The Infinite Chronicles
Act 4: Onwards
Chapter 13
"So you've been a spy looking out for me all this time" I looked at Ace. "Spy, creep, stalker call it what you want" he replied "I'm just going to be your envoy to Regeum at the moment." "Why exactly is Infinite pissed at Regeum?" Jess questioned "Never seen him that angry at someone." Ace sighed "Long story short, our empire was corrupted back then, and they tricked Jackson and Infinite into doing something wrong, which led to the palace being razed by Infinite in a rage" I whistled "Dang he's really holding out on me."
"Don't get too cocky" Avalon's voice appeared behind my back "WHAT IN THE NAME OF - oh hi Avalon" I recovered badly. "You jumped" Jess snickered "Did not!" I complained "2 feet off your chair Hazel" Ace laughed. "Whatever" I felt my cheeks turn red from embarrassment. "Power is not how much damage you can do," Avalon continued "Power comes from your mind, how much can you control yourself and what is the right decision.". "I…. I do have a lot to learn don't I?" I asked nervously "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it" he reassured me. "Now approaching Regeum Titan, Lieutenant Ace please report to the deck" Atlas's monotone voice said over the speakers. "Alright I'll be right back" I winked at us. Infinite spoke in my head "Can we really trust him?" he asked "He's been my friend for most of my life, I don't see why not" I replied in my thoughts so the rest wouldn't hear "But you forget that he is a spy, it is his job to get close to you" Avalon's voice was now in my head. "You can talk here too?" "Just answer the question" I sighed "Well when you put it that way, it does make me a bit wary of him"
"Alright, ladies and nopon" Ace's voice came over the speakers "We will be arriving at the Imperial Palace docks soon, please get ready" "No" Avalon said. We all stared at him "Tell them to dock us at the normal docks, the one outside the palace." "If you say so, hey! Stop trying to steal the mic from me you robot ``''Logic flawed, I am the AI of this ship" and we could hear them fighting over the intercom. "I think I'll have to seperate them, Atlas doesn't like it when people use his items." Avalon sighed. We soon arrived at the docks, and it was getting late as we spent most of the morning traveling here. "I vote we find an inn to stay at here in Regeum" Jess's voice piqued up. "Meh meh, Steve agree! Back hurt from spending time in the engine fixing it" Steve complained, rubbing his back. "Well I have the perfect solution for you my friend" Ace laughed "Here in Regeum we have some of the best hot springs in all of Echaos." "That will be something we can look forward to once we find a place to stay" I said. "I'll be right along with you all, I just have to pop over to the palace to announce our arrival and other boring formalities" Ace rolled his eyes.
Suddenly he got slammed to the ground. Before I knew it, we had all our weapons drawn, I looked around for threats. Ace just lay on the ground and groaned "Dammit, you got me good" the attacker materialized and pulled Ace to his feet. "Nice to see you Wildcard," Ace rubbed his back. "Ace, you know this guy?" I asked, still holding my sword "He's my blade, master of being a dick and pranks" he explained The blade bowed "Wildcard at your service" he appeared to be somewhat human, with a normal human body and a cold, hard face with brown hair and grey eyes, but some parts of his body seemed to be made of some grey, reflective material. On his back was a giant bow "An ether bow weapon blade" Avalon mused "You don't see that often" "It's not what it looks like" Ace said "Sometimes in battle it changes which makes me use different strategies, most of the time it stays as the bow, other times it can be a great axe or rubber chicken" He didn't look like he was kidding. "Anyway, I've got to go, meet you later at the inn.".
We did finally manage to find the inn, which was the only inn in the whole city, which was strange. "Hey Hazel," Jess' s voice came from my door "The inn has a bar, wanna go for round two?" "Hell no, I'm never going to a bar with you again" "Aw c'mon, your boyfriend Ace will be there!" she teased. "Fine I'll go, but only because I want to see Ace drunk." We hit the hot springs first, which was really nice. There were about four hot springs in total, two for boys and the other two for girls. "That's the stuff!" I exclaimed as me,Jess and Grace slid into the pool. "The stress of the journey really melts away" Grace sighed. Afterwards we went to the bar. "So you think you can outdrink me?" Ace challenged Jess "Sure, you're gonna go down hard" she responded. They went round after round, and finally after round 14 "You do dwink vary buch gerl" Ace slurred before he passed out "Hah I ween!" she said before she also passed out. I looked at Avalon "Does this mean it's a tie?" "I suppose so" he shrugged. We had to carry both of them back to their rooms, Avalon carried Ace while I carried Jess with the help of Zero and Grace picked up Steve who passed out on the first round. "So you're in Regeum huh?" Jackson's appeared in my dreams in yet another void. "Yeah, what happened between you two?" I asked "Long story" he sighed "Just know you shouldn't believe everything the empire says, I hate this place, it's like a corpse in a new suit and makeup, you can tell it's a shithole of a place."
The next morning we all met in the lobby. Ace cradled his head "So who won?" he asked. "It was a tie, you both passed out on the same round" I said. "Round two?" Ace eyed Jess. "Master, may I remind you the audience with the emperor begins tomorrow" Wildcard butted in. "Sheesh you're such a fun killer" he complained. "So what's the plan for today?" I leaned back on my chair. "Well I could show you around," Ace began "If it's fine with your buddy over there" he stared at Avalon. He changed into Infinite "I'm willing to forgive, lets see what the city has become" and so most of our day was spent wandering around Regeum, seeing the technological marvels and the fascinating trinkets and items the shop vendors were selling.
Avalon took me to an armoury, where we found pieces for the straps on my clothes, which were black with some silver squares dotted randomly. It seemed like a lively place, full of happy people, but I couldn't shake Jackson's words out of head. "You wonder if this city is what Jackson described it as" Infinite spoke in my mind. "Yeah, is it really?" I asked "He is not wrong, but not correct either, the city has definitely changed" he replied.
Later at night, we had dinner, which was hilarious because Jess and Ace, who could apparently cook as well, argued over the recipes. "No that's too much salt" Jess said, trying to snatch away the salt shaker from him. ""But with no salt ,there's no taste" he complained. Jess ended up knocking it out of his hands, but it broke and went over the dish they were preparing. "Great" she groaned "Now it's way too salty to even eat" "I can help with that" Wildcard interjected. He scooped up the entire dish that was COVERED in salt mind you, and ate it all in one gulp. "How friend tongue not burning from that amount of salt?" Steve stared at him in awe. He just shrugged it off. So in the end we had to go out and buy some dinner, and then of course went back to the bar. "Master may I remind you once again that you have an audience with the emperor tomorrow" Wildcard scolded him. "Yeah! So what! I'm gonna live forever with this much alcohol, WHOOO!" Ace yelled drunkenly. Wildcard just rolled his eyes before punching him straight in the jaw, knocking him out. "That guys nuts" Infinite stared at his limp body being dragged by Wildcard "He's definitely going to be fun to be around"
The next morning, we prepared in our best clothes as one does when meeting royalty. "May I present to you, your highness, Emperor Marth" an advisor announced as we gathered in the meeting room. There was a balcony where the Emperor was standing and he addressed us. "Greetings my friends" in a formal voice "I see that Lieutenant Ace has successfully brought you here" the Emperor had a warm looking face, blue eyes and had brown hair that was hidden by his crown. "I would like to begin by apologizing to the Aegis for what my forefathers have done." and he actually knelt, everyone else in the room also kneeled before Infinite. "I have seen how much this place has grown, and I am willing to accept your apology, your majesty" he curtsied. "What actually happened?" Jess asked. The advisor yelled "You shall not address the majesty in any-" "Quiet" Emperor Marth interrupted "She may speak and I will reveal the story." We all waited and listened before he finally continued "Long ago my forefather, Emperor Gabriel, was corrupted, he only wanted to do what he wanted and not care for anyone else" he paused before continuing "When the Aegis came with Jackson, he saw an opportunity, he directed the Aegis to the titan Exilium, where he made the party believe Silverius was there and they had to destroy it. Back then Exlium was an enemy of the empire and so Gabriel removed them, but of course it didn't last long. The Aegis blasted and razed most of the palace in rage before he was stopped by Jackson."
I stared at Infinite, he nodded to confirm this. "Guards!" Emperor Marth clapped "Take them away!" "Hold on" I interjected "What's going on?" the palace guards shot some sort of yellow net at our blades. "Ether nets huh? You play dirty" Infinite snarled. "The Aegis must not be allowed to rise, in doing so, so does the dragon" he continued. I drew my weapon but the orb in the middle just flickered and disappeared. "Foolish child, you cannot use your blade's weapon without ether" the advisor laughed. "First of all I'm not a child, second you suck at your job you pompous fuck and third" I lunged toward him, but I got tackled by three guards and I got knocked out.
