After the invasion, all three Volatile leaders ordered a meeting with Niro. They urged her to come, there was an important topic at hand. So she answered, anxiously waiting to hear it.
Grey overhead clouds blocked most of the sun, leaving Full-Forward in a gloomy shade. Niro stumbled through the open gates, hands behind her back.
Valiant crossed his arms, studying the pedestal as it idly sat in the middle of the room. Searing wounds still bothered him, the acid and flesh steamed lightly as he slowly recovered.
"I'm here, what happened? Why is everyone so damaged?" Niro muttered.
"Do you remember that one Legion you tried to recruit?" Valiant slowly shifted his gaze onto Niro. "They tried to invade Hail-Heart by force. Imbushko very clearly wants war with Yarno."
Terror and regret stung at her heart. Niro couldn't string together words to counter this, she knew Infinus had a reason for it.
Yazzo stepped closer to Niro, her white hair flowed like water behind her. "They were so weak, too. Despite a gigantic explosion, no one from our side died. But the city... it is in ruins."
"No!" Niro snapped back. "Infinus is powerful, and so are the leaders. They have a reason, and I am sure of it."
Determination filled her formally submissive voice. Everyone in the room knew Niro was willing to defend that argument until it was beaten ten times over.
So no one argued about it, she was right to some degree. Most of the elites dealt a heavy number to their city, leveling it out in the blink of an eye and paralyzing their forces for nearly a day.
Candles highlighted Niro's advancements to the center of the room. She had the look of a serious fighter on her face, enforcing her willingness to drive the point further.
Valiant raised his upper body from his leaning stance, getting ready to meet eye-to-eye with his ally. Through the years, he learned to trust Niro enough with verbal warfare.
Equipped with a tongue masterful enough to weave any kind of reason into her advantage, Niro was the type of fighter to fight with words. Violence would never be an action for her, she wasn't interested.
"Did you ever tell your forces to attack any foreign faces?" Niro asked in a low but serious tone.
"I have no reason to. Infinus forces arrived at Hail-Heart and Wave's Crest, I heard of it from the locals. Some said they entertained when they visited Hail-Heart, others said they offered to help with the fishing at Wave's Crest."
Niro's fists closed, her face twisted with anger. She knew who was responsible for the attack, the one who owned Olavin-Faa. Hitirus had to be involved in some way.
She brought a hand up to the bridge of her nose, rubbing it impatiently. Valiant noticed how annoyed she looked, the stress was evident in her actions.
"Great Niro," Detrass' cold voice spoke to her. "Do not let that tyrant annoy you. One day he will achieve the thing he was born for. When he does, he will pass. Leaving Yarno free."
"That damned beast did this!" Niro ignored Detrass. "He ordered an attack, most likely. Maybe that's why they met the rebels, because they came to help. Those poor Ferals don't know any better."
Yazzo closed her left hand, sending the large claw she stored inside her forearm out. "Scalers aren't as keen-minded as Ascent. My pack thought this was how it was, as well. But we were wrong."
Niro sighed. "Sometimes I wish I could go back in time and prevent myself from asking that freak to motivate more faces to join." Niro felt a tear full of fury build up in her eye. "Instead of bringing together, he brought apart."
Valiant's tongue swirled in his mouth, spreading the acidic goo around evenly. He growled slightly, eagerly waiting to hear what Niro was going to say next.
Despite the previous battle, he understood where Niro was coming from. He even wanted to kill Hitirus himself, but there was nothing he could do against him.
Each time a fatal blow landed on him, he would just get back up and walk away. It was that simple for Hitirus. After all, he was ordered not to die until his duty was complete.
"What is our next step? We cannot stand here and let this go further," Yazzo chimed in.
Niro brought her hands back down to her lap. "I will try to reach out to the leaders again, hopefully they will listen. Maybe we might bring an agreement."
Valiant shook his head, disagreeing with the plan. "It is a fine idea, but what about after? Just because we come to an agreement doesn't mean Hitirus will stop fighting them."
"My goal in this meeting won't be to stop the fighting," Niro announced. "But to buy Infinus those precious seconds before Hitirus decides to invade Imbushko."
"I disagree with that thinking," Valiant growled. "Maybe we can come together and end that thing. How about we kill Hitirus and each Legion grabs a limb and stows it. Those we cannot keep will be thrown into the ocean."
Detrass nodded, finding that idea as a possibility to end Hitirus' reign for good. Without the other pieces of his body, there was no way for him to come back together.
"We could try that, but that's a gamble right there. But in case it works, that's a risk I am sure we are all willing to take," Niro added.
Yazzo retracted her claw. "My best wishes goes to Hymo."
Valiant turns to face his elite. "Why do you say that?"
"If this plan goes bad, they will be the first to suffer. Not even they, with all of their training and discipline, will be able to strike down a beast such as him," Yazzo answered.
Niro glanced over her shoulder to the door, seeing Arexx patiently waiting for her outside. She then slowly scanned the elites and leader, looking for any reason to stay.
"My guess is we've discussed everything," Niro turned away from the group. "I'll make sure to call another meeting after talking to the leaders, if I can even get it."