8 Paragon in the faction, a testament not only to his immense strength but also to his numerous achievements and contributions to their cause.
In the faction, Graham handled external matters, acting as the face of the organization. Outsiders who weren't familiar with the faction often mistook him for the leader. His role allowed him to deal with tasks that other members couldn't handle due to their identities, and he rarely stayed within the faction's hidden base.
So when Graham entered the base today, surprise flashed across the faces of those present. Graham hadn't been appointed to this role; he had volunteered, preferring to avoid isolation and keep himself busy. This made his rare visits all the more significant.
"Enough with the lovey-dovey stuff. What brings you down here of all people?" Peter asked, cutting through the air as he interrupted the two locked in an embrace.
Ignoring Peter's comment, Graham focused on Cressida. "I missed you," he murmured, leaning in to plant a gentle kiss on her forehead. He reached up, brushing away the tears that had gathered in her eyes, his touch soft and comforting.
"Alright then, where were we?" Graham said, slowly pulling away from the hug, though Cressida clung to his arm, holding on tightly like a child unwilling to let go.
"What brings you here?" Peter asked again, this time more directly.
Everyone in the room fell silent, eyes fixed on Graham, waiting to hear his reason for returning.
"Well... I came to report that a few of the outside clans and factions have started targeting our natural portals and are stealing our resources," Graham said, his voice calm but firm.
"Are you serious? A Stage 8 Paragon with a squad of the Masked can't handle something like that?" Caspian chimed in mockingly. Graham, however, didn't rise to the bait, letting Caspian's remark slide.
"It's not that my men and I can't handle it," Graham replied, his tone steady. "But there's another issue at hand."
"And what issue would that be?" Peter asked, his tone curious as he led the conversation, while the others remained silent, listening.
"A new planet—a mysterious one—has been discovered by my men," Graham said, his words carrying an unusual weight.
"How is that a problem?" Caspian asked, his voice tinged with skepticism.
"Because it's more than just mysterious," Graham replied, pausing to let the tension build. "Every bot we've sent to explore it—whether to check for life signs or see if life could survive there—has vanished without sending back a single report."
The room fell into a deep silence as his words settled in, each member processing the gravity of the situation.
"That's strange, but have you tried another way?" Peter asked, leaning in with interest.
"I've sent one or two of my men down," Graham explained, his tone thoughtful. "For some reason, they can't get through the planet's atmosphere. It's as if something is pushing them back."
"Isn't that a sign to abandon it? Maybe it's not really a planet after all," Stan suggested, eyebrows raised in concern.
"I considered that," Graham said, nodding. "But I've seen, a few times now, these winged beasts coming out into space from the planet, then going back in. But no matter what we try, we can't enter with them."
"Wait... Can you describe this planet for me? How does it look?" Elder Rooney asked, his expression serious.
Graham took a deep breath before he began. "It's a planet as big as Earth. The strange part is, you can't see the actual surface of the planet at all. Every inch of it is covered in dense clouds—or maybe it's fog—that blocks all vision. None of my techniques can see through it, not even the Dragon Eye of a Stage 8 Paragon."
The room grew silent as the others absorbed his words. Graham didn't realize it, but something he had said sparked interest among his fellow members.
"Could it be... peace energy?" Caspian asked, his voice soft but intrigued.
"An entire planet covered in peace energy? Even the Pendragons' Book of Knowledge has no record of such a thing," Elder Rooney said, shaking his head slowly.
The Pendragons' Book of Knowledge was a legendary resource, filled with information so vast that many considered it almost a "know-all" book. However, everyone in the room knew the book was based on the knowledge and experiences of their ancestors, meaning it only contained what their forebears had encountered.
"Peace energy? What is that?" Graham asked, frowning slightly. Since he was often away on missions, he hadn't heard of this term.
"It's something we recently discovered," Peter said, glancing over at Cressida. "Perhaps Cressida could explain it to you."
He then turned back to Elder Rooney. "What do you think we should do? Do you think this is worth pursuing?" he asked.
Elder Rooney stroked his chin thoughtfully. "If that planet is indeed covered in what we believe to be peace energy, then we must bring it under our control. Perhaps, if Stan spent time there, he could even heal himself. Or maybe there's a creature on that planet responsible for transforming it. Creatures like the Peace Makers... or even a unicorn," he said, letting his words linger in the air.
"I know why you're here. You hope one of us can use our bloodline to break through the planet's atmosphere," Elder Rooney said, and Graham nodded in agreement.
"I'll go," Stan volunteered without hesitation. His voice was firm, showing he was serious. The others seemed to accept this, but Graham looked uncertain.
"Sorry, Stan, but I don't think you're fit for this, given your condition. What if there's a dangerous beast down there?" Graham asked, concern written on his face.
Stan gave a reassuring smile. "Understandable, since you haven't been around," he said, chuckling softly. Then, he snapped his fingers, creating a spark of light, not fire, but pure qi energy.
Graham's eyes widened. "You… you've been healed?"
"Not completely," Stan replied. "But the peace energy we talked about has helped me regain some strength I lost."
"So, what's next?" Stan asked, looking around at the others.
Peter stepped forward, crossing his arms thoughtfully. "Looks like Graham and his men will be busy. That means we'll send support from the base to guard the natural portals," he said. "It'll be a good task for our younger members. Maybe even Alex's first expedition," Peter added with a nod.
"Alex? Who's Alex?" Graham asked, a puzzled look on his face.
"Ask your wife if you want all the answers," Caspian said with a laugh, his voice echoing through the room.
At that moment, the door swung open, and four teenagers burst into the room. Three of them ran straight toward Graham, their voices excited.
"Dad!" they shouted, their faces lighting up as they threw their arms around him in a big hug.
"Hello, big guys and young lady," Graham said, smiling warmly as he hugged Gwen, Tamsin, and Merrick in turn. "You've all grown so much since I last saw you."
After a few moments, Graham released his children from the hug and looked up, his eyes settling on Alex, who stood a little apart from the others. Graham stared at him, his expression turning serious as he sized him up.
Alex felt the weight of Graham's gaze on him. His legs felt weak, almost like they might give out under the pressure, but he took a deep breath, standing up straight and meeting Graham's eyes.
'Interesting,' Graham thought, studying Alex closely. 'Wait a second… this face. Where have I seen it before?'
Graham turned to Stan, then looked back at Alex. A puzzled expression crossed his face. "Did you have a son in secret all this time or something?" he asked, half-jokingly, as he continued to examine Alex's face.