Both the Viceroy and the rabbit silently trailed behind Mavislin as they approached the palace entrance, the very spot where the blonde and dragoness had first met.
Though the area had once been in disarray, Zenos's stern warnings to the staff had restored it to its former glory, the place now back to its original state.
"I hate it when I have to transform back to my old form this frequently. I'm going to suffer from nasty setbacks or changed appearances..." complained the dragoness as she slowly morphed into her full dragon form.
"Better hold onto your stomachs for this trip. I am turning this three-hour ride into a single hour," mentioned Mavislin, in a gruff voice.
"Huh?!" exclaimed Matt as the dragoness sprinted.
Zenos had to grab the rabbit by his collar to prevent him from tumbling out when they boarded the dragoness, prompting a high-pitched scream that amused Zenos.
Once the blonde effortlessly pulled Matt back onto the dragon's back, they exchanged a silent glance, a shared understanding passing between them in the quiet moment.\
"We shall never speak of this again," growled Mattheos, as he gripped onto the rough plates that lined Mavislin's spine.
"I wasn't planning to."
As the trio crossed into Venom's domain, Matt found himself staring in awe at the landscape unfolding before him. Unlike the barren expanses of Valokia, this place teemed with life.
Lush greenery stretched far and wide, and the homes, though built of sturdy stone, seemed handcrafted, each one spaced generously apart, radiating a peculiar warmth.
It felt less like a country and more like an endless garden, its population surprisingly sparse compared to the bustling places the rabbit had wandered through.
As they pressed further in, the vibrant flora gave way to sturdier, multi-leveled buildings. Roads emerged, lined with horse-drawn carriages and busier sidewalks.
The growing number of townsfolk moved with purpose, though some children paused, eyes wide in wonder, as they gazed at Mavislin's towering figure soaring above. The adults, however, remained indifferent, absorbed in the rhythms of their daily lives.
"The country of Urnsfield—once a battlefield scarred by the futile struggles of the Northern Cartel against the might of the Legion, only to be wrenched from their grasp by the treacherous Prime Team of the Corrupted Syndicate."
"And now, beneath the Syndicate's yoke, it languishes, controlled by their chosen instrument, the Fang. A nation once defiant, now little more than a pawn in their sordid game... how pitifully predictable." described the Viceroy, arms folded.
"Oi, we won the land fair and square. And don't make it sound as if we are torturing its citizens, Venom isn't the type to do so as of late," argued Mavislin, noticeably upset at how Zenos described Urnsfield.
"What do you mean; 'as of late'?!" exclaimed the rabbit, shocked.
"We needed to quell the uproar of citizens so that a mutiny wouldn't surface. Beast made sure of it by wiping out the resistance after he allowed Venom to deploy bio-warfare against them. That's where Venom earned his name and title," elaborated the dragoness.
"So... The Syndicate tamed a nation by poisoning wells? Seems kinda, weak..."
"No. They kidnapped some of the protesters, injected them with a virus, and then let them loose back on the streets without them even knowing they were spreading a deadly disease."
"They weren't affected by it at all, just carriers, but ended up killing others without realizing it. That is the extent that Beast would go to instill order into a country," replied Mavislin, darkly.
"And Venom was okay with that?! I get that things needed to be fixed and prevented but that's quite an overkill."
"Welcome to the Corrupted Syndicate, where there's no such thing as an 'overkill'."
The headquarters of the Research and Poison Division stood as a towering blue structure, capped by a massive dome that immediately caught the attention of both men. Its imposing presence was hard to ignore.
As the dragoness neared the towering black metal gates, she shifted back into her usual form with effortless grace, allowing the trio to touch down on the pavement smoothly.
Beyond the gates, a massive stone staircase rose, leading toward the base of the imposing tower that loomed ahead.
"Even though I am a First Seat, I can't land in the vicinity of another department's main headquarters. And it's been years since I've been here so hopefully we won't get gunned down by popping in," said Mavislin as she approached the gates.
As if Venom had anticipated her arrival, the gates swung open before the dragoness could even lay a hand on them. Surprisingly, there were no guards in sight, only a few bats flitting through the air, their presence lending a faint stir to the otherwise still atmosphere.
The air wasn't completely stale, but there was an unsettling quiet that lingered.