Chapter 36: Behind the Curtain
"Irvine, fucking hurry before they catch us!" I shouted as we ran to the opposite end of the Arch, slipping through the bars and avoiding Galbadian gunfire. We eventually blended in with the screaming and fleeing crowds. We put our weapons away and ran faster, hoping to reach the city's edge before we were caught.
"Ly! Watch it!" I jumped back as a car skid to a halt in front of us. The driver stretched over and opened the passenger side door. Persephone looked at us over her sunglasses impatiently.
"Get in the pair of you!" She ordered. I got in the front and Irvine, not wanting to question, got in the back. We barely got the doors closed before she hit the accelerator and drove off, pedestrians getting out her way as she sped down the streets.
"How did you... how did you know?" Irvine asked, catching his breath from running so much. We ran pretty far from the Arch, considering it's in the middle of the city and we ran a good distance away from it.
"Call it a woman's intuition," She responded. We went to the car rental and she parked the car. "We leave the car here and take the long way to the Hotel."
"Wait the Hotel is right in the middle of the city!" Irvine exclaimed. "We'll be going back into the frying pan."
"Trust me, I can get you there safely," Persephone winked and got out the car. We followed her and walked around the outskirts of the city. She walked fast for being in heels. "We'll need to stay hidden should Galbadian soldiers follow us. I will handle them should we be cornered."
"You know it's not often I'm rescued by a beautiful woman," Irvine flirted. I rolled my eyes, pushing my glasses up the bridge of my nose.
"Don't try it," She stated, although she seemed flattered. "I'm over twice your age."
"Wait we've seen you before," Irvine realised. "You were at the party. You danced with Ly. Why I'll never understand he's got two left feet."
"Mate I'm here," I chimed in. Persephone laughed at us and kept walking. In an hour we arrived at the Hotel. It seemed as though the soldiers and most of the crowds had cleared. Persephone nodded to the receptionist and the three of us went on the elevator up to her room. She unlocked the door and ushered us inside quickly, closing and locking the door.
The room had two single beds. One had a luggage bag on it that had clothes packed into it and some laid out for tomorrow. A smaller bag was also on it. She was obviously leaving soon and couldn't shelter us for long. Still any help was greatly appreciated. A bottle of medication was on the bedside desk. It was the same sort of medication Dante took.
"I'm leaving tomorrow morning," She told us. "I can keep you here until I check-out but for now, relax and get comfortable."
"Thanks mate," I told her, sitting on a chair.
"Yeah, you didn't have to help us. You barely know us after all," Irvine added, breathing in a sigh of relief. Persephone removed her sunglasses and set them down on a desk. "The others though... I hope they're okay."
"I'm sure they will be fine," Persephone tried to assure him even though she looked doubtful. "Vanadium, as I'm sure you know, is very protective. However Antara is dangerous and he will be out for blood."
"You know them?" Irvine asked.
"It is another story for another time, for now you both need to rest," She moved her bags off the bed. "You will both take the beds, I will be leaving rather early so I will be sleeping very little tonight."
"What's the harm in cuddling?" Irvine asked. Persephone laughed softly and shook her head, sitting down and removing her shoes. She took a nightie from behind the pillows and walked off into the bathroom, beginning to remove the short white dress she wore along the way. Honestly, it made both Irvine and I's eyes bulged. She didn't even close the door!
"You are quite the charmer," She commented, coming out wearing the pink nightie that, once again, made our eyes bulged. "The pair of you act as though you've never seen a woman getting changed before." There was an awkward silence before. To be honest both Irvine and I were starting to get embarrassed.
"Well uh..." We both looked away from her awkwardly. "Well it's that..." Irvine stop talking!
"Ah, you're both young and you barely know who I am," She answered for us. "I understand you would be awkward about that. I apologise it's just that I've become very used to having a lot of male company and very little privacy."
"Well just don't ask for a threeway," I told her, making Irvine and Persephone laugh. She then went to get the medication and swallowed the pill whole. "Hey, what exactly does your medication do? Our mate Dante takes the same stuff and he hasn't got a clue." She paused for a while before sighing and shaking her head.
"The medication," She began, sitting on the bed facing us. "Well, it is a genetic complication. Normally food is enough to sustain a person but in some cases the body lacks plasma, which causes the body to grow weak, similar to blood loss," She paused. "The medication allows us to survive."
"How do you know Dante? Are you related?" Irvine asked. She shook her head, completely honest with us.
"No," Was the answer. "I've heard of Dante, though," She seemed rather concerned about him. She must have known him somehow. "If Antara gets Dante on his own there is no telling what he will do. It is not my place to say, but when Dante learns of the reason behind his medication... tell him to go to Esthar. If he asks for me I will point him in the right direction," She sighed, looking at us both. Her eyes seemed sad. "If Vanadium tries to prevent it, you must ignore his warnings. He tries to protect Dante buthis method may only cause more damage."
"Wait more damage?" I asked. "Do you know Oblivion?" Persephone seemed a little shocked at the name, answering my question with her silence. "He's been looking for Vanadium. What has he done?"
"Ly what are you talking about?" Irvine stepped in. You've got no clue what's really going on behind the curtains, mate. You've got no fucking clue.
"It is not my place to say..." She frowned. "I only have surface knowledge about Oblivion's plot but any information I have would appear to be things you would already know..." She stood up. "It's getting late, perhaps you should sleep now."
"My Lord, Antara has returned to report," A man spoke to Atrum Unus. I had only seen the mad God once when he and his mates banished Grace and I into the Void but I never forget a face. He seemed rather calm. I had to keep reminding myself that this as the past. He had yet to banish me two years from now.
"Excellent, what of War?" He asked.
"She has been working to foster war within Gaia and that is progressing perfectly," The man answered. "She is also here to deliver news, if you so wish, but she has reported me to as per usual."
"Send Talbot in," Atrum ordered. The man bowed and left the room, opening the doors for Antara, who walked in calmly, looking the same as he had when we fought him.
"My Lord," He bowed. "Progress on my hunt has come along smoothly. I have incarcerated a former Seraphim. Not just any member, the head of the faction." Atrum walked around. I only realised that I was seeing through his eyes.
"So Vanadium Cross yet lives," He remarked, scoffing at the name. "What of Oblivion?"
"He has not been spotted, only once or twice has he made his presence known," Was the answer. "He seems to be scheming with the Seraphim. No other Seraphim seems to be actively participating with them, however."
"Less rodents to exterminate before we reach our goal," Atrum nodded. "What of Oblivion's pet project? Have any Connections been identified?"
"None, Sir," Antara spoke. "However, there is a former Connection. He no longer possesses a Connection's power, but the history lingers. Lysander Adams is his name." Atrum stopped and strode towards Antara.
"Do not speak lies!" He bellowed. Antara was unflinching. "He is on that planet of Spira with the other two Connections and Oblivion's foolish niece."
"I do not speak lies, he walks with the abomination," They both seem to have known who the abomination was. "He lives as well. I plan to make him suffer more."
"You do realise that if this boy is both on Spira and this Gaia at the same time," Atrum spoke, ignoring the comments about suffering. "That a paradox has occurred. No one can be in two places at once. Not even Superiors."
"Then you should be surprised to know that the Morning Star is also there," Antara seemed unafraid of Atrum. He was mocking him a bit.
"Impossible! He has been reported helping the Le Fay child," Atrum snarled. "I do not care what you do, kill him at once."
"Of course, Sir," Antara nodded. "As for the abomination and the Connection?"
"Do what you wish with that rodent," Atrum scoffed. "Leave Lysander be, for now... as for Vanadium... use him as bait and kill Oblivion. Dismissed."
My eyes seemed to follow Antara our of the room. I seemed to be following him. That man from before was enraged.
"You dare mock a Superior?" He hissed. "Antara Talbot do you forget your place?" Antara held a ball of black smog in his hand threateningly.
"I have known about my place long before you ushered me into this position, Dorin," Was the reply. "I spoke nothing but truths. Solomon is there, defying our goals as he always does. That Connection also defies logic by being there."
"I trust you will deal with the problems?" Dorin asked.
"Of course," Antara sneered, glaring at the man as he walked down the halls.
"Have you no shame, Pestilence?" A woman marched from the shadows, hissing at Antara. "You risk our necks with your reckless words."
"War we rank to low in this chain," He answered. "We should be commanding armies, not doing grunt's work. These Connections are vermin that could be exterminated by any Demon."
"Ah but we should be honoured that we will have our place in history as the ones who killed Death and the Morning Star," A man appeared, more calm than the other two.
"We hold more importance than any of those blasted Superiors!" Antara snapped. "We are Horsemen! The most powerful forces in Utopia!"
"Without the Horsemen of Death we are nothing but an incomplete power," War spoke. "Until the four of us stand together we need the Superiors to survive. We will return to our posts, Famine, stay with Dorin. The man needs assurance that we do not stray. As for you," She glared at Antara. "Return to your post and decimate them."
"I already have a time bomb," He smirked. "Whenever I wish it to detonate, it will."