In the end, Uriel got what he wanted. He slaughtered his father, became the King, and usurped the Crown of Fate, not to be rivaled by anyone in the world. For his first order of business as Supreme King, an immediate meeting with the executives of Barronia was called and held in their secret meeting room.
Moon Amati wore his pale suit jacket, peacefully walking down the elegant palace hall. Zen Flaminia appeared behind him and peered over his shoulder.
"You're very tense, my friend. What bothers you?"
Moon shrieked and jumped back, reflexively summoning Fate around him.
Zen chuckled. "That's not an answer, is it?" He waved away the hostile aura.
"Are the rumors true? Last I heard, the King was declared dead and his son returned somehow. Could the words my Enforcers speak be true?" Moon asked.
"I doubt it. Supreme King Barron would never lose to someone as lowly as his inexperienced son. Do you think Prince Uriel could return and we wouldn't know about it?"
He sighed. "Even so—" Zen and Moon continued walking beside each other down the glamorized corridor. "—there are some things that even we Masters of Fate can't predict. The element of chaos is ever prevalent among us. We must be cautious," Amati said.
"On that matter," Zen folded his arms behind his back, "we agree, Mr. Amati."
"Unfortunately," Their hands simultaneously opened the meeting chamber's twin doors, "the rumors are true. Welcome… to Barronia. The Kingdom of Change," said King Barron.
Seated at the head of the table placed in the center of the chamber was none other than the usurper-King himself. The executives' eyes widened, interlocking their fingers and forming individual hand signs.
"Area Empowerment—!!" They yelled simultaneously.
Uriel's hands slid onto their shoulders, dispersing their auras with a single touch. The former Prince smirked, lowering his head between their builds and chuckling lowly.
"Let's not fight, huh? Sit down and relax. I have something to tell everyone. After all, if you activate your auras while I wear the Crown... you're powerless." Uri pushed their backs and watched as they tumbled into their seats. "Now then, I'll wait for Raven to arrive," he said.
Moon groaned. "How… how did this happen?!"
Uri strolled around to the head of the table. "Well, that's easy." He sat down. "Ten years ago, one day after my death, I inexplicably resurrected with the urge to start my quest of rebellion against the throne. I'd grown tired of the King's blatant incompetence and uncaring attitude so I secretly corrupted the Syndicate from within, rendering Anthony's direction inert. Eventually, my corruption extended to the Metropolitan Center and so, several professional Enforcers obey me as well. Excluding Alora Illustrious, of course. All that remains now is the council behind the King watching his every move," he said.
Zen sat up. "So you wish to manipulate us into diverting our loyalty from your father to yourself. How do you intend to do that?" The doctor asked, raising his hand quizzically.
"The trait of my aura is designated from birth. Others are compelled to follow my orders and give their life to serve me. However, it seems to work on those dumber than me. For people with strong wills and senses of self like you two, the aura is powerless. Nevertheless, let me ask you—why did you follow the King?"
They were silent.
"So no answer, huh? I can understand that. But the fact remains—my father is dead. The Crown chose me. Unless you two choose to obey me, your departments will lose your leadership and instead be headed by me. Then again, I could always have Apollo steal your abilities…"
On command, Moloch appeared from behind the New King's seat, revealing his youthful appearance with a sinister grin.
"So what will it be? Would you rather lose your abilities and perish at the worst of Displacement's hand or obey me? Then again… perhaps it's unfair to ask you when Raven hasn't arrived yet. She's a Displacement too, right?" Uri asked.
Zen rolled his eyes. "We don't need to wait for her. I care not about who leads this country as long as I continue my research. If that means obeying you, so be it," the doctor said.
"What?" Moon's head snapped to Flaminia beside him. "Are you fucking serious? We're going along with this usurper?!"
"I am. Amati, I don't dislike you so I advise you to join us. I understand you're extremely agitated but it's not like you have much choice. Think about it this way—the New King's appearance will surely reveal insurgents. Those of the Amit Family House, Anthony Whitlock, Alora Illustrious. We will most likely fight them," said Zen.
King Uriel nodded, fist sinking into his cheek. "Indeed. My former friends managed to escape when I took the Crown and in the process, they kidnapped my little sister. I have no intention of letting them escape while they still have her."
"So you plan on deploying us to intercept them." Flaminia stroked his chin covered by the mask hiding his mouth. "We'd need Ms. Raven if you wish to stand even the slightest glimmer of a chance."
Right on cue, the bright-haired Displacement executive entered the chamber—both hands locked behind her back. Raven smiled at her comrades, leading Moon to vent an exasperated sigh.
"He already got you, huh?" asked Amati; head facing the ground.
She shook her head. "As King Uriel said, his aura trait doesn't work on those superior to him. I simply determined he was the correct choice for the title of New King. That's all there is to it."
"I see." Zen stood from his seat, bowing to the King. "Where is the location of these evildoers? I wish to dispose of them immediately," he said.
"They're at the Amits' House. Likely, their entire family reconvened there to discuss plans on what to do moving forward after my usurpation." Uriel turned to face his curly-haired subordinate. "Apollo, go with them, alright?"
"As you wish, sir."
Raven shuffled, standing behind Zen and Moon, throwing her arms around their necks. "Let's start moving. I know you're itching to fight Amit, aren't you?" she asked.
Moon chuckled. "That's true. I always hated that old geezer," he said, standing up with one pocketed hand.
The New King waved away his executive comrades, spinning around in his chair to face the window placed behind him. Removing the Crown atop his head, the young man sighed, resting his fist against the arm of the chair.
"Let's end this quickly, Talen. I don't wanna have to kill you just yet."
Meanwhile, the Amit Family Home.
Valentina hastily opened the front door, watching Talen step inside while holding Marie Barron. She sighed, just about to close the door before Alora pushed it open; Anthony shuffling in behind her. Only then did their backs push against the entrance, rushing to barricade it with cabinets and otherwise.
"What's happening?! Why're you holding the Princess—?" She asked, darting her gaze between her son and his friends.
Talen entered the living room and placed Marie down, tracing his fingers along her neck. He checked her pulse.
"Good. She's still alive."
Tony walked in beside him and bent over, manually opening her closed eyelid. "She can't feel this, can she?" he asked.
Tal scoffed, slapping his friend's hand away. "Don't touch her! She could wake—" he glanced at her and stepped forward, lowering his tone. "She could wake up…"
"So?" Tony shrugged. "You beat her once before, why can't you do it again?"
"Don't be stupid!" Ava stood up from one of the chairs in the living room, standing between Talen and Tony. "My big brother can't invoke the Unconquerable after overusing it. His Fate reserves are depleted, he needs to recharge them," she said.
"That's right." Tal nodded. "Unfortunately, I have to recover before I'm able to fight her again. Anyway, one of you women needs to search her clothes and make sure she doesn't have a tracker inside her or whatever."
Alora shook her head. "That's pointless. Uriel probably already knows he's here—it's only a matter of time before his agents arrive."
"Then I need help. Archer, Tony, I need you two to heal me. If we're going to fight, I need my Fate reserves back—"
The ceiling caved in, a glowing-red tendril slithering from the roof and ensnaring Talen's waist, pulling him through the air to throw him onto the front lawn. Amit groaned, wiping the blood from his lip as he stood up from the grass.
Ava and Archer landed from the air beside their brother, attempting to help him up before receiving two slaps on the back of their heads. The siblings turned around, shocked enough to see their burly father walk past them both, now standing beside his oldest son. Eros smirked, looking down at Talen with closed eyes. He needn't even speak for his son to understand. The son sighed with a relieved smile, holding his shoulder and stepping back.
Archer and Ava stepped back with him despite the confusion plaguing their faces.
"What's happening? Is he gonna fight for us?" she asked.
Archer nodded. "Looks like it. Warp us further back, sister."
Instantly, the siblings' perspective of the fight became smaller—now outside the range of their father's battle. Archer removed the glove hiding his hand, watching it glow with aura as it hovered over Talen's chest.
"I'm not an expert on soul-aura like everyone else is so I might mess up but this procedure is going to allow you to bypass your limitations and access your aura again for 5 minutes. In that short amount of time, you'll possess the all-powerful Unconquerable technique and be untouchable. The use of techniques that cause overexertion is prohibited. Don't think about the moves you make. Don't fight recklessly, just focus on the battle before you and let your instincts take over everything else from there. Understood, Talen?" His little brother asked.
He chuckled. "Just shut up and do it already."
Eros emerged to fight off the threat of his son's attackers. Unfortunately, they were none other than his former comrades—Doctor Zen Flaminia and Director Moon Amati. The scarlet Fate flowing around the latter was quite gorgeous; the reds mixed to create an oddly-satisfying coloration that soothed the minds of whoever glimpsed it. Moon stepped forward, extending one hand and summoning Fate-staff sharpened on both ends.
Eros smiled. "Amati, your aura has always been a thing of beauty. It saddens me we had to resort to being enemies," he said.
"Hah!" Moon laughed. "What horseshit! You know you're the same as me. A wolf hid in sheep's clothing, waiting to sink its fangs into whoever dares to hurt your cubs. That was how you did things, right?"
"I guess that's right. It's been so long now, that I almost forgot how I got here. I've already completed my journey. But my children's journey is only beginning. As long as you stand in the way of that, I will oppose you."
Eros threw the shades covering his eyes aside, releasing the boundless Fate trapped within his soul. Not only was there so much that it almost scraped the sky, but the shape of it was completely still. Complete control over one's technique—the embodiment of a Master of Fate.
Zen smirked. "How beautiful," the doctor said.
"I forget how wonderful your abilities are. I take back everything I said about you, old man. You are the embodiment of a true warrior. Let's take this… to the death."
The high he received from the unfathomable Fate sealed within him finally releasing was wonderful. Eros' smile, as pure as they come, beamed directly at Moon as he turned his head and parted his lips.
"Okay."
Trivia: Moon Amati was born on April 25th, 1982. He is 5'10" or 1.78 meters. He is originally from Helenheim, one of the five kingdoms that encompass Kismet. He moved away from his home because of the racist rumors that surround dark-skinned people in the southern kingdoms. Ironically, for the Capital Kingdom of Barronia, there are fewer racists there because there are more brown people in power. The Amit Family House is a prime example. All members of the Family are recognized as influential political figures in the world of Fate in Barronia. Moon believes in Hinduism and is of Indian descent. He wields the 'Retribution and Atonement' Predestined Power.