Rain pounded the darkened windows of the vehicle transforming the London evening into a blur of golden streetlamps and moving silhouettes. Arthur Cooper straightened the sleeve of his glove, the silver stitching gleaming faintly in the low cabin light. His image, in the glass revealed a face of defined features and controlled composure yet beneath the velvet and chains his heartbeat maintained a constant unyielding pace. This night the equilibrium was destined to change.
The vehicle passed through a hidden entrance at the Tower of London entering a facility absent, from all charts. This place was the Sanctum, the territory where the four groups of the Half Project gathered under a fragile peace. The atmosphere carried scents of ozone, ancient masonry and determination.
An official dressed in grey met him at the secure vault-like entrance. "This way, Chairman Cooper. They are waiting."
They. That term lingered in the air between them. For years the Quadrumvirate had formed a triangle: E.L.F., O.R.C. D.M.N. Three vertices of a pyramid. Now A.G.L. Had accomplished the a functioning stable Genesis Angelic entity, designated Seraph-1. This breakthrough compelled the groups to accept what they had previously rejected as Arthur's heavenly delusion. It earned him this: a place at the ancient perilous table, on Earth.
The room was a departure from the Gothic grandeur of Dover Castle. It was round hewn from plain stone illuminated by a cold directionless glow, from overhead. In the middle rested a table made of black obsidian and surrounding it three figures rotated in unison as he entered.
The atmosphere sparked.
"How kind of you to honor us with your presence, Arthur." The tone was a velvet-draped dagger, spoken by the man seated across. Edgar Walker of D.M.N. Reclined in his chair the satin, inside his tailcoat resembling a gash in the clinical light. His cornrows were meticulous his geometric tattoos a symbol of authority. One flawless red rose embellished his lapel. "We were starting to suspect your... Rise had placed you beyond matters."
To Arthur's side Felicya Aurora of E.L.F. Gazed at him above the edge of her large brass spectacles. Her steampunk style appeared both incongruous and meticulously planned a researcher amid hunters. She gave a nod, her delicate face inscrutable. "The information file, on Seraph-1 was… thorough. I guess congratulations are due. However thoroughness does not equate to openness."
On his left Alexa Solara from O.R.C. Remained silent. She only observed, her piercing blue eyes noticing every detail. Her dark charcoal jacket, with pink lapels boldly challenged the room's blandness. Her quietness spoke volumes throughout the space.
Arthur claimed the spot—the Fourth Seat. The onyx felt chilly despite his garments. "Openness is a privilege, Felicya " he stated, his tone steady, his blue diamond eyes locking with each of theirs sequentially. "One our tasks have never granted us. You obtained the confirmed measurements. Biomass steadiness, lattice soundness, aura emission regulation. The evidence exists."
Edgar pressed his fingers together. "The evidence lies in the fact that you possess a living being that doesn't destroy itself when gazing into a mirror. At not yet. Demonkin Subject Cain-7 remained stable for eighteen months, before it… fell. Why do you believe your winged marvel is any different?"
"Since we did not create a weapon " Arthur stated, his tone intentional. "We nurtured a life form. The fundamental difference lies in the genome. Our aim was balance, not control."
At last Alexa Solara broke the silence her tone sharp and incisive. "Dominance means balance. The powerful control the world. The feeble merely live in it. My orc ancestors grasp this instinctively. What does your 'angel' comprehend? Devotion? Compassion?" She allowed the statement to linger, thick with disdain. "Tender principles, for a world."
"The world remains unaware of our presence " Arthur responded. ". If we achieve our goal it will stay that way indefinitely. The Half Project was designed to raise a heritage to protectorship not to release another hunter."
A soft dry noise slipped from Felicya. She was jotting something down in a brass-edged ledger. "A philosophical split ancient as the Project itself. You describe it as a sprint to the peak. Edgar, a sprint to the point. Alexa, a sprint, to the powerful. I am simply running." She glanced up. "The elf genome is a fabric of possibility. Every strand refined.. Your coming, Arthur alters the equation. Introducing a legitimate race necessitates revising the resource distribution agreements. The secret financing reserves, the genetic procurement systems, the blockade zones surrounding our fortresses… the division can no longer be, among three parties."
The core issue, exposed. This wasn't concerning hospitality. It was, about dominion.
Edgar's grin failed to reach his eyes. "Exactly. The young monarch desires a crown. Yet crowns are seized, never handed over. What does A.G.L. Offer apart, from a dilemma adorned with feathers?"
Arthur had anticipated this. He slipped his hand into his coat. Set a slim data-slate on the black surface. It illuminated, displaying a spinning double-helix structure woven with strands of glowing light. "We carry this. The Harmonic Resonance Sequence. Retrieved from Seraph-1. It's a stabilizing code, Edgar. It might reduce the replication faults that doomed Cain-7. For you Alexa it could adjust the aggression feedback circuit in your orc warriors enabling thinking beyond mere rage. For you Felicya it might transform the acuity of your elves into a manageable instrument rather than a neurological handicap."
The ensuing quiet was complete, heavy, with greed and mistrust.
"Are you really going to share this?" Felicya questioned her pen halted in midair.
"A basic share. A token of trust " Arthur stated. "The Full Project, the effort to create a viable enduring dominant race is at hand. We may devastate each other in a four-way conflict that would reveal us all or we can function, at least for now as a Quadrumvirate. With regulations. With limits."
Alexa bent closer the satin, on her lapels shimmering. "So what are your limits, Angel-Maker? What is it that you desire?"
Arthur locked eyes with her. "A suspension of field trials in areas. An agreement prioritizing confidentiality.. An official acknowledgment that the Half Project is no longer a trio. It is now a quartet. My studies, my assets, my position… stand equal, to yours."
Edgar chuckled, a resonant tone devoid of any warmth. "Equal. You achieved one success. Windsor Castle boasts seven demonkin bloodlines. You dabble with light. Name it creation. We have mastered the spectrum."
". Still " Arthur murmured, "you remain here. Paying attention."
The chamber door slid open with a hiss. The attendant stepped in carrying a sealed crystal box. Resting on a cushion of silk inside were four matching signet rings, each engraved with a distinct elaborate emblem: a leaf, a tusk, a horn and a wing.
"The emblems of the Quadrumvirate " the official intoned. "Created at the inception. The fourth remains… inactive."
Edgar rose, his chair grinding against the floor. He glanced at the ring bearing the horn emblem then shifted his gaze to Arthur, his face cloaked in a measured acceptance. "The rules shift now. Fine. Let it be documented. A.G.L. Is acknowledged." He clasped his ring. ". Know this, Cooper. Holding a spot, at the table doesn't equate to possessing the table. One mistake. One 'angel' spotted where it must not appear.. We shall witness the holiness of your works as they ignite."
Felicya and Alexa each gathered their rings in turn. At last Arthur extended his hand into the box. The ring bearing the winged emblem felt cold. Weighed more than it appeared. He slipped it onto his finger. It fit perfectly as though it had always belonged there.
The agreement was reached. The Fourth Seat was occupied.
However as the chill of the ring pressed against his flesh Arthur Cooper realized the reality. This was no conclusion. It was a proclamation. The cold conflict had. The paradise he aimed to build was now infernally near, to the ground.
"The upcoming conclave is scheduled for three months, from now " Felicya stated, shutting her ledger with a snap. "Let us wish, for everyones benefit that Seraph-1 continues its performance."
They left individually their shadows withdrawing to the nooks of a concealed realm. Arthur went back to his vehicle the rain continuing to pour. He glanced at the ring, on his glove the winged emblem appearing to reflect a light that did not exist.
"To Dover," he told the driver. The engine purred to life. Behind him, the Sanctum sealed itself away, a secret within a secret. The first move was made. The board was set. And the game for the future of creation itself had begun.