"Heimdall, what do you see?"
"How much time passed since we became guardians?"
"Answering a question with a question."
"There is a problem, for what comes is driven by blood, indeed it might reach here, it might defeat us, but in the end they will be eaten from inside, betrayed and the mind will be shattered."
"Is this foe really so strong old friend?"
"He is something that shouldn't exist, but they are not our enemy."
"Why is that?"
"For there are others much more terrifying."
|--:-- | ------- | ------- | -------------------------------------- |
"She arrived sir."
"Send her in."
It was the same bright room, and the same person standing in a chair, never showing his face.
"War, it seems you failed to accomplish your task. Subject N-05 is still there, but I believe you have an explication for this don't you?"
"He was... too strong."
"You tell me the mighty War found an opponent she couldn't beat?"
"Yes..."
"Well no matter, you can return and see your sister, we have other things prepared for them."
"What do you mean?"
"It is not your concern, please leave for now, if there is a mission you will be announced."
Keira left the room pretty angry, but she couldn't say a thing back.
"It's time to put the acolytes to use."
|1:00 PM | Sector Y | Gaia City | Supervised by the 1st Despot |
"This is O52-T54X, squad beta is prepared."
"This is O53-T29X, squad alpha is in position."
"This is N87-K18, squad gamma, the zone is blocked, nobody gets in or out."
"This is N66-K25, Sector Y is secured, we shall eliminate everyone when the orders arrive."
A few hours pass...
At a table the pilgrim was playing cards with an orc. He got up in the middle of the game and went closer to him.
"Keep it quiet Kran, there is a big problem."
"OH NO, I won't fall for that trick again!"
The pilgrim gripped Kran' arm pretty hard.
"This time, is serious, we need to gather all the kids and women and evacuate them from the sector."
The orc tried to be as quiet as he could and not attract too much attention.
"Are we under attack or something?"
"Unfortunately, we won't be able to save everyone, but do as I say, tell everyone and try to act as normal as possible."
"Understood."
| Olymp|
"HAHA, it seems things are finally put in motion, only if Ares or my father would be allive to see it!"
"What is it Zeus?"
"Oh Athena, the is going to be so much fun, just watch that abomination they called a child, watch and see how he will fall."
|1:30 PM | Plaza | Gaia City | Supervised by the 10 Despots |
The seventh despot and the fifth were walking around the Plaza.
"Tell me seven, why did you call me here?"
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
"Oh, nothing really, but tell me, if the first would be faced with a foe he couldn't beat... Would you send reinforcements?"
"Hmmm... I see. Well if you put it that way, I 'would even go myself', isn't the same for you?"
"Ahahaha. Then we think the same and that is good, it means I won't have to kill you."
A group of heavy armored soldiers arrived before the two of them. General Frederick came in front and saluted the two of them.
"The preparations are complete."
"Very good, then it's nearly the time we start."
"Fifth, we shouldn't rush. Let's wait for him to leave, it will be quite a fun show when he will be away and won't be able to do anything here, but he will hear, he will hear everyone screaming."
"I'm glad we are allies..."
"Hehehe..."
|5:27 PM | Plateau | Gaia | Supervised by the Primordial Army |
The Plateau, it is an underground hive city ruled by the first despot. Here the life is easy, or at least better than inside Gaia. The laws are strict, the people are cheerful and everyone works hard, all for one reason. The most basic rule is that nobody is too young to work, to be good at something or to help with anything.
The first despots always brought in the poor, the homeless, abandoned children, monsters and any other kind of misfits. They were trained and taken care of. One who might have been dead, now is a worker, someone begging for food now has a home and one who was an orphan now has a family.
The highest building of the Plateau is called Aminon' Peak. Here the first despot watches over the city, here he sleeps and of course here he lives. Inside it can be seen, a throne, black made of polished stone. The room is dark, but green light enters through windows and illuminates it.
"Uh... My head hurts... Wh-What?"
Akari woke up in a beautiful room, on the nightstand was a vase with fresh flowers, these flowers were black, and she couldn't recognize them.
"This is so strange."
She got up from bed and opened the curtains. There was no sun, all she could see was a big city, lights shining everywhere and building being constructed.
After a closer look she could see in distance some giant robots and other troops patrolling the city.
"Well, I guess it's time to explore, or should I stay, this is rather annoying. In the end there is only one way to find out where I am."
Akari entered the throne room. There was nobody here, but she could see an open door on the other side. She got inside and saw Lyall. He was in a truly sad state, but his face lightened up a bit when he saw her.
"Oh, you woke up."
"Yeah... Can you tell me where we are?"
"This... This is the Plateau, my... home, yeah my home."
There was a strange squeak and the chinchilla climbed on the bed, then on Lyall' head.
"I see you got her everywhere."
"Sometimes, I began to believe that my lil fat squirrel over here was the only thing that kept me sane."
The chinchilla seemed a bit annoyed when she heard fat.
"Well I think a pet can always make somebody happy."
"Yeah..."
"So... can I go home?"
Lyall' expression went back to its sorry state.
"I'm afraid there is a problem, but we should talk about it later."
"What about Keira?"
"That is another problem... There will be a meeting in a few hours, you are free to explore the city around, some troopers will escort you. Come back after you recover a bit and I... I will do the same."
Akari left, but she didn't exactly understood him. She had no memory of what happened after that mech nearly smashed her.
"Miss Akari. We are pleased to meet you."
Two tall knights were standing before her.
"Who are you?"
"We are the guards of this palace and leaving you to some troopers would be just bad manners. We know our lord trusts in everyone, but we prefer to do the things our way now and then."
"Alright..."
"Then, shall we go?"
"A-Ah yeah, lead the way."
"We shall give you a proper tour of the city. A true... beauty..."
"Is something wrong?"
"No, just... It is a shame, such a beautiful city, full of cadavers."
"What do you mean?"
"It is not important now. Let us move on and see the gardens."
Through the main entrance down the stairs a beautiful garden full of all kinds of flowers could be seen. The shining obsidian walls were high and the city couldn't be seen. Other knights were patrolling sometimes stopping to look at the flowers as though it remembered them of something.
Akari along the other two walked around and checked the entire garden, yet there was a part of it that wasn't shown to her.
"Excuse me, but what is there?"
"That is the lords personal garden, it is better to leave it at that. So what do you think about our little garden?"
"Little...? It's rather huge don't you think?"
"Mhm... a huge garden made to remember us, to make us remember that life is precious."
"How so, I mean the flowers will wither eventually, so why does it make you understand that life is precious?"
"It makes me remember that everyone is lucky with the fact they are alive, you know, enjoy this day for the future might be worse or you might not even have one."
While the knights gave the tour to Akari, Lyall was beginning the meeting. Sitting on the throne, on his right was Kim and on his left Jack. Others were arriving as well. A strange being entered and it looked like a fiend made of water only that it wasn't water, this being was made from wires and circuitry with no shape or whatsoever.
From the shadows another came. He was covered in robes, yet his hands could be seen clearly, long, sharp, claws.
"It seems we miss someone."
"The high commander has some problems and can't come at the moment."
"Thanks Kim. Now there might be some problems. First of all, we have to give the retreat order to our forces, I have a bad feeling and I really don't like when I get these. Also before any of you says anything, yes, it's just a hunch as for the other-..."
A projectile exploded near the palace. The alarms started sounding.
Many explosions were heard outside, the sound of crumbling stone, screams of pain. A city in chaos.
"Ah this is too soon!"
"What is this my lord!?!"
"This might be a huge problem, I need my armor. Jack prepare the troops, we don't know what's happening outside."
"Understood my liege."
"Hollow, go and check who is attacking."
"Yes my liege."
He disappeared just as he appeared, in the shadows.
"While I'm getting myself ready, Kim, go and find Akari, get her to the hangars and send that girl back home, but not in Gaia."
"What do you mean?"
"Find Akari, if you can find the pilgrim and Jester as well take them with you. This is an order. Leave the island, I give you permission to take Crucesignatis."
"What about you?"
"I think, I will have to wait..."
"Lyall?"
"Go now."
He got his halberd and dashed through a hole. What Lyall didn't know is that he was betrayed, by fellow despots, and followers as well, people which he cherished on verge of death.
He could see the enemy entering through portals, the Plateau was a place between dimensions. If the enemy made it here it was clear for Lyall he was betrayed, by whom he didn't know.
"W-Wh-WHAT!"
A large man caught Lyall by the neck.
"It seems I have the pleasure to end you. N-05, Lyall, first or however you wish to be addressed as, my name is Krane and I shall be the end of your pitiful existence.