Everyone had gathered in the main meeting room for the negotiations. Umi and Fuu. Master Clef, King Ferio, General LaFarga, and General Ascot. Eagle Vision and Lantis. They faced a large, glowing, transparent screen in the air. On it appeared a man in Autozam military uniform, flanked by two individuals who are his trusted aides.
Albatross, the general of Autozam, was a large man. He had a handsome face with a steady, confident expression. At a glance, he resembled Eagle Vision, but his eyes hinted at something sinister that Eagle did not possess. Cruelty. Eagle remembered him as ambitious but never expected him to go this far to achieve his ambitions.
On the right and left of the general, Eagle saw two of his trusted aides. He recognized one of them, the stern-faced woman, as Sphinx Marines, a well-known general due to her extensive creation of combat robots. As for the other person, Eagle could not recall ever knowing him. His face was hidden behind a silver mask, and a blood-red hood covered his head, hiding his face in shadow. His hand rested on the hilt of an ornate long sword hanging at his waist. A sword? He doesn't seem to be from Autozam.
Eagle regarded them with a grim expression. Beside him, Lantis was also puzzled. The hooded man seemed familiar, but Lantis could not recognize who he was.
"You don't need to look at me like that, cousin," Albatross said calmly to Eagle.
"What exactly do you want?"
"Shortly, you will know. That's why I'm holding this meeting." Albatross said casually, then addressed everyone. I know you all have been hoping for this for a long time. Peace. It's a beautiful word, isn't it? A word you all are so eager to obtain. I offer you that peace, and I know you won't hesitate to take it, making tonight a historic event for the world. So, where is your leader?" As he asked, his expression was turning serious.
Ferio stepped forward. "I am the king of this land."
Albatross shook his head and laughed as if Ferio's statement was amusing. Ferio frowned, clearly offended. "I think you misunderstand me." Albatross straightened up. He said firmly, "I only acknowledge one person equal to me in this matter. Where is your Pillar?"
Everyone was stunned.
Ferio was so much irritated by that question. "Cephiro no longer has a Pillar. The Pillar System has been abolished!" He felt insulted by the mention of the Pillar at the time, and his authority as the ruler of the land had been repeatedly questioned because of this long war.
Albatross clicked his tongue. "Are you really that slow to understand or genuinely clueless?" he asked condescendingly. "I'm not someone who doesn't know about this system. You've abolished the system and changed the face of the entire land, but that woman remains the Pillar who is the heart of this land. Am I wrong? Bring her to me," Albatross said in a commanding tone.
Umi felt her heart race upon hearing that this person wanted Hikaru. Hikaru, as the Pillar, was the heart of Cephiro... Hikaru wasn't here. For her, it was good that she wasn't here. She glanced at Fuu, but Fuu showed no reaction. She shifted her gaze to Ferio. Ferio, please, remain steadfast in declaring that the Pillar is not here, Umi pleaded silently.
Clef concluded that this person understood exactly what he was doing. Why was he insisting on meeting the Pillar of Cephiro? If he met the Pillar, if he met Hikaru, what would he do? What did he want from a Pillar? Was it just a negotiation?
Clef was about to ask Lantis to guard Hikaru in her room and prevent her from leaving when Albatross spoke more seriously, "I have fire in both my right and left hands..." he threatened. "Bring your Pillar to me."
Everyone fell silent. They realized the danger looming over all of Cephiro. They also understood the reason behind Autozam's concentration of power in the skies of Cephiro. Albatross was using it to threaten them. Did they have a choice?
"She is not here!" Ferio insisted again. But...
"No," someone suddenly appeared. "I am here."