Chapter 51: Veiss

“How much further,” M’Khabye asked, loomed over the pilot.

“Almost there,” Jamali said eyes trained ahead. Piloting the transport carrier above the clouds, speeding toward the master’s location.

“Calm yourself,” Veiss said also seated on deck the carrier.

M’Khabye didn’t even spare him a glance. She was too worried about the master and they weren’t exactly on speaking terms.

Veiss peeled his eyes away from her. Regarded someone much more pleasant to his pallet. He didn’t see Dybala as much as he’d like lately. So he found it hard not to appreciate her features while he could. He furrowed his eyes the longer he stared at her.

The whites of her eyes were cracked red.

“Still having nightmares?” He asked.

“They’re not nightmares.” M’Khabye said without turning. “Her ancestral spirits are calling out to her.”

Veiss ignored her and whispered. “You don’t think its spirits right?”

“It’s as the shaman says,” Dybala said. “True, they feel like dreams and I even realize I’m dreaming during the dreams but I can never force myself to wake. Sometimes it’s more like I’m in someone else’s nightmare and I’m just borrowing their viewpoint. Worry not though, the shaman has already offered her services. I’ve just been too busy to get treated.”

“I see,” Veiss said and withheld the strong urge to face-palm.

Dybala’s episodes for lack of a better term were clearly some neurological phenomenon but believers were hardwired different. The shaman’s word was law to them and there was nothing he could say to change her mind.

Even knowing all this, he yearned to try. Make her see reason. Drive some common sense into her.

But Diaby beat him to it.

“You should also consult a neurologist,” Diaby said.

Veiss was beyond surprised when someone besides him took the initiative to be logical.

Veiss smirked pride.

‘Perhaps my time trying to groom him wasn’t wasted.’

And if it’s coming from her brother perhaps even Dyabala would listen.

“I have.”

“You have?” Veiss questioned doubtfully.

Dybala raised an eyebrow. “Obviously, did you think I have something against modern medicine?”

“No, I just assum— Never mind that what did the doctor say?”

“Can’t find anything wrong with me. My brain activity is normal, there are no tumours or damage of any kind and my chip is operating properly.”

“Perhaps it’s mental. You should see a psychologist next?” Veiss said.

“I have. He thought it was trauma at first but the images I recounted from the dream don’t come close to anything I’ve experienced in my life. More puzzling the dreams come to me more periodic than they do sporadically. The dreams have the same duration. They always last 3 hours never more never less. Now use your logic to explain that.”

Veiss wanted to but he wasn’t an expert in the psyche or the brain.

“You should get a second opinion,” Veiss said. “Before resorting to…” He paused glanced at M’Khabye’s back. “…alternative treatments.”

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Dybala shook her head. “It’s as M’Khabye said. They aren’t dreams.”

“I believe there is a logical explanation for her dreams,” Laxus said. “Perhaps the doctors she saw lack the proper science to currently explain it. The old religion is born from the old empire and we know some information has been lost maybe old Khabye’s theories have roots in science but it’s been lost in translation.”

Veiss nodded.

‘A plausible notion.’

The old man wasn’t so bad when he started to get to know him.

‘And his distaste for the master is quite refreshing.’

“Woah,” Jamali exclaimed.

“What’s wrong?” Veiss asked.

“The radar is picking up crazy EMF spikes ahead.”

“What does that mean?”

“I can’t say for sure,” Jamali said. “But I think someone discharged an absurd amount of energy.”

“Like an astra,” Veiss said.

“There’s no way to be sure without taking a look,” M’Khabye said, her expression abnormally solemn.

“Stop the carrier,” Veiss said.

The transport carrier slowed to a halt, parked mid-air.

“No!” M’Khabye snapped. “The young master needs our help.”

“A functioning astra in Gau City equals Murakami which equals cremation,” Veiss said.

Any sane mind would agree they had no business being anywhere near the Lord Protector.

“Young Jamali time is of the essence. The young master needs us. Fate willing we shall not pass until our time has come.”

Jamali swivelled to Veiss but he remained unmoved. She turned back to the old shaman, pulled her aviator cap over her eyes to avoid M’Khabye’s pleading gaze and said almost inaudibly.

“Sorry.”

Veiss couldn’t order around the shaman.

‘But I’m still second in command.’

“We should forge on,” M’Khabye said. “The carrier is in stealth. We can afford to take a closer look.”

“I won’t risk it.”

“Veiss,” M’Khabye hissed, glared at him as if he’d said something blasphemous. “The young master sent us those coordinates.”

“True,” Veiss said. “But whatever the situation was when those coordinates were sent. It has clearly escalated. We can’t risk being discovered, I assume the second heir is accompanying the master as usual and this group is the rest our core leadership. I fear for the future of the AoF if all the upper echelons were to die here. The clan would descend into chaos, another faction war perhaps one the clan might not recover from and I won’t dare let the master’s great efforts over the years go to waste.”

On deck were some of the most skilled agents Veiss had ever worked with but against an astra that would count for naught.

The carrier had storage units packed with combat droids ready to wage war but only the master was skilled enough in the droid controls to mobilize enough of them to make an actual difference.

‘And the master is asking for help means his cover was blown and if Murakami’s there he’s probably dead or worse captured.’

“Veiss is right,” Laxus said. “Unfortunate as it is. We can’t risk the entire organization for one man not even the 2nd Master Fate.”

Veiss had to restrain himself from casting the old man an appreciative nod.

M’Khabye glared at him and that was all she could do. They were on his turf now.

‘How quickly the tables turn.’

The other agents didn’t much like his decision either but none protested. After all, hierarchy was king amongst the agents.

“I agree with Veiss,” Dybala said.

Not that he needed her permission

‘But I greatly appreciate the support.’

“But,” she added. “We should at least send out a drone to perform recon.”

‘In the end you still take his side,’ Veiss thought his heart sinking.

Why was it so hard for her to take his side?

‘Even just once.’

Dybala flung an arm around him, forced a smile unto her smooth dark skinned face, met his gaze with bloodshot eyes and said to him. “We owe the master that much at the very least.”

Veiss flicked his shoulder, blew her arm away. Any other circumstance he would’ve greatly welcomed the warmth of her touch.

‘But trying to manipulate me. To benefit the master no less.’

But to refuse such a low risk request. Veiss risked losing the trust of anyone who adored the master. Which was everyone but him and old Laxus.

“Fine,” Veiss finally said. “Jamali send out a surveillance drone but keep us in stealth and keep the carrier ready to escape at a moment’s notice. The council arms the Lord Protector with their best toys and who is to say he hasn’t already discovered us. So I want everyone to stay sharp.”

It might seem paranoid because they had a stealth capable aircraft but they were invisible not invincible. There were numerous ways they could give up their location.

Jamali confirmed the order, deployed the drone and a small virtual screen of its viewpoint popped up over the windscreen. Everyone watched in anticipation. The drone didn’t need to get super close when it reached about 500 meters from the target it was able to zoom in perfectly to observe their intended location.

The drone zoomed in on a lone figure.

“That’s Murakami!” Jamali said being jumpy for no reason. They had already expected as much.

He stood alone within a scorched field of destroyed shacks and debris. He was grasping the astra Blackflame and it became clear to everyone. There would be a 3rd Master Fate.

‘And I didn’t have to act after all.’

It took every ounce of Veiss’ will to suppress the joy flooding his facial muscles.

‘Perhaps fate does shine upon me,’ Veiss thought mockingly.

Sure there wasn’t a corpse to definitively confirm it but Blackfame didn’t leave any corpses.

‘Still the sooner we get back to the mine the sooner we can perform the inauguration.’

“I’ve seen enough,” Veiss said. “The situation couldn’t be any clearer. Jamali get us out—”

“What’s he looking at,” Jamali said.

“Look!” M’Khabye stabbed a finger at the virtual screen.

A silver hand shot out from the rubble some distance from Murakami.

Veiss felt an ominous feeling take rot in his gut.

‘Surely it can’t be.’