Incindia’s POV

“Haha! I knew the boy was a good bet!” Zero Nine One cackled through the viewing box.

“What’s that fool on about,” Beta groused. “Did he actually win this time?” He said as he shifted in his seat to see the monitor. “Woah!” He jumped up. Then looked over to me, his expression hidden behind the mask of the faceless.

My eyes remained fixed on the terrain model as I took a bite of my fluffy ring steak. It was one of my favorite things, and it was one of the only things prepared in the underground that actually tasted decent.

“Madam founder, you’re gonna want to—”

Without turning my head, I let my eyes roll from the table to meet Beta’s.

His words caught in his throat, and though I couldn’t see them, I felt his eyes shift from to the screen then back again.

The others, Zero Nine One, Zeta and Iota all stood in the same moment as Beta's voice came out as a nervous stutter. He was staring at the screen when he said, “Th—th—the boy… he…”

Impatient, I got up turning slightly so that I could see the screen.

The boy lay on the ground, unmoving as a beast of fire stood over him. The smoldering remains of a dark creature melted into the shadows, returning to its natural form of existence and fading from the world.

A girl with mostly pink hair stood, cautiously trying to approach the unconscious magister, but the flaming beast growled and lowered its stance as soon as she moved. She looked afraid, but not of the fire beast.

There was no sign of any spell tome or another magister, but the flaming beast remained, standing guard over the boy.

Something wasn’t right.

“Rewind it!” I demanded.

Zero Nine One hesitated a moment before pressing the button to send the scene back in time. “How far Madam?” He asked.

I sighed. There was always a problem when the idiot was on duty.

He had been a magister once, a quad-magister even. But helping him awaken—making him an enforcer—was one of my deepest regrets. In Ash’s absence I acted hastily to assemble a loyal force, that haste bore several consequences, including Rivayne Tisarael. The fool who let Ceslestia take hold of the tool that could have provided me with a truly useful ally.

Breathing out my frustrations, I said, “Till just before the fire beast was summoned.”

A moment later the monitor lit up with a vision of the dark imp lord that earned Renton his nickname, King of Death. The creature laughed and cackled as it slashed the air with its scythe. The blade was sharp and it was able to cut the boy twice without any sort of resistance, though the boy hardly looked to have been prepared for it.

With any ordinary magister, the imp would taunt and tease them, playing games from the shadows and eventually killing them without ever revealing himself, so why did he appear to the boy? Why did he attack directly?

There were several options to consider; but I knew how the fight ended already, with a summoned beast that seemed keen on protecting the injured boy.

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Did the imp go rogue? Did Renton summon the fire beast to help the boy? No—that wouldn’t make any sense; and besides, Renton had a tome of darkness.

I kept watching.

The boy reached for his spell tome; it was already racing towards him.

Odd that it acted without instruction.

The boy, in a state of panic, chanted a spell even before the tome reached him. It was a simple spell to create a fire beast that should have charged forward in a flaming blaze then expend all its flames burning up anything in its path. But that isn’t what happened.

Wisps of fire burst from the boy's hand then formed into a true beast of fire. The creature easily overwhelmed the imp.

When a wounded Renton approached from behind the beast turned on him, showing the same aggression it had with the imp. Renton was equally as helpless. His blades melted in the creature's fire that seemed to grow hotter and hotter. Whatever spell he used had minimal or no effect. The fire beast proved a greater challenge than the magister with a tome of light.

Finally Renton retreated.

The spell tome personified then, becoming the link haired girl and immediately being attacked by the fire beast as she approached the wounded magister. With her the creature showed restraint, only growling and standing over the boy as long as she didn’t get too close.

I ordered a rewind again.

This time I was determined to see more. The boy reached for his book and it flew into his hands as he chanted his spell. Then I paused the screen as soon as the book made contact, I moved my fingers in a swiping motion, sliding forward frame by frame until the spell activated.

When the first wisp of fire burst from his hand, I paused. He had not yet taken hold of his spell tome. The book was close, but she was not within his grasp.

Beta gasped, Ninety One as well. The others stood from their seats to lean over my shoulder and look closer. I closed my eyes as I struggled to make sense of this.

Could this be Aqua’s doing? She was moving too, more discreetly since I had Rivayne handle Solari. If she wanted this magister, why would she let him come to the underground? She had to know this was my territory.

My thoughts raced back to the book, to the girl, that distinctive pink hair. It wasn’t pure so maybe she wasn’t—but then she was entirely too independent to be just an ordinary spell tome. Whatever the truth was, it was clear I needed to know more.

I glanced at Zero Nine One as I commanded, “Tell Rivayne I want a complete profile on Dexter Maele. Get all of his records—magister and mundane. I want to know where he's from and who he is.”

He nodded, opening a portal and stepping through.

I turned to Beta next. “Secure the facility. I expect you’ll have a new subject to test soon, and we absolutely can not afford any delays caused by that pesky—”

My head pulsed with sharp pain at Celestia’s intrusion.

I reacted quickly, shifting my thoughts to Aqua and her attempt at convincing me to help her.

How foolish was she to consider stabbing Cel and Ash in the back. Of course I would have no part of such a plan, even if Ash was letting Bolton run wild. It didn’t matter, it wasn’t my business.

Celestia whispered in my mind, “Where has Ash gone? Why didn’t you report this?”

“Because, I—”

“Nevermind, I need you to find Ash, immediately!” She commanded. “I’ll deal with Aqua.”

“Yes ma’am, and what should I say when I find him? That Cel demands his immediate return?”

Her words were short and harsh, cutting through my head. Her voice came out loud, like water crashing over itself in one endless wave. “You tell him that if he doesn’t return now and keep the agreement, then I will come for him myself!”

She was gone before I could even form a reply.

“Fuck!” I cursed. The last thing I wanted was for Ash to return, but I couldn’t afford to upset Celestia or let her go after him herself. I’d need to keep up appearances and move my plans along faster than anticipated.

“Madam Founder,” Beta said with a low bow. “I’ll have things ready as soon as possible for you. Will there be anything else or—should I leave you now?”

I dismissed him with a wave, saying, “No, go!”