[{Jarren: The kid was about to die anyway. I could sense the radiation.}]
Maeve looked at the response before the drone did a quick scan of the child. "500 rads, he wasn't going to make it." An operative shot up before reverting back to their work. As much as Maeve hated how quick Jarren was into killing the kid, she knew that it would be the best outcome for him.
[{Maeve:Next time don't kill so quickly}]
Jarren dismissed the message as he looked around.
[{Jarren:Am I done?}]
Maeve who was still soaking up the killing of the child grit her teeth.
[{Maeve: Not yet. We'll want you to go back to that hole and watch what happens. Kill anything that comes out of that hellhole}]
"Miss Maeve, that wasn't part of the plan?!" One of them dared to speak however a quick glance from her was enough to silence them. Jarren, aware that she was now clouded by her emotions went through with her orders.
In a matter of hours he was back at the cave, darkness still engulfing the lands. He sent his four hounds back to the entrance of the hole. The remaining drone was sent into the hole, not for reconnaissance but for provocation.
With a quick sharp dive,the drone was lost into the maw of the hole before the two screens were black. With the main view point being Jarren's, they waited for the atrocity resting at the bottom of the hole to emerge.
...
Nothing happened much to Maeve's expectations. "Send in your hounds." An order Jarren dutifully executed to which even they went silent.
[{Maeve: Do you feel anything?}]
[{Jarren: Nothing, only a free fall}]
Jarren now perched on top of a tree mused. It's scorched stature standing out thanks to Jarren's presence. At the base were two extra hounds ready to lash out at any incoming danger.
[{Jarren: They've stopped falling}]
Maeve perked up, her gaze sharpening as she saw through Jarren's visors. The screen was crystal clear showing the faint hue of the sun's rays ready to break the dawn from afar, the devastated state of Othare with the main focus at the hole.
*Boooooom*
The ground rumbled, threatening to push him off his branch but the tree despite it's weak state managed to hold on.
[{Jarren: I feel something huge waking up}]
"ROOOOOAAAARRRRR!!!!!"
A deafening roar filled the sky making Maeve reconsider her plans. And then not just her but the operatives saw it as well. Massive tendrils shot out of the ground stretching miles into the sky bordering on gracing the clouds, each inch of the tendril grotesquely shaped and singed as the four hounds instantly wavered at it's sheer presence.
[{Maeve: Jarren! Pull back now!}]
Jarren didn't bother wasting a second, instantly making a shadow horse hoping to escape the vicinity.
*BAM*
The tendrils fell onto he ground in a manner that blocked his exit. It's height was too huge to get over, attacking it would provoke the beast even further. Jarren formed an eagle to holster him out of the tendrils' reach however his escape plans were foiled.
One of them managed to wrap around his leg bringing him down. He formed a scythe to chop it off but as instantly as he had cut it, it grew right back. "What?!" Maeve who watched the feed felt fear creep up inside her heart. Jarren formed a barrier around his barrier as his hounds dug into the tendrils.
"ROOOOOAAAARRRRR!!!"
The same cry filled the sky an in an instant, Jarren's figure was twisted and bent like a twig, ending his life in an instant.
[{Warning! User is fatality injured or dead to make a connection}]
The visors fell to the ground, showing blood drip off the tendrils Jarren was grabbed in, bones jutting out in graphic ways before his head was mangled off his neck due to blunt force. His once calm and starry eyes opened in horror, his serpentine smile for once gone and replaced with a frown.
His shadows insanity ceased to be, the glasses crushed by the tendrils ending the connection. Maeve was left speechless, her eyes still trying to process what she had just seen. "Miss Maeve, Jarren Velros is dead." The operative watched Maeve collapse onto her chair, her face portraying her disbelief as she muttered to herself.
"I thought that he would live! A monster like him would have found a way to... What am I saying ?! There was no way that he was surviving that! I should have just had him withdraw!" Her face sweat pellets, her breathe hastening as it quickly dawned on her what she had just done.
The death of Jarren Velros, a monster the elites were trying to master was nice dead thanks to her orders. "Will they kill me?" She looked at her coffee brought in by Eric, the faint hazy smoke now gone, what left was something cold, putrid that was begging for her attention.
Still, she knew that keeping this undercover was illogical. Eric would ask questions as well as the three ministers. His parents traumatized with the death of their son. Eric walked in, stunned at her expression as he looked around. "What happened?!" His tone losing his calm professionalism.
The video played where Jarren met his end at the hands of something far darker than they could face. His face went pale, his back drenched in sweat as his body temperature rose. 'A monster like Jarren and now he was dead at their hands.' He could already see the court judging his fate.
As the overseer of the Ark Facility,he would be forced to bear the brunt of Maeve's act. "I thought that if he stayed at the edges then he would..." Maeve broke into incoherent ramblings making Eric's face sour. He cleared his throat, aware of what had to be done.
"Clean yourself up Maeve, we have to let the court know of this." His gaze landed at the screen, his eyes locking with Jarren's cold beady eyes that stared back at the camera.
***
"Are you ready?" James whispered, trying to spruce up Callista who wore her indifference like a mask. "Fine as I'll ever be dad. I'm not a little kid anymore." Her words flat as her gray eyes locked with her father's. She recalled how she would look up to, admire his efforts when growing up but now, it was something that bordered ridicule.
She felt like she wasn't looking at a father but a fool focused on the world when there was more to it. Other realities, other planes of existence and higher states of being. An explanation of the madness she had come to learn would be the equivalent to trying to educate a dog quantum mechanics.
James let out a sigh, taking the sight of Callista who looked at him with indifference. It didn't feel like a gaze between a father and daughter but between two complete strangers teetering on enemies. "...That's great, I'll meet you inside." James took the initiative taking a step in the royal court leaving Callista alone.
She felt the silence once as heavy as the ocean placed on her shoulders now familiar to her like second nature. "You may take your entrance." A guard right outside the room urged to which she made her move.
*Boom*
Gazes landed on her figure, some with intrigue, others skepticism which went back to James. At the middle of it all was Atherion whose gaze was the sharpest in the room. She began with simple courtesy, a bow before raising her head to face the king.
"Callista Vaewlyn, daughter of James Vaewlyn, you have been summoned here by the court of Reuthar because of the gift that you wield." The voice measured and sharp as she felt the gazes land on her. Beneath their jeweled smiles she could tell the greed for hunger lurking beneath. To an extent wondering the difference between them and the beasts she faced.
She didn't speak, the silence that followed did. "Please do tell whether such a gift could bring wonders to strengthen our people, to help save this kingdom before it crumbles as others have?" Callista had already anticipated such a response, her head clear as she knew that this was anything but a mere audience.
To some extent the kingdom's survival was placed on her tongue and her next words would carve a path that she wouldn't be able to walk back on. "My king, my gift is not for the kingdom's to command at a whim regardless of the cause. All of you sit here fawning at the thought of power and yet you would choke on it."
Her lips stretched into something that should have been a smile and yet it carried no warmth. "You dare to insult-" A ripple of unease quickly swept through the council. However Callista went on. "Insult? This is a warning. If I were to give you what you desire then the streets of Reuthar would be adorned in your corpses. And if you press me further..." Her head tilted playfully, her gaze landing on the king. "... I'll show you what I'm truly capable of."
The silence that followed was suffocating, James cursed inwardly at her ignorance. 'Does she think that she can rival the crown with such ease?' He saw it as a death wish. Atherion's gaze lingered on Callista, once familiar with her presence thanks to Diana was anything but warm.
"You're walking a dangerous path young lady." He mused, his tone calm and collected. "I'd prefer my path to be laced with obsidian and blood." She chuckled making the council erupt in outrage. Some wished that she met crimes akin to treason, others furious at gee disrespect for the throne while James throughout the entire scene palmed his face in shame and worry.
"You may leave." Everyone in the council was shocked at Atherion's words. Not a trip to the gallows, not jail time but a dismissal. Some wondered whether it was due to James close relation to the king, others citing that she was close friends with Diana.
'I didn't think that she would be so brazen to challenge the entire court to easily.' Atherion smiled inwardly, seeing Callista as nothing more than a child with a hubris too high for her own good. He was log acquainted with the game, seen geniuses fall due to their own pride and she was no different.
"This court is adjourned." He finalized his words before taking his leave. The rest, most dissatisfied could only swallow the disrespect and storm off. Nobles, ministers and elites ridiculed by a girl no older than twenty seven.
...
"Thank you Atherion for your benevolence." James sighed as he made a light bow towards Atherion. "It's nothing, she's just dazed at her own talent is all. She'll quickly realize the grim reality and drop her hubris." Atherion added as he shot a warm smile at James. The door behind them opened, Callista walked in.
"Callista, what you did was unforgivable not only to the king but to the kingdom as well. Apologize quickly to Atherion." James roared however Callista let it brush past her as she took her seat. She glanced at the two, her gaze showing exhaustion and boredom. "Atherion, would you apologize to someone far weaker than you?"
Her question taking the two by surprise. "Hahaha! Yes, I would." James nervously laughed it off hoping that it was a jest meant to appease the king. "That's commendable of you however when the disparity is far too great to cover, would you still do it? After all it's those at the top that decide what is true."
Atherion paused, his brows furrowed as he clutched his jaw. "I would. With your statement, with me being at the top I allow morality to flourish so my answer remains the same." Her gaze remained locked with Atherion's as she went on. "Well I wouldn't bother so why would I apologize to a pathetic corpse to be like you?"
This time the two didn't laugh it off, Atherion's face stern as his voice lowered. "Don't overstep your boundaries little one. You have yet to learn the real world." Callista almost laughed at the absurdity of his words. "The real world? It's a shame but it would seem that it's you who has to learn." She poked back. James knew that there was no way that she could back out now.