||| THE PATH OF THE NEXUS: MARIE |||
[Chamber of Convergence, Tower of Nexus]
As soon as the Rift Gate disappeared in a burst of light, Marie slipped her hand into her back pocket and pulled out the Projector.
“Marie Strelitzia,” she spoke her name into the device.
The gadget let out a beep and instantly lit up, displaying a holographic image of a black spider with a diamond-shaped abdomen.
“Server, please open the Level 3 Classified Documents.”
Seven different colored folders instantly appeared; each having their own insignia to represent the Seven Faceless Divisions. However, Marie only had her eyes on one – a gray file with a scorpion emblem.
“Search inside the Deathstalker files for this term – open bracket – The Harbinger – closed bracket.”
A prompt popped out saying:
[RESULT(S) FOUND: 1]
[WARNING: LEVEL 4 CLEARANCE REQUIRED]
“Level 4? Since when do we have a level 4 clearance?” Marie expressed her discontentment. “Server, would you please tell me who has a level 4 clearance?”
[ACCESS DENIED]
“Wha-? Server, tell me who has a level 4 clearance?”
[ACCESS DENIED]
Marie’s face began to darken; she was never made aware of another level of authorization. Markus wouldn’t keep this a secret from me? Would he? Or perhaps he too was oblivious about the matter? She wondered silently. “I guess everyone has their own dirty little secrets, huh?”
The emerald-eyed woman then made a circular motion with her right index finger to return to the previous screen. “Server, search for this term in all seven files – open bracket – Flesh-Gorger – closed bracket.”
[RESULT(S) FOUND: 12]
[DEATHSTALKER (2); SWALLOWTAIL (5); GHOST MANTIS (1); TARANTULA HAWK (2); HORNET (2)]
“Hm, should have been more specific,” Marie muttered before clearing her throat. “Server, a minor correction. Search for this term in all seven files – open bracket – Flesh-Gorger – slash – casualties – close bracket.”
[RESULT(S) FOUND: 1]
[DEATHSTALKER (1)]
“Open file, please.”
A list of names manifested in front of Marie’s eyes – most of them belonged to the victims of the Flesh-Gorger while the rest were the members of the cannibalistic faction. But, only one name caught her attention. “Server, give me the status of – open bracket – Shar – close bracket.”
[SHAR]
[FULL NAME: UNKNOWN]
[LEADER OF THE FLESH-GORGER]
[STATUS: DECEASED]
[C.O.D: EXECUTED BY MARKUS STRIGIS OF THE HORNETS (FORMERLY)]
[BODY WAS LATER DISPOSED IN AN UNKNOWN LOCATION]
CREAK!
Marie accidentally dropped the Projector as soon as the chamber door suddenly swung open, followed by the sound of rattling chains and heavy footsteps.
She looked over her shoulder, only to see a pair of protruding mulberry eyes staring back at her. The slender woman drew closer; she was dressed in a black tee and ripped jeans with a gloomy expression across her pallid oval face. A silver chain hung loosely around her waist, while her studded boots were slightly caked with mud. Her long raven hair was tied in a braid and wrapped around her neck – a distinctive trait of the Leonard clan.
"Staying up late, Marie?” the surly-looking woman asked with a breathy voice.
“Something like that,” Marie replied calmly. “What about you, Leonard? Have you visited your sister yet?”
“I did, and she told me you helped her with some errands. So, thanks for that.”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
“So,” Tulip paused as she glanced at the holographic image behind Marie’s back. “Mind telling me what you are looking for inside the Order’s database?”
“This? I was just sorting some old stuff.”
“Sorting some old stuff, you say?” said Tulip before placing her hands on her hips. “If that’s the case, then why did Thomas tell me to keep a close eye on you and the rambunctious trio?”
“Ah, is that what he did?” Marie nodded her head; a tiny smile appeared across her face. “I had the feeling he would do that.”
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“Then, tell me – are you getting yourself in trouble again? ‘Cause you’re known for being a trouble magnet. Well, aside from those three, of course,” Tulip exhaled.
“After all these years, you’re still being hard on them. They’re no longer fledglings, you know?”
“And that is what worries me. Each of them possessed impressive and rare abilities but at the same time, they lacked the discipline and self-restraint – which I found strange considering their mentor was none other than the Captain of the Deathstalker.” A few seconds later, Tulip walked past Marie and spoke with a crystal-clear voice, “Tulip Leonard. Server, show me the location where Shar of the Flesh-Gorger was buried.”
The Projector immediately displayed the full map of Discordania; a small red cross could be seen near the south peninsular of the Opal Sun continent. “Only the Deathstalkers know the burial site of that monster. No offense,” Tulip remarked apologetically.
“No, you’re right. In fact, the word ‘monster’ is not even enough to describe the kind of person he was,” Marie continued.
“Yet, you seem intent on reopening an old wound.”
“I’m aware of that, but something has been nagging me ever since Miss Rosier’s return to the Tower. She said two black masked men were chatting with the leader of the Disciples of Vidia as if they knew each other.”
Tulip crossed her arms together quietly, partially intrigued by the direction of the conversation. She also noticed the glint in Marie’s eyes which usually appeared when the latter was planning something. “So? What does that have to do with the Flesh-Gorger?” Tulip inquired.
“Shar used to deal with people wearing similar black masks. I don’t exactly know the details but every time the masked men came, the entire Valley of Viscera always held an extravagant festival, celebrating the strangers’ arrival,” Marie paused her explanation, and her gaze slowly fell to her feet. “I recalled Shar kept a journal about his interaction with the men, however, the last time I checked the Archive, it was not in the list of confiscated items.”
“The Order scoured the Valley of Viscera many times. If the journal was hidden, we would have found it by now,” Tulip retorted.
“We would have…IF it was hidden in the valley in the first place. Shar has an underground bunker somewhere in the Opal Sun land. He used that place as his personal study – to research new rituals for his daily ceremony and store trinkets he took from his victims.”
“Okay…now, why do you want to know about the whereabouts of Shar’s burial site?”
“Because the bunker is sealed shut and a special key is needed to open it – a key that is now buried six feet under with the Chieftain of the Flesh-Gorger. If we can recover that journal, then I bet we can find out the identity of those masked men.”
After Marie finished her explanation, Tulip let out a grunt in return. “That sounds great but, unfortunately, everything you said just now was nothing more than a theory. Moreover, I need to know where you sent those trio to.”
“Oh? Getting straight to business already?” Marie chuckled.
“Sorry, but I’m afraid I have no time to play games with you today,” Tulip apologized. “The recent chain of events has exacerbated Thomas’s paranoia – he’ll do anything to preserve the Order’s good reputation – even if he has to execute his subordinates.”
“Hm, it’s not like we have a good reputation anyway.”
“I agree, but sadly, he’s the boss, and you know how he is when he’s crossed,” Tulip stated. “Now, I ask you once again. Would you please tell me where you sent those trio to?”
“The former country of the Lone Iron Tower,” Marie swiftly replied, causing both of her friend’s eyes to widen from shock.
“You what?!” Tulip blurted out; a hint of anger could be heard in her voice.
“It is just as I said. I sent them to the Land of the Opal Sun to search and rescue the Empyreans,” Marie added before picking the Projector off the floor and frantically inspecting the device. “Thank goodness, Steph will be really upset if I broke this.”
“That is the least of your concern,” Tulip muttered as she pressed her fingers against her temples. “I just…I don’t even know what to say anymore. It’s like you’re trying to provoke Thomas on purpose. Surely, it’s not because of your boyfriend’s involvement in the massacre?”
“I told you many times that Jason is NOT my boyfriend, and no, it’s not because of the incident in The Edge – I’m just doing it simply out of curiosity.”
“Curiosity?”
“For nearly two decades, I had never seen our taciturn Faceless Lord getting flustered over a name such as The Harbinger. So, I was intrigued by his reaction – well, by the cause of his reaction,” Marie giggled.
“Damn it, girl! If it was any other time, I would be thrilled to hear about the outcome,” Tulip ranted while scratching the back of her head. “But, with three of ours being the perpetrators of the massacre – two of them which are the Opal Sun royalties – who do you think will capitalize from the current situation?”
A frown immediately appeared across Marie's porcelain face. “Don’t tell me…are you talking about the Lost Prince? Isn’t that just a myth? Even if such a person existed, he would be nothing more than an impostor.”
"Not this one. The Froghopper confirms it - this new guy is the real deal."
Marie tilted her head slightly to the left, finding the new piece of information difficult to believe. Her mind started to race, envisioning every scenario that could occur if the Lost Prince was indeed the person the Froghopper claimed him to be. “So, he has the Sign, then? No doubt he'll try to reach out to the Inner Circle soon," the lady in black responded.
"Then, you'll realize sending those trios out there without the knowledge of the Council AND the blasted ministers will not only compromise our relationship with the Opal Sun Kingdom but also with the people of the Sapphire Star. If those two sides catch wind of this, we'll be facing the wraths of both nations," Tulip explained, her bright pink lips twitching from the building frustration.
"Most of the Reprieved already considered us to be the scum of the earth, sweetie," Marie sarcastically countered, grinning from ear to ear. "Besides, it won’t be a problem as long as no one knows about it.”
“Assuming the trio can keep a low profile – a trait that was not clearly displayed in their previous mission,” Tulip scoffed. Frowning deeply, the mulberry-eyed woman approached Marie until they were standing shoulder-to-shoulder. “Are you sure it is wise to place your faith in these rookies? Because Markus himself trusted them?”
“THAT is precisely the reason, dear.”
The two women glared into each other’s eyes in silence, only for the intense stare-off to end with Tulip letting out a huff of air. “Fine, suit yourself. Two days; after that, I’ll have to tell Thomas everything.”
Marie quietly watched her friend stroll out of the Chamber of Convergence; the emerald-eyed woman could also hear the sound of rattling chains growing fainter by the second. “Well, well, well; looks like I’m not the only one who has a soft spot for the trio,” Marie remarked.
All of a sudden, the Rift Gate behind her lit up, and a tall figure passed through the rippling surface before collapsing on his back. Marie spun around and gasped at the sight of her snow-covered guest groaning in pain.
"Salvia!" exclaimed Marie as she rushed toward the masked man.
"No, don't...don’t touch me," Adam croaked, trying to prevent the lady in black from getting close to him.
Instead of listening to the man’s plea, Marie laid her hand on Adam’s shoulder and yelped as an icy cold sensation crept up her arms, causing her hands to subconsciously jolt away from the man. "What? What in the world...?" breathed Marie, glancing at her palms which had turned slightly red.
"Please, Miss Strelitzia. I need to see Thomas... I need to see him right now!" Adam added as he groggily rose to his feet with the aid of his spear.
"Hold it, young man! We're not going anywhere before you explain to me what happened-!"
“It’s The Fenrir! He has broken out of the Prison of the Four Winds...and is now on his way to the Wintry Valley!"
||| THE END OF THE PATH OF THE NEXUS |||