Members of the Lambros Corporation sat alone in the large, lavish office on the top floor of the corporate building. The third president, Roditis Lambros, sat in his chair with one of his bodyguards, Amarantha, set securely on his lap. The little girl ate happily away with a bowl of grapes in her hands. She'd occasionally spit seeds out onto the floor, upsetting her boss, Retsina.
Meanwhile, Malvasia stood quietly behind the desk.
Roditis patted Amarantha's head and stared out the window of the building. It gave him a magnificent view of the city. His corporate building was second only to the castle that sat upon the top of the mountain. Unlike the previous presidents that sought to reach the top of the mountain, Roditis saw far beyond that. Even when others saw nothing but the past accomplishments of his company, the man sought only the future.
A notification alert sounded from the Milo on his desk. Roditis turned in his swivel chair and pressed the button on the communication device. A holographic image of the receptionist appeared above it.
"Mr. Roditis, your guests have arrived and are waiting." She announced.
"Thank you. We will be right down." Roditis nodded.
"They got here faster than expected," Amarantha noted before she tossed another grape into her mouth. When she felt her boss try to leave the chair, the little girl got up and joined Malvasia's side.
"Mr. Roditis," Retsina called out. "Are you sure it is wise to meet with them? Most communication with them has been through secure lines."
"What're you worried about, Retsy? If those idiots try anything to Rodi, we'll kick their asses!" Amarantha boasted. She finished off the last of her grapes and set the bowl aside.
"That is what I would like to avoid," Retsina adjusted her glasses. "Physical confrontation with them here would shine a light on our operations. We cannot risk that."
Roditis stood from his chair and headed for the exit. His employees followed not too far behind. "I acknowledge your concerns, Retsina. However, we cannot afford to back down after coming this far."
The group wandered to the elevator. They entered and descended. However, they did not go to the lobby on the first floor. Instead, they traveled far deeper into the sub-levels. When the elevator doors opened, they stepped out into the cavernous underground.
Amarantha latched onto Malvasia's arm as the group proceeded further down the passageway.
"I don't like this place," The little girl whined.
"You are Mr. Roditis' bodyguard. Do not show fear." Retsina ordered.
The group continued down the passageway until they reached a large stone door. Amarantha, Malvasia, and Retsina moved forward and pushed the door open for their boss.
"Thank you, ladies." Roditis entered the next room. Unlike the passageway, torches illuminated the room. The flames danced as a light breeze blew through the area from the massive, cavernous entrance in the far back.
A circular, stone table rested in the center of the room. Three people concealed in black robes occupied most of the seats. Roditis adjusted his tie and approached his guests. The stone floor amplified his footsteps.
"Welcome my humbled guests," Roditis smiled. "There is no need for the hoods. I am well aware of your identities."
The hooded individuals wasted no time in removing their hoods, revealing their identities as the terrorists behind the recent attacks across the country. Melanie Elisavet, Maur, and Taurian. Roditis took a seat at the table and continued with the meeting.
"I see that you three had no trouble getting here," He noted.
"Speak for yourself," Maur commented. His gaze soon darted toward the missing horn on Taurian's head. The Bull Beastia sensed the man's gaze and sharply turned to face him. His face seethed with rage.
"Something you wanna say to me, Maur?!" Taurian questioned. Those in the room sensed the tension between the two acolytes. They knew that one wrong word would result in a fight.
"Indeed," Maur answered with a coy smirk. "This one has noticed you different you look since our last encounter. Have you lost some weight?"
Taurian gripped the edges of the roundtable. That portion of the table tore apart due to the man's enormous strength. Retsina and Malvasia readied themselves to subdue the potential threat to their boss, but Roditis ordered them to stand down with a wave of his hand.
Melanie raised her hand and snapped her fingers. Maur and Taurian's little game ceased at that moment. The men looked away from each other and set their sights on Roditis and his employees. Once she was sure they settled down, Melanie rested her elbows on the table and intertwined her fingers.
"Forgive them, Roditis. Their behavior still needs a lot of work," Melanie's sharp gaze honed on her subordinates. They felt holes burning in the back of their necks.
"That is quite alright," Roditis dismissed the apology. "I hope you did not mind using the underground entrance. I am sure you understand why we cannot have terrorists coming through our front door."
"This cavern smells," Taurian complained. "It's barely lit, and I got attacked by Varvara on the way here. It doesn't look like you took much effort in rolling out the red carpet for us."
Roditis looked at Taurian and responded with a soft smile, "These tunnels connect to Tartarus. I cannot alter them too much, or else the military will take notice."
"Do not concern yourself with his complaints," Maur cut his way into the conversation. "Melanie and this one had no trouble finding the way here."
"I see. Now onto business," Roditis pulled out his Milo from his suit pocket. He set it on the table and pressed a series of buttons. Holographic reports of the terrorist attacks appeared above the device. "Judging from these reports, it seems the experiment went quite well."
"Quite well?" Taurian erupted from his seat. Roditis' employees readied themselves for combat once again. "None of those towns were destroyed as planned! Bastards stopped all of our attacks! What part of that experiment went quite well for you?!"
"Do not raise your voice at Mr. Roditis," Retsina demanded.
"Inside. Voice." Malvasia ordered.
"Forgive me for my poor choice of words, Mr. Taurian." Roditis apologized. He took a mental note to choose his words more carefully around the enraged Beastia. "I was referring to the Artifical Vitalis I created. It worked wonders, did it not?"
Taurian smacked his lips and took a seat, murmuring incoherent swears under his breath. While the initial plan didn't work out the way he wanted, he couldn't deny the efficiency of the Artificial Vitalis. Never in his life did he imagine that he'd have the power to turn people into Varvara.
"Yes. Those Vitalis worked tremendously well," Maur informed. "Hard to believe that those were mere prototypes."
"Imagine what we could do when we receive the finished product," A wicked smile crossed Melanie's face. "How much longer do we have until they are ready?"
"We are unsure at this point. Progress has been slow and--"
Melanie's eyes narrowed. Maur sensed his leader's irritation and took matters into his own hands. He tapped the stone table with his finger and activated his powers. A surge of electricity coursed through the area until the table disintegrated.
Roditis shifted his gaze to the pile of dust that replaced the table. It didn't show on the man's face, but he smiled from the bottom of his heart. Exousia fascinated him. Their powers surpassed Vitalis. Gifts from the Goddess during the dark ages of humanity.
Those dark ages sought to confront humanity once again. Therefore, the Goddess graced humanity with another gift.
The Exousia.
That's what Roditis believed.
Even when three of them stood before him, threatening him, he couldn't help but feel interested in how he'd lead them down the correct path.
"I hope that you did not let us come all this way just to hear your excuses, Roditis," Melanie's cruel tone resonated. She rested her hand on the handle of her sword. By that point, all of Roditis' employees moved in front of their boss, ready to lay down their lives to protect him. "This matter is of the utmost importance. Failure to deliver on your promise can bring disastrous results upon you and your toys."
"I assure you that I do not intend to hinder your mission. However, threatening my employees and I will not help you get what you want." Roditis informed.
"Smart guy, huh?" Taurian stood and cracked his knuckles. It was more of a scare tactic. But, if his leader gave him the order, he'd show no hesitance in breaking the spines of those before him. Ever since he lost his horn to Dire, his mood hadn't been the best. "Keep talking to our leader like that, and I'll snap you in half."
At that moment, everyone stood, ready to attack at the drop of a hat. Tensions were high. The confrontation was imminent.
"This meeting has gone off track," Roditis stated. By no means did he want things to end with a fight. But, if the acolytes continued to insult and threaten his subordinates, he would have no choice but to take action.
"It has," Melanie agreed. She spread her arms out and placed them on the shoulders of her subordinates. They nodded their heads and slowly returned to their seats. "We have been on edge lately since our plans were derailed."
Roditis maneuvered through the screen of his Milo. Holographic images of several appeared above the device.
"You mean by these people?" He questioned.
All three of the Acolytes stared at the ones that interfered with their attacks. Melanie expressed annoyance, Maur smugness, and Taurian frustration.
"A combination of military soldiers, Hunters, and criminals," Maur noted. He was the type of man that thought through several possibilities and outcomes before committing to something. He expected resistance during his attack, but not to the scales of what hindered him.
"Odd choices for defenders," Melanie noted. "To be fair, most of them were Exousia."
"Not the ones Maur fought," added Taurian. "He could've killed those Hunters. But, I hear they survived."
Maur scoffed and shook his head, knowing what Taurian tried to do. "So what if they did? What more trouble could those Hunters bring to us? As you said, they were not Exousia's."
"All the more reason why you should've destroyed that town,"
"Melanie ordered this one not to use powers to destroy towns anymore," Maur revealed. "Besides, this one only retreated because Melanie gave the order. What is your excuse?"
"What?"
"You were bested by another Exousia. Why did you not use your power to subdue him?"
"It was the Second Exousia! I didn't want to risk him using his powers and--"
"Enough," Melanie ordered. Maur and Taurian shut their mouths and straightened their postures. "Regardless of what happened to us, that will not change the result of our mission. We will destroy this country and take what we need."
"To do that, we need your inventions," Maur pointed at Roditis. "We agreed to spare you and your lackeys if you continue to assist us. However, if you continue to prove yourself useless to us, then we will return you to Mother's side."
"I understand," Roditis nodded his head. He did not appreciate the threat. But he knew it was best to bite his tongue and endure it for the long run. "Give me a little more time. I promise I will produce a product far more potent than the prototypes."
"Good," Melanie nodded her head and signaled for her subordinates to leave the room. After they left, the woman stood and smiled. "I also need some information from you, Roditis."
"What is it?"
"What do you know about a man named Kyros Aleister?"
Meanwhile, Kyros and his group left the castle after their one-sided meeting with the council. Their next destination was the military base stationed nearby. During their walk towards headquarters, Sarra noted rows of statues erected in front of the large building. They displayed people of various shapes and sizes, posing heroically with weapons in their hands.
They were memorials of the great heroes that came from the country. Sarra looked around for a statue of Aion. But, she never found one. Her mind wandered back to the conversation she had with Kyros about Aion's relationship with the country.
From what the girl saw throughout her stay in Soteria, she learned far more about its history, government, and military. It was different from how she imagined. She couldn't understand how the council could treat its esteemed officers and heroes with disdain and contempt if they disobeyed any order. They also withheld vital information which could've saved lives out in the Gardens of Eden.
Her thoughts on the military weren't that great either. Most of the officers she encountered were arrogant and overbearing. Sure, they boasted about having tremendous power. She didn't see the problem with that.
But, what was the point of boasting if they ever accomplished anything? Three religious fanatics remained at large.
"So, you gonna spill where you're taking us?" Runa asked.
"We're going to see my benefactor, General Zofia," Kyros revealed. His voice and tone carried great admiration for that woman. "If anyone is willing to listen and help us with our problems, it's her."
"What can she do?" asked Sarra. From her understanding, the General's in the country were infamous for their exploits during times of war. But, that was only during the dark period.
"She could convince the council to remove my suspension," Kyros hoped. "Then, she could give us some leads where the Acolytes will strike next."
"We're nearing headquarters," Cassie pointed out. The group entered the large building and headed for the elevator. They reached the top floor--the War Room.
Almost immediately upon leaving the elevator, everyone ducked down when something flew over their heads. Runa and Sarra reached for their weapons, expecting another attack. They relaxed when they spotted that the object that flew over them was a bird--an owl to be exact.
The avian flew over their heads once again then perched itself on the table in the center of the room.
"Someone's in a good mood," Kyros commented as he and the others approached the table.
"Who does the bird belong to?" Sarra wondered.
"Does it have a name?" Runa suddenly drew exceedingly close to the bird. She outstretched her hand, wanting to pet it. She pulled her hand back when the owl snapped at her.
"This is Arwen. It's General Zofia's pet owl," Cassie informed. "He's like our armies mascot."
"He's cute," Sarra smiled.
"It won't let me pet it," Runa complained. Each time she tried to pet the owl, it snapped at her. She contemplated just letting the bird do it.
Kyros swatted Runa's hand away from the bird. "Arwen doesn't like strangers touching him."
"Arwen? Do you know where General Zofia is?" Cassie asked.
Arwen took off into the air and flew over to the other side of the room. He perched himself on the shoulder of his owner--an armor-clad woman with long, blue hair. She stood with her back to the group. Her sharp eyes gazed out the window in front of her, enjoying the view of the clouds.
Kyros and Cassie stepped forward and saluted their superior officer.
"G-General Zofia, sir! I-I mean, ma'am!" Cassie and Kyros nervously greeted.
"Your greetings are stiff," Zofia turned to face her subordinates with eyes of indifference. Runa immediately noticed their odd color--silver. It reminded her of Roditis' employees. Like them, she sensed no life in the woman.
"We're sorry!" Cassie and Kyros bowed their heads to her. Runa felt oddly amused watching them stutter and fumble with their words like a bunch of idiots. Their bodies trembled uncontrollably while they were in her presence.
Runa and Sarra seemed unaffected to whatever pressure the two soldiers must've felt.
"What brings you all here today?" Zofia patted Arwen's head and took a seat at the head of the war tables. The others followed suit.
"General Zofia, we wanted to discuss the terrorists--"
"The Jaya Acolytes, right?" Zofia interrupted.
"You already know of them?" Sarra asked.
"Radical worshippers of the Goddess of Destruction, Jaya. Wanted criminals throughout Salome. Historical records dictate that the Acolytes have been around for over two thousand years."
"Then, are you aware that--"
"The one leading the attack is an offspring of the Last King. Her name is Melanie Elisavet. She has two people under her umbrella. Mad Bull, Taurian, a former prisoner of Tartarus, and a man named Maur." Zofia continued to reveal detailed information about the acolytes. "I am also aware that at least two out of the three are Exousia."
Runa and Sarra stared at the General with wide eyes. Her impressive network of intelligence gathering outstood them. They wished they had someone like her in their Guild. The woman would surely secure a high rank in the organization.
Kyros nervously laughed as he placed his hand behind his neck. "As expected of you, General. Your skills of information gathering are top-notch." He sheepishly praised her.
She passively accepted his praise with an affirmed hum. Runa guessed that she wasn't much a fan of pleasantries.
"I haven't done anything compared to the men that risked their lives obtaining these crucial pieces of information for me," She humbly responded. The General hated taking most of the credit for things she had nothing to do with. "Now that we know who we are dealing with, we can develop countermeasures against them."
"That was another thing we wanted to discuss with you about," Kyros said. "The acolytes plan to destroy Soteria. So, it's clear that they'll come to attack the capital city."
"We gotta figure out where they'll attack first," added Runa. "They get the drop on us like last time; I doubt we'll win. We tried talking to the council, but they cast us aside."
Zofia rested her hands on the table as she closed her eyes. A restrained groan of frustration came from her before she said, "Please excuse the council for that. They have been collaborating with multiple organizations about the matter, and they are still having trouble reaching a concrete decision. There have been talks about evacuating the people and increasing military patrols."
"That sounds like a good idea." Sarra chimed in enthusiastically. With fewer people around in the capital city, the acolytes would have fewer chances to turn people into Varvara.
However, Kyros noted a few errors with that plan. "Evacuating the people would take days, and leave ourselves wide open for another attack."
"How so?" Sarra wondered.
"Even if the military assisted with the evacuation, the Acolytes could use that as an opportunity to strike some of the less defended areas. Or, if they were more brazen, they could attack the evacuating citizens and build up a small army of Varvara."
"So far, the council refused the evacuation idea. They plan to strengthen the defenses of the capital. However, they also decided to prioritize most of the defenses around the castle," Zofia reluctantly revealed.
"The castle?" Cassie exclaimed.
"That's…that's not a good thing, right?" Sarra nervously looked around.
"No. It's not." Runa coldly answered. "They're prioritizing their safety before their people."
"I am trying everything I can to get them to change their minds. But, they are paranoid," Zofia said. She could not blame them. The past has come back to haunt them after almost twenty years. "They requested for me and some of my top subordinates to guard them for the next few days in case of emergencies."
"If you managed to convince them. Where would you defend first?" Kyros asked. "Soteria city's massive."
"My sources believe that one of their targets will be the church of Shura," She answered, "I will have some soldiers stationed around here and there."
"Well, if you need any help, just let us know where to go." Kyros offered.
Zofia narrowed her eyes. "The council suspended you, Kyros. You should not even be here."
Kyros could almost picture an imaginary spear piercing through his chest from her words. His general was his last hope in helping him lift his suspension. He knew it was wrong to go to her for help, but he felt he had no other choices.
"Ms. Zofia," Sarra spoke up, "if it's not too much trouble, could you help Mr. Kyros with his suspension?"
"Oh?" The General looked at her with mild interest. "Now, why would I want to do that?"
"General Zofia, you don't have to--"
"Let the girl speak, Captain Kyros," Her commanding voice silenced him quickly. Afterward, her fierce gaze returned to Sarra as she said, "Go on, child."
Out of the corner of Runa's eye, she noticed that Sarra clutched the arms of her chair. She stammered incoherently as if she was trying to find the right words. Eventually, they came to her. "Mr. Kyros hasn't done anything wrong to deserve the suspension. He's a good man that's put the well-being of others before his own. And yet, some people have been mistreating him. Like the council and that Damia woman. It's not right."
Her determined voice came out clear—without a hint of doubt or hesitation. Runa always found it a treat watching Sarra speak her mind. However, she also wished that the girl learned when and where to speak out.
The Huntresses had no say in the decision of the council or how others wanted to treat Kyros. They were mere foreigners to them, after all. They had no influence.
It was deathly quiet in the room. No one dared to say anything else while the General gave a thousand-yard stare. Despite the situation, there was no pressure. Or at least not that Runa could sense. Cassie, Kyros, and Sarra seemed to be the only ones affected.
Zofia closed her eyes then smirked. "You found yourself some good comrades, Captain Kyros. But, you did break the rules. I will not exempt him from the suspension."
"Why not?" Sarra quickly leaned forward in her chair with pleading eyes.
"That's enough, Sarra." Runa placed her hand on the little girl's shoulder and stopped her from overstepping the boundaries.
"Captain Kyros is an excellent soldier and one of my most promising subordinates. He graduated the top of his class in the academy when he was only nineteen," Zofia listed off some of his accolades, "however, it does not change the fact that he broke the rules. If I helped him get out of punishment simply because he is a good man, then what kind of example would I be sending to my other subordinates?"
A sound argument. One that kept Sarra quiet.
"Listen, I am just as upset about the suspension as you are. You have been working hard for years to reach where you are today. You have experienced terrible tragedies and overcome many obstacles. You can do the same for this one without any intervention from me."
"Yes! I will do my best!" Kyros saluted her.
"Not as a soldier this time, Kyros. But, as a civilian." Zofia smiled. "Now, if there is nothing more to discuss, I need you and your Huntresses to leave the room. I need to discuss strategy with Lieutenant Cassie."
Kyros nodded his head without hesitation and guided the Huntresses out of the War Room.
"This got us nowhere," Runa complained. She had only been in the capital city for a few hours, and she felt they accomplished nothing in the end. They were no much closer to finding and capturing the acolytes.
"What are we gonna do now?" Sarra wondered.
"We'll have to wait things out for now. Nothing we can do until the acolytes decide to show themselves," Kyros reluctantly revealed. At that point, he was limited to how far into the investigation he could go. Thanks to his suspension, he was just an ordinary civilian. Even being in the building could cost him and the Huntresses trouble. With no other options to offer, the group left the building and headed for the port, wanting to head back down from the mountain peak.