Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Eater
Footsteps echoed in the grand halls of the palace. The blue and white marble tiles glowed dimly in the light of the setting sun peaking in through the large windows. A figure passed between the stone columns and high archways of the hall. The warmth of the tropical day gave way to the cool breeze of night as the sun set further in the sky. The figure walked briskly, the patter of his bare feet against the tile setting a rhythmic tone. He came to a pair of ornately decorated oak doors. Effigies of elephants, tigers, peacocks and other animals were carved into the wood. The lower frames depicted farmers working in their fields diligently. The man pushed the doors open inwards and walked through to a large circular room with several pillars spaced around.
Inside, the room was lit with blue light. A circular table sat in the center of the room surrounded by ostentatious chairs covered in silk and ivory. The members of Pantheon were scattered about the room. Deva walked inside, an air of authority surrounding him.
"Mission report." He commanded simply.
"Complete success." Came the reply from Lady Tengu. "Just as we predicted the Shinigami led me right to the medallion." She said as she walked over to Deva. She put an arm around his shoulder seductively and held the Medallion of Rage up for his inspection. Deva smiled and wrapped an arm around her waist possessively. "Excellent." He whispered as the witch draped herself over him. "And what of the rest of you?" He asked looking up at Fang and Dr. Isaac. Red Fist sat straightly in his chair, his arms folded in front of him and the Medallion of Power worn around his neck.
"I had little trouble acquiring my assignment." He said nonchalantly. "I look forward to facing my opponent in combat again. However, it seems the doctor has failed in his task." He accused sternly. His eyes shifted to the other end of the table where Dr. I paced back and forth in a new body. The design was similar to his old body with only a few minor cosmetic changes. At the accusation, the android visibly bristled. He slammed his prosthetic hands onto the table in anger.
"I did not fail!" He seethed. His human voice properly conveyed his frustration, but the synthetic undertones lent an inhuman quality to his speech. "That test was illogical! You lied to me!" He pointed with disdain at Deva. Some of the members in the room tensed at the sudden conflict. The King, however, stared impassively at the accusation, only a slight smirk graced his features. "You said the ordeal would be a test of knowledge. That test was not one of knowledge, but of wit and fanciful imagination. The meister reaching the medallion first was outside of my expectations. I was not prepared for a full battle." Dr. I said emphatically. Red Fist, still sitting calmly in his seat, interrupted.
"All I hear are excuses for weakness." He said venomously. Dr. I made to storm over to Red Fist, clenching his robotic hand at him. "I'll show you weakness. I am the greatest scientist to ever walk this planet." He declared proudly. His red eye stared threateningly at Red Fist who gave a steely gaze in kind.
"Gentlemen, please." Deva's voice spoke in a calm tone. He held both his hands up in a placating manner. Extricating himself from Lady Tengu's grasp he walked over to the arguing pair and placed hands on both their shoulders. "It does not matter. We will get our hands on the Medallion of Knowledge in time. Rest assured that our plans are still in motion." He said directly at Red Fist. He then turned to address his mechanical companion. "And Dr. Isaac, yours was not a failure." He spoke. "I'm sorry that the ordeal did not meet your expectations. I was working with what limited information I had. I suggest we both look at this not as a failure, but as an experiment whose outcome simply did not match our hypothesis." He said cheerfully. Dr. I's robotic features softened as he listened. "We still obtained some valuable information about our enemies from your recordings. And we shall use that to our advantage in the coming weeks." Deva said patting the robotic man on the back.
"You're right. Forgive me for my outburst King Deva." He apologized. Deva smiled charismatically and circled back around the table.
"Now then," Deva spoke. "What progress have we made in finding the other medallions?" He asked. Dr. Isaac placed a small disc on the table. The device activated and displayed a hologram of the globe in yellow light. Several dots appeared on the globe and a large circular area outlined one country. The holographic map rotated to display a dot in Egypt. "We've located the temple of Ra in Egypt." Dr. I announced. "It's likely that Shibusen has discovered its whereabouts as well." He added.
"No matter." Deva said looking the map over. "G?" Deva turned to face the golem of earth and wood. The pile of earthen elements stirred from its previously passive state at its mention. "Your current project will have to wait, it's time to go and claim your prize." He smiled. The creature, now known as G, lifted the wooden mask that was its head and stared at Deva intently, speaking not a word. Deva however, replied as if the creature had spoken. "I know your current work is vital to our plan but so is this. In fact, it should take precedence." Deva admitted. G nodded silently. It stood from its meditative position on the floor and lumbered out of the grand hall. Flecks of dirt and moss fell off its cobbled body and speckled the ground as it walked. Deva waited until its quaking footsteps faded into the background before continuing.
"Next the medallion of Pain." Deva announced. "Lung," He called out. He turned to the figure laying on the bench, napping with his hands pillowing his head. The young man with spiky purple hair and covered in black denim and leather from head to toe. He snored loudly, completely oblivious to his surroundings. "Lung!" Deva called more insistently. But the young man did not react, in fact his snoring seemed to get louder. "LUNG!" Deva shouted impatiently. Finally, the man startled awake, nearly falling off the bench in the process.
"Fuck, I'm right here! You don't have to fucking yell." He said in a slightly nasally tone. He glared around at the room nastily, meeting the stares of his supposed compatriots with a venomous intensity. "What are you all fucking looking at bastards?" He challenged. Deva spoke up breaking the tension. "We were about to discuss your assignment. Perhaps you'd like to pay attention?" He said with a thin veil of insult. Lung however, only picked at his teeth and hopped to his feet, ignoring the apparent jab.
"Fucking finally." He said. "Been getting tired of sitting on my ass all day." He complained as he approached the table. Deva reached out to the digital map and flicked it, spinning the globe until it displayed an image of South America. Along the continent were several blinking dots. "We have determined these locations to be the most likely candidates on where to find the medallion of Pain." Deva explained. Lung scrutinized the map closely, flicking his eyes over the map studiously. The longer he looked the deeper his scowl became.
"Are you fucking kidding me? The swamp thing gets theirs practically signed sealed and delivered and you're sending me on a wild fucking goose chase?" He scorned. Lung crossed his arms and pouted like a petulant child. Their attention was diverted by a deep, rumbling voice.
"Lung… scared…" Sitting against a column, with his hand resting on one knee, sat Sad Jack. His height was so great that he could touch the ceiling even still sitting down. Sad Jack looked at Lung through his mask, its false smile beaming ever unchanged. Lung snarled and shook a fist at the giant man. "I ain't scared ya overgrown wart." He argued. But Sad Jack shook his head and waved a hand.
"You're sad… Jack can tell…" He said cryptically. But this admission seemed to only fuel Lung's anger. He pointed a finger accusingly. "You wanna go you shitty hobo? You don't know a damn thing about me!" He yelled. But a hand from Deva's shoulder restrained the rebellious youth.
"Lung enough." He commanded authoritatively. Lung glared back at him, but Deva's stern and steady gaze quelled any fire in the teen's spirit. "You have your orders Lung." The edgy teen huffed but relented. "Fine but I expect three dozen more cases of beer when I get back." He demanded scratching his head.
"Yo Witch." He snapped turning to Lady Tengu. The witch in question scowled at his tone. "Are you gonna make me a portal or what?" He asked impatiently. Lady Tengu's eyes glowed red with untamed fury. "Would it kill you to ask a little more politely?" She asked with barely restrained anger. Lung burped and shrugged his shoulders. "Oh trust me honey, that was me being polite." He said nonchalantly. Raven continued to glare daggers at him, making no move to fulfill his request. Finally taking notice, Lung turned to Deva who only stared at him impassively. With a dramatic sigh Lung relented. "Fine. Can you please make me a portal?" He said with visible effort. Raven's eyes didn't lose their anger, but she did acquiesce to his request. With a wave of her hand a familiar swirling void of black energy appeared in the room. Fixing his black jacket, Lung jumped through it, hands in his pockets. "Later assholes!" He called merrily just before disappearing and the void closing behind him.
"Tch." Lady Tengu scoffed once the portal closed. "You'd think he'd be a little more mature for his age." She commented. Deva gave a noncommittal shrug in response. "He is rather young for one of his kind, don't forget." He reminded them. The globe turned again and landed on the islands of Japan where a large red circle surrounded the nation. "Mr. Jack, I believe your time has finally come as well." Deva announced. The slothful giant stood up slowly, towering over the rest of his group. He pointed with a single fat index finger at the area displayed on the map.
"You want me… to go here…?" He asked morosely. Deva nodded. "You know what you have to do right?" He asked. Jack slowly nodded his bald head. "Find medallion…" He repeated slowly. "Medallion will… make me… happy?" He asked. Despite his brutish appearance and psychotic nature, the question he asked was earnest and innocent. A strange, sick sense of hope could be heard in his tone of voice. Deva placed his hands on one of Jack's in reassurance. "Jack, my friend, I promise you that once we have all the medallions, we will make a world where you can always be happy." He said with a voice full of sincerity.
Sad Jack made no visible sign of excitement or acknowledgement. He simply nodded in agreement. He made to leave through one of Lady Tengu's newly conjured portals, but a voice stopped him just before he stepped through. "Oh and Jack," Deva spoke. The lumbering brute paused and turned back to him, the façade of his mask staring dishonestly. "If anyone tries to get in your way, feel free to kill them." He spoke. Sad Jack gripped his jacket tightly and nodded. Then he disappeared through the portal.
Elsewhere, atop a snow-covered mountain, Killik and the twins stood at the entrance to a large cavern. The skies were cloudy overhead, and a sprawling town could be seen in the valley several hundred feet below them. Killik spent a few minutes taking in the breath taking sight before taking out his communicator. A short moment later, he heard the Shinigami's voice over the line.
"This is Killik sir," He said.
"Make your report agent." Came Kid's voice over the static noise of the communicator.
"Site alpha is closed sir, over." Killik reported. He turned back to the twins and gave a thumbs up. Thunder and Fire smiled and high fived each other through their mittens. Killik, even bundled up in his parka as he was, could still feel the chill of the high altitude. He turned away from the wind and to the cave's entrance.
"Excellent work Killik. Check in with Sid and Nygus for the next location." Kid said.
"Sir if I may ask," Killik spoke abruptly, but still trying to maintain an air of formality. He stared into the darkness of the cave before him and pondered how best to phrase his next question. "I'm still not sure I understand the exact purpose of our mission." He said. "Just what is it we're trying to do here Kid?" He asked more seriously. A pregnant pause followed the question, filling the air with a momentary silence. The twins glanced at each other worriedly and then back to Killik. All three of them waited anxiously for a response.
"Your mission is extremely important Killik." Kid finally answered. "In the event that we fail, and Pantheon obtains all the medallions, what you are doing will be our last failsafe to prevent them from achieving their goals." He said somberly. The trio exchanged concerned looks. This new information made them suddenly anxious and pressured.
"That's all I can tell you for now." Kid said. "Keep up the good work. Shinigami out." With that the communicator went offline. Killik frowned at the communicator still in his hand. He mulled over the words that he had just heard. It made sense to him now why Kid had deemed their mission top secret. If word were to get out about what they were doing, Pantheon would surely target them to try and stop it. And while normally Killik was confident he could overcome any opponent, the thought of facing a group as diverse and powerful as them filled him with concern. He looked down at Thunder and Fire, and saw their faces filled with just as much worry as his. Putting on a big smile, he patted their backs and directed them down the hiking path they had taken to get to the cave.
"Come on you two, let's get back to town." He directed. "We can rest up there before we head out again. We can even see about getting some special dessert after dinner." He said. The twin shamans cheered in excitement as all three of them made the journey back into town.
No action sequences this time but plenty of plotting. What secret plans are our two factions getting up to? How does Pantheon plan to use the medallions? Who exactly are the mystery members Lung and G? What secret operations does Kid have Killik working on? Answers all in due time.
