Chosen delegates were transported deep into the island where the test was going to happen. Strato, who was representing his country, was among the delegates that was sent. He was attending to the ambassador sent by his country.

They were taken to a protected room that was equipped with all kinds of life preserving equipment. The perimeter outside of the chamber was guarded by power-armor equipped soldiers that were carrying advanced tech-rifles that were more advanced than the arms that they were used to. Strato knew it well since he had been able to test them, and yet the power-armor that they were using was so beyond their technology that it made him wonder how much tech they were hiding.

Helena Curtens was known as the assistant of the Madam. Though intel has been confirmed that Helena Curtens was an adopted daughter of Gia Silva. She was also a Mage that had proved herself deadly and had been seen in the Holy See to meet with individuals.

She was a beauty that had an aura not inferior to her stepmother. If Gia Silva is a prodigy, a genius, then her daughter was a woman not lesser than her. When her stepmother stepped down, it was Helena Curtens who took on the reins and made the Consortium prosper. In every lobby of every superpower nation, you would find this woman shaking hands and whispering to their ears about what she would offer. A devious woman molded from the teachings of her mother who had created a megacorporation that owns a micronation.

And now this woman stands in front of them with her purple suit, tie, and a ceremonial mantle adorned with curious runic writing and linens, decorated with charms that produce a subtle glow.

“I thank you all for attending this,” she starts with a cunning smile. “I understand that there are recent problems that have been coming in and out. Of course, you are here to confirm or deny that. Nonetheless, only a few would know and I believe that an understanding can come.”

She spreads her arms.

“You may ask why we have a need for tons of korium.  This could be solved by reminding YOU that WE found the korium. We have innovated, studied, and made contributions on how it can be used. So I find it baffling that you would question us in regards to how to handle a material, we all know volatile. Or has the flow of time made them forget? Who innovated and designed the compartment?”

Then she looks at everyone as if she understood. Her oratory skills made her arrogance quite baffling to the audience. Strato looked around. No one could talk. In the first place, they know that Helena Curtens was right.

If there were experts in handling korium. It would be the Consortium who had made studies and researches on the proper handling of korium.

Every citation and every publication were coming from them. To say otherwise is allowing one to be insulted.

“But it’s a valid concern. The yield of these materials can equal to multiple thermobaric bombs at once. The handling of these materials needed specialized equipment, and as we have given to the world, was a rightful method on how to extract these materials.”

A screen shows up behind Helena Curtens. It shows a compilation of images that was taken three years ago. It was an accident in the Borneos, where the locals, who have heard the price of korium, made an attempt to mine the korium.

Strato vaguely remembered the accident. It was in the town of Tawau and the incident happened when the locals found an intricate tunnel that led to the lower mantle of the volcano. The heat alone was enough to kill some of them, but the spark that killed three hundred civilians and created a blast that split the town in half.

That incident made korium known in the world. And when they came to understand the value of these resources. They found out that most of the korium deposits found have already been under the control of the Consortium.

You think you can ask us what is right and wrong when it comes to korium?

“Of course, mining it is the goal, but to process it into pure material is what you are all after. Let us not speak riddles and admit our greed here.”

She smiles devilishly.

“Some of you can mine korium. But I have seen the reports. It is our right to be quite angry and although there are times that you all sincerely tried. Of course, we do not deal in words only, and all of you understand how we deal.”

Strato can see the glances of the delegates. Right now the world was looking at what Madam was trying to do. They know that in a way the Madam was up to something. Something that will change the world.

Because so far the Madam had been doing that.

She was always at the forefront of innovation.

Threatening this powerful woman and her Consortium was asking to be left behind. They can condemn her actions, debase their reputation, and turn them into pariahs, but that wouldn’t change what they can do.

And what’s even more dangerous was that they were dealing with an actual True Mage, a woman that can wield the threads of magic. There are only a few of them in the world and their powers are what protect the world from otherworldly entities that can’t be solved with a simple act of force.

The Consortium couldn’t be bullied.

It was like poking a dragon only for the dragon to fly up in the air and burn everything down. Wisteria was a nuclear-capable nation that adopted the Samson Option on a global scale.

Wisteria has a lot of deterrence that makes them an anomaly to the world. It was better to be friends with a monster that gives them benefits than to become its enemy.

The Consortium got everyone in the balls.

 

The current acting head of the Consortium continued her rhetoric before having enough. Seeing that they were more subdued, the screens behind Helena Curtens changed. This time it was displaying this giant machine that occupied a large space.

“What you see now is the work of Madam Gia Silva. The purpose of this machine is to test the limits. Powering this machine is the korium deposits that we have gathered in many years. This is a machine that might allow us… to gaze at another world.”

“What?”

A commotion erupted as if they simply couldn’t believe.

“Our head has developed a theory. A theory that tests the limits of technology. There are two reasons why we dare to conduct this test.”

She raised a finger.

“We intend to use this machine to shorten the distance between worlds. Instead of spending seven months traveling from our planet to mars. It’ll be shortened to less than ten minutes. What if through the use of this machine faithfully built and designed by my Mentor. We can even traverse another world?”

One was viable, but the other was enough to be unbelievable. Strato could tell that they were in disbelief with the second one, but the first one opened a lot of possibilities. Possibilities that would allow humanity to advance further than their home system.

To traverse vast distances was a stuff of legend. And Strato knew that Mage Helena and Madam Silva were able to do this. And now they were willing to imitate this magic with a machine that could replicate it.

Some would find it absurd, the Consortium Lores allowed them to be long-lived, to be machines that could resist the test of time and even slow down age.

Beyond all the political intrigue and the scheming. There was one thing that they did agree on. That no matter what their opinion about the Consortium. They were extremely useful. And it’s even more now if this machine comes true.

The Consortium deals with money.

It is a force that is mostly neutral that allows the sale of their own products for profit.

A Mega Corporation that was years more advanced than the rest of the world. An oddity that was considered as an anomaly even in the sphere of the world.

The delegate that was with Strato finally gathered his wits.

“Is that possible?”

“If it is them, then it might be.”

“We need to contact home and tell them this.”

“We should wait for the results first.”

Helena Curtens saw the enthusiasm of the delegates and started working on the machine. They could see the staff operating the machine wearing protective environmental suits. Their suits steamed as they operated the machine to the fullest.

Even in this protective space they could feel the heat coming from the machine. As if the air conditioning was replaced with warm air.

Strato was about to focus his interest on them when he felt a touch. He looked behind and saw an unfamiliar face.

“It’s me.”

He received a notification. He smiled thinly.

“I see that you managed just fine.”

“Strato. This is going to be a disaster.”

“What do you mean?”

“I get that they are trying to open a portal… a tunnel to shorten the distance, but every cell in  my body is screaming. Something primal is coming. It is something that can’t be described. If you stay here, if you all stay here then there’s a chance that your souls would shatter.”

“Is this your professional advice as a Mage?”

“Yes.”

“They should be able to sense it as well.”

“I have certain gifts that I acquired upon meeting a creature called Lesnik and this has given me an advantage.”

Strato looks at the massive buildup of energy focused into this beam trying to pry open a tunnel to this plane. Then he caught a glimpse of that danger, his accelerated mind suddenly turning around, and his placing himself in front of the delegate that he’s escorting.

There was a pulse that tore something apart. Strato opened his artificial eyes and saw the delegates on the ground with their eyes open and non-functioning. Helena Curtens, who was in the front was thrown back, the mantle she was wearing, withering as the pulse of energy died down.

“He’s fine?”

“I put a seal of protection on you two.”

Strato found himself struggling to move.

“What is this?”

“I know this fear. This primal fear… I don’t know what they were using and maybe I’m wrong. Lord above, I hope I’m wrong, but I think they just woke up to something that shouldn’t have been woken or called here.”

The screen shook. On one of the containment fields the guards that wore power armor were focusing their fire on a certain creature.

It was a creature that stood nine feet tall. A skinless creature with lidless eyes. It was covered in strong muscles, and ebony-like features that were reinforced on its limbs. It had two long legs and arms that reached past its knees.

“What is that?”

“Something that needs to die or be banished.”

It spoke something that echoed.

Words that were like listening to a thousand voices at once. Then it let out malice, a malice that seems to be so overwhelming that it was hard to bear it.

“A Demon in the flesh…”

Helena Curtens threw her mantle away and covered herself in a protective spell. She cast a glance at Strato and then flew to the direction of the machine and joined the guards.

The gate was opened behind this demon.

It raised its head up and then cried out.

This time it was soundless.

Like a dog’s whistle that only certain creatures could hear. Strato looked back and saw the Deadman tightening his fist.

“Strato, you need to go. That gate needs to go. That demon needs to go.”

“What are they doing?”

“I don’t know what they intend to do. But if this continues then they’d be summoning an army from hell and we’d be lost. Those guys in power-armor are there to stop a horde. They have no intention of stopping that damn machine until they get what they want.”

“What are your plans”

There was a long silence before he stood up.

“I’ll try. Good god, I have to try. If this continues… I don’t know.”

Strato held his words back.

“Godspeed, Deadman.”

Strato carried the delegate with him and ran while the Deadman stepped forward, the digital construct on his face disappearing leaving only this armor that he wore under his suit.