"Hello, Sanity. The gale of the Wind Chasers has passed, so let us walk around. It would seem the leaves and winds have broken up again." -from the diary of Princess Amelia Fluorestris
Chapter 24- Black Water
Seattle, Washington
United States
May 26, 2020
Real World Time- 8:07 PM
"Welcome back, Ray."
Ray's eyes opened as he heard the familiar voice. His pupils dilated and shivered as they took in the dimming fluorescent lights through the blue visor. Vision blurred a few seconds less than the last time he had logged out of the virtual world. His mind and body were getting accustomed to the transition of the neural transceivers. He flexed his fingers to ward off the numbness and cracked his joints.
It seemed that his body had been unconditionally fooled into believing that his real body had undergone the desperate battle in the dungeon against Athena. He didn't feel the stiffness in his limbs that should have been associated with his fatigue. Ray knew what it was like for the body to experience extreme levels of duress. This allowed him to more quickly associate his current reality with the other one.
Reality, Ray thought. The denotation of the word was becoming lost to him.
Experiencing this world with its inhabitants, the familiar relation between the two, had turned real into something more than a concept.
A vision of Leilan nearly on the verge of tears flashed in his mind. Typical Leilan, she had a soft heart under the exterior that forced a cold indifference at times. Even Verche's emotions were palpable from his shaking hands and the trembling in his voice as Athena returned to them. A pleasant bewilderment had momentarily crossed Leilan's face as Athena regained her senses. Athena's typical stern countenance that they were so used to had crumbled. She collapsed into tears in Verche's arms. Her chokes and sobs nearly made her incoherent as she repeated 'I'm sorry,' over and over again. Seeing Athena succumb to this mix of enmity for herself, and the joy of seeing her comrades had crushed what little emotional defenses Leilan had left.
They cried. And every so often Ray could pick out the whispered 'Thank you' as he rested in Leilan's lap.
His monster partners. They had become so much more to him now.
Ray was jarred back to the present as the color of the room changed when the visor on his helmet retracted. He turned his head and observed the typical neutral expression on his supervisor's face. Something seemed different about her this time though. The line of her mouth betrayed a hidden emotion he couldn't quite place. Fear was the first that came to mind. He convinced himself he was being overly presumptuous due to the drastic nature of the word.
Ray lifted himself forward in his chair. A dizzy spell came over him as his body readjusted to movement. He deliberately slid at an angle in his chair and planted his feet on the ground to face away from Emily. She was holding her words back. Swallowing her angst. He could tell. He glanced up at the camera mounted at a corner of the room. Ray made a motion with his hand to cover his mouth as he spoke and rubbed his eyes that were already perfectly adjusted to the light.
"What's this about?"
Emily crossed one arm over her chest and went to finishing his logout procedure. "We need to talk. Not much time."
Ray nodded and followed her out of the room and into the plain white hallway that led to the glass skywalk, which would then take them to the cafeteria. He always had this feeling that she was up to something. It had been lingering in the back of his mind ever since he had first logged into the virtual world. Perhaps it was even a part of her plan. Giving him information and then saying it was because he was an "underdog." The word hadn't sat right with him. All it took was one poor (or deliberate) choice of words to leave that tiny seed of doubt.
All in all, Ray surmised that they had maybe two minutes for uninterrupted and unmonitored discussion. Whenever a security camera came into view they would settle into an uncomfortable silence.
"I assume you understand what is at stake here," Emily said bluntly.
Ray feigned ignorance. "Huh? What are you talking about?" He gave her a sideways glance.
Emily nodded and returned the look. "Fair enough. I don't expect you to trust me. The information I gave you isn't enough to warrant it. But know this, I'm placing my trust in you because we are desperate. We need you Players and monsters to succeed in that world. If you don't, well, Malkin wins."
By god, Ray thought. She really is desperate.
"Have you ever heard of Blackwater?" Emily asked.
Ray's thoughts froze and his foot caught on the smooth floor. He knew enough about it to understand where this conversation was leading.
Blackwater. It was a private military company founded in 1997 by a former Navy SEAL. The organization had gone through multiple names such as XE Services and Academi after being acquired by private investors following a major fallout. They had contracts with multiple countries working in security, military combat, etc. Despite the fact it was a legit company, the employees were, essentially, mercenaries. Recently they moved into a deal with a company called Cantril that seemed to come out of nowhere, but was claimed to be a subsidiary of a major company based in China.
"I take it you understand," Emily continued as she noted his change in posture. "I am from the same organization. Technically. Blackwater was a front for another organization that operated in secrecy. It was never given a name, and its activities were never recorded. Our members never knew each other's real names or backgrounds. We were responsible for major events in Vietnam, the Afghan War, The War in Somalia, you get the idea. I won't get into too much detail. I joined during the time Blackwater changed hands. Not long after, it was disbanded."
Ray realized his right arm was shaking and clasped his left hand over his elbow to regain control. All along he knew he had become a part of something huge. But he never imagined anything on this scale. She might as well have dropped a bomb in his stomach. This secret group of Blackwater could arguably have been considered the most powerful international military organization in the world. This was information that would get him killed if anyone were to find out. Even the offhand mention of it was catastrophic for both himself and his family.
He felt like a dead man already.
"Now you have a grasp of it," Emily said. Ray could see a small shred of sympathy in her eyes. She blinked once and it was gone.
Ray managed to somewhat regain his composure as they rounded a corner and entered the sky bridge that overlooked the city of Seattle. The city was quiet for the most part. As quiet as a city could possibly get.
"Why are you telling me this? Shit. Why all of a sudden?"
Emily answered without hesitation, "Because you must know what is at stake. You are my best bet. You are my gamble. But hell, I could be full of shit for all you know. You do not need to divulge any information. All I ask is that you keep going as you have been and give me time."
"Time?"
Emily took note of their pace and the number of steps it would take for them to reach the cafeteria. There wasn't much time left.
"I need you to log out of the virtual world at exactly six am tomorrow morning. When you log back in, I need you to stay there for another thirteen hours."
Ray eyed her coolly. "Why?"
"I don't trust anyone else to log you out safely. Gamers binge sometimes when they play games right? As far as everyone else is concerned, this is a game still. Just pretend to willingly have an extended session. That's all I ask."
Ray examined her features again for anything that might be concealed behind her words. He didn't expect to find anything from someone with the training that she described, but that lingering fear was still there. No mistaking it. He couldn't label it as a coincidence seeing it a second time. He had to wonder what she could possibly be capable of if she had any ill-willed intent. If she really wanted to sabotage his logout after seeing him as a threat like she described, then she would have done so already. Ray also had to wonder about the vehemence in her voice when she uttered Malkin's name. Again, she was highly trained in more than just combat. It could all be an act. But from what he could discern in the short time it took to reach the cafeteria, he could see no harm in staying logged into the virtual world for longer than usual. He would only allow his trust to reach so far.
But what if she was telling the truth? What if she really was a part of this secret organization that hid behind Blackwater all this time? He needed allies from his world in order to succeed. War was being waged in two worlds that indirectly affected both their fates.
One step at a time. First, he needed to reach Metatron and Pandora. Thirteen hours in his world was thirteen days in the virtual. He would set his timeline to coincide with Emily's.
Just before they crossed the threshold into the cafeteria, Ray asked one last question, "Do you know about Takamura's universal code?"
Emily nodded quickly. "Yes." And then she added, "I know what you want. I was the same way. Embrace it. But there are those who must suffer for it to happen. Don't ever forget that."
Ray felt a shiver crawl down his spine.
"Although, I suppose that's always been inevitable."
Ray clenched his fist as Emily made her way to the opposite side of the cafeteria. He didn't move until she disappeared.
I see. So that's the kind of person you are. His moment of anger lapsed and an uneasy smirk crept to his lips.
Don't be so sure of that.
The Virtual World
Pirugan Continent, Castle of Satan
In-Game Timer: Day 28
11:47 PM
The quaking of the floor beneath her feet was all the warning she needed. Following the discovery of the army of black mystic knights near the town of Teril, The Divine Queen, Hera, had opted to withhold the information from Satan until more members of Depths Legion were present. Especially Hades.
Contrary to his brutish appearance, Satan was a competent leader with sound judgment and an impressive strategic mind that was hidden behind his one major flaw: rage. He was vulnerable to drastic decisions and uncontrollable furor that led to regrettable outcomes. This was countered by his comrades. Hades was his second-in-command and closest friend. His levelheadedness was necessary in order to keep Satan's emotions from spiraling out of control. Hades was not enough to diminish them entirely though.
Hera flinched involuntarily as the massive double doors behind her exploded under Satan's fist. Splinters of wooden debris and metal bloomed like a devastated flower, leaving nothing left that even resembled a door.
Hera placed a hand over her face and shook her head. Oh boy. Her weariness from the trip was beginning to settle in. She was glad that Persephone had also taken time out of her itinerary to show up and assist in minimizing the damage.
Satan's roar echoed off the walls of the castle, "Players!"
Hera hoped he didn't lose control enough to actually kill one of the Players. Depths Legion still needed them despite their treachery.
Hera wiped off some of the splinters that littered her armor and took a few moments to compose herself. She took a deep breath and made her way to the main hall of the castle where she assumed the shouting war would take place.
Oh boy. She repeated the thought over and over in her head as she descended the stairs.
Many of the pillars had recently collapsed alongside others that had suffered the same fate over the course of years. It was a good thing that hundreds of pillars had been erected to hold up a ceiling that stretched nearly beyond sight. Otherwise, Satan would have already brought the whole castle down on their heads years ago. He would have done the Guardian monsters' work for them.
Hera chuckled at the thought despite herself.
Her moment of respite was short-lived as the Players appeared in the hall alongside their monsters. Hera could pick out a few monster names that were familiar to her as the Players disparaged the Grand Hunters with elation.
The Players' satisfied mood diminished as their view was filled by Satan's massive form. Two of them took a few hesitant steps back, but the leader of the Players, Erenheim, and his right-hand, Kaplin, appeared to be undeterred. Kaplin's posture did not betray his growing apprehension as Satan drove one of his six fists into the floor next to Erenheim. The masks were useful at a time like this.
"What is this I hear about mystic knights near Teril?" Satan roared.
Erenheim placed a hand over his mask and shook his head. "Oh my. Oh my. This is quite unfortunate."
"Unfortunate is an understatement," Hera muttered to herself as she watched the exchange.
She felt a familiar presence next to her and she regarded the fellow Legion monster that now stood beside her.
Hera greeted the beautiful monster with a nod. "Persephone."
Persephone smiled sweetly. "Hello Hera. At it again are we?"
"But of course."
"What happened at Fluorestris..." Persephone trailed off as she recalled the flaming crater that had taken countless lives.
Hera sighed. She understood her fellow monster's distress. "Yeah. If only we had known. I suppose this justifies our mistrust of the Abyssal and the Creators. It's funny how our plan B is going to make us even more desperate than before. Damn, we are going to look so pathetic."
"But at least we have a better idea of what we are getting into," Persephone reasoned.
Hera shrugged. She couldn't deny it. It was one thing to suspect, and an entirely different thing to be aware. They had always questioned the Abyssal's motives and what information it was keeping from them. Then there was the Creator the Abyssal mentioned who had constructed it. The whole situation had put Depths Legion into a tight spot with little choices. So it was only natural that Hera and her allies would take as much advantage of the Abyssal's knowledge as they could.
Persephone threw her long black hair over her shoulder as an excuse to glance inconspicuously at Hades. Her soft mood shifted as she observed him standing next to Kaplin. He had adjusted his feet into a more staggered stance with his arms crossed.
"I may have to step in as well," Persephone surmised.
Hera eyed Hades curiously but didn't recognize anything worthy of note. Persephone's relationship with Hades was more deep and personal than most in Depths Legion. Even though Hades's expression never changed with that bone face, Persephone always seemed capable of discerning his mood. His cloak also hid his body language for the most part. The tone of his voice was as permanent as his lack of expression. But Persephone always knew. Hera was grateful for her presence.
"You do realize that this relationship is simply based on our mutual interests," Erenheim said. "You cannot regulate our actions in an alliance."
"It is unacceptable!" Satan countered. "First the destruction in Fluorestris and now this army. You only strain the relationships of humans and monsters further. This is not part of our agreement. Our condition was to leave the humans out of this."
Erenheim laughed. "They despise you already. I know about the attack on Sarkast. Your reputation is built on hate."
Hades now stepped into the dispute. "And we plan to tear that down and rebuild. That is why Beelzebub has been expelled from our covenant due to his imprudence. He no longer has any relation to us other than this alliance forced on us by your Creator." He eyed Beelzebub coolly who stood off to the side with a mocking grin on his face.
"Oh no," Erenheim said. His grin broadened. "We are just simply taking advantage of your desperation."
Satan growled, "Why you little-"
One of the other masked Players, a female named Cassandra, finally renewed her courage upon seeing her leader stand up to Satan. "So are you not pleased with the assistance his Abyssal has provided?"
Satan clenched his fists in frustration as he felt the argument falling out of his favor. They did not fear him because they believed he could do nothing. The Players knew why they were desperate. The attack on Sarkast had never been intended all those years ago. Beelzebub had initiated a coup and attacked the city knowing full well that there was no way to possibly breach the walls of the military city with their meager forces. Satan knew what Beelzebub's true intentions were: to solidify the hatred between humans and monsters, especially against the Legion. The reason was still unknown, but it had to be related to some interaction between the Creators in the world of Players.
He was about to shout his response when he felt a hand rest gently on his massive arm. He turned to see Hades staring at him. The dark monster shook his head and made a slight bend of his finger upward. Satan frowned, but he soon caught on almost immediately as the lapse in words allowed him to think clearly.
There was one trump card. A Player was nothing without monsters. And above them, even the Creators had no power, no influence, without monsters.
Hera locked eyes with Satan as he turned to her and Persephone. The anger began to die from his eyes as he observed the monsters that willingly followed him. She gave him a confident smirk and simply nodded. She would follow his lead, whatever it may be. She was willing and resigned to what fate Satan brought.
Satan stared at the Players who now glanced at each other uneasily in the unexpected silence.
Hera saw the tattered mask covering Satan's mouth move as he muttered under his breath. It was difficult to make out, but she could tell from his change in attitude that he was about to drop something big.
Alright, Satan, Hera thought. Time to show us your wager.
"We will play along with your game for now," Satan said. He pointed a finger at Erenheim that was close enough to fill the entirety of the Player's vision. "But know this...if you, the Abyssal, or the Creator breach our contract again, one of you will perish. I guarantee it."
Erenheim seemed taken aback by this. "Oh? How can you make such a bold claim?"
The next word Satan uttered turned the entire conversation upside down, "Takamura."
"What?" It was the Player named Alphonse who gasped and shivered at the name.
Even Hades betrayed his surprise as he lowered his hand and stiffened. Satan had taken a step further beyond his expectations.
Hera and Persephone found themselves moving forward as if drawn by some pull of gravity that resonated off of their leader.
Hera's mind was swimming in treacherous waters.
He intends to use Takamura? She thought with disbelief. We don't even...how can we use what he told us?
Satan had just taken a huge gamble. But it seemed to be working. Even Erenheim was now at a loss for words. They knew the power of that name. It was no mystery that Takamura had acted extensively in the virtual world world, but his interactions with Depths Legion had come as a huge surprise to these Players.
Hera grinned now as her excitement built. Well done Satan! Oh this was getting good!
Erenheim's poise shifted drastically once again as Satan's words fully sunk in. He laughed genuinely. "Oh wow! Just...wow! Well Played! Takamura, you sly bastard!"
Satan grinned at Erenheim's lunacy. This Player had a superbly built facade that somehow managed to compliment his sadistic nature. It was all a game to him. A challenge. Satan had just upped the ante and excited them both. The monsters of Depths Legion had become an unpredictable factor. But the typical fear of the unknown that was common to humans was foreign to this man.
As it was to Satan.
Erenheim finally managed to regain control of himself enough to speak. "Oh my employer will not be pleased. But that will be satisfying as well. Good show!" He howled with laughter as he clapped his hands together in applause. "Well then, I look forward to the day when we finally force the Guardians from hiding and take the universal code. Then we can settle this dispute once and for all."
Satan was silent. He wouldn't humor the Player any longer. It was a satisfying enough conclusion.
Erenheim then gave the order for his monsters and Players to depart.
Hades exchanged a few words with his Player partner before reuniting with Satan, Hera, and Persephone.
Hera was ecstatic. She couldn't contain herself any longer. "You realize you just declared war on them in the middle of an alliance right?"
Satan growled, "Correct."
"I didn't expect you to go that far," Hades said as he crossed his arms. "You don't disappoint."
"The Guardian monsters will believe it is the Abyssal who allowed many of us to retain our current levels of power. We even managed to fool the Abyssal into believing it," Persephone added.
Satan turned to Hera. "What did you do with it?"
Hera scoffed at him and feigned a hurt frown. "You really think I would let it leave my sight?"
She reached into her armor and produced a small, metallic disk.
"Didn't Takamura say he was going to give three of these chips to the Guardian monsters? Why do you think that is?" Persephone asked.
"Correct," Hades said. "He is the one true Creator, but we do not know what his intentions were. However, this chip did allow us to prevent the Reversion for some of us and solidify our ruse with the Abyssal. This false sense of control will work well to our advantage. As for the other two chips, I am working on the assumption that it has something to do with Metatron's book."
"What about our fabricated pasts that he mentioned?" Hera added.
"Enough of this," Satan rumbled. "Nothing will come of dwelling on this subject until this war moves forward. And that army in Dragon Territory won't be going anywhere anytime soon. The time will be when Metatron and Pandora are forced out of hiding. We will move from there."
Everyone nodded their assent at his reasoning.
"I want the majority of our defenses concentrated on the spirit jewels that involve the wood, water, and fire attributes. The Guardians aren't stupid. They will figure out a way to disable the other jewels. We will be counting on that." He turned to Hera. "I want you to defend the light spirit jewel at Rhea-Themis temple. Make your defense of the jewel as convincing as possible."
Hera gave him a playful salute. "Heh. You got it."
"Hades. Persephone. Continue as you are for now and regain your power with the use of your Players."
Hades and Persephone nodded.
"When this first major battle reaches its conclusion, the dragons will have no choice but to involve themselves. This will open up an opportunity to quell this army hiding within their borders. We may not be able to seek an audience with the Guardian monsters just yet due to recent events, but the time will come."
The grin was plain on Satan's face despite the mask. "Thank Lo, we won't have to put up this act for much longer."