Rrrrrrrrrr- Qlik-
The door closed behind them.
For the first few seconds, Hope could see a large empty circular room with mosaic floors and spined columns along the walls before darkness engulfed Hope's vision.
But another last thing he saw were stairs.
Silhouettes started to form from a dim blue light high above in the ceiling that opened to another room, the stairs leading and spiraling up like a coiled wire.
Master Leda didn't say much else as she led the way. And Hope followed her in silence.
She held her head high as they climbed the tower's stairs, her gaze locked forward, unwavering, as the cold started to hug around them with each ascending step—their steps echoing against the stone walls.
Finally, they reached the top where the door was already opened. After she came through first, as Hope followed in after her, they entered into the great glass dome.
A large glass dome shelled over them was bathed in soft blue light from the night. Scratches between the dark clouds' slate revealed the hidden firmament in which tiny stars winked here and there that Hope had not seen in a long time. In the waking world that is. His Soul Sea-
'Nope. No. Forget about that.'
Hope quickly shook his head.
But what was the most surprising wasn't the view above, but what was inside the room.
A strong nature smell of greenery, pollen, and sweet fragrance hit his nose. It was still dark in the room, but more forms could be detailed out of shadowed leaves, walled flowers, and tall flower heads with unique petals sprouting in interesting shapes.
Hope stopped in his tracks as he watched Master Leda continue towards the middle of the room.
Hope slightly frowned as it seemed it was just the two of them. "Are we early?"
'And why aren't we turning on any lights?' Hope thought.
"It'll take just a moment." Master Leda said with a hum as she paused in front of a tall, shadowed chair.
Seconds passed.
Then minutes.
And before Hope could call out again, motes of light suddenly appeared in front of her.
Small at first, then it clustered like a dust cloud. It grew in size till it slowly outlined a figure sitting before them.
As the figure was being created, it was as if nature had also awakened in the room. A strange false warm light lit all around them from the flowers as they bloomed and raised their heads as if answering a silent call. The pollen too started to gleam like sun dust and floated like lost particles all around them.
With that procession, more of the room unveiled its full candor. A whole garden was made inside the glass dome, revealing tall plants bearing leaves of vibrant green. Flower stalks entwined around thin spires and curled to display buds that flushed an orange glow from its center.
It happened all in mere seconds of this strange sight as more of the figure became flesh and grounded into this world, flowers turning to face the person as if they were the sun itself.
And there appeared another woman with a luxurious brown tunic dress that lengthened to her feet with a white short cloak hugging her shoulders, her hands gently resting on the wooden armchair. Her brown hair was cut short just above her chin and her bangs stopped just above her eyebrows, her locks framing her deep yellow eyes.
Hope paused.
This was his first time seeing a Master appearing back from the Dream Realm. He had heard they had to tether to one spot, and usually, it was made either in secret or in their quarters from any lurking danger. In other words, it was a weakness that wasn't easily shared.
'So that's Lady Mave...'
Lady Mave's, or Master Mave's, eyes fluttered open before she looked up to meet Leda's expectant gaze. She probably was the same age as Leda if not maybe a couple of years younger.
Mave smiled as if she were greeting a close friend.
"Leda? I know I said I'd come back but I didn't think you'd wait in earnest."
She paused before she tilted her head to see another figure standing far behind her.
"And you brought a guest...I guess it must be serious then."
Hope blinked at the interaction but remained silent.
Master Leda stepped aside and smirked as she followed her gaze.
"We have a situation of sorts." Master Leda then paced down till she reached Hope's side and clamped his shoulder. "Apparently this boy knows something about Operation 114. But of course, first introductions. Service number."
Hope eyed her grip on his shoulder then back at Mave who remained seated, almost as if the slightest movement was of nuisance to her.
Hope swallowed back an annoyed sigh—not necessarily thrilled being at the mercy of two Masters—before speaking. "4185113-H..."
Usually, service numbers nowadays followed a seven-digit format which was followed by two letters of the first and last initials of the person. Of course, the ones who came from the slums did not usually have last names. Last names were seen belonging to the said 'true citizens' of the fortified cities—the ones who deserved their place inside those safe walls.
"I am a soldier of the Army Reserve Force and one of the escorts of the convoy to Acheron."
"Really now...They didn't mention you of the sorts."
"I got separated early on along the way..."
Hope paused as he sensed a slight tension in the air.
'This is getting strange...'
Hope couldn't help but feel that something was off, not that they had dramatic expressions, but their silence was loud. It wasn't like Hope's side job was illegal of the sort. But Hope couldn't dismiss their sharp gaze which looked at him like some lost piece to a puzzle.
Hope continued as he eyed Leda this time. "I assume that you would know what became of the group?"
"Careful now, soldier. All in due time. You must answer us first-"
"They're my teammates. Their status involves me as much as it involves you, Master."
"..." Master Leda frowned.
Then she sighed before she walked away.
"Alright then. But. What I want to know is why a convoy felt the need to go through Mirror City to transport cargo." She said as she enunciated the last word.
Hope blinked.
"..."
'What?'
Master Leda walked over to a bush, but the instant she reached its edge the leaves immediately receded and revealed a wide wooden table underneath with a rough drawn map on its surface.
'That power...'
Hope looked at Mave who...remained motionless in her chair, the only slightest movement being her eyes and head as she returned Hope's gaze.
'I'm...not going to question it.'
"Well?" Leda asked again.
Hope frowned. "We've been taking that route for the past eight months. Twice in each month. If you're concerned of us smuggling stimulants or whatever uncertified artillery, I can assure you that we-"
"Of course, that's not what you've transported." She tapped on the map. "But convoys tend to follow a limited selection of routes. Especially with the heavy loads you so claimed to have carried."
'The hell...'
Hope narrowed his eyes. "You can't accuse me of following orders."
"No. But I do question your motives."
She leaned back and crossed her arms.
"What do you plan to do once you find the rest of your group? Do you intend to get compensated? To be greatly rewarded? I'm sure your goal to Acheron doesn't stop there."
'Tsk. What the hell does she think I am?'
But Hope couldn't think of a way to respond either.
His goal was ultimately to get to Acheron...but he didn't have a plan after that.
Was it too small of a goal in the grand scheme of things?
Hope had been avoiding the problem for some time now, but he should question what the hell he was going to do for the rest of his life.
Was he not 'dreaming big enough' as they would say?
Was he even going to survive properly on his own?
There were a few fleeting thoughts that crossed his mind concerning his Flaw. With the world forgetting him, he could easily partake in assassination, espionage, or theft. But those fields didn't exactly pique anything of interest, and not that he had many either.
Hope looked down at the map and could see a rough drawing of the city and the wasteland—squiggly and humped lines representing ridges, and a few circles spreading throughout the region which represented craters.
The terrain was rough. But the route Hope had taken was even more unbearable. Hope could see partially why she would question such direction, but it wasn't in his knowledge of why command did what they did and said what they said.
"My teammates and I were ordered to report to command and return to base." Hope said as he met her gaze again. "Nothing more. Nothing less. If anything, why is your cohort here in the first place?"
"..."
Master Leda's lips were sealed after that question, and this time avoided his gaze as if she'd been put in a corner. A strange pace of her usual confident self.
Was it a big secret then...?
"Pft!"
A chuckle disturbed the silence.
"Oh, Red Queen," Mave said almost tauntingly. "Cat got your tongue? It's your responsibility to inform your subjects of the truth. Well, at least some of it anyway. If you change your mind, you can simply swing your sword as you wish. No? Then I shall break the news to him-"
"No-" Master Leda sighed. "I will."
But here Leda paused again.
She looked down at the map and a shade of reluctance crossed her face.
"I can't tell you why we're here, soldier. But. Let me ask you one more time...As your teammates have also proclaimed when I've asked them...Are you not involved in any further network of Operation 114?"
"..."
'What the fucking hell-'
"Yes," Hope said flatly.
'It couldn't be that bad, could it?'
But Hope did remember that night something off had happened.
Just before he'd entered his slumber, after he ordered his teammates to check on the cargo, they started shouting something as if in surprise at what they'd found. Hope had only wondered at that time if it was because of the damage the monsters had inflicted. But was it something more...insidious...?
'Don't tell me it's some sort of damn nuclear bomb...'
But what Master Leda would say was beyond what Hope imagined.
She straightened herself and stared Hope into his eyes before breaking the truth.
"Soldier, you've been involved in smuggling civilians from West Base to Acheron," she said. "Perhaps the entire eight months you've been assigned along with your teammates."
"...What?"
"You heard me."