Echoes throughout the forest was heard and Weber shook.
Charlotte and the wraiths heard it as well, but they couldn't pinpoint where exactly it was coming from.
Andrej and Gabrielle's eyes met for a second and they looked at Weber, who was running away from everyone.
"He's clearly not just scared of the paranormal, it's traumatizing him, fast!" Andrej yelled while floating towards Weber.
But after a couple meters of running, an invisible barrier prevented them from passing.
Weber's eyes widened and he tightened his fists and slammed on the barrier, but nothing worked.
It was impenetrable.
Weber crept down and covered his head with his hands while his body shook.
Charlotte and Gabrielle came running towards them.
"That laugh from earlier..." Gabrielle thought for a few moments, "it can only be,"
"Foresight." Charlotte finished, clenching her fists.
Andrej and Gabrielle turned to her and their glowing irises turned black, till their whole eye sockets turned black and they circled Charlotte, causing her to ashen.
"If you are the reason Weber is the way he is, we're not waiting for his orders." Andrej said, inches away from her face.
"Cause Foresight and you are becoming too much of a pain," Gabrielle said gripping the shoulders of Charlotte.
But cause she didn't receive power from Weber at the moment, she couldn't do any real physical harm.
But she still sent chills down the body of Charlotte.
Several of Weber's wraiths appeared and tried to comfort him, but he only screamed and started whipping his head around.
"He consoled us to be his wraiths, yet we can't console him." One wraith noted.
"Maybe if we destroy Charlotte, all this will end cause Foresight is powerless without a vessel." Another wraith proposed.
All the wraiths looked at Andrej and Gabrielle and the other wraiths went from looking like pale floating humans with ash irises to having a black aura and black eye sockets.
They charged at Charlotte arms swarmed her like bees and carried her high into the air.
Charlotte kicked and punched but felt nothing and she screamed as they carried her into the air.
"A human can't survive from this height." Gabrielle said and the wraiths dropped Charlotte.
And she screamed before crashing the ground, the blood from her skull spilling over to Weber.
Weber's eyes widened and when he looked up, his wraiths were floating above and they looked down at them.
Weber's hands were shaky as he slowly reached to feel her pulse and his heart dropped as he couldn't feel anything.
But he couldn't sense death either.
Weber held Charlotte up and shook her, and the world around them slowly faded into nothingness until it was completely white.
Then the whiteness gave way to Weber's living room and this time, the air around him felt familiar.
His wraiths were present, but he had no fear. He could hear Foresight cackling, but instead of paranoia, Weber only grimaced.
The injuries on Charlotte were gone, but she unconscious.
"Weber, we didn't mean to—" Weber raised a hand at Andrej and Andrej hissed.
"I think it's becoming more clear what Foresight can do." Weber remarked.
He closed his eyes took in a deep breath, left for the couch and turned on the news on his phone.
Andrej and Gabrielle powered down and looked at Weber in askance.
"What you're doing isn't wrong, but it's not the right time." Andrej remarked.
Weber shrugged, "you're right, I should have done this sooner," Weber lifted his eyes off the screen and looked at Charlotte, "I fought with some of the most influential people in the world. I need to be updated if they make any public move against me."
Gabrielle, Andrej, none of them could deny it, Weber was right.
For the last few weeks he's fought Shinto, a person with speed and accuracy that baffles even captains.
He's also clashed with Captain Lewyin of Celestia, the very country that is the number one enemy of Fantasia, Weber's home country cause they captured a territory.
And there's Captain Esther of Vespera, the only known captain in the world to avert war from their country, and now that Weber ruined her chance with Foresight, it's clear he's on her kill list.
"But so far no news."
"Because they want you to act," Charlotte said coughing.
Everyone turned to her as she staggered to her feet, then collapsed on the couch.
Weber rushed to her side, "what makes you say that?"
Charlotte was about speaking, but a splitting headache made her gasp and grit her teeth.
"I can't let you know that," a voice said from all directions and Weber gnashed his teeth.
"If you aren't going to use your vessel to have purpose in the real world, then what do you want exactly?" Weber asked, his eyes rolling around the room.
"To make sure the Abyss loses the person that has ever used it properly." Foresight, which made Weber snarl at it.
"If you must know, no one has been able to use the Abyss like you." Foresight said, making Weber squint at Charlotte.
"But don't think you're special," Foresight began, "all this is just a mistake. Cause the usual thing is that your abilities, like other Abyss users, is that your abilities are passive."
Weber folded his arms and the room dimmed as shadows without form began to appear at the corners.
"Are you threatening?" Foresight said, this time speaking through Charlotte's mouth.
"Good to know you feel threatened," Weber shot back, then his phone alarm went off.
And the alarm was meant for news on state emergency.
Charlotte smiled, but Weber knew it wasn't her but Foresight he was looking at.
"Check the news, it might save you," Foresight said with Charlotte's voice, "I won't say till next time, cause I'll always be watching through this lady."
Weber scowled and Charlotte fell, but Weber caught her and kept her on the bed and the room went back to its normal lighting, the Abyssal shadows withdrawing.
Weber sighed and checked his phone and saw the news:
"Captain of Hypatia warns of Vespera of incoming tensions unless they surrender their land in 72 hours."
Weber's eyes widened upon seeing the name "Hypatia."
They were known globally for conquering territories—fast.
Then Weber's eyes fell on the door when there were several bangs to it.
"Who is it?" Weber asked, but no answer.
Weber hissed and opened the door, but no one was there.
Weber slammed the door without turning back and he closed his eyes, then the temperature of the room dropped.
"It's foolish of you to think you can sneak up on me," he whipped his head back, his white eyes glared at the lady meters away from him.
The woman, clad in a cloak, looked around as the room dimmed as the temperature dropped.
"So the reports are true—" the woman said, before Weber snapped his fingers and Andrej alongside Gabrielle manifested.
"No one can pull off such tricks without being abnormal. Two seconds to speak or you shall be banished to the land of death—" The woman held up her hands.
"Captain Esther brings you a message!" She said.
Weber squinted at her, "prove it."
The lady brought out an amulet, and it released a small pulse of mana for Weber to sense.
But what Esther or her convoy didn't know is that vessels of Great Enigmas can't use abilities of mana users, including sensing mana.
"Your lack of knowledge is good enough. I'll listen to what the Captain of Vespera has to say." Weber said and the temperature and lighting of the room returned back to normal.
The lady straightened up and cleared her throat, "the Captain says that she needs your help—" Weber's eyes widened as he pointed at the door.
"Get out! She tried to kill me and my comrade and it's seeking a favor in less than a week?"
The lady couldn't maintain eye contact, cause she knew it was true.
"Gabrielle, take Charlotte upstairs." Weber said, thinking of how Esther might not be entirely done with her.
"Please hear the request and if you are fine with it, we can have terms." The messenger pleaded, but Weber only grinned.
"World power Hypatia has given Vespera an ultimatum. Good luck to Esther handling that." He said, then began cackling.
The lady thought of her time with Esther before being sent out.
---
Few hours ago.
Office of Vespera Captain.
At the heart of the capital city.
"Now that Foresight is gone," Esther said folding her arms while seated at her desk, "the first war since my tenure has broken out." She said while breaking off part of the desk with her grip.
Several other militants of high rank scowled at Esther.
"So what are we to do now?" Her messenger asked.
Esther sighed, "I'm at my wits end. Of all the likely foes, Hypatia just had to pick Vespera as its next target." She said, her eyes and face expression becoming dull.
"Certainly we can negotiate?" One of the militants, a man in his early forties suggested.
"Nope. Our world is cursed with conflict. Negotiations only exist at state level. National level conflict is always going to end in war. Even with allies." Another militant argued.
Then they began bickering and murmuring among themselves.
Esther grimaced, then her eyes widened. "We do have one way of holding our own against Hypatia." Esther said while turning on a hologram, which made everyone turn to it.
On it was displayed a mask that was black with white eye holes.
Her messenger looked at it in bewilderment, "how will just that help Vespera?" She asked Esther.
The high ranking militants clicked their tongues, "we have less than 72 hours, and we're talking about a lost artifact. To find it will take time and to reignite its power will be another issue as well."
Esther took in a deep breath, "It's said to kill any wearer. Regardless of power level." Esther smirking at the images, "so if we can get this on the Captain of Hypatia, then I swoop into the war, it's an instant win for Vespera."
---
After the messenger had narrated this to Weber, he only smiled, which made the heart of the messenger to sink.
"I hope Hypatia does not kill you all too fast for you to see me laugh at you all." Weber said.
The messenger gasped, "Esther says that if you find this artifact you'll be free from being hunted by Vesperan government! Please!" She fell on her knees and held Weber's feet.
"Many children, families and people alike are going to be slaughtered or enslaved! Don't you care?" The messenger said, her breath hitched.
Weber only looked down at her, "the ally to Vespera, Celestia, is continuously attacking my home country Fantasia." He said and dragged his foot back.
"I am a Fantasian. I am Wraith Keeper Weber. So what happens to Vespera doesn't matter—" Before Weber could keep talking, he heard stumbling on the stairs.
He whipped his head to the stairs direction and saw Charlotte sweaty and taking deep breaths.
"You must help Vespera," she said, falling to her feet and Weber rolled his eyes.
"I refuse to be their toy!" Weber said while glaring at Esther's messenger.
Charlotte, in spite of her weakened state, glared at Weber, "when Foresight made the prediction of war in Vespera, it came true. So what do you think will happen now?"
Weber gritted his teeth, cause he knew it was true.
Foresight had warned Esther and Feign that if they let him use Wail of the Abyss, a war will come to Vespera.
And less than a week later, a world power like Hypatia is declaring war against Vespera.
Usually, Weber wouldn't have taken such words from Charlotte seriously.
But she has the power of Foresight, one of which is glimpse into the future.
"And why should I do anything?" Weber asked Charlotte venomously.
"Cause if Hypatia gains Vespera, the world will end."