Verys awoke with a groggy sensation, a strange weightlessness surrounding him. Fragmented memories flashed through his mind—the sudden attack at the arena, the disappearance of the leaders, the chaos of the battle with the insect-like enemies. Then, a blank. He couldn't recall what happened next.
He opened his eyes, realizing he was submerged in a dark green fluid, suspended in a transparent chamber. Panic gripped him as he tried to move, only to feel the restraints binding his arms and legs. He struggled, twisting his body in desperation, but the restraints held firm.
"Ah, ah, ah… I wouldn't do that if I were you," a young, sing-song voice interrupted. Verys froze, turning his head toward the sound. He couldn't see clearly through the liquid, but the silhouette looked small—like a child.
The figure stepped closer, a hand pressing against the glass. Frost spread from her touch, spidering across the surface. "Stop struggling," she cooed. "You'll only hurt yourself. Besides, it's pointless."
Verys attempted to speak, but the fluid muffled any sound he made. He could only watch as she giggled softly.
"Don't worry," the girl said, her tone almost cheerful. "We'll fix you up real soon." There was a chilling sweetness to her words that made his skin crawl. Without another word, she turned away, skipping lightly to the exit. The door shut with a metallic clang, leaving Verys alone, heart pounding as the frost slowly dissipated from the glass.
Yumiella walked briskly through the chrome-lit hallway, the echo of her footsteps mingling with the faint hum of machinery. She pushed open a heavy door, entering a grand room cluttered with maps, diagrams, and scattered papers. At its center was a circular table, surrounded by ten elaborately carved seats. Despite the grand setup, only three of the seats were currently occupied.
The first was Reinhard, a dark-haired man sitting with a straight back, his expression as sharp as the dagger-like blade strapped to his side. He gave her a quick nod, acknowledging her presence with his usual stern demeanor. Next was Leo, a gaunt, almost skeletal figure who looked too young for the deep shadows under his eyes. He twirled a knife between his fingers, its blade catching the light as he glanced up with a half-smirk. Across from him sat Ren, a teenager with messy blonde hair, shuffling a stack of cards with deft, practiced hands. He grinned as he tried once again to coax Leo into a game.
"C'mon, Leo, just one round," Ren urged, fanning the cards out playfully. "You're not scared of losing to me, are you?"
Leo's eyes narrowed, his smile disappearing as he flicked the knife between his fingers faster. "Try me again, and I'll put that deck through your throat."
Yumiella giggled as she slid into an empty seat, resting her chin on her hands. "Ren, you really can't help yourself, can you?" she teased.
Ren shrugged, flashing a carefree smile. "It's a habit. Besides, it's more fun when Leo gets riled up."
Reinhard cut in, his voice crisp. "Where are the others? We're wasting time."
Yumiella tilted her head innocently. "Still on their assignments, I'd guess. It's just us for now."
Leo slammed his knife into the table, the blade sinking in with a sharp thunk. "Damn it, what's the point of this meeting?" he snapped, glaring at the others.
Reinhard didn't flinch, leaning back in his chair with an air of command. "We can handle things on our own. Yumiella, make your report."
Yumiella's smile widened as she twirled a strand of her hair. "Lancer failed," she admitted lightly, as if it were a trivial inconvenience. "But we did capture one of the kids."
Leo's face twisted in irritation. "If it had been my servant who screwed up like that, they'd be dead already," he muttered, fingers tapping restlessly on the table.
Ren chuckled, shuffling his cards in a rhythmic motion. "You're way too serious, Leo. Relax a little," he said, flashing Yumiella a grin. "So, is the kid any good?"
Yumiella shrugged, tilting her head. "He's only level 2, but there's potential there. We'll see what we can make of it. There were stronger ones, though."
Leo's expression darkened. "We need the other children too. If Lancer can't do it, I'll—"
He was cut off as the door creaked open, pulling everyone's attention away from the table.
Xander walked in, casually brushing his hair back. "Relax, Leo," he said. "The Spirit Queen, Iris, is no joke. Even I wouldn't take her lightly. She's a tricky one."
Ren perked up at this. "Really? If you say so, she must be strong," he said, shuffling his cards with renewed interest.
Leo scoffed, waving his hand dismissively. "It's all just hearsay. You're making excuses, Xander."
He raised an eyebrow, unfazed. "Maybe, but something felt off about her," he continued, stepping closer to the table. "She let herself get pulled into the subspace too easily, and she took her sweet time getting out. I don't know what she's thinking but we might need to rethink our approach before we end up paying the ultimate price."
As he finished, Yumiella sprang up from her seat with a playful grin. "Xander, you're always so serious," she teased, wrapping her arms around him in a sudden embrace.
He didn't miss a beat, casually pushing her away with a gentle wave of his magic. "Not now, Yumiella," he said, his tone light but firm.
She pouted, stepping back with a mock hurt expression. "You're always so mean to me," she complained, crossing her arms. "
Xander continued, "That's the gist of it. We can't ignore the ones with unique magic, especially the girl using spatial barriers. They'll be a priority, but we need more preparation first."
Leo scoffed. "It wouldn't have killed the others to actually show up for this meeting."
Ren chimed in with a grin, shuffling his cards. "How about a game while we wait? You look like you could use the distraction, Leo."
In response, Leo's eyes narrowed, and a crackling green sphere formed in his palm. "Keep talking, and I'll make you regret it."
Reinhard cut in, his voice firm. "Both of you, act like the adults you're supposed to be. We don't have time for your nonsense."
Xander let out a small chuckle. "Good to see the spirit's still high, at least. Reinhard, loosen up a bit will you?"