On the same day and the steel corridor of a great fortress made of steel on huge caterpillar tracks, a black-haired assassin in a blue armor made of water dragon scales was walking along the steel corridor with a fast and furious step, her goal was now only one and each day of defeats that she personally recorded as well as the silver army of the Empress burned a deep mark in the heart of the fierce killer, Pelona, walking through the steel corridor, constantly clenched her black blade and fists with great strength, dreaming of only one thing, revenge, and the past days and the vision of power that Irhabar received and fought almost equal to equal had an impact on her deep impressions, today Pelona knew what she was going to do, but to go through the derealization of her own plan she needed only one element, but to get it she had to wait for the right moment.
Pelona was looking for the right moment was just heading down the steel corridor straight to the hangar where four Experimentals once stood, and now the only thing left of the four ships able to sail in the sky is an empty hangar now rumbling with the fury of the empress, as Pelona approached the hangar the whole corridor rumbled more and more with words of anger and shout, because so far, apart from recovering the second part of the blade, the plans of the Empress and her forces were being successively destroyed by the visitor from another world, the one who was supposed to give the Empress a chance for divinity, and today everything was focused on new plans.
Pelona approached the bend in the corridor and, standing in front of the open passage to the hangar, listened to the conversation the Empress had with her faithful servant Engineer, Pelona peeked out from around the corner, keeping an eye on the Empress in a gold black dress and the red-haired Engineer in a robe and a backpack under his right hand, Engineer as always again he listened to everything calmly and his face did not betray a trace of anger or surprise, it looked as if this man had no weak point or the ability to surprise him, much less defeat him, or maybe he was just blinded in his own idealized views of the world.
- madman, blind moron, can't he see what's started, this damned Lucas is destroying everything for us. Pelona said, whispering to herself, and with every word about the newcomer, her eyebrows began to cross in a gesture of pure anger no more than the anger of the Empress herself, who with spiky black hair waved her arms around.
- Engineer, tell me with your eyes, you can't see what's going on around us, first the stranger's betrayal, this Lucas broke everything in a different way than we expected, differently than the Golden Dragon saw it, I should wield his power today and instead we are racing with outsider to get the remaining blade shards. The Empress said, waving her hands furiously.
- then this Lucas started attacking us, destroying our forces, yesterday he destroyed our largest legion of a thousand soldiers, we will not rebuild such losses in one week, our factory needs raw material, steel, we were supposed to conquer the whole valley!. Pelona screamed, poking the Engineer, landing all her fury on three strong thrusts.
- what's worse, losses and betrayal everywhere, first the loss of our trusted, Ran Hon, and then the betrayal of Irhabar, how could he, the only thing that saves you today my friend is that we got the second blade shard!. The Empress screamed and the Engineer kept staring not at her but at the hangar ceiling, thinking very hard about something.
- this moron doesn't even listen to her, how can he be so disrespectful. Pelona said to herself, but what she saw saw her mistress.
- Engineer, tell me why you disregard me, is everything we've done a trivial matter for you that you can disregard, and me!. The Empress screamed, her words finally getting the redhead's full attention and his words.
- firstly my lady, I don't underestimate you or our new enemy, secondly I foresaw everything, I foresaw that this Lucas will be the hero of the world from that day on, let him be until we get the last shard and then we will tell him enough. Said the Engineer putting his hands behind his back.
- oh yes?, so what is happening now is foreseen by you, or maybe you yourself live in an unreal world, so tell me if you foresaw the betrayal of Irhabar!, or did you foresee the past day and the destruction of our legions. asked the Empress.
- Yes and no. replied the Engineer.
- like, stop answering me with riddles, you know I don't like it, so keep talking, tell me everything, whether you knew it or not. The Empress said fiercely, and the Engineer nodded and spoke.
- firstly, I predicted that Irhabar would betray, traitors have it in their blood, so always keep them short and be careful, no matter if it's your man or not, besides I wanted to see if someone imbued with some of the power is able to stand up to the newcomer, from what i heard from Pelona the fight was pretty even for a while of course but so far our hero is too strong but i know you are growing one thing he is a hero so he won't attack us you needn't be afraid my lady.
- what are you talking about, Engineer, not so long ago, because a day ago Lucas crushed our legions!. asked the Empress.
- so why didn't he finish with us, yes, that's the only thing I can't figure out, maybe he knows about In, maybe he's secretly helping us, or maybe he's crazy unpredictable, but he must have some principles if he stood up for two dragons and fought about them with the Golden Dragon, something must be here an thing, must. Said the Engineer, thinking deeply, seeing many possibilities except one.
A certain thought crossed the Engineer's mind, mainly that Lucas with his madness could transcend all and be more the same as him, maybe that's all he did; so far it has only been a smokescreen. maybe Lucas is even more like the Engineer himself, such a thought also flashed through the mind of the great scientist until it all stopped at one.
- a madman is a man beyond everything, it is impossible to say but he has certain pillars on which he bases many, of course he can tear them down for another good but no, I don't believe it, and I have a plan. The Engineer said, focusing the attention of the Empress.
- what, if you have a plan, it must be something big, what are you planning, attack, another assault, you think that this time the enemy will wait for our legions to hit one of the two cities, what else will it accomplish. said the Empress.
- will distract him, said the Engineer, clasping his hands behind him.
- how to reverse it. asked the Empress.
- despite his power and madness, he is not infinite, he cannot be in two places at once, he can only be in one, and we will surprise him anyway. said the Engineer.
- but how.
- my lady, I always have a plan and a good one, but for you to understand it, I have to explain it to you in more detail, but first it gets a little stuffy in here, it's time to open the hangar. Said the Engineer and with his words the vault opening mechanism was activated.
The roof of the hangar opened as the Engineer wished, and he and the Empress looked up at the sky covered with thick clouds, and the engines of the fortress, as previously ordered, also began to growl like a hungry beast, listening to everything, Pelona knew that this was her moment, the assassin quickly moved towards way back to the big elevator to take some of the power for yourself and finally exact your revenge on the hated newcomer.
Meanwhile, the Engineer staring at the clouds was smiling widely, the Empress standing next to him still did not understand where this surge of joy came from. Looking at her servant, she saw joy in both the closing eyes and the smiling mouth.
- tell me one thing that makes you happy today, what amuses you. asked the Empress.
- soon you will understand my lady, soon you will understand and hear. Said the engineer.
- like how, after all the engines were turned off, I don't know why.
- my lady, it was also planned for a specific purpose, when you hear a bang and shaking, don't be afraid because it's a sign of our victory. Said the Engineer now patiently waiting for the inevitable while the Black Empress looked at her servant as if he was crazy.
Meanwhile, the elevator landing on its huge screws and gears descended lower and lower until it reached the lowest floor, and when the screws slowed and the landing stopped in front of the only way down the corridor leading to the reactor chamber, Pelona, holding the great ballista barely in her hands, looked confidently at the four legionnaires, the two shield bearers and two hoplites, and fearing nothing, they quickly took up arms, ready for battle, ready to stop anyone but the Engineer and the Empress himself.
- come on, this time I fight on my own account, no one will stand in the way of my revenge!. Pelona screamed, then squeezed the trigger and one loaded reel with ten bolts spun.
The ballista fired a steady fire firing ten bolts one after the other and Pelona, holding the ballista, swung her crosshair from left to right to use the first four bolts to smash the guards, and it did, the highly charged bolts easily knocked out the four guards, turning them into a heap of broken steel and their explosion and generated shrapnel scattered around the area knocking the killer off her feet, despite falling on the steel floor, Pelona kept aiming the ballista at the massive steel door, which only gave way after the fourth mistral and the last two arrows hit the steel drain and the tunnel roof, which of course was not part of the killer's plan.
Knowing that everyone would be alerted today, Pelona quickly got up and ran into the corridor leading up to the very core chamber where two shards of a pale blade, a black hilt and a pale central blade were now floating, both of which emitted immeasurable power, an infinite force that could change everything, give her a chance to defeat the hated newcomer, Pelona touched the glass first but was rejected as before by an unseen force.
- you can't stop me who or what you are, can't you see, I want revenge, I want revenge, give me this, give me a chance for revenge and I'll give you everything, I'll give you the last piece just let me reach for some of your power so I can make revenge. Pelona said, placing her hands on the glass again, and this time nothing pushed her away.
The reaction of the levitating blades immediately gave birth to a huge smile on the assassin's black lips, Pelona quickly drew her blades and slamming them against the glass shattered the glass, clearing the way to the two blades, but when she put her foot on the landing and reached out to the two levitating parts of the sword, it was not another wave that stopped her or the power emitted by the parts of the sword and by the Black Empress herself who ran into the chamber together with the Engineer and twenty guards of silver legionnaires.
- stop, traitor, leave the blades where you are, you don't know what you're doing!. shouted the Empress.
- I know what I'm doing more than ever before, I know what I want to do and I'm willing to pay any price if I have to, even at the cost of everything, even your life. She told Pelona which shocked the Empress but not the Engineer who was smiling broadly again and even started laughing.
- exactly as I expected, that's why I started the engines to give you a chance to understand, both of you understand. Said the Engineer, standing confidently and, strangely enough, dismissing all the guards.
- what are you doing. You're crazy!. shouted the Empress.
- on the contrary, I do it for her, for all of us, she is the key to our success here, but Pelona don't be offended, it doesn't work like that today. Said the Engineer, addressing the last words to the assassin.
Even though everything the Engineer was saying was crazy and uncertain in a way, because she could be trapped at any moment, yet Pelona did not hesitate to reach for the first part taking the hilt of the blade in her hand, Pelona brought the hilt close to her heart and head but much to her confusion nothing happened.
- how is it possible, after all, I saw how Irhabar reached for the power of the blade, why it doesn't work today. she asked Pelona.
- it's simple, the power they could give you today is being drawn into the generators of our great fortress, and besides, they've already done it for you. Said the Engineer, taking from his backpack a shiny stone with a cuneiform symbol etched with poison.
- these shards have something that can be described as souls, I asked them and they gave their power to this stone here, it's a blood rune, you will activate its power when your blood connects with the stone, then you will reach for indescribable power. The Engineer said, stretching out his right hand with the blood rune and Pelona quickly descended from the reactor platform.
- but first give me the hilt with it I will create the necessary army. Said the Engineer extending his expensive left hand waiting for a warning and Pelona and the Empress looked at him themselves, not knowing what the Engineer had really planned and whether he was actually able to foresee everything.
- good, but you will promise that thanks to the stone I will reach for great power and crush my enemy into the lands!. Pelona said, squeezing her black lips tight again.
The engineer nodded his head, letting us know that his words confirmed everything, his words as well as his actions, and what he said and did, what he predicted, the assassin's actions forced her to trust her fully.
- well then, take the hilt and do what you have to do. Pelona said giving the hilt of the blade to the Engineer and he handing over the blood rune to the assassin.
- so it happened as I predicted it, I am a master of strategy I can predict everything, everything because nothing can stop me and surprise me, so be it, today Pelona has a tool of destruction in your hands, and one drop of blood is enough when this will happen, the power accumulated in the stone will pass to you, a power much greater than that which Irhabar received, you will surpass everything. Said the Engineer. and Pelona, hearing and knowing about the new power she could reach, smiled sincerely, looking forward to the day when she could fight the hated newcomer.
- wait, Engineer, so you predicted that too, so tell me what else you see. asked the Empress.
- a lot, I see a lot, but to explain everything to you, come with me, in front of the fortress, there I will explain everything including your great work my assassin. said the engineer, leaving the core chamber, leaving behind the central pale blade, taking with him the hilt emanating with dark power once wielded by the nameless one himself.
Perlona looked at her empress and the empress shrugged and waved her hand, they both followed the Engineer who was running everything again, again it looked like the Engineer was running everything behind the Empress's back or with her own hands, this view of everything was obviously only Pelona herself and following the Engineer, the Empress sees something different, another brilliant plan and a chance given by the Engineer, her faithful servant.
When the engines of the steel fortress stopped, the left gate was opened and a large steel ladder was extended, the Engineer, leading the empress and the assassins, descended to the fortress trampled by steel tracks and a multi-ton fortress to show the last part of the plan of which Pelona was a very important part.
The engineer grabbed the black handle with both hands and, staring at the ground, was preparing something, something that was to be set in motion for the first time in time immemorial.
- so what are you planning, what do you want to do today, what asset do you have for us, for me, apart from the blood rune. she asked Pelona, expecting a miracle or anything else from the ever-foreseeing Engineer, and the red-haired man holding the hilt grinned broadly at the assassin and the Empress, then raised the dark-powered blade high and plunged it suddenly into the ground.
Part of the blade stuck deep into the ground and after less than five seconds the process began, which terrified practically every girl watching, first the ground around them began to blacken strangely and then it trembled slightly, everything began to crack and the Engineer spread his hands showing his next success.
- as you know the dark power of the blade can summon as well as create great evil spirits like Druun, but Druun nowadays is obsolete, today we need more strength, and at the same time something that is much older than Druun, I give you a new soldier, here is Garbund. Said the Engineer, suddenly showing the earth cracking and rising from the ground, huge, five-meter-high golems, shining with a strange red mixed with green and yellow glow, which was a sign of three terrible powers.
- what, what is it!. The Empress shouted, hiding behind the Engineer's back.
- are the ancient spirits of wars, they were the backbone of the great rama of the one whose name was erased and is now known as nameless. Said the proud Engineer when the new herd summoned, as many as a hundred perfect and terrifying soldiers wielding living blades instead of hands.
- the shaft of Nameless, but how do you know if the blade tells you that too. Asked Pelona as the only one not showing fear of the new strength, knowing that this strength will help her in the fight and will be the beginning of her revenge just like the blood rune held in her hands.
- so the blade tells me as it tells me where the last shard rests, calling out to the others, the last shard rests there, on the other side of the great forests of Ula-Noar that borders the marshes of Ulain, in the farthest north, on top of a mountain called the peak of ages. Said the Engineer, raising his voice and pointing to the horizon where he wished to see the peak.
- there!, right there!, it was from there that the power lines of the broken prophecies emerged. said the Empress.
- exactly, my lady, and that's where the Golden Dragon foolishly left the last piece of the blade, the very tip of it. Said the Engineer.
- but if you want to reach for it, the Experimentals have been executed. said the Empress.
- and he's not sure what Lucas will do, he can stop us like he did the day before!. Pelona shouted, raising her voice whenever she mentioned the visitor from another world.
The engineer grinned widely, first looking at his great army of terrible Garbund wraiths, ready to blindly obey his will and orders, and finally looking at his fortress, the central main gun located in front of the great dome and the seat of the empress herself, until finally, arranging and fine-tuning the last parts of his plan, he turned to with a confident smile at the Empress, spreading his right and left hand holding the gray nameless one.
- that's why my plan is multi-level and today my assassin you are the most important part of it, you must know Garbund will never be stronger than Daemon and you will be when you meet Lucas and when it happens two cities will burn and our fortress will bomb the top centuries, because the winds that prevail there even the Experimental would not manage there. Said the Engineer explaining in simple terms his plan for the newcomer and everything.
- you want to trick him, blind him, that's brilliant, after all, despite his power, he can't be in two places at once. The Empress said, clapping her hands.
- exactly, he can't be in two places at once and this is our advantage and you Pelona, you will lead the Garbund armies today, the southern road, beyond the forests of Gan-Ju, it's a longer way but it will be more timely with the movement of our fortress because today before sunset, the fortress will depart for its destination. Said the Engineer, then raised his blade and the Garbund, over a hundred golems roared loudly in a long column.
The fearsome golems, as ordered by the Engineer, formed a long column, waiting for the next order from the anointed assassin, who was now clutching the blood rune tightly as the Engineer presented her foreground, she knew he had many more.
- Engineers, tell me what your brilliant and predictable mind tells you today, do I have a chance to defeat this rat with the power of the blood rune!. Pelona screamed.
- yes, you have, and it's great, because you will be a much more powerful Daemon than Irhabar was, the power he took over was chaotic and incoherent, this you hide. Said the Engineer smiling broadly again and pointing to the blood rune he laughed loudly.
- Ha, he won't be able to stop it, because nothing can surprise me even he. The Engineer added.
- but, because you always have a but to say and you always have a backup plan. Pelona asked, also knowing the Empress's servant well.
- yes, I always have a plan B, that's why I called the Garbund, that's why I put you on this great mission, you will lead my army east, it's already your army, and when you cross the Nolan River, you will divide the armies in two, one will march from you to port Zanonius and the other to Buelion, and don't worry about my soldiers, only the combined power of the four elements of the four dragons is able to destroy them, but it takes great power to do that, and the swarm of dragons that are now warming their butts in Boelion is not enough, but he can stop them but Lucas will have his hands tied because of you, win or lose we'll do our job anyway cause he can't be in two places at once, much less three, let him fight there and we'll tear down the pinnacle of the ages. Said the Engineer, explaining the last part of his plan.
Pelona, knowing everything already, knowing the purpose of her mission and the upcoming revenge, Pelona bowed her head and then, still holding the blood rune, she walked to the head of a large column made of five-meter golems and gave an order, Pelona raised her right hand holding the blood rune and shouted to everyone, south-east, avoiding the forests of Gan-Ju.
As Pelona set out on her sacred quest for vengeance, the Empress heard the roar of her steel fortress's engines, as agreed, the staff of the living mobile fortress were ready to depart from the ruins of the destroyed city of Konudun, but before that happened they waited for the return of their Empress and the Engineer.
- tell me what other plan you have, you must have one more backup plan in case Pelona and both armies fail, you must, you have right. asked the Empress.
The Engineer smiled because as he always said he had a plan A, a plan B, and even a plan C, and what was set in motion today even had a plan C, and all the Engineer's brown eyes were all focused on the largest central cannon in front of the dome and the residence of the Empress herself, it was there that the Engineer pointed with his blade to explain to his mistress the last backup plan.
- central gun?, what about it. asked the Empress.
- well, if in fact Lucas fails and our two plans and then sets off here, then we personally will not be here anymore, we will be far away and closer to the top, and even let us be demolished. Said the Engineer.
- far, destroy?, but how? asked the Empress.
- the central cannon can separate from the fortress my lady. The Engineer said contentedly as the ground began to tremble and the Garbund army moved southeast.
- how to separate it, why I don't know anything about it and how you want to do it without power sources. asked the Empress, staring from her fortress to the red-haired servant.
- a great gun is a great tank, I designed it so that it would one day be our means of transport and an element that will surprise everyone just in case.
- did you already foresee it then, tell me did you know that Lucas will never destroy the Golden Dragon, because if you prepared the tank to leave the fortress and now it means only one thing. Said the Empress, looking exclusively into the engineer's brown eyes with deep intensity and his ever-widening smile.
- I see many things, I can make many plans, but this one was made in cooperation with the voice of the blade itself, you must always be careful and ready for anything, however, this was supposed to be an evacuation plan, not an attack, so even I can't see the future but I know today what it takes to outsmart a crazy man from another world. and such a man is Lucas Nowak. Said the Engineer, expressing himself in an angry way for the first time, his last words full of rage were directed at the visitor from another world, because only he could change everything.
- just what is this madness that makes him stand out. asked the Empress.
- just madness, it seems, I don't know, even the blade doesn't say anything about it except some guesses, Madness and madness is a man who can kill many birds with one stone, create multi-structured and evolving plans, act against each other and opposite each other. hate yourself and counter yourself and even counter your own counters, hit yourself hardest for example, because his mind is free of fear and lies, whatever that is, so to outsmart a madman also takes a little bit of madness and risk everything and that's what I'm gonna do tonight. Said the Engineer, leading his empress back to the deck of the mobile fortress on great caterpillar tracks.
The Engineer and the Empress returned to the fortress, and the great gate and the steel gangway began to close and rise, and the fortress, as the Engineer wished, moved slowly towards the north and into the forests of Ula-Noar bordering the swamps of Ulain, with an eye on the great vertical-walled peak where the last one was to rest piece of the great puzzle, the last blade of the nameless sword, the main and most important goal of the Engineer betting everything he had and his mistress Black Empress, creating the perfect smoke screen to outsmart the madman infused with a manifestation of madness.
L
some can't let go and their anger, frustration, lust for revenge and fear of another failure drive many to great and blind evil, and you are Pelona