Chapter 2

The bustling chatters of voices overlapping one another were surrounded by dark clouds underneath. The red glow of aura coupled with the dark ambience of the setting revealed itself to be the throne.

The Throne of the Emperor.

The empty throne stood over a crowd. The gathering of warriors draped in maroon robes and dark armour were abnormal. It seemed like a gathering orchestrated rarely for such an occasion in a room of great importance.

Multiple warriors extended themselves to look over the rest.

One to be a conqueror himself, forever claiming the title of Lord. Chronos, a humanoid creature embedded within a mask. A mask with one eye. He stood idle as Dunamis appeared beside him.

“I assumed the task has been fulfilled?” He asked, seemingly requesting an update with a serious tone.

“Great Sorcerer! It is a pleasure to be within your presence.” An erratic pitched voice replied.

“It is done. I have gathered the masses. Basilisk and Althir are still in the Vitanian Sector ensuring the bill to be signed prior to his majesty’s command.” The cyclops continued.

Before Dunamis could give applause to the warrior, a man intervened. A man with armour covered in an array across his body. Scars of exotic nature marked across his bodies like tattoos of an extreme.

“Sorcerer Dunamis!” He yelled, demanding an audience from the gathered folk.

In response, he turned. Seeing the man approach him without respect to his entitlement and superiority.

“Bloodshot…How nice of your punctuality.” Dunamis replied. He crossed his arms as means to ensure formality in this exchange.

As the two powerbase conversed, the ginormous doors at the end swung open. A huge beam forced its way into the desolate room as a figure marched through. A figure that demanded respect. A figure that demanded everyone to kneel. A figure of power.

Emperor Soulas, accompanied by his beloved Empress Alesso and their son, Heir Xerxes, marched to their respective thrones where their powerbases awaited to greet the royal family.

The two simply bowed before their grandeur as the Emperor gently sat on his throne of power. The silence bestowed upon him as his family sat down on their thrones grew fearful. A symbol of evil embodied in a figure. In a mask.

The 6 horns that emerged from the sides of his helm reflected the red glow of the Dominion insignia that was behind them. With his presence greeting his followers, he spoke.

“My great disciples…your warmonger.” He extended his hand out as he welcomed the king.

Once again, the doors opened with light protruding in.

Another figure walked in, though it commanded lesser respect from the warriors.

Monarch made his way through. For the first time as Supreme Leader, he met the Emperor’s finest, all of which were grinning at his presence. An odd contrast of the singular speck of purple amidst the darkness and evilness of red around Monarch.

He stopped just by a circle below him. He looked to the side of the throne, where Alesso was sitting. Cross legged and unimpressed by Monarch’s presence, Monarch can’t help but assume an odd character emitting from the Empress. Underneath the judgemental display, a scared kindred spirit.

Before he could look further, his master walked past. The glow of Dunamis’ aura ultimately caught his attention, before panning his view to the Emperor.

A sword was greeted over to his direction, gently pressing over to his neck as a voice demanded.

“You are to kneel before your Emperor.” 

Monarch slowly looked over to the sharp end, slowly drawing closer to his neck.

“Need not for his obedience, Cadmus! The Emperor seeks to make an example.” Dunamis yelled over to the warrior. Silence flooded once again. Monarch waited patiently for the man to drop his guard before looking back to his majesty.

The glowing devilish eyes of Soulas connected with the purple visor of Monarch. The two stared at each other momentarily before Soulas felt an odd aroma fill the room.

“You do not require your conduit, boy.” 

Obliging to his command, Monarch removed it.

“A human?” Xerxes questioned.

Slowly, the quiet surroundings rattled as the hall of warriors were pleased by the presence of, what they percepted as, an inferior life form.

“THE EMPEROR DEMANDS SILENCE!”

A devilish voice, layered with the cries of children, the whimpering of women, and the roars of man, echoed the room. Dunamis, as the voice of the Emperor, ensured a calming environment for his majesty to relay command.

Slowly, the Emperor stood up.

“My fellow warriors. Bred with the blood of conquerors and fuelled by passion for greatness. You are in the midst of a fellow brethren.”

Orion turned over to the other warriors in the room.

“The Monarch was bestowed with the love for power such as you. He walks the same path. Slaughters the same perpetrators. Serves the same cause. He will lead you in the field of battle. He will be an extension of myself as I oversee the invasion of the Dominion to the far reaches of space.” Soulas continued.

Orion’s eyes knew. He was with unpleasant company. Thankfully, not for long.

Amidst the crowd, 4 warriors stepped forward.

“Supreme Leader, my regents.”

Azalea, Koto Ven, Arasmus and Syron all drew their weapons towards him.

“Prove your worth to lead them.” He simply commanded.

Orion knew who they were. Before he joined the cause from the fate he escaped on Earth, the regents were demolishers. Trained by Dunamis as well, they serve to lead a faction should their leader perish under undeserving circumstances. Even when not under Dominion allegiance, they will attempt to seize control over a faction if ordered so. Unfortunately, they were up against the Monarch.

Before they could even move to an offensive stance, Monarch had already drawn his weapon for a brutal blow. Already pinning Arasmus from his desired stance, he went in to attack Syron and Koto, leaving no room for Azalea to manoeuvre for a lethal blow.

His swiftness coupled by his overwhelming strength, he had already relieved Syron and Koto of their weapons. Before Arasmus had the chance to retaliate, he’d launch Koto to disorientate Arasmus, redirecting his charge over to Azalea as he would have successfully defeated the regents.

The display of power convinced the Emperor. It convinced the warriors. Most importantly, it convinced Dunamis. Monarch survived the defeat of Tessa. An arrow was but an obstacle for which he securely fought through.

It was an indication for the king to strike revenge back to his enemies. Back to the head operators.

~

Time passed since the demonstration of power from the Supreme Leader.

He stood fondly as he witnessed the Colossal enter Kang Dae space from the Citadel. His helmet rested on an empty desk in a private room, where Alesso joined him.

“Leave.” She ordered strictly as the guards that accompanied her left the two.

“My beloved advised me to check on your mental stability for this conquest.” 

Orion answered enough through his silence demeanour.

“I am curious…Orion.” 

He swiftly turned over to the Empress in response to that name. His eyebrows caved in as anger fuelled his response.

“I have severed my connection to that alias.” 

“Then who are you?” Alesso stepped forward as she sat on the table, lingering her fingers on Monarch’s helm.

“Are you…Monarch?” She began to tempt the Supreme Leader into a meltdown. She knows his behaviour.

She kicked her legs back and forth. Her amber eyes stared over to Orion’s purple eyes as she awaited a response.

“I am who I need to be.”

“And what may that be?” She gently asked, seeming genuinely curious as she stopped her childish posture.

“Funny…”

She frowned.

“I find it amusing as to how the universe works.”

She frowned once again, confused by his response.

“In my…death…” He said so loosely.

“I was greeted with you. Or what I thought was you but it was a mere dream.” He turned to the Empress.

“You were curious as to who I was…Same as now. Although it would seem that you wanted me to defect from the cause.” He continued.

“I said that Monarch and Orion are one. As much as a protector Orion was, a monstrous tyrant Monarch will be.”

She’d tread lightly. She tried to anticipate Orion’s next move. She was clueless if he was being honest…or constructing a ruse. 

“I thought it to be true. The Empress promotes rebellion against the cause of her beloved, the Emperor…”

She looked over to Orion, appearing slightly innocent in her eyes.

“But it is unlike you.” 

“Indeed.” A mountainous weight of guilt and fear was relieved off her shoulders. For a split moment, she thought her plan was discovered.

A plan in motion for centuries.

“I will execute the lives of rebellion. Crush the skulls of resistance. Insurgents will die in your name…and of course, the Emperor.” He turned back to the view, looking over to the Colossal.

Monarch’s thoughts dwelled on the Empress, who made a quick exit from the room.  An erratic behaviour coming from a woman in such a place of power. Perhaps the rumours could be true.

Perhaps there was a lady who was kind.

A lady who was caring. 

A lady whose heart mimics the brightness of stars.

A lady who dared not bring herself down to commit sins at will.

 A lady who was the embodiment of purity.

One day, the pure lady caught the attention of a monstrous tyrant. A man of evil. A man of cruelty. Even with such devilish attributes, she fell in love. 

Her love, undying and incomprehensible to any throughout the widespread galaxy, casted a spell on the tyrant. A spell, he willingly accepted.

Beyond the evil the man embodied, the pure lady found light. A light only she saw. She cared not for his calvary, nor his kingdom. His throne, nor his victories.

She vowed to bring him to light. A promise that destroyed her.

A promise that engulfed her.

Evil reincarnated, she became.

Angelina.