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Jacin
Jacin scowled at the makeshift stage at the front of the training hall. Other than a podium, it was completely empty, a fact that annoyed him to no end. Seriously, when was this meeting going to start? He didn't have all day!
The door creaked quietly and Jacin looked back at the newcomers. Maybe the Council was finally here? Skies, they'd better be! He'd been waiting here for ten minutes!
He couldn't suppress a groan in disappointment when he saw who they were.
Thorne sauntered over to his team, Cress awkwardly following, and claimed the seat that was (unfortunately) next to Jacin.
"What took you so long?" He hissed.
Thorne waved him off. "Oh, don't be such a drama queen, it's not like the meeting has started."
"You literally have super speed. You should be one of the first people here!"
"You are severely overestimating my dedication to this organisation."
"That's strange seeing as this organisation is the reason you're not rotting in a jail cell somewhere."
"Hey, would you look at that!" Kai suddenly said in an overly cheerful voice, "The Council's arrived!"
Jacin looked up. Sure enough, there were the worlds' most iconic figures, taking their places on the stage. About time!
The Emperor stepped up to the podium and gripped it with both hands. The hall echoed with the sound of splintering wood.
"Fellow superheroes," the Emperor began, "thank you all for coming. I hope that this announcement will not disrupt your daily duties too much."
"Me too." Jacin muttered under his breath. Beside him, Winter elbowed him sharply in the ribs.
"You all know that we have a member of the Lunars in custody, and the Council and I can now announce that we've decided on a suitable punishment for his actions."
Jacin raised an eyebrow. So this meeting was about the Lunars? Maybe this wouldn't be a big waste of time.
"In fact, we are pleased to announce that this punishment can not only be used for further criminal cases but may play a key role as a weapon in the fight against the Lunars."
Okay, definitely not a big waste of time.
"This weapon has already been successfully carried out on many of the prisoners currently held in Placen. With correct usage, the Council believes that it can destroy prodigy crime for good."
Jacin started to tap his foot impatiently. Yes, yes, the Rampions are amazing, now just tell us what the weapon is!
"After its unveiling in the next few days, all teams will receive training for how to use this new weapon, as well as what circumstances will be considered necessary for its use."
The Emperor dipped his head at the crowd of prodigies before him. "The Council thanks you for your attention."
Wait, that's it? After all that praise for whatever this was, they weren't even going to tell them what it actually is? Are they serious?
As the Council moved to leave the stage, Jacin had to accept the fact that they were, no matter how irritated it made him feel.
Evidently, he wasn't the only one annoyed about not actually being told what the new weapon was, as the hall soon filled with cries of outrage and frustration. A discordant chorus of demands to know more were shouted by so many different people that it was impossible to make out the individual words.
General Thunder raised his hands and lighting crackled from his palms, booming over the heads of the army of discontent prodigies. Reluctantly, they all fell silent.
"We understand that you want to know more," General Thunder yelled out at the crowd, "but all information regarding the weapon is classified until the unveiling. We can't risk any information getting out, lest our enemies discover what we're working on."
"You think we're going to go blab to the Lunars about this?" Scarlet's enraged voice replied. Murmurs of agreement followed her statement.
"Not on purpose," the Emperor told her, "but we don't know the nature of the powers of the Lunars' prodigies. They might have mind readers for instance, and if the Blood Moon time is anything to go by, their methods of interrogation are… well, let's just say it'll be hard for you to keep any secrets."
Jacin flinched. The Council had a point there. He'd seen people forced to gouge out their own eyes, press hot pokers into their skin, cut off their fingers, the works. It didn't matter if you were a small toddler or a ninety-year-old man, if the Lunar's thought you had a secret, they would make you spill.
"Well, that was a waste of time." Iko declared once they were safely out of the training hall.
"Hey, the Council revealed as much as they could! Aren't you glad to know that we might actually stand a chance against the Lunars now?" Kai asked. "I know that you've been worried about that."
"Don't read my mind!"
"Personally, I don't think they should have revealed they even have a weapon." Cinder said, "If the Lunars even find out that much, they'd probably storm headquarters trying to find it."
Scarlet raised an eyebrow at her. "Find what? No-one but the Council and maybe some of the scientists actually have any indication as to what it is, and it's not like they're going to keep it on a shelf labelled: "Secret Weapon"."
"And without Cress, they're going to have an even harder time trying to figure out what it is." Thorne put in.
Cress's cheeks grew pink and she fiddled nervously with a lock of hair. "Well, I wasn't the only hacker the Lunar's had."
Thorne smirked at her. "But you were definitely the best."
Cinder sighed. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but Thorne's right. As far as I know, you're the most powerful cyberpath in the world, and the only one who'd actually stand a chance at getting through the Rampion's super security. And Scarlet does have a point that unless they interrogate the Council themselves the Lunars won't actually know what to look for. For now at least, the secret's safe."
"You guys are all just assuming that the weapon will be able to destroy the Lunars." Jacin muttered, "These are the same people with the skies know how many prodigies at their disposal and a way of making them all much stronger."
"You think the Council's just being optimistic?" Iko asked.
"I think they're being desperate. They've only got about three weeks left until the Lunars' deadline. They need a way out, and fast."
The group fell into a worried silence as Jacin's statement sunk in. He could imagine the cogs turning in their heads as they finally realised just how dire the situation was becoming. All of them were old enough to remember what life was like in the Blood Moon Time, how it felt to be constantly afraid for your life, for your father's life, your mother's life, your siblings' lives. Every time you walked out of your home you wondered if you would cross back through that door. Every time you came across some food you would wonder if you would ever eat it. If the Lunars won this next war, all of that would start again.
Suddenly a pair of hands gripped Jacin's arm. Winter smiled up at him, looking unnaturally bright and cheery in the recent gloom that had settled on the group. "Jacin? I need to talk to you for a second."
"Okay…" Jacin agreed warily.
"Great! Meet me outside headquarters."
A/N: I'm still leaving you wondering what the Council's surprise weapon is! Trust me though, you're going to find out what it is really soon. Just sit tight!
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