Prologue: Acolytes of the New God.
The darkened room held but only two occupants. A blonde man in white and blue. And a disfigured mess of a man hiding in black cloak with steel dagger in hand.
"How long will construction of Atma take?" asked the uniformed man.
"Have patience, Gideon. With help from the damned, Atma will take but only a few short months to complete." The hooded figure answered. Time wasn't the only thing to worry about. Cost was another factor to cover. No money means no Atma.
"And what about our budget?" Gideon asked.
"Such trivial things as budget will not hold us back." reassured the man in cloak. "We will produce whatever resources we need."
The hooded figure lifted his dagger, revealing the pure gold handle to emphasize what he meant.
"Money is a non-issue to us." he reached for his crystal glass of red wine.
Gideon was still uncomfortable with the fact that his master had no plans to acquire funds. However, he had retained his faith that his mentor knew what he was doing. However, with his knowledge of TV programs and the specific formulas they follow, he couldn't shrug off the possibility of an outside influence (A.K.A, Deus-Ex-Machina) to interfere with their goals.
"Master Bex," Gideon asked. "I don't doubt that our plans will be successful, but have you considered the possibility of an unknown third-party interfering?"
"You mean the Imagine Breaker, correct? Do not worry." reassured Bex. "I have dispatched Gilgamesh to deal with the boy. He won't be able to kill him," Bex rested his now empty wine glass on the table before him. "but he will at the very least slow down his progress. As for any other third party, do not worry. There is no legal way for anyone to interfere with Atma."
Gideon was relieved to hear this news. For a second there, he worried about the inevitable discovery of Atma by anyone, especially the boy named Touma Kamijou, to set back all plans by the Acolytes. But that only takes care of one problem. Another problem was Gilgamesh himself.
"Gilgamesh still does not know our true motives." reminded Gideon. "Sending him on this mission of yours will not only reveal our existence to him, but will potentially jeopardize our whole operation in the process!"
He was right. Maybe it was a mistake sending him after all. If Gilgamesh were to discover the Acolytes true purpose, his services would no longer be available to the Acolytes of the New God. "I have a better idea." Bex sheathed his dagger and reached into his cloak, taking out a seemingly empty vial.
"Do you know what this is, Gideon?" he asked.
Leaning forward to better identify the object, Gideon gave a silent nod to confirm his knowledge of the contents.
"I want you to destroy this Vial in a populated area in Academy City." instructed Bex. "There are many more vials like this, so spread our plague as much as you can manage before preparing a temporary base of operations in the city."
Gideon, eager to follow his master's instructions, replied "This will effectively kill three birds with one stone. Master, your wisdom knows little bounds."
The man in uniform arose from his seat and took the vial from Bex's outstretched hand. "I will not fail the Acolytes, master." he said making his way out of the room. "I shall not fail!"
Bex gave a quiet laugh. "You better not."