Magnus headed down the hallway with purpose and entered a conference room. Anticipation buzzed in the air as he pushed open the heavy doors, revealing a grand hall filled with high-ranking figures from all corners of the Haven. Regional Governors, Bureaucrats, and Enforcers gathered around the table with solemn expressions.
As he took his seat at the head of the table, the room fell silent, all eyes on him. It was time for the grand meeting to begin, where plans would be laid out, alliances forged, and decisions made that would impact the lives of every citizen in the Haven.
The Supreme Lord felt like he was wearing a throne, and honestly, he kind of looked like one too. But not just any king or emperor; this was a supreme monarch, the ruler of an entire planet. A deity. Not even Lucifer himself could compete with that sort of presence.
No wonder they called him the God Killer.
"Hi, everyone," he began, spreading his arms for attention. "I would like to welcome you all here today."
There was a mix of snickers and grumbles from the crowd. If anything, his presence alone had done more to piss them off than any words ever could. Despite their discomfort, however, they remained quiet enough for now.
"Let us get down to business. My plan is simple: we need to take back our home world."
The room went dead silent, the tension clear as day. They knew exactly what he meant by 'take back'. This wasn't about negotiation anymore; it was about taking back everything they'd lost.
"Our enemies have made themselves very clear. We will no longer sit idly by while they destroy our homeworld."
He paused, letting that sink in before continuing. "They are coming for us. And I say they shall not leave without a fight!"
There was a roar from the crowd, many standing up and cheering. Some clapped, others cheered, but most simply stared wide-eyed and impressed. Even those who didn't agree with his methods couldn't deny his power. At this point, they were willing to follow anyone who seemed capable of leading them out of this mess.
"Now," Magnus continued, "we know what needs to be done. However, we also know that our enemy has access to powerful weapons. We cannot defeat these invaders without them. But we do not possess such weapons ourselves. In order to win this war, we must acquire them."
A few voices raised in protest, and Magnus let out a chuckle.
"You think you can stop me? You think my hands are tied?"
Again, a few voices spoke up, but he silenced them with a wave of his hand.
"I'm not afraid of your petty protests. In fact, I encourage you to voice your opinions. After all, my success depends upon the strength of this body. But I want you to remember something: this isn't a democracy. If you don't like how things are being run, then take it up with me, personally. Understand?"
Everyone nodded, realizing that was the best way to approach it. Now that they had their leader, they would work together until the end.
"Excellent! Very well, now that we're all on the same page, I have a proposition for you. As I'm sure you've all heard by now, the Neutrinos' fleet is heading towards Earth. Of course, we can't allow such an invasion to happen. That would mean the end of everything we hold dear."
The room erupted into cheers again, the people happy to hear that they wouldn't be sitting around twiddling their thumbs while the Neutrinos took over.
"However, we will need some heavy firepower in order to turn the tide. So, I propose we use the Valkyries to take back our world."
This time, the reaction was mixed. Many cheered, but quite a few looked confused. This was the first they'd heard of this plan.
"What do you mean, the Valkyries?"
Magnus raised a finger and addressed them.
"Do you remember the Valkyrie program? Our government created a special force of super soldiers to make use of the Valkyries. They were nothing short of deadly, defeating the enemy single-handedly. And now, they have returned."
At this, the crowd grew silent, unsure how to react. This was new information to them, and they weren't sure whether to believe him or not.
"Why haven't we heard of this before?" someone asked.
"I'm afraid you'll have to ask your government about that. I'm only relaying the facts."
That shut them up, and Magnus took advantage of the silence.
"How do you feel about this? Do we really need to resort to violence against our own kind? Would you rather sit back and watch Earth fall?"
These questions hit home, and the room fell deathly quiet. They understood that he was right. The Valkyries were a big part of the reason why the war ended so quickly, and if they were willing to help, then that was the smart thing to do.
"Then there is no more debate. From this moment on, I hereby declare that Earth belongs to us, and we will take back our home planet."
Magnus held his arms high, letting the entire room see his victory.
"From this day forward, the Valkyrie Program will resume. I have already made arrangements to recruit volunteers. Anyone interested should report to the barracks immediately. Let the war begin!"
With that, the meeting came to a close, everyone rushing out to find a way to join the Valkyrie program. But not all were willing to go through with it. Some wanted to remain loyal to their families, while others still feared the consequences of fighting against their fellow humans. Whatever the case may have been, they did not want to stand in the way of the Supreme Lord.
But there were some who stood firmly behind the Supreme Lord. Those who wanted nothing more than to fight alongside the God Killer. Like the redheaded woman standing next to him.
"So, how does this work?" she asked.
"We'll be training you to become one of our elite forces. Once you're ready, you'll be deployed to Earth. There, you'll face off against the enemy until the job is done."
"Sounds fun, but what about my family? What happens to them?"
Magnus thought carefully about her question.
"I'm sure I can make arrangements for your loved ones. I just need to be sure that you're serious about joining our cause."
She smiled, looking him straight in the eyes.
"I'm more than serious, milord. In fact, I'm honored to serve you."
"Good. Then we have a deal."
And with that, they shook hands. The woman was clearly excited, eager to fight for her home and her people. She would be a valuable asset to the team, and she had already proven herself willing to go above and beyond.
Magnus couldn't help but admire her courage. She was one of many brave souls willing to put their lives on the line for the sake of their country. The Valkyries were about to return for their own benefit, and this time, they'd come to win.
As they left the room, Magnus and the redhead were stopped by a woman in a lab coat.
"Milord, please wait!" the woman cried out.
Magnus paused and turned around. "What is it, doctor?"
The female doctor cleared her throat.
"If I may, milord, I have a suggestion regarding the Valkyries. It's a rather unconventional method, but I believe it could be quite effective."
"I'm listening."
The doctor hesitated for a moment, unsure whether or not to proceed. But, sensing Magnus' impatience, she decided to speak. "What if we used the Valkyries' DNA? We could create a hybrid that would combine their abilities with those of the enemy."
Magnus stroked his chin, contemplating her words.
"Interesting... I'm not sure that would work, but I suppose it's worth a try."
The doctor seemed relieved, glad to have gotten his approval.
"Very well, Doctor. Get it done. I expect results within the next week."
The doctor bowed her head and hurried off, eager to get started on her experiment.
As they walked away, Magnus couldn't help but notice the look on the redhead's face. She was staring at him, her eyes full of admiration.
"What is it?" he asked.
"It's just...you're amazing, milord" she replied, blushing. "To think you'd consider an idea like that...it's inspiring."
"Well, thank you. But don't get your hopes up too high. It might not work."
She nodded, though her expression didn't change.
"Even so, you're willing to give it a shot. And that's all anyone can ask for."
Magnus couldn't deny the warm feeling spreading through his chest at her words. He'd never met anyone who looked up to him so much, and it was rather nice.
"Thank you, Miss...?"
"Kassandra," she replied.
"Well, thank you, Kassandra. I appreciate your support."
Kassandra gave him a bright smile, and Magnus knew that she was the perfect choice to join the Valkyries. With her passion and enthusiasm, she would make a fine addition to the team. And, if his suspicions were correct, she'd become even more powerful than the original Valkyries.