Chapter 8: Breaking News

Thirty minutes later, Runo arrived at his home. He stood at the front door, fumbling for the right key amidst the urgency of the situation. Finally, he inserted the key and turned it, pushing the door open. As he entered, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease about the supernatural events unfolding, but he knew that staying by his mother's side was the best course of action.

Upon finding his mother in the same lifeless state as before, Runo couldn't contain his concern. "Mum, are you alright?" he implored, his voice laced with genuine worry.

In response, his mother emitted only a monotonous hum, devoid of any change in tone.

Runo's curiosity got the better of him, and he decided to turn on the TV in search of any explanation or news regarding the bizarre events unfolding.

LIVE, Spatium Broadcast Station, overseen by the Church of Spatium.

"Breaking news: All countries are reporting a strange black fog that has enveloped the skyline. The origin of this fog remains a mystery, but we have obtained images from one of our satellites orbiting the planet," the somber reporter declared.

The screen then displayed images of endless, dark emptiness, leaving viewers perplexed and puzzled.

"As you can see, our planet has become invisible from the outside. Now, we have one of our leading scientists to help shed some light on this phenomenon."

"Hello, world!" the scientist greeted, appearing on screen. "And if you didn't know, that was a programming joke," he added with a grin, though it seemed to amuse only himself.

"Anyway, my name is William Kurt Carlos... Robert... Harry... something Jr.," William introduced himself, chuckling at the absurdity of his own lengthy name.

"After several hours of intensive research, we have developed a theory based on scientific tests. It seems that this black fog might be dark energy," William revealed.

"For those not well-versed in physics, prepare to have your minds blown. Dark energy is an enigmatic form of energy that impacts the universe, primarily by accelerating its expansion. However, this is a unique situation, as this dark energy appears to be trapped in our planet's atmosphere," he explained.

"We are aware of this because we can see it, though it remains intangible. Due to its expansive properties, it is exerting increasingly high pressure on our planet," William continued.

As he contemplated the mystery, William proposed, "How it got there remains a mystery, and its visibility is an anomaly. Perhaps it's a newly discovered variant of dark energy!"

The broadcast then returned to the news reporter.

"Thank you, William, for your explanation. We will keep you updated as more discoveries are made. Given the unknown nature of this situation, we strongly urge you to stay tuned to our broadcasts and be with your loved ones at home. The five churches are currently convening to determine whether this constitutes a global emergency, a situation that hasn't arisen in fifty years during the long period of constant conflict on our planet."

Meanwhile, at the secret meeting location of the five churches, hidden away from prying eyes.

The five popes sat around a circular, marble table, their expressions solemn and stern.

Pope Lucetta Acidinus, representing the Church of Phoebus.

Pope Sagar Laveda, representing the Church of Spatium.

Pope Khuzaymah Draak, representing the Church of Noblesse.

Pope Bastet Atem, representing the Church of Tharwa.

Pope Raiju Baku, representing the Church of Chikara.

Silence hung in the air as they regarded each other with unwavering gazes. Suddenly, the enormous entrance doors swung open, and an ominous figure made its entrance. Slowly, a smile crept across the figure's face.

Upon witnessing this arrival, all the popes rose from their seats and bowed in deference. The mysterious figure advanced, and as they walked, steps formed beneath their feet, leading to a throne constructed from the bones of a thought non-existent mythical dragon.

"You have disappointed me, dear Lucetta. I watched you grow into someone utterly useless to me..." the figure began, its words sending Lucetta into a state of panic.

"PLEASE, NO, NO... n...o," she shrieked, her final plea cut short as her heart stopped.

The figure remained unimpressed by her desperate plea, uttering a disdainful, "How disappointing..."