Chapter 15 : The Chaos Stone

After the Ritual-

The air still smelled of burnt cloth and wax from the ritual as the group descended into the chapel’s hidden chamber. The weight of Beneto and Tara’s revelation hung heavy—the Chaos Stone had been awakened.

Hageo leaned against the stone table, his fingers drumming restlessly. "We need a plan to find whoever did this," he said, his voice low but urgent.

"But first," Cedric cut in, "we should understand what the Chaos Stone even is."

All eyes turned to Tara. She took a deep breath, her voice steady but grave.

"The Chaos Stone wasn’t always chaos."

She began the tale:

Before the Great Flood, when the earth was torn by war between light and darkness, the heavenly forces sought an advantage. Under the guidance of the guardian Cassiel, a brotherhood of alchemists forged an artificial sacrament—the Soul Stone.

It was grown in the cavern where the Tree of Knowledge once stood, a massive crystal radiating divine energy. From it, smaller fragments were harvested—imbued into weapons, armor, and relics to empower the righteous.

But when the Flood came, the Grand Creator’s wrath drowned the world. The righteous hid in the Lost Cities or boarded the Ark. When the waters receded, the alchemists returned to their creation… only to find it corrupted.

The war, the Flood, the despair of mankind—it had all seeped into the Stone. The divine energy within had twisted, festering with darkness. The alchemists feared what would happen if its power fell into the wrong hands.

And then… it did.

One man, hungry for power, took the corrupted fragments and forged them into something terrible—the Dark Armaments. Weapons capable of unspeakable destruction.

Silence filled the chamber. The flickering candlelight stretched shadows across the walls like grasping fingers.

Hageo exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. "So now we’re dealing with someone who not only found the Stone but awakened it. Which means they either don’t understand what they’ve done—or worse, they do."

Cedric crossed his arms. "Tara and Beneto said this person has strong faith. Maybe they’re part of a religious group—someone with influence, like a pastor or elder. Someone whose followers wouldn’t question them, even if they started preaching something… extreme."

Celine nodded. "There are cults here that believe their leaders speak for God. If this person convinced their followers that awakening the Stone was divine will…"

"Then they’re not just dangerous—they’re protected," Hageo finished.

He straightened, his gaze sharpening as the plan took shape.

"Here’s how we move:

Cedric and Tara, dig into the local Christian sects—especially any with abusive hierarchies or radical beliefs.

Celine and Beneto, check the smaller faiths—mosques, temples, anything where a zealot might hide.

Samuel and Elena, investigate religious schools. If this person is grooming followers, that’s where they’d start.

I’ll reach out to my contacts in the spiritual underground. If there’s whispers of the Stone, I’ll hear them."

Tara frowned. "What if they’re already using the Stone’s power? If they’ve turned their followers into zealots…"

"Then we tread carefully," Beneto said. "We don’t know what the Stone can do in their hands."

Hageo’s voice was steel. "We have two days. Gather every lead you can. But trust no one outside this room."

The group exchanged grim nods. As they dispersed into the night, one unspoken truth lingered in the air

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