As Phoenix tilted his head toward the approaching figure, recognition flashed in his eyes. It was Selene, the Abyssal Enchantress. Her elegant stride through the hall of the Elementals, with her flowing midnight-blue robes and the soft glow of ancient runes etched into her skin, was hard to miss. She stopped just a few feet away from Xenon, her expression a mixture of curiosity and mild disbelief.
"You?" she began, her voice soft but sharp. "How did you end up here?"
Xenon stood with his arms crossed, his face betraying no emotion as he met her gaze. "I didn't have a choice," he said bluntly.
Selene frowned, her brow furrowing in concern. "Some agents won't be happy to see you here, Xenon," she warned, her voice lowering to a near-whisper. "They know your history, your past allegiances. Some might see you as a threat."
Xenon's eyes hardened. "I'm aware," he replied, his tone cold. "But we don't have the luxury of worrying about that now. Cerberus is already on the hunt. If we waste time with small matters like that, we'll just be handing him another fragment of the power stone."
Selene sighed, nodding in reluctant agreement. "Why did you decide to go against the forces of Evangeline?" she asked, though she already had her suspicions.
Xenon glanced away, his eyes narrowing as his mind turned to past memories. "It's personal," he muttered, dismissing the subject.
Selene didn't press further, knowing better than to push Xenon when he didn't want to talk. "Where is the stone fragment now?" she asked instead, turning to Phoenix.
Phoenix, always one for a dramatic answer, smirked and gestured toward Hydra, who stood silently beside him. "It's in his heart."
Selene blinked in surprise, her eyes widening slightly. "His heart?"
"Yeah," Phoenix continued, "when Hydra shifted into his human form, the stone moved from his forehead into his chest, right next to his heart. It's well-hidden now, not easily detectable."
Selene seemed to relax a bit. "That's probably for the best. The less visible it is, the fewer threats you'll attract."
Xenon, still scanning the room as if searching for hidden dangers, let out a huff. Selene turned back to him and Hydra. "If you both are officially joining the Elementals," she said, her tone becoming more businesslike, "you'll need to participate in missions, just like everyone else. You'll start with lower-level assignments, even if you're more than qualified. Phoenix can serve as your supervisor."
Xenon gave her a skeptical look, his arms still crossed. "A supervisor?" he echoed, clearly unimpressed.
Selene's lips curled into a sly smile. "Yes, unless you want them to assign someone else."
Phoenix grinned, puffing out his chest. "You don't want anyone else, trust me."
Hydra, who had been quiet for most of the conversation, looked at Selene with a bit of confusion. "You won't be joining us?"
"No," Selene shook her head. "I'm part of the Z7 branch. Our paths won't cross too often, but don't worry. You've got Phoenix and Xenon with you. You'll be fine."
Without another word, Selene glanced at the time and sighed. "I'm already late for a briefing. Good luck." She gave them one last nod before striding away down the hall, disappearing into the crowd of Elemental agents.
Phoenix, ever the one to break a tense moment, clapped Hydra on the back. "Well, that went well. Now, let's get you both officially signed up."
They made their way to an elevator at the far end of the hall. The ride was quick, but in those few moments, Hydra's mind was reeling. As the doors opened, they stepped out onto the 21st floor—a vast space filled with hundreds of small offices and bustling agents. Some were seated at desks, arguing about their demotions, while others sat slumped in their chairs, clearly distressed about their upcoming missions.
Phoenix led them through the chaos to an office labeled "No. 33." Inside, a tall, graceful elf with black hair and piercing green eyes sat behind a desk. Her elegant fingers flicked through a glowing screen filled with information. She glanced up as they entered, immediately recognizing Phoenix.
"Phoenix," she greeted him with a nod. "What brings you here today?"
Phoenix gestured toward Hydra and Xenon. "These two are joining the Elementals under my supervision," he said, sounding almost proud. "We need to assign them their first mission."
The elf arched a delicate eyebrow, clearly intrigued by the unusual trio. "Under your supervision, huh? Interesting." She leaned back in her chair, looking at Xenon and Hydra with a scrutinizing gaze. "I'll need a blood sample and your names to complete the registration."
Hydra hesitated for a moment, not entirely understanding the process, but Phoenix gave him a reassuring nudge. "Go on, it's standard procedure," he said.
Xenon, ever efficient, stepped forward and offered his blood first, followed by Hydra, who followed suit. Once the samples were taken, the elf input the data into her system, and the glowing screen flickered for a moment before displaying their first mission.
"Looks like you've been assigned a rescue mission," the elf said, her voice businesslike again. "One of our teams went missing on a galactic-level mission. You'll be tasked with locating their last known position and retrieving their partner. It's a standard retrieval mission, but expect complications."
Phoenix gave a quick smile to the elf, who smiled in return. "Thanks, Elara. I owe you one."
"Just don't get them killed, Phoenix," Elara replied with a wink. "That's all the thanks I need."
As they left the office, Hydra's mind was racing again. He looked at Phoenix with wide eyes. "A galactic-level mission?"
Phoenix grinned. "Don't worry. It's only dangerous if you're not prepared. But with me on your side, how could anything go wrong?"
Xenon rolled his eyes but remained silent, already mentally preparing for whatever awaited them on their mission.