Nero and the elder gazed at each other through their souls."The name is Arlen and I am offering you a choice",the elder says.
Arlen, they called him, a figure shrouded in mystery and cloaked in a simple, dark robe. His eyes, however, were sharp and piercing, possessing a wisdom that transcended age.
Nero's eyes narrowed, suspicion etched on his face. "What do you want from me?" he growled.
Arlen had been watching Nero from the shadows, studying his movements and tactics. Arlen explains Nero about the offer , He reveals him that he was one of the founding member of a organisation called the Eclipse syndicate.
A group of rebels dedicated to bringing down the corrupt ruling class and freeing the people of Eden from their tyranny.The group that hides its actions under the cover of darkness, like an eclipse obscuring the sun.They all wore a ring with the symbol of the eclipse as a sign of being a member.
"I want you to join us," Arlen says , his eyes shining with conviction.
"We travel villages and towns and eliminate the corrupt leaders just like how you do and give back the freedom to the people ,but now our vision has took a giant leap, we plan to infiltrate the city of Eden, to reach the heart of the royal stronghold and put an end to the current royal bloodline that had been ruining Eden for all these years,"Arlen says with determination.
"Only then can we restore Eden to its former glory,"He says.
Nero smirks and replies,"You really think this small rebellion of yours could challenge the gods themselves "
"That is why we need someone with your... particular set of skills and most importantly the one who shares the same goal as ours.,"Arlen replies.He recognised the flicker of rebellion in Nero's eyes, the same flicker that had ignited in his own heart during the oppressive rule of his years.
Arlen had spent decades building a secret network of allies and informants, waiting for the perfect moment to strike against the oppressors. And in Nero, he saw the key to unlocking the gates of Eden.
Eden ,the nation cloaked in a perpetual twilight, was a jewel guarded by formidable walls which separated itself from the common grounds which was once part of eden now a land of savages .
Nero in fury shouts,"No one from the common grounds have dared to enter Eden or pass its walls or that…. monster who guards them."
"Perhaps the only way to enter Eden is to defeat Tyrell, the colossal guardian and his army who guards the nation's walls , they slaughter any commoner on sight ,Tyrell is a slave to the royal throne and has sworn to protect the nation, regardless of the cost. No one had ever breached the walls, let alone faced Tyrell ,He needs to be put down and for that we need someone like you,"Arlen said, his voice low and gravelly.
Nero's instincts screamed at him to attack, to silence the old man before he could reveal his secret to the world. But something about Arlen's words stayed his hand. Perhaps it was the hint of admiration in his voice, or the glint of steel in his eye. Whatever the reason, Nero hesitated, and Arlen took advantage of the momentary lapse.
"Join me, Nero," Arlen said, his voice dripping with conviction. "Join my allied force, and together we can bring down the walls of Eden. We can defeat Tyrell, the giant guardian who has kept our people enslaved for generations. We can enter the city, and liberate our brothers and sisters from the rule of the royals."
"What makes you think I'm interested?" Nero asked, trying to keep his voice neutral.
Arlen smiled, a wry, knowing smile. "I've watched you, Nero. I've seen the fire in your belly, the hunger for justice that drives you. You're not just a butcher,You are a liberator, masked in vengeance,And I believe that together, we can achieve the impossible."
Nero hesitated, weighing his options. He knew that joining Arlen would mean putting his life on the line, risking everything for a cause that might be doomed from the start. But he also knew that he couldn't continue as the butcher forever, living in the shadows, striking at the fringes of the enemy.
Nero who worked alone all these years doesn't have to carry all the burden himself. He looked at Arlen, at the unwavering conviction in his eyes, and saw not a manipulator but a man who truly believed in the cause.He saw a reflection of the burning desire for justice that had fueled his own actions for so long.
He needed a new path, a new purpose, so he decides to join Arlen.
Arlen's face lit up with a warm smile, and he extended a gnarled hand.As the two men clasped hands,A new chapter began as Nero now joins the Eclipse syndicate sets out on a perilous journey.
And with that, Nero's journey as the Masked Butcher came to an end. He shed his mask, and with Arlen by his side, set out to create a new world. The world would never be the same again, for Nero, the commoner from Eden, had risen to become a force for change, a hero in a world torn apart by conflict and strife.