They found them.
Ulysses could not believe it. Such was almost too good to be true, after hunting for both of those bastards for so long.
The Supreme Commander of the Armada found himself unable to move from his seat, even after the hologram of the ever - so - loyal Armada spy disappeared from view. Images danced through his mind, bloody images of his enemies being evisicrated into a million little chunks as they shrieked about in pain.
At last I have a chance to avenge you, master!
Ulysses' right hand tapped once on the comm link attached to the collar of his uniform coat:
"Captain Sentus Optimus, Royal Guard Captain Quintia Presidos, report to the Supreme Commander's office immediately."
Septimus' left hand tightened around the armrest of his high backed chair. Revenge was so close at hand, he could swear he could reach out and touch it. Such was welcome, truly, after the both of them had invaded his hands for so long, they would at last face justice.
Behind his mask, the Supreme Commander of the Armada allowed his lips to curve, widening into a Cheshire's smile.
You always called me a fool when compared to you, Mercilus, but it would appear that you are the fool this time.
A rap on the doors of his office brought Septimus back into reality.
"Enter."
Rearranging the folds of his uniform, the Supreme Commander of the Armada's gaze turned from the Royal Guard captain to his lieutenant.
"Reporting here as you ordered, Supreme Commander."
Ulysses permitted his gaze to linger a single second longer on his lieutenant Sentus Optimus, locking eyes with the cyborg. He had stood by Septimus' side since nearly the very start, even longer than his first creation Servius Decimus Optimus. It was nearly impossible to not know each other's thought process after so long -
"Our spy has recently informed myself of the location to both of our enemies."
While Sentus Optimus was a fully collected officer, able to keep his human half under a layer of control that Septimus could only wish to have, the almost instinctive flinch of anger that ran through the cyborg marine captain was obvious, a little too obvious almost.
You still hate him, don't you? I do too, Captain, I do as well...
"I want you both to lead a force of at least forty clockworks to Skull Island, where Devereaux and Mercilus are currently hiding. Destroy their headquarters, terminate any and all who dare to fight, and bring both of them back to me, alive."
Once more, the bloody images that had ran through his mind since he had heard from Secundus returned into his mental eye, causing a slight quiver to run through Septimus' form as he suppressed the excited giggle that would have no doubt pushed its way out of his throat if he had not bit it back in the very last second.
"As how you command, Supreme Commander."
Some part of him nudged at him when the words spilled forth from his lips.
Perhaps you should not be so hasty in this, Septimus, Atticus Mercilus is not Adrian Devereaux-
Shut up.
He could not wait any longer to attain the revenge he had awaited for so long!
Ulysses found himself walking briskly over to the only window within his study once both of the clockwork officers had left, clasping his hands behind his back as he gazed outward and into the skyways of Valencia.
As per usual, the world was battered by a heavy storm, slick sheets of rain pounding down upon all who inhabited Valencia, and the many Armada ships that patrolled her skyways; thick clouds making it difficult to tell if it was day or night. Even so, Ulysses still marveled at the beauty that was his homeworld, of her emerald skies and golden windlanes.
None of this would have been possible without... him.
Both of his hands tightened into fists, tears threatening to pour forth from the corners of his eyes again at the memory of the protector of Valencia, the liberator who had scattered Napoleguin's forces into pieces that would never come back together to threaten his fair homeworld or even any other part of the Spiral.
He offered the promise, the vision of a Golden Age, he had saved the entire Spiral-!
Scarlet rage bubbled within Ulysses the same way lava would within a volcano. Rage against the ungrateful bastards of the Resistance, for spreading the propaganda that had branded Kane a monster, for orchestrating his untimely end, pulsated through the Supreme Commander's very core.
How could they not see?! How could they not see his truth?!
What type of sorcery had those hoodoo loving fools cast?!
Had he not worn his mask upon his face, the scowl that twisted his face would have been revealed for all to see.
"Grand Master General."
Ulysses whirled around to face the hologram of the Assassin projected.
"What is it that brought you here, brother?"
Even after so long, even after the bloodbath of Monteriggioni, do not get Ulysses wrong, Septimus had not forgotten his identity as a Assassin of the Brotherhood. It was an undeniable part of him, just as he was a part of the Valencian Armada.
The image shimmered as though there was some sort of disturbance in the strength of the projector signal, rippling in the way a pond would when a pebble was tossed into it.
"We have found the location of another piece of the El Dorado map."
What a coincidence, almost as though the Fates had taken some mercy on him: both of his enemies found along with the location of the map piece, all within the time frame of merely an hour?
"Where is this map piece then?"
"Within the world of Aquila, in the hold of the King of Ithaca, Odysseus, who is currently away in the Trojan War."
Ulysses' brows furrowed behind his mask.
"Are you certain of this, fratello mio?"
"Absolutely so, Grand Master."
Ulysses permitted himself a chuckle.
"Well done brother, well done, grazie for your aide."
Seated upon his throne, Septimus scanned over the assembled elites, all present and seated in their usual positions.
"The location of a map piece has been discovered."
Ulysses spoke with more confidence and power than he had ever spoken, since he became the Supreme Commander of the Armada; enough that it drew the attention of all of the elites present to him.
"Currently it is located within the land of Aquila, in the hands of the Ithacan king Odysseus, Odysseus who is away in the Trojan war."
Almost instantly, the Supreme Commander could notice how Rooke tensed up, not in agitation or any other emotion, but in excitement, though Septimus paid that little attention after.
You do love blood, don't you, General Rooke? Then you shall have more soon enough, I guarantee.
"If we provide Odysseus with aide in this war, then wouldn't he not hand the piece over without a fight?"
Ulysses paused, allowing it to sink in.
"The Serpents of Illios is no match against the superior technology of the Armada, so what chance do they stand against us, if we are to stand next to Odysseus? It would take no effort for us to destroy all of them for the eagles, and in turn, no effort to take the piece of El Dorado map."
Rooke spoke up next, the excitement nearly palpable in his words.
"I take you fully intend to take a force of our soldiers into that world and join in the war, Commander?"
But of course, how else would victory come?
"Precisely so: I will head this exploration personally, you and Deacon shall accompany me on this."
Rooke nodded once, settling back onto his seat; a singular promise of bloodshed could get him riled up as much as a child who was just promised the gift that they had always yearned for. Perhaps it was possible to sway the titan clockwork to his side, after all.
"Acknowledged, Commander: when shall this mission take place then?"
It was Deacon who spoke this time, shifting his hold on the walking stick he never appeared without.
"I want a ship prepared by tomorrow high noon, and prepared to embark at the latest sunset."
"If I may inquire, Commander."
Bishop's rasping words were not loudly spoken, although they caught Septimus' attention nevertheless. The Supreme Commander of the Armada arched a singular eyebrow behind his mask, raising one right hand in a signal for him to continue.
"How exactly do you plan to win this war for King Odysseus? And how did you come to know so much about this Lord of Ithaca?"
Ulysses' hands curled almost instinctively into fists upon the armrests of his throne. He had learned of this particular eagle's name during his first stay in Aquila, when he and his brother attempted to begin their own branch of Assassins -
"I have journeyed the Spiral before for quite a while, Bishop. As for how I plan to go about it: my precise plan is to use our technology to blow up the walls of Troy, which is precisely what is keeping the Eagles from winning the war. Once the walls are down, what is inside the walls would be for the picking."
That was enough to quiet the lanky elite, enough for him to slink back into his seat without another word against Ulysses' plans.
Who else feels that a huge storm is on its way? I cannot possibly be the only one who thinks that this mission Ulysses has assigned to Quintia and Sentus Optimus is just downright suicidal, especially with the way that Atticus is in no way like Adrian who is just a rat that would hide behind everyone, as everyone else did his dirty work for him.
Reviews make me happy :D I love to hear how you all think about this!
Until next time!
-Hades