V.46 Fate II
Back in Specter Arc and his group was on the bridge making last preparations, Arielle, and the Celeste did a good job at stocking many materials from Eden using Merchant as disguised they were able to buy a huge amount of resources enough for Arc to create 100k 1 star Droids, and that's a frightening figure, imagine one hundred thousand Biggs and Wedge with a metallic body, no force on Earth or even the Bright galaxy can stop it.
But here on Eden where the technology is much higher that kind of force is also frightening, but not enough to conquer it completely, but conquering Eden was never Arc's intention. But despite the overwhelming force, he reminded himself he still needs to be careful, as the Hand Of Cain are not just using advanced technology they are also using magic, well in Eden Magic and Technology are the same just different branches.
In fact, Arc have learned that many machines in Eden are powered by magic, using symbols and runes clearly they have a much more advanced grasp in technology to be able to combine them, Eve was tasked in learning this kind of technology and magic where the locals called Symbology and Metaphysics, using symbols and runes to harness energy from the world is far beyond Arc can understand in fact none of them can understand it, but that doesn't mean they can't learn it, and so Eve and Specter are using all their CPU to learn and understand and probably apply it in their own technology in the future.
Arielle and Gideon already put many Celeste inside the Cathedrals posing as merchants, after all, if there's one thing the Hands of Cain welcomes in open arms it's the merchants, for without them they will starve and probably long been disbanded, all their daily necessity such as food and all other things was purchased from the many merchants that visit them. In fact, no one knows where the Hands Of Cains gets all their wealth, no matter how much Gideon and the others investigate they find the source of income from the Hands of Cains, and yet they are spending it like water that can never run out like Arc. who has a money printing Factory.
Arc knows the HOC, is much deeper than they can investigate unfortunately they don't have a lot of time to investigate it. And that is why he was forced to spend all his remaining reserve energy units to purchase a 1-star Cybernetic Armed Factory. To make up for a lack of soldiers as the Celeste were not enough even with Mech by their side.
Templars and Paladins are guarding the Cathedral. Templars are half machines in other words they are modified using machines, as for the Paladins they are modified using Symbology or Metaphysics, runes and symbols were carved from their bodies like a brand making them very strong and able to implore many abilities. Paladins are rare as it needs a very special body to survive the branding, only 1 in 100 survived the initiations, unlike the templars who has almost 90% survival rates, unfortunately, templars are unstable many died few years after the modifications due complications. But to the Hands of Cains that's a small matter there's always someone to replace them. Unlink the Paladins that requires a special body and low survivability. And that's why every paladin has a special status in the Cathedral, they are like the nobility in the Hands of Cain, all high ranking officers such as Priest and High priest, bishops and Cardinals are all former Paladins. Even the pope is former paladins.
Arc and his group have been planning this attack for almost two weeks now. And now finally they are ready.
As contingency Specter was moved on top of the cathedral, just in case something goes wrong Specter will warp them all into the ship and escape.
The plan was straightforward Arc, and his group would enter the Cathedral as merchants, inside Arc storage ring 100k Droids are stored, and once inside Arc would release the Droids and cause chaos, while his group would infiltrate the Hands of Cain Vault and plunder all the relics hopefully one of them is Adams Legacy, and he would be able to complete his Urgent mission.
According to Gedeon, the Hands of Cain has been hoarding ancient relics for a long time so he can only imagine the number of relics the HOC have inside their vault. So in other words it's a win-win situation for Arc even if the Tool he was looking for is not there he would still be able to acquire a huge amount of relics.
Posing as merchants are very easy, the reason for the long planing is learning and dealing with the guards of the Cathedrals after all every top member of HOC can be considered a powerhouse, as they are all former paladins and who knew how many are inside the Sanctuary themselves, as no merchants are allowed there. It's the most guarded place in the Cathedral.
The Sanctuary is the true HQ of the HOC, only members of HOC are allowed there, Arc has captured many Templars and even Paladins who ventured outside the Cathedrals to their so-called cleansing. It's where they visit small villages and tried to covert them into HOC and refusals mean burning to death and tortures. Arc would then surprise attack them and captures them to give them a taste of their own medicines.
But despite that, it's not easy to get information from them, many would die before spilling anything, and those that break don't know much.
According to what they have gathered Paladins have their own ranks. From 1-10 and 10 being the lowest rank. Only by reaching 1st paladins can one becomes a priest and so forth.
But despite waiting for a long time Arc can't find any Priest outside the Cathedral. And so their preparations consist of how to deal with the Higher rank HOC because according to intel the higher the rank the stronger they are.
"Everything ready?"
"Yes, Boss!!" everyone nodded at Arc.
Arc was excited this is his first big mission as part of the leading forces, he's no longer what he used to be, his power already grows much stronger than his followers, only their control is better than him. But in terms of power level, he is considered the strongest of his group. And in the past few months, his power continues to grow. And now he can finally make use of it.
"Good, let's get started," he said with a huge smile on his face.