Ephisma, Masane's artificial space city, unofficial headquarters of the Organization's opponents.
Around a large table, some twenty people were gathered and waiting. Disturbing the oppressive silence, they chatted in hushed tones as they waited for the man who had summoned them to appear. They were all leaders of major planets who did not, or no longer, belong to the intergalactic organization. But while they all shared this rejection of the Organization, they were not friends. Their vision of the world and of intergalactic relations left little room for this kind of concept, and it was a strange sight to see all these people who hated getting along with each other sitting at the same negotiating table.
Finally, Zorkiel arrived. Without taking the time to introduce himself, he greeted the assembly, who fell instantly silent at his arrival. He sat down and waited a few seconds before beginning to speak.
"I'm delighted to see you all here, who have answered my call. Together we can show the Organization that we are not to be taken lightly.
He scanned the assembly before continuing. Just as he was about to speak again, he was cut off by a strange green-skinned figure with long ears pulled back and no hair on his head.
-Messire Zorkiel, I understand that you're anxious to move forward on this subject, but it seems to me that we should start by finding out what form our cooperation will take," intervened the interested party.
Zorkiel remained silent for a moment, watching to see who agreed with the Newid's remark. Many seemed to agree, but didn't express it aloud. Zorkiel laughed inwardly. He knew what pathetic hypocrites these leaders were, with only their own interests in mind. They were weak-minded people who were very good at betrayal and baseness. He let them fuss for a moment before resuming.
-It's exactly as you've described it, a cooperation. We all have the same goal here, and we can achieve it by joining forces. That's what I propose we do.
The murmurs died down, and intrigued and worried glances were exchanged over the table.
-You didn't quite understand what I meant," the Newid cleared his throat. It just so happens that several of us are wondering whether you're planning to take the lead in opposing the organization, because if you are, we'd like to have a conversation about it.
This time, there were concurring voices. They might be scum, but they knew when someone wanted to do it to them in reverse. Zorkiel restrained himself from letting out an exasperated sigh.
-As I told you, this cooperation will remain what it is - a cooperation, nothing more. No one will take the lead in this operation. We'll make all the decisions together, and that's how we'll operate.
The voices calmed down a little, but there were still protests, even if they didn't dare to make them out loud. Zorkiel was about to resume when someone he wished hadn't invited himself spoke up. He pursed his lips.
-Fine words, Messire Zorkiel, but who's to say you'll keep them?" came a mature woman's voice from beneath a large burgundy hood.
All voices fell silent. Zorkiel gritted his teeth. The person who had just spoken was none other than Effedrine Namar, none other than Yousmail's mother and undisputed queen of the vampires of Amadeus, the vampire homeworld. She was powerful and respected, but above all she was furious. Furious that the promises made to her daughter had never been kept, and above all that her daughter had only succeeded in making the situation worse each time.
In any case, she held Zorkiel solely responsible for the failure to take complete control of Yerpena by enslaving Seiran and Regent Meolhe. So she wanted to be called to account, and was sure to throw a spanner in the works for Zorkiel's future plans.
-I have no interest in alienating a score of leaders whose support I need to accomplish my purpose," he tried to appease her, trying to remain perfectly calm.
-And what are your plans?" she continued.
He took a deep breath and began his presentation.
-As you know, some time ago, I announced, with the support of Amadeus and certain other leaders here present, that we considered the angel Niris of Egea a threat and wished to imprison him to ensure the survival of all species in the intergalaxy. We also wish him to be tried for his potential dangerousness and locked up to prevent a catastrophe that could happen at any moment. But as there has been no response to this appeal from the intergalaxy or other planets, I propose that we take the next step and declare the very existence of Niris d'Egea an extremely serious disturbance of intergalactic public order.
At the end of his tirade, many applauded. The others approved. He was pleased. Of all the populations represented, many had lost commercial and even military power as a result of the Organization's regulations. And since living beings needed simple solutions to complicated problems, they had all considered the angels to be the instigators of these changes and therefore, de facto, those responsible for their demise. They all had a deep-seated resentment for this species, which they wanted to see brought down at any cost. But none could afford it. For them, Zorkiel was a blessed opportunity.
Effedrine didn't seem to share this opinion.
"A fine project, given that the angels have been extremely powerful since the return of the last master of blades," she ironized, looking at him with her arms crossed in her chair.
Zorkiel refrained from glowering at her. He couldn't let her destabilize his project.
-Niris d'Egea may be powerful, but he won't be able to become more so for some time," he replied, putting forward his best arguments. We've managed to seal the Niyari fragments that his team harvested over the last few months. What's more, we have Princess Meiran with us, defending our cause. We have everything we need to win this battle if we strike before the Master of Blades regains his former power and the Prince of Angels secures more Niyari fragments.
-Fragments that you failed to steal," stressed the vampire.
Zorkiel cursed her inwardly. The woman was stubborn, it was detestable.
-The seal is of the highest level, it will take them more than a year to undo it, believe me.
Effedrine sighed as she straightened up.
-That's what worries me, that we should trust you. You say you don't want to run this operation, but the way things are going, it seems to me that's what's shaping up. You'll excuse me, but I don't have an ounce of confidence in someone with such an obscure past as yours.
She stood up and left the room without giving Zorkiel time to reply. Zorkiel clenched his fist on the table. He hoped the movement she had initiated wouldn't draw too many people behind her. Three other people stood up and followed the vampire's lead, claiming not to have much hope in their fragile operation. Fortunately, the departures stopped there.
-It seems difficult to complete your project in the absence of Queen Effedrine Namar," noted the Newid with a hint of anxiety in his voice.
-There's no need to worry unnecessarily, we can manage just fine without her. She'll have no choice but to join us anyway," said Zorkiel, resting his elbows on the table, his hands clasped in front of his face and his stony gaze fixed on the door that had just closed on the defecators.
A silence dominated the assembly, caused by the coldness emanating from the aura of its chairman. Everyone could feel the darkness that pervaded Zorkiel spreading around them, causing them inexpressible fear. This man was truly frightening.
-How are we going to proceed?" said the Newid, who was the only one brave enough to question him.
-Very simply: we declare war on the Organization," replied Zorkiel, whose gaze had hardened even further. We announce that we consider the Organization an accomplice to a criminal and act in defense of our combined national interests, and we attack the Organization with the aim of eliminating Niris d'Egea, the demonic spirit Niyarii and the last master of the blades.
The announcement sent a chill through the air, but no one said anything. Everyone was expecting it. It was what they wanted in their hearts after all, war with the organization.
---
At the same time, on Noïke, Kampala
The small group finally set foot on land after several long weeks of intergalactic travel through portals and busy lanes. They had finally arrived at Noïke, Kampala, the Organization's space base on the small planet to be precise.
Niris looked up. The sky was pink-gray, almost dull despite its color. Here, the sun rose and set every four and a half hours in winter and every six hours in summer. We were in the middle of summer. It was the ideal place to train in a binary rhythm of six hours of non-stop training, cut short by six hours of sleep followed by six hours of training and so on.
"We've got a long walk back to base, so let's get moving! Lou called out to them.
Behind him, Seiran and Azur stood ready, looking determined. They joined the master of blades and began their march towards their secret base further up the mountain. Noïke was a rocky planet where hardly anyone lived. Its hostile climate made it unattractive, even if its geospatial location and pace made it an excellent military base.
As they walked towards an imposing rocky peak, Niris approached his master.
-Is this an uninhabited planet? I've heard it's hostile to life," he asked, curious.
Lou laughed.
-People think it's uninhabited because its inhabitants are cut off from the world and wouldn't dream of living here, but in reality there are almost half a million people living on Noïke.
-That many? How can it be? There's nothing but rock as far as the eye can see! exclaimed the angel.
Lou smiled at her reaction.
-I've spent a lot of time here, and met some very important people. It's one of the places that forged my ambition as a young master of blades," she explained.
She had a nostalgic look in her eyes. Niris didn't dare speak for fear of interrupting her for good. It was the first time Lou had opened up about her past. Behind him, he sensed Seiran and Azur paying close attention to the story she was telling.
There's a whole community of forgotten people who live here, the so-called defaulters. I'm sure you've never heard of them, because even the Organization doesn't keep track of them anymore.
She turned her gaze and plunged her gray eyes into those of her apprentice. They sparkled, as if they'd returned to a life they'd left behind without realizing it. Niris held his breath.
-Defectors are all living beings who have been subjected to energy experiments," explained the master of blades.
-Energy experiments? wondered Azur. You mean like the ones carried out by Mirthian angels to improve their population's performance in using natural energy?
-Exactly," said Lou, impressed by the Pegasus' knowledge. These experiments never yielded any concrete results, but they left endless wounds on all those who underwent them, and even generations afterwards. Since the Organization has always refused to consider them as a population in their own right, given that the defaulters are a very heterogeneous group of different species, they decided to settle here and set up their own base with the Organization's compensation and by cutting themselves off from the world that rejected them.
Niris's eyes widened. It was the first time he'd heard of such a thing. He was astonished.
-Did we, by any chance, use "change the course of history" on them?
Lou nodded.
-It was their request. They went to see the Empress of Angels personally at the time, and begged her to make them forget history. Of course she refused at first, but seeing their despair and hatred of the world that refused to integrate them as they saw themselves, she gave in. Their existence was forgotten and no one spoke of them anymore. Even the military living on the base were unaware of the existence of an indigenous population on this originally uninhabited planet.
Niris's eyes widened. He had always thought that the exceptional power to "change the course of history" could only be used on angels! Now he discovered that an entire population had benefited from it, only to be wiped off the face of the intergalaxy.
-This power is staggering," murmured Seiran, who was a little frightened at the idea of seeing the existence of a people simply wiped out by its simple use.
Lou took a serious look at his expression.
-Yes, it's an absolutely staggering power and that's why it works in a very particular way," Lou explained, while Niris nodded, knowing what she was going to say. It can only be used to the detriment of its possessor, i.e. angels.
-Against? But in this case...
-One has to wonder about its usefulness, doesn't one? Yet as you can see, this power has rendered countless services to the entire intergalactic community. It has saved lives on more than one occasion.
-It's incredible," he said, as if to himself, while deep in thought.
-How do you know these people even exist?" asked Niris, whose curiosity had been piqued.
Lou gave him a huge smile.
-I came across them by chance! Like you, I'd come here to train on my master's orders. Then one day, after two weeks of training in the same place, I couldn't stand it any longer, so I decided to explore the planet. I travelled the length and breadth of the planet, until I came upon Kampalera, the main city of the defaulters. And there, I discovered an unimaginable world!
Seeing how her eyes sparkled as she recounted, Niris realized that memories very dear to her master lay here. Memories of a Lou who must have been his age and his hopes. A Blademaster in the making, who would later become an intergalactic legend. He didn't really know why, but realizing this touched him deeply. Even if Lou had had moments of weakness in front of him, this was the first time she had seemed so alive. So happy.
-I've made some of the most beautiful encounters of my life on this planet, which is also why I wanted you to come here," she confessed with a warm smile. So that you can build what will make you the angel of tomorrow, the heir to the last master of blades.
Niris swallowed hard. He remembered what she had said to him when he had left her cabin on the Nymphea before setting sail for Noïke with the Sukoï-27. The prince had no idea what had changed her mind, but he was deeply touched. It was the first time she'd referred to him as her successor, even if she hadn't used the word apprentice.
He batted his eyelashes and turned his eyes away so as not to be startled in his emotional outburst. Lou respected his sensitivity and left him alone. This was no time to tease him. Behind him, Seiran wanted to take him in his arms, but he was afraid of embarrassing the angel more than anything else, so he contented himself with catching him and slipping his hand into his, giving him a big, innocent smile.
-Warriors usually go to deserted places to concentrate on their training, not to meet new people! remarked Azur, who was in a teasing mood.
Lou laughed heartily. She loved the fine wit of the Pegasus who enjoyed teasing the angel as much as she did.
-It's a lesson I learned on my way here, and one that my master passed on to me. He confessed to me later that he had sent me because he himself had experienced incredible moments here. He was careful not to tell me because he wanted me to make the same discovery, and frankly, it was a success. In reality, all I do is pass on what I've been taught. The knowledge of the masters is passed down from generation to generation, nothing more.
She winked at Niris, who couldn't help blushing. He didn't know where to put himself now that she was telling him almost directly that he was the future master of the blades by saying that he was the direct heir to her knowledge. He hadn't planned to face that at all! Seiran was just as amused by the situation as the Master of Blades, which made for a comical picture.
-And to answer your question Azur, I think those who isolate themselves to progress are wrong," Lou continued more seriously. We can only progress through contact with others, otherwise we regress. We're made to open up to others and learn from them. If we remain alone, we withdraw into ourselves and quickly lose our way. It's loneliness that drives people down the wrong path, not friendship. I'm talking about true friendship, the kind that uplifts others as well as ourselves.
The Pegasus nodded thoughtfully. He, who at the moment was considerably tempted to distance himself, pondered his words. Would he be able to mourn Meica by remaining connected to the others? Would he find peace by surrounding himself with constant emotional confusion? For the moment he wasn't sure, even if he gave full credence to what Lou had said. Surely he needed time to lick his wounds with those he loved before opening up to others.
The little group walked until first light. There, they set up camp to rest up after their trip, which had not been serious but had nevertheless left them tired. As they ate their meal, an alert flashed on their microchip. Intrigued, they all opened it simultaneously and a message in red appeared in front of them in capital letters.
"The Stellarios opposition group declares war on the International Organization and all its member and allied planets until the criminals Niris of Egea, Lou and the demonic spirit Niyarii are totally annihilated."
Suddenly, the weight of reality fell on the group of friends, who watched the video of Zorkiel's declaration of war in silence. Once the short viewing was over, they finished their plates without saying a word. None of them had the wit to joke anymore.
"Let's get a couple of hours' sleep, then we'll head back to our destination. Niris, you start your training as soon as we get there," Lou ordered.
Her eyes no longer sparkled at all. The others nodded and complied. Lou would stand guard while they rested, and they would leave as soon as their batteries were recharged. The war was on.
END OF SEASON 2