Chereads / The Chaotic Herculean / Chapter 17 - Prelude to a Storm

Chapter 17 - Prelude to a Storm

*~You are in trouble~* 'Orion' said in a singing voice to tease Orion who was at his back checking his muscle mass distribution.

*I can not die.* Orion calmly replied to him as he continues with his task unperturbed by the mockery in his other's voice. After a long time of studying this broken version of his, Orion realized many things including the fact that somehow, this being is still not dead and he had the prototype physique he created aeons ago.

*Aren't you scared of death?* Orion asked as he was now checking out his feet, this foot looks like a child's. No muscle could be seen on it and it looks atrophied but Orion treats it like the most important part of 'his' body. this is the only part that looks different from Orion. This is the only part that enumerates the difference in the path of both of them.

*Death? No... I am the only thing that could be called deathless in this universe.* 'Orion' replied proudly not bothered about Orion glimpsing at his path. It was 'HIS' path, no one can copy it the same way he could not copy Orion anymore when he took his path and he wants the greatest eyes to find the weakness, so he could rectify it. Orion was aware of his plan too but was disinclined to quarrel about it.

*Then, what is this?* Orion said pointing out the fact that 'Orion' still requires him to check for weakness. If he truly is deathless, then he should be confident of having no weakness.

*You are me and I am You. If you are deathless, it only serves to mean the same to me.* 'Orion' replied as he seem not to understand the paradox in the conversation. If his path is different from Orion's how could they be the same?

Orion does not seem to want to continue the pointless chatter anymore, he just announced, *I'll be going.*

With that, he disappeared from space.

*Hey!!! That's rude!!!* 'He' screamed but suddenly started giggling, *Some people are going to get wrecked. I hope you don't meet my minions.*

*I'm leaving here soooooon!!!*

...

...

It's been two weeks since the meeting and all the leaders agreed to the raid ten days ago, waiting for the signal from the Ula'rees. The void heaven tower had prepared well for their ambush as they had set up a temporary teleportation device for all the raiders.

Umbron was sitting in his imperial study, having some worries, so he resolved to prepare a backup plan for when things go wrong guaranteeing his safety. Serious was he, concentrating on the scrolls he is forging, making sure of every stroke contain the adequate authority required.

Brushing the last stroke, the paper lit up and absorbed the required authority from the void, this will take a while but the chance of failure is null unless there is an interference in the void.

"Sit," Umbron said to his daughter standing in front of him, and she obeyed. Gazing at this daughter, Fidele, The emperor could almost not hide the disappointment in his heart. Fidele and Solas were the brightest amongst his offspring, Solas being lazy to take any responsibility while Fidele was feminine. This led to his potential successor not being the best of the lot, displeasing him to no end, especially now that there is a high chance he might die.

"What do you think of the meeting," Umbron asked, referring to the meeting at Thanen's keep.

"You will die," Fidele stated simply as she looks at him wondering if he had never thought of dying. As far as Fidele could see, no matter what happens, there seems to be only death for her father.

"Indeed." he said as he slumped into his chair, visibly tired, "We would be made excuses." Knowing that the mission if successful, would lead to their deaths and they would be made as excuses to the Roc family.

"No. The mission would fail and all of you will die." Fidele was visibly upset now, what were those people thinking, they could best a celestial child?

Umbron was somehow visibly shocked, was she speaking with certainty? "Zero per cent?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I have only seen the recordings of him so the feeling might not be accurate but I'd wager that he is more deadly than 'THAT' in the depth of the castle," Fidele said with some certainty and trepidation.

Knowing the kind of talent his youngest possesses, he knew there was merit to what she said, with a deep breath he burst out laughing. Fidele cocked her head and looked at him confusedly. Laughing for a while, he turned to her, "What do you think of Thanen's princess."

"Two things." Fidele looked confused for a while before her eyes regained clarity, "Osian definitely knew but did nothing to protect her."

"How come the king did not know of it?"

Fidele knew, that if mortals had ill designs on a saint, they would sense it. If a weaker person tried to kill her to hurt her father, he would sense it. So how come the king did not sense anything amiss, had he left his daughter to act as bait?

If so, why would he get angry?

His anger was genuine, that was something Fidele could calculate, quite accurately at that. Why?

"The killers never thought of harming Thanen, they probably think they were helping him." Umbron said with certainty, "That was why his anger was real because he had a hunch that the one behind the assassination was his son."

"It was. Why didn't he kill him?" Fidele was still confused.

"He never ascertained it. He was afraid he would kill his only offspring out of anger if he knew."

"Oh... The scroll is ready. It probably won't make a difference, use it." As he was talking, the scroll finished absorbing authorities from the void, he folded it and threw it towards his daughter. Fidele caught it and some emotions flashed in her eyes which were quickly concealed.

"Shouldn't he?" Fidele was still confused. To her everything could be calculated, she rarely finds things she could not calculate. Of course, she could calculate this matter, apart from that thing beneath their castle and the Roc, she was certain she would know the outcome of many things in this system given appropriate data.

Umbron looked at his daughter whose sight had never been clouded by emotions, she feels but it never influences her psyche. Suddenly he felt an urge to teach her some things about the world, this would most likely be his last lecture, and he should speak some wisdom to her.

"What do you know of the six paths?" He stood up from his reclined pose as he asked, looking sagely and wise.

...

...

Naj'aree and Danari were standing at the top of the Void Heaven Tower, looking at the distant manor with grave faces. Danari could not stop his hands from twitching so frequently, and sweat was pouring out of his forehead with his hair wet. He was extremely scared now, not even the tower was reassuring to him, Naj'aree did not bother consoling him as she was busy dealing with the pressure herself.

"Do we have to do this?" He asked timidly.

"Shut up and focus. They are here, don't disgrace our family." Naj'aree snapped.

The sky was gloomy as the atmospheric pressure was intense, many have left the city in droves as they all could feel the tension in the city. The city that used to be filled with adventurers, merchants and mercenaries seems desolate.

*A reoccurring sight* Naj'aree thought with a sigh as she noticed she had been seeing desolation in formerly bustling cities during this short trip of hers.

Asmouranthe was already away from the city, in Psitta town, her hometown away from the action at Void Heaven City. She was on stream, and near a billion were on stream with her, it was hard to believe that there are that many people with a card in the system.

"Good day guys, today is a historic day in the history of our Umbron system. This day will shape how people would live on in this system."

"And I have been promised by a reliable source to get the best POV for the whole battle."

"Whatever the outcome, our lives would be changed forever."

"To reduce the distraction, I have cancelled the chat option."

"Bear with me here... Oh Oh, here it is!" She screamed as soon as she saw the recording of the battle beginning.

"WHAT???!"

Everyone was given a shock as soon as the screen was opened.