"That is it, I am sending a retrieving team to the island now."
Ulysses' fist slammed down on his desk, and his currently unmasked face twisted, his mouth twitching into a line as his breathing became hurried and panicked. He wouldn't have done this, no, but this was in his own office, with no one else but his mentor Cristobal Auditore present.
White gloved fingers reached toward the comm link attached to his coat collar -
"Commander, no!"
Scarlet eyes met emerald ones.
"Mentor, damn this, for all I know, they could be on the verge of death right now!"
His breathing rate was audible, and far too much so, and his heart was racing within his chest, to the point Ulysses could almost swear it was about to jump out of his torso.
"Commander, I myself hate to say this, but acting too hastily could very well seal their doom."
Yes, there is still an amount of chance that they could still be alive, if Mercilus had kept me alive when I was within his dungeons then.
"What else do you suggest then, mentor?"
Cristobal Auditore was silent, fiddling with the drafting compass in his hand without a word as his gaze turned away from the Supreme Commander's. A nervous habit of the older Assassin, if Ulysses recalled correctly.
"This must be planned out carefully, Commander. Atticus Mercilus is not like that fool of a swashbuckler Adrian Devereaux, if he is to see our forces approach the island, which I daresay could be called his kingdom, what do you think he would do to the prisoners? Knowing him, I doubt if he would let them live, if he had kept them prisoner for so long without sending any requests of ransom."
Ulysses inwardly cursed.
Such was unfortunately true, regarding the Templar Grand Master -
"Supreme Commander."
The Supreme Commander of the Armada spun around to the sound of knocking on the door to his office.
"Enter."
A white garbed Assassin walked in - a Valencian man no older than Septimus himself - saluted him before dropping onto one knee.
"Grand Master, another piece of the El Dorado map has been located."
Within this very instant, Ulysses could almost swore his heart did a backflip within his chest. Another map piece? This would put them only one piece away from acquiring the ultimate power of El Dorado, the island of gold which so many had sought after for so long, and the only thing standing between the Armada's complete domination of the entire Spiral-!
"Where is it...?"
If only His Majesty could see this now, see how far his forces have gotten, and how close we are to the domination of the Spiral, to the forging of an empire ruled by clockworks alone.
The thought drove a knife through Ulysses' chest, just as any memories or thoughts associated with the former Supreme Commander would so often do whenever they came into his mind. Septimus shoved it aside for the time being, however, as this was not the optimal time to go waltzing down the memory lane and wallowing in the guilt that would so often consume his entire being and mind whenever such happened; taking his attention back to the Assassin before him.
"It is located in the world of Grizzleheim, Grand Master, our informants report that it is currently under the hands of the Templar master Estevan Brokenfang, as how many of the locals called him."
Estevan - this name was not one that Ulysses was familiar with in anyway, though if his title as a "Templar master," was of any indication, the Supreme Commander did not dare to underestimate his capabilities.
"I see, is there any other information I must know of this?"
"Estevan commands a force of at least forty Templar soldiers and heads a fortress in the world, Grand Master, at least ten brute soldiers, ten agile guards, and twenty sparkeqibusiers."
The Supreme Commander of the Armada gestured for the Assassin to rise.
"Well done, brother, you have my thanks."
The Assassin bowed his head, turned, and marched out just as silently as he had came.
Ulysses' gaze turned from the Assassin to Cristobal again. While it was undeniable that he was excited, with how his heart was racing within his chest at the thought of El Dorado being so close, it did nothing to wipe the worry from within his mind; to take away the massive boulder sitting upon his chest, crushing his ribs and lungs and leaving his face purpled and gasping for air as much as his memories did.
"Commander, I suggest you remain in Valencia this time, and send a team of trusted Assassins for this map piece retrieval." Cristobal pursed his lips, "As for retrieving the Captain and your lieutenant, Commander, I believe further discussions of this is needed, and I would suggest with all of your elites and perhaps the Captain Octavius himself."
Yet time is of the essence here: if something is to happen to either one of them while we are hesitating like this - !
Septimus did not want to, he truly did not want to imagine what could likely follow this.
"Very well."
Those two words felt like knives passing his lips, sharp and cold and painful.
Cristobal bowed slightly at the Supreme Commander, before backing out of the office of Ulysses and leaving the Lord of Valencia alone with his thoughts.
These thoughts now rushed through his mind in a frenzy, a storm of plans and thoughts that the Supreme Commander could not even distinguish between each other: who would he send to retrieve the map piece? His lieutenant and his daughter?! Where are they now? Are they still functioning or, by the name of the first Supreme Commander he hoped it would not be of this, terminated...?
Ulysses found himself making a sound that was a mix of a growl of frustration and a groan.
If he doesn't at least even try to sort this mess out, both within his own brain and right here in the real world, this mess could only get worse.
Best begin with the easiest task first.
Rubbing his still masked temple, the Supreme Commander of the Armada briefly searched over the names of the Assassins currently serving within the Valencian Branch (any other branch would have been too far away, taking too long to answer his calls). A team of twenty Assassins, yes, and a matching number of clockworks, this should prove to be a force formidable for any Templar force.
With that thought in his mind, Ulysses brought one of his white gloved hands up to the comm link clipped to his collar -
"Vitellozo, summon your best men and contact Custos Viridus: prepare yourself for leaving for the world of Grizzleheim."
Vitellozo Marcini was one of the first few human officers Septimus had personally named ever since he had began building the Valencian Empire, and the only Assassin Master who had served the Valencian Assassin Branch ever since Ulysses had built it from the ground up.
"Acknowledged, Supreme Commander."
Ulysses pursed his lips as the Assassin on the other end of the comm link acknowledged his order. Who else would he send to lead the mission? The rest of the elites had duties to deal with within Valencia, and he himself had already ran the risk by leaving Valencia for Aquila -
A thought shot through the Supreme Commander's mind, and a grin spread across his lips.
Argentius Septimus.
Yes, that pretty clockwork he had recently acquired from the hands of his enemy. What was more ironic than having one of Atticus' own creations turn against him? Yes, yes, and that would also prove that Argentius was loyal to him, a direct slap to Atticus' face.
A giggle tore its way out of his throat, just like the evening when he had murdered Emilio Barbarigo, when he stood over the corpse of his enemy. The delight, oh the delight that coursed through his veins at the very thought of being able to do so, it felt good, almost as good as the feeling of both of his hands covered in the blood of his enemies.
With that thought in mind, the Supreme Commander pressed down on the comm link clipped to his collar again.
"Report to my office as soon as possible, Commodore, there is a task that must be done."
His hand twitched as it was lowered from his collar.
Within a few minutes, a knock was heard at his door:
"I am here to report, Commander."
Ulysses' smile twisted up into a even wider grin behind his mask. It was impossible to stop it from spreading his lips from ear to ear, and even more so when Argentius stepped in, now dressed in a uniform so very similar to the one Ulysses himself had once wore when he first begun serving in the Armada.
His marionette. And his forever too.
No part of the Supreme Commander was more pleased with himself at this point. Was it not his power that had twisted Argentius' loyalty to his, binding him permanently to himself? Was it not his prowess that defeated the Templar - made clockwork in the first place?
"Welcome, Commodore Septimus."
Irony to its finest degree, isn't it? I was addressed this very same way by His Supreme Majesty himself when he summoned me to take the reins of the Marleybone - Valencia war. And now today I sit upon the throne of the Supreme Commander, using this same title he had addressed me with to another.
The Supreme Commander took this moment to look over his perfect soldier -
Argentius Domitius Septimus (with Ulysses himself forever chuckling at the irony of his middle name) appeared absolutely stunning in a Commodore's uniform, the black fabric of it perfectly highlighting his amethyst and opal eyes, as well as the silver corona around his eyes. It was... Impossible, to say the very least, to not want to simply cradle his new favorite within the palm of his hands, like how some girls would their favorite little porcelain doll.
A new map piece's location found and a little update on what has been happening in Ulysses' mind. Argentius will get more of a role in the next few chapters, so stay tuned!
Reviews are much appreciated :D
-Hades