Could it get any worse?!
Secundus cursed under his breath once more, gathering whatever he could into his coat pockets and weapon belts - boxes of ammo for his pistols, a few knives within their sheathes - it was impossible to pack anything larger than those, not with those Templars stomping down the halls toward his location right this very second.
Damn it all down to the pits of Tartarus in Hades!
He could not comprehend from which point it all started to go wrong, was it his suspicious activity to them when the lieutenant and the captain escaped? Was the wounds he had inflicted onto himself not enough to convince them?
The questions shot through the Armada spy's head at incomprehensible speeds, to the very point where Secundus simply gave up on attempting to give answers to them.
Slinging the strap of his rifle over his shoulder as he ran down the hallway in the opposite direction of the sound of footsteps, Secundus could have sworn that the blood in his veins had turned into ice.
Merda, how could I forget the projector?!
It would be quite an understatement to say that Secundus was angry at himself: he really should have left the projector onboard the Rose, instead of bringing it in here, considering it was the only one he actually owned, as well as the only method for him to contact his superiors.
By this point, retrieving it would be impossible, something that just made the spy wish he could strangle himself for this idiocy.
Non capisci un cazzo, Secundus.
Secundus cursed himself for precisely the twentieth time as he kicked open the door leading out the ancient tunnels, the flimsy wood easily giving out under the strength of his cybernetic limb in a shower of dust and rotten planks, the spy slamming it shut behind him and throwing the chain that had once kept it locked onto the door.
It would not hold them for long, he knew, but any amount of time would be of benefit for him by this point.
"Find that lying dog! I want to tear his flesh from bone myself!"
Adrian's voice called out above all of them, loud and just as arrogant as Secundus had remembered him to be. Though this time, there was something more to his voice, one that sent a shiver down the spy's back. There was no mistaking the true malice in his words, the certainty he would make sure of what he promised happened, if he was to fall prey to those Templars at this point.
Of course, the swashbuckler could very well be simply bluffing about it, although Secundus could not say he would stay around to find out about its credibility.
Heart pounding in his chest and sweat dripping into his eyes, the spy yelped rather loudly and uncharacteristically of himself; nearly stumbling in his run when the sensation of a bullet ripping through his shoulder blade shot through his entire frame. While his limbs were definitely replaced by cybernetic parts, Secundus' torso remained those of a human's, and therefore, the same vulnerability remained.
Just as all the human emotions remained within him - the fear, pride, anger, just to name a few - and in this current time, they threatened to consume him in their unrelenting waves.
The Armada spy did not dare to look back, sprinting down the stairs leading to the docks of the ruin of the pirate utopia: almost breathing a sigh of relief.
His skiff, the Bloody Rose was thankfully still there, still intact, with its scarlet sails and recently reinforced armor and hull; all ready to set off.
Just a few seconds would be all that I need, just a few seconds...
Inwardly, Secundus prayed to whatever god there is for them to take mercy on him, give him a few more seconds (while some other part of the Armada spy could not help but feel utterly disgusted. it had taken only so much to send his usually collected militaristic manners to come crashing down?!) as he frantically rushed around the deck, raising the anchors with the internal cranks of the ship operated by the buttons on the side of the wheel.
The sound of the anchor chains completely retracting and freeing the ship could not have came any slower, in his opinion, and the spy swiftly turned the wheel several times to send the Rose moving out of the docks and into the skyways.
Cease this, soldier, you need to monitor your wounds -
Every part of him cried out in protest, screeching in Secundus' mind for him to cease and take care of the profusely bleeding wound in his back, the pain almost enough to paralyze the spy in his place.
Perhaps it was the fear in him, the fear that he would once more be reduced down into that helpless victim within the Isle of Doom so many years earlier, perhaps it was the loyalty he felt toward the Supreme Commander as the soldier of his Armada, but the pain was dulled, numbed even, within Secundus' mind, it was impossible to tell with the frenzied thoughts.
It was truly surprising that he actually managed to pilot the Rose through the skyways, dodging the many Templar ships that now occupied them ever since the pirates were nearly wiped out from the Spiral by the Supreme Commander's final cleansing -
Secundus felt his own two legs give out underneath him as the Rose finally pushed through the stormgate leading to Monquista (for such was the only way to reach Valencia, the other would be to push into the Port Regal skyway, which would require passing a Templar blockade), collapsing onto his side and all but hyperventilating.
His heart was thundering within his thin chest, at a ferocity that almost had Secundus fearing it would leap out of it at any given second.
To say that previous situation was nightmarish would be more than fitting. He had truly thought he would not make it for a single second, and that very second was enough to allow the infernal serpent he had kept at bay for so long to shatter every bit of mental defense he had ever put up since he became a spy for the Armada, creeping inside of him and biting at every inch it could reach.
Secundus' single human eye closed for a second. It was possible to think just a little more clearly, with his heart rate slowing back to a normal speed.
The spy forced himself back up with his left arm, pushing his body up into a half sitting position against the side of the ship, the Rose still drifting through the Spiral thread leading into the world.
"Cazzo!"
The wound in his back stung with more pain than he could have ever imagined, and his vision swam before him; one of his hands instinctively flew up to touch the broken skin.
Left subclavian punctured.
It was possible to feel, to see the drops of scarlet red dripping onto the planks that made up the deck of the Rose. They splattered into a thousand ruby droplets on the wood, coloring that sleeve of his coat a dark shade of purple.
No. No. NO! I made it so far, I won't be terminated here!
Secundus forced himself back up once more, staggering through the door leading into the captain's cabin -
Dressing the wound was a pain, to say the very least, as he wrapped the bandaging around the area until the spots of red could no longer be seen seeping through the wrapping, after extracting the bullet by digging a red hot blade into his own flesh. However, the spy now supposed it was a better option as opposed to being shot through the throat or heart, to be truthful.
Secundus shivered, though he quickly shrugged it off, buttoning up his black undershirt. He cast a single glance towards his now - bloodstained sleeve, letting out a slight sigh.
This won't be fitting to show before the Supreme Commander, not with my position.
Another shiver ran up his spine at the very thought, his right hand twitching along with the chilling sensation. What would the Commander think of him now - ?
The militaristic part of him pushed it right out of his mind before the thought continued.
You are responsible to report all of this to your Commander, soldier, no matter what. And as a soldier of the Armada, should you not be above the influence of those damned human emotions?
Secundus scowled, casting only one glance to his own torso, raising from his desk and dragging out the chest he had hidden under his bed. The key from his pocket clicked in the lock, and the lid opened without another sound.
The contents of the chest laid in neat folds below a flawless mask, one with a sharply defined face and red painted lips, providing a stark contrast against the pale white of the mask's cheeks.
Delicately lifting the mask out of the chest and laying it atop his bed, Secundus removed his own clothing, replacing it with the elaborately brocaded uniform in the chest, holding it within one hand, his other slinging his rifle over one shoulder (wincing when it brushed over the bandaged wound).
The mask fit flawlessly over his face, the musketeer having donned it in the process of striding once more over to the helms.
It won't be too long before I can return to Valencia.
Secundus noted his surroundings: the Rose was currently drifting through an entire landscape of light orange and yellow, dotted with only a few trees here and there. Such was not exactly unexpected, with how he recalled that Monquista rarely had rain those days, entertaining a nearly desert - like climate nearly year - round.
Tilting his capello to better shield himself from the sun, the Armada spy spun the wheel hard to port, toward the churning stormgate that would lead to the home of the Valencian Armada.
The Bloody Rose responded to his touch almost as well as a trained pet would to the hand of their owner, the skiff turning to the left with flawless grace only something out of Armada craftsmanship could bear.
It inched easily by the Monquistan ships posted there, pressing into the churning stormgate. Not that Secundus expected them to, really, with how the skyway beyond this stormgate was none other than the infamous Avernus Skyways. He usually avoided using this route if possible, though there were also times when this was the only way for the spy to access his homeland -
The sight spread out before him as the Rose pushed into Avernus was something Secundus was sure would have unnerved even the most experienced sailors.
Ship wreckages were virtually everywhere in this skyway, rotten planks of wood drifting aimlessly among the wrecks of the ships unfortunate enough to have met their end here, among the dense fog and the jagged rocks which would surely claim him as well, if not for his own care as he steered the Rose on its familiar path. Inwardly, Secundus thanked his own memories for being so flawless (due to a chip implanted within his skull when he was reborn as the cyborg spy of the Armada).
His fingers tightened around the wheel of the ship.
It was difficult to not see a ship wreckage drift by as he steered the ship, each which poked and prodded at the human part of him -
You could become one of those -
No.
Secundus clenched his jaw, both of his hands tightening around the wheel.
Just a little further, and I would be arriving in Valencia.
It felt as though a massive stone had been lifted from his chest, as the wind faded around him, giving way to show the perfect, emerald green skyways of Valencia.
Secundus had to quite literally pry his hand away from the wheel for a second to take in the sight around him.
Nothing was more welcome, than the sight of the many Armada ships that filled the emerald green skyways after so long.
A smile crossed his lips underneath the mask, the Armada spy turning his ship toward the direction of the massive fortress in the distance. At this distance, Secundus could honestly say, now he certainly can understand why so many of the Templars before him had called this place, the very seat of Armada power, an intimidating sight to behold.
To say that standing before the mechanical fortress known as Cadiz, upon this ship, it would not be exaggerating to say it dwarfed him like being before the home of a god.
This feeling swiftly disappeared, however, when the Rose neared the gates of Cadiz.
"Announce your purpose here and your identity."
"Armada spy Militus Secundus, returning from Skull Island and requesting to see the Supreme Commander's presence immediately."
Yes, it certainly will be fun to try to explain it all to the Commander.
Secundus' hands tightened around the wheel once more, as the gates opened with a mechanical whine to allow the Rose into the docking area of Cadiz.
He could almost swore his heart dropped from his chest and into his stomach, at the sight before him. Indeed, for it was none other than the Supreme Commander in all his intimidating glory, mask and battle regalia included, with one hand resting on the sword at his hip; even with the mask obscuring his face, Secundus was nearly certain the Commander appeared as though he was ready to tear apart the next living being that crossed his path.
"What is it, Secundus?"
The Armada spy had to literally force himself to walk down the gangplank, and drop to a kneeling position on one knee before the Supreme Commander of the Armada. He didn't dare to gaze into those void - like eyes that seemed to burn into the souls of anyone who had the audacity to look into them; keeping his eyes averted and to the ground.
"Commander... I regret to inform you that the Captain Quintia Presidos and your lieutenant Sentus Optimus has fallen prey to the Templars."
Secundus braced himself for a violent outburst from the superior officer. This was not the Commander Kane, but Kane the Second, two very different beings to say the least -
The silence was even more unnerving.
"I tried to free them, but someone raised the alarm."
It was needed for him to continue, much as the spy preferred not have done so, to spare both him and his commander of the awkward silence that would have enveloped the air.
"The captain and your lieutenant fled in the middle of the chaos, but it is uncertain - "
Uncertain, the single dreaded word that frightened any clockwork, for it was the absence of statistical numbers and calculations, which they relied on for nearly everything.
" - If they survived or not."
"I see. Rise, Militus Secundus."
Those five words made Secundus' heart flip over in his chest. One did not need to be intelligent to notice how these words were so quietly spoken, or how the Commander's hands tightened into fists at his side for a single moment, trembling with just barely controlled rage and panic.
Secundus is back in action, but it would seem that the Templars have discovered his true alliance with the Armada. Who could blame the spy though? He himself carried major information for the Armada, and that Atticus and Adrian are not to known to be in any way caring of traitors if any is caught. Next chapter though we shall see more of how this affects Ulysses, along with a new discovery of something that will make it all the more interesting, along with more Argentius back in action.
Reviews are much appreciated, my dear readers! :D
Until next time!
-Hades