There was a deafening silence in the room.
Everyone sat in shock at their new teammate.
Right beside Khun sat Charlotte, the most beautiful woman that team Sweet and Sour had ever seen. She sat with a smiling face and without a single word. Perhaps she enjoyed the awkward atmosphere. Or maybe she simply enjoyed the dumbfounded looks of everyone present.
Wangnan, Arkraptor and Prince had a deep blush on their faces, with Wangnan's nose even bleeding a bit. As for the ladies, they only stared at Charlotte's almost perfect features, enamored by her beauty.
Perhaps this guise is a bit too much... Charlotte thought with a smile.
"Ahem!" No doubt bothered by the silence, Khun was the first one to break the ice.
"Everyone... I'd like you to meet Charlotte. Winston's old teammate and the one that will be helping us on our little quest." He said.
As if shaken out from a deep sleep, everyone twitched back and shook their heads.
"I- I know of her! Goddess! I mean Charlotte! I- I can call you Charlotte right?" Wangnan screamed the first part of his sentence, yet turned quiet at the end.
Charlotte didn't care and nodded.
"You can call me by name. We're going to be teammates here anyways." She said in her melodious voice.
Arkraptor and Prince collectively got up from their seats and went over to her.
Then, they both extended a piece of paper.
"Can I have an autograph?" Said Arkraptor, his face dead serious as if trying to not convey any emotions; in fear of making the lady before him feel uncomfortable. An endeavour that was, unironically, ruined by that same expressionless visage.
"Can I also get a picture!? I'll keep it with me until I die!!" Said Prince, having literal stars in his eyes as if meeting an age old crush.
"Hey no fair! I also want a picture!" Wangnan soon joined then. Charlotte looked at them with a wry smile.
Seeing their excitement, the ladies present couldn't help but smile wryly.
Yihwa clenched her fist with a pissed expression.
"Damn these guys... can't you see perfectly beautiful women that have been right beside you?" She said.
"What? Who? The only beautiful woman here is Goddess Charlotte!" Wangnan exclaimed as if proclaiming the word of the lord.
Smack!
Needless to say, it got him smacked on the head.
Charlotte smiled at their shenanigans and chuckled.
"There's no need to be so excited. As I sad, we are teammates now." Her eyes flashed with a strange expression.
"I'd like to see the results of the training had on you.. The one Winston had you go through, I mean." She said.
Suddenly, Wangnan felt a shiver travel up his spine. But then, he shook his head and ignored it.
"Can we take a picture?! It will look great on my WeChat account!"
"Sure."
"I want one too!"
"You can take one."
"Would you like some nachos, Goddess?"
"I wouldn't be opposed to that."
As the men fluttered along her and the ladies watched with strange expressions, Charlotte couldn't help but have a thought in her mind.
I should've just been Amon. It would've saved the trouble...
Alas, it was too late now.
~~~
It didn't take long for the sun to fall beyond the horizon, shrouding the entire structure in a shade of darkness.
Charlotte continued to he pestered by Wangnan and Co.
But between that, while Miseng was watching a strange movie by the name of 'Quant's Adventure', the television screen abruptly switched off.
Not a second later, the television flashed with light.
"Hello, regulars at the Workshop battle." A voice spoke from the TV.
"I am Io, one of the hosts of the workshop battle. Are you enjoying the beautiful nights of Sephia islands?" The voice said, echoing the in the room.
"The beach here is one of the most beautiful places on the 30th floor middle area. So don't miss it. Now, let us move onto the more important points.
"As you may already know, only so many people can partake in the workshop battle. The vacancies are really few and between, so we have organized a short game for you."
Game? Charlotte narrowed her eyes and illusory threads spreads out from her body.
Not even a second later, she smiled.
She took a step back and disappeared like a phantom. Nobody noticed her leaving.
"And the prize of the game... is the 248 tickets for the Archimedes that will depart in two days!"
The team's eyes widened collectively as they looked towards Khun. Just then, they all heard Yihwa yell out.
"Wait a minute. Where did Charlotte go?!"
Khun instantly turned around and scanned the entire hall. He could have sworn Charlotte was with then right when the broadcast had started.
Where could she have gone? He thought, a small suspicion growing in his heart. Could it be... No, she wouldn't have betrayed us. She has no benefit in doing so. If she did, that would only antagonize Winston for her. Unless...
His eyes narrowed dangerously. She couldn't have been from FUG too right? But then there's no reason for her to introduce herself. If she did so to earn trust, then there's no reason to disappear at a critical moment. But there is one scenario... could it be that she only came to confirm if I was alive? So that she can relay the information back?
Damn! I'm growing a bit paranoid after the betrayal I suffered at Michael and Apple's hands...
Khun's mind spiraled down into thoughts; his developing paranoia getting the best of him. But before he could continue going down into the spiral of thoughts, the announcement continued.
"Only those that have a ticket will get onto the Archimedes! And those that don't will not! Now! Use the item that we shall provide you... and win a ticket for yourself!" The announcer exclaimed. And then, a bright flash of light occurred in front of every regular in the area.
"The name of the game is..."
As the bright light subsided, a firearm came into view. It was a silver revolver with a wooden grip.
"One Shot! One Opportunity!"
~~~
30 minutes before the announcement.
FUG's temporary base-
Reflejo, the servant of the slayer Karaka stood atop his residential building.
His figure was draped in a dark, shadowy robe while his face was covered by a mask.
He looked up into the sky, where the workshop's ship, the Archimedes floated.
He was silent.
Just then, his pocket rung with an unknown caller.
Reflejo looked at the pocket and picked up the call.
"Greetings." He said. "Lord Karaka."
"Reflejo." A hoarse voice came from the pocket. The surrounding darkness seemed to get thicker and more threatening, as if something would pounce out of the shadows and devour one whole.
"How can your humble servant be of use to you? My God?" He asked, keeping a hand to his abdomen and bowing his head to the pocket.
"How is the plan coming along?"
Reflejo nodded and began to speak, his head still in the bowing position.
"The Slayer Candidate is ready. The workshop battles will begin in the time of 2 days. When the finale of the battle arrives, Jue Viole Grace will be converted into the ignition weapon. The seed has already been planted." He explained.
"Very well. Make sure this doesn't fail, Reflejo." Karaka's voice suddenly took on a vicious tone.
"For it won't be a slayer that would gey the weapon... it would be the newest variable."
"Variable?" Reflejo lifted his head a bit.
"Winston Heath." His voice strangely enough, seemed to reverberate in the wind. "The elders have been discussing his potential as a slayer. With his strength, it wouldn't be just a dream to finally end Jahad.
"So make sure this doesn't fail. Understand?"
Reflejo nodded respectfully.
"Yes, God! It won't!"
With that, the caller hung up.
Reflejo stayed in that position for another minute before he got up.
"Winston Heath..." His voice had a weird longing to it.
"If only I was as talented... The Gods are truly cruel."
He said. Perhaps it was to the wind. Perhaps it was to himself, trying to offer the last bit of solace to his heart. Regardless, one thing was certain.
All people are born equal, yet some are born more equal than others.
~~~
Gustavo hovered over the Archimedes. His trenchcoat, whiter than snow fluttered wildly in the wind. In his hands was a cigarette that he took momentary puffs out of.
"What's this?" He narrowed his eyes.
Down below, at the hotel area where the game was to be conducted, he saw something strange.
There, on the tallest building, and even above that, there was a woman.
She had bright blonde hair and was breathtakingly beautiful.
She floated silently in the wind, her entire visage hidden through what seemed to be an illusion. But what was stranger, was a thin string, barely noticable even through his special eyes extending from her body and disappearing into infinity. The string was of such unimaginably thin diameter that he wouldn't have been able to spot it; or perhaps that was just how it's nature was. Not to be spotted.
"Interesting." Gustang said, taking another puff from the cigarette.
Just then, something even stranger happened.
The woman, who had been smiling while looking down turned to look up. Her eyes met Gustang's, something that surprised him since he too, was invisible.
Then, flashing him a wide grin, she winked at him.
"Very Interesting."
~~~
A/N : You're only getting 1600 words today.
I have a crushing stomach pain. I can't think properly.
Anyway, do take the time to donate some power stones and leave a review.
Cheers~