Chapter 2
A blade gently glided through a sand pit, dividing the pit into two. Its tip flickered in reflection of the spectral phenomenon above. Slowly, it came to a stop as it was pulled back.
A soft, yet noticeable stutter can be heard. A clicking echo that stuttered in unison. A last click echoed, jolting attackers to the wielder of the blade.
In swift response, the blade unfolded itself into two as the wielder swiftly manoeuvred across the impending attacks of other swordsmen. The clashing of blades released combusted energy. The dance between attackers and the swift duelist became nearly symphonic.
The duelist allowed the offensive swordsmen to land some combination of attacks before pinning them down calmly. As each swordsmen fell to their back, the duelist narrowed it down to one man.
The duelist twirled the blade elegantly, unarming the man while dropping him down to the ground, right where the line was. The blade hummed in an electrical symphony as it slowly was drawn closer to the man’s face. It quickly shifted to a hand.
“This is for crossing the line earlier.” The duelist spoke.
The man grabbed her hand as the duelist pulled him up.
“You’re getting better.” The man commented.
The duelist pulled off her hood.
“I hope so.” A woman replied with hair covering her face. She pulled her hair back as she stabbed her sword into the ground.
“Lazarus is hosting a meditative session to better harness your aura. Why don’t you and the rest go join in?” She commented.
“Aye aye, Athena.” The man responded as the group left.
“Athena?” A voice called to her.
Athena turned swiftly, seeing the Battlemaster accompanied by the Archer.
“Ava?”
Without hesitation, Ava rushed in for a hug. The friends reunite.
“You look better with long hair.” Ava chuckled.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Athena chuckled back.
“I hate to break the reunion. The matter presented by Pentercost is of utmost importance. I require your presence as well, Sho’u.” Neka stood at the centre beside the two.
“I’m listening.” Athena crossed her arms. Ava stood beside Athena as they both faced Neka.
“I believe we require one more listening party.” He slowly turned to the citadel that stood at the centre of the entire Fortress.
~
The trio stood on a platform as it slowly hovered to the top of the citadel. Their surroundings went from golden architecture carved with elegance to clouds lit in a bright aura. Ava was mesmerised by what she was seeing. It truly felt like heaven. Athena, however, was nervous. She knew where they were going. Who they were meeting. The Conjurers.
The platform halted at the top as they were surrounded by clouds.
“O mighty Conjurers. Leaders of our great cauldron. I present before your eminence, Warrior Athena and Ava Pentercost.” He bowed, seemingly at nothing.
Athena followed, urging Ava to do the same.
They remained looking at the ground, hearing no sounds of footsteps drawing closer or any signs of people.
“How dare you bring an outsider into our divinity?” A woman called out to Neka. Draped in a white cloak with armour plates at her limbs, she looked down at Neka from a cloud above.
“Conjurer Seline, I beg to differ. She acts as a messenger.”
“We care not for conflict outside our jurisdictions.”
A man appeared behind, above such as Seline before him.
“State your presence, Battlemaster.” A voice echoed from the clouds as more Conjurers appeared before him, towering over like gods.
“She claims the Dominion has expanded to the other regions of the Universe.” Neka fearfully stated.
“Nonsensical!” Seline shouted. Other Conjurers echoed their disbelief on such a bold statement.
“The Dominion was never technologically advanced to proceed with such a daring act of aggression.” A conjurer commented as he sat down on a cloud.
Voices overlapped one another. Neka, for once in his servitude of the Cauldron, felt clueless as to how to proceed. Athena frowned at the Battlemaster’s blank expression whilst Ava was fuelling with rage within. Her fast transformation to an angered demeanour exploded.
“Lazy Bastards!” She yelled.
The room grew silent. Neka turned swiftly to Ava, thoroughly grinning through such a motionless mask.
“You chose to sit here in your castles of worship while you neglect the threat that has expunged the galaxy!” She spoke so eloquently in such a tenacious tone. She sounded somewhat hopeful in the eyes of Athena as she listened to the Head Operator.
“Our forces are spread thin to face an enemy we most certainly know can defeat us in days without much effort. We…” She grabbed Athena to balance herself, being deprived of food or water to even stand for a long duration.
“I…travelled the stars on a voyage in the hope to find you. To find people of higher power to help us fight them. To help rid this galaxy of tyranny. To-“
A gushing sound of wind halted her speech. The skies parted to reveal a galactic embrace. A figure hovered down in a golden hue with a heavenly aura. Glowing mostly on its armour platings, it slowly hovered down to Neka’s level. As soon as the figure touched down, the other conjurers kneeled before their eminence.
“Grand Conjurer…” Neka quickly kneeled before the King of the Cauldron.
“Rise, my boy.” The man spoke. As Neka tilted his head up to the Grand Conjurer, he’d notice his features. His aura died down, revealing a clean body of armour. His face, being mostly covered in a metallic mask that resembled a human face, looked down at him as he offered Neka a hand.
Rising to his side, the Grand Conjurer walked towards Ava.
“Your cry is heard, my child.” He looked to Ava, noticing her exhausted stance.
“I understand your desperation for assistance. However, it is against my policy as the Grand Conjurer to grant an outsider such as you for an armada.” He wiped the tear that flowed out of her eyes, hoping she’d understand.
“However, I am reasonable.”
The other two turned to him.
“You claim the Dominion has begun expansion. Bring me proof and I promise you…”
Ava’s eyes looked to his eminence.
“I will lead the entire kingdom of the Firekeep Cauldron to assist your faction in the herald of a new age of peace against the Dominion.”
“I can’t do it alone…They’re too strong.” Ava pleaded. Her weak voice breaking through.
“Understandable.” He swiftly commented. Turning over to Athena, he states…
“Athena Sho’u. With the power within my grasp and the power beyond, I relieve your service to the protection of our homeworld and declare you a Cauldron Protector. If you would so kindly assist your friend in providing me with the evidence as your first assignment, I would be grateful for this promotion.”
Athena turned to Ava in a shocked expression. “I will do as you have assigned, your eminence.” She turned back to the Grand Conjurer.
He slowly strolled over to the Battlemaster.
“Temporarily, Ao Ming will take your role to train the masses. They will need the best duelist in the universe to aid them in their mission.” He continued.”
“I will ensure the mission prevails, my Grand Conjurer.”
“I wish all of you great fortune. The scales of goodwill and darkness rest on your shoulders. All…of our fates is in a free fall. I trust you will succeed.” He slowly hovered back up into the sky as it closed after him. Slowly, the other conjurers retreated into the misty skies.
The order has been given. The scale of war grew bigger than her anticipation. Winning against the Dominion was never an achievable goal for the Allegiance. Athena will not solve this cascade of evil. She knows now that this extreme voyage she put herself under was for this exact moment. The most pivotal point of this entire war had just begun.
It is never a victory or defeat for her anymore. If it were every bone in her body to break, or for her loved ones to perish in the hands of the Dominion Emperor, she’d be willing to let it happen. The evidence must be given. The order has been given. She must answer.
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