Hal was present for the gathering in the council room as all the gods present waited for X to appear as he said he would after the lighting of the Champion Star. It was at this time he told them that he would reveal to them another prophecy of things to come. Hal normally took what X told them with half an ear, but not because he did not care, rather; Hal found them to be shrouded in shadow as such that it was not helpful until the event was upon them. This time, though, was different. This time X seemed to stress the importance of this telling as to be one that could, if taken lightly, bring a great calamity upon the realms.

There were several others there, but seats were still empty. Seats once held by members lost and some that chose a different path. Those were the seats of the Dark Ones who now reside in the Underworld. Looking around Hal could see the others seemed as he did, restless with a hint of anticipation. X finally appeared to the council as he entered in a manner that suggested he was here, but was not bound to this existence. 

[b]"The Dark Ones gather under the same omen. Champions will clash but only One could walk the Earth."[/b]

X’s words rang with a different tone than with his other prophecies, it was lass of telling them what was to come and more of a warning to all. [i]’only One could walk the Earth.’[/i] This was the interesting part of it all. Hal though about what it could mean, but didn’t speak. [i]’Is he saying that one of the gods is to walk the earth.’[/i] Suggesting this seemed madness to Hal as the Grand Creator had decreed that the gods, light and dark, will never again be able to walk amongst the mortals. Hal’s thinking was interrupted by a feeling that he know all too well.

[b] a skull appeared in the sky.  Souls started to fly from the ground into the open maw of the skull in the sky and dark corrupt souls fell from the sockets like tears and the dead rose from their graves and an army of the Dead climbed out of the ground and marched straight to the Plagued Forest. 

"Im sorry to interupt your whispers and mutterings everyone but I must ask you all present. Have my senses fooled me or is there some sort of foul darkness brewing in another realm?" [/b]

Hal slowly stood, looked to Balsamon and nodded. “Darko.” He whispered deeply feeling the cold and un-easying  aura of his display. Hal didn’t even need to see what was taking place in the mortal realm to know what was happening. “He is raising his army.” Hal and Darko had a long history together making their knowledge of one another almost complete. Hal knew Darko would attack soon, but it was futile. [i]There is something more that he is planning. He know we are all together and will despense of his abominations and fallen heroes.[/i] He thought to himself. He watched as the others summoned armies to fight off the mounted attack by Darko, but then turned to Schattenspiel and spoke.

“My dear, goddess of shadows, I know that you rather stay out of the affairs of war, but I come to ask of you a task.” Hal was planning to have Schattenspiel go to Drako and probe his meddling amongst the mortals. “Darko cannot know that you are here, and cannot know that I would be the one to send you. If you were to go to his temple, with your ability to jump the realms, and question him would it not be as though you only want the safety of men? You could then find why he acting out so suddenly.”