"What is it now? Can't you see I'm a bit occupied?," scoffed King Gideon as he toyed with one of the women in his harem. The other women were left to wait until they were summoned.
"But your Majesty, it's crucial that you take a look at the reports coming from one of your facilities," the Minister urged with a sense of urgency.
"What facility, eh?" said the King, noticing that his Minister was not just here with a 'report'. He gestured the woman with him to go and join the rest in his harem.
As the Minister approached, he handed the reports to the King and began, "Your Majesty, I bring urgent news. An intruder, unknown to us, breached the interrogation facility and massacred all of your guards. According to one of the escapees, the intruder possessed abnormal regenerative abilities, as manatel-infused bullets seemed to have no effect on his body."
The King flipped through the pages of the report as his Minister continued, "Furthermore, the intruder demonstrated strength that rivals that of our war commanders, but..."
"But what...?" the King asked, his curiosity evident on his face.
The Minister delivered the news with a heavy tone, "It appears that this intruder not only displayed strength at par with our war commanders, but also defeated one of them - Orion."
"Orion? Seriously?" the King said, visibly stunned to hear that one of his top war commanders had fallen in battle against the intruder. "Is he...?" the King trailed off, unable to bring himself to finish the question.
"He survived, but his injuries were severe despite having better armor than the others," the Minister reported to the King.
"I'm afraid the intruder was one of the rebels out there, since..." the Minister paused again.
"Can you just finish your sentences first?" the King said impatiently, showing his annoyance at the Minister's hesitation.
"Nat was there," the Minister completed.
The King's eyebrows furrowed as he repeated the name, "Nat...?"
"Natalia, your Highness, our former war commander, wielder of one of the holy swords," the Minister answered to the King's curiosity.
"Natalia the Berserker," the King recalled, "What do you think they're after?" he asked his Minister.
"We have yet to determine the motive behind the intruder's and Nat's presence near the facility, but it appears that they have kidnapped Aiden, the interrogator," the Minister informed the King.
King Gideon pondered over the information he had received, but he couldn't fathom why Natalia and the intruder had attacked the facility.
"When is he arriving?" Gideon asked his Minister,
************
"In two days," Aiden struggled to speak as he coughed while kneeling down, he managed to say in response to Nat's question. The Artifact of Strength was being transported in a heavily armored vehicle, and Aiden provided details of the route they planned to take when crossing into the Capital.
"So you're the one Jerry spoke of," Jarvis pressed the barrel of his gun against Aiden's forehead.
"Jay, take this and clean the blood off your face," Festo said as he handed the Jester a wet cloth.
"Thanks," the Jester replied, taking the cloth from Festo's hand happily.
Nakisa was packing supplies, and Festo went to help him as they had purchased the supplies in the capital and were storing them in the compartment of Jarvis's Armoured Dragon M. 677, which was parked nearby.
Aiden attempted to reason with Jarvis, "If you kill me right now, Orion will never let you escape," he pleaded, hoping that his words would dissuade Jarvis from pulling the trigger.
And that is true, Aiden worked directly under Orion.
"Do you mean the guy with the big, shiny broadsword?" Jester replied, unaware of Orion's identity.
"He's Orion, you idiot!" Aiden exclaimed, defending Orion's honour.
"I think your so-called 'honourable superior' is probably unconscious after I kicked his butt back then," the Jester taunted Aiden, dusting his shoulder.
"You fuc-" as Aiden began to speak, he got interrupted by Jarvis.
"You really think you're in a position to argue back, traitor?" Jarvis said, stressing on the word "traitor," as he clicked his handgun to show he meant business.
"I won't die from just that," Aiden stated, trying to act composed but his quivering body gave it away.
"Oh you will," Aiden replied, as if dictating his end.
Aiden desperately tried to reason with Jarvis, "If you kill me, you'll lose valuable information about the whereabouts of the Artifact of Strength," he said, hoping to persuade Jarvis to spare him.
Nat, who had been observing the tense exchange between Aiden and Jarvis, interrupted, "If it's not worth it, you know what will happen next," her face serious.
Aiden wore a smirk on his swelled face as he replied confidently, "It is."
Aiden informed, "They're currently at Highgarden. If you don't waste your time with me, you can catch up with them there."
Highgarden was a settlement on top of a small hill to the east that falls under the jurisdiction of the Capital.
"That's not too far from where we are," Nat said, judging the distance from what Aiden had just revealed.
"Think you'll survive, traitor?" Nat continued.
Aiden, still unsure, replied, "I've told you everything I know. Leave me alone!"
"Very well, Aiden. We'll leave you alone," Nat said, her tone ominous as she continued, "But remember, your fate lies in the hands of Jarvis."
Aiden turned his head from Nat to Jarvis who held his gun against Aiden's forehead.
"I am wearing A-level armor, I'll just heal up again and again," Aiden told Jarvis.
"Oh, you mean this?" the Jester said mockingly, waving Aiden's armour in front of him. Aiden gulped nervously at the sight.
"You know, Jarvis," Aiden began, "Who else pleaded for his life when I pointed the gun at them like you're doing it to me? IT WAS YOUR BROTHER!" Aiden then burst into hysterical laughter.
"Goodbye, Aiden..." Jarvis said, tears rolling down his cheeks as he fired a continuous stream of bullets at Aiden's face.
Aiden dropped to the floor, dead.
Jarvis gazed up at the sky and let out a deep sigh, feeling the weight of a burden that he had carried for many years lifted from his shoulders.
Nat approached Jarvis and embraced him, and soon the others joined in, surrounding Jarvis in a group hug.
It was over, Jarvis avenged his brother's death, finally...
The crew made their final preparations before departing for the camp, mindful of the fact that it had been a long day and the sun was about to set. It was time to head back home.
With the Capital fading from view, the crew's vehicle roared ahead towards their next destination: Highgarden. They were aware that they would need reinforcements, and soon. As Ranald drove and the others slept, Jarvis, Nat, and the Jester remained awake.
Aiden's lifeless body lay still beneath the stars, bathed in an eerie, ominous aura. Slowly but surely, the wounds inflicted by the bullets began to close, and fresh skin began to knit together over the gaping holes in his face. As the healing process continued, Aiden's eyes suddenly snapped open, gleaming with a newfound vitality...