[ Zeister City, Zyrania ]

  The familiar sounds of bustling and commotion were heard. Birds fluttering about, cars honking, workers cursing and customers rushing, amongst the sound of the gentle rain falling down in the city of Zeister.

  Wrong, this place is far from an ordinary city.

  There were industrial chimney's pouring black smoke into the skies, polluting the atmosphere and suffocating the city. There were more factories than commercial or residential districts and, the smog covered a significant portion of the sky.

  This was Zeister City, controlled by one of the greatest fascist bodies this galaxy has ever seen.

  The Macabre Flugel.

  Almost all are descendants of German heritage and, even those who aren't, they still join up to their ranks to earn some recognition. This isn't a good place to live in, however. There are no schools and everything is controlled by the government. The only type of education you will get is war.

  It is no surprise the inhabitants are short-tempered, irrational and extremely oppressive of minorities. It was no safe haven either, with everyone looking out for everyone else and the highest bribe they give out to authorities are drugs or other forms of corruption.

  A reserved defense, theocratic governmental body specialized in assassination, stealth and third party cooperation with the enemies of their enemies. Known for killing 50 people of fundamental power in their time of existence, they're a feared organization.

  Why they're such third party hoggers is because they have a common enemy - Dark Intrinium. Even for such a theocratic, extremist body such as Macabre Flugel, they sure seem hell-bent on taking Dark Intrinium down just like Soul-Core, Testharia and other possible bodies.

  They also have a series of trade agreements and alliances with other corporations for economic stability, something they have been tackling for years now.

  The Haupthaus of Zeister City was full of hard labour sentenced traitors who're working tirelessly to renovate the place, repair the damages and, improve their performance in both manufacturing and surveillance.

  This was an order from Erika Flugelhart herself, the leader of said body. You could almost draw parallels to a certain empire that existed long ago.

  The high and wide gold plated doors of the main room of the Haupthaus opened, revealing a girl carrying a cardboard box with files and paper on the way down the stairs.

  She was wearing a lab coat stained with black, with brown hair matching her chocolate coloured eyes. She wore a black and white striped shirt under her coat, alongside black pants.

  The only other person and object in the room was a gold plated throne and a girl, possibly in her 20s or 30s, with silky white hair and red eyes.

  On top of her throne was a set of oversized metal-cladded wings, keeping the image that the organization was once based upon. The other notable thing was the red liquid covering a majority of the surface, smelling rather rusty.

  "Stop there." Erika ordered. There was a line clearly drawn from 10 meters away from the girl in the coat and her leader - who was in front of her. It was clear that if anyone crossed the line, they would be killed on the spot.

  So many people have died without realizing there was a line there. For Erika to warn this girl meant that she at least cared about this girl.

  The girl put down the box before turning to Erika. "... It is... a pleasure to meet you, Führerin... To what do I owe this sudden summon?"

  Erika smiled. "Update me, Virtra. On the project, have you made any progress?"

  Virtra sank deeper to the ground, knowing how much she has been slacking off this whole week. She really wanted to avoid the conversation entirely, but that wouldn't get her anywhere. No, she knew that if she didn't live up to the Führerin's expectations.

  She would die.

  Her anxiety kicked in. Her eyes darting over everything and anywhere but where she should focus. The marble and stone floor, the decorations hanging, the tall doorways and finally at the floor right in front of Erika's feet, swallowing a large amount of pride.

  "... The team... that worked on the project have all fallen ill to-"

  "Ill?"

  Virtra immediately stopped, realizing the trap she fell for. "..." She didn't know what to say, fearing what may happen to her. Would her failure be taken as a slight to the organization and a poor reflection of Erika as a leader? She had the sudden urge to scream at Erika to tell her that her people were unworthy, that-

  "To what?"

  "... A... a-a-a-a... A highly... contagious disease, my Führerin- It's-"

  She took a sharp breath, putting her hands into fists in front of her face, as if pleading to a god. A god who did not come when called.

  "I'm terribly sorry... But the project has since been... halted.............." Virtra then gulped down, clenching her eyes shut. She fully expected to have a shot placed to the temple or her head decapitated by this point, or worse...

  What every person unworthy to her goes through is a fate far worse than death.

  Erika then walked away from Virtra and back to her throne, before stopping right before her personal staircase. "How long has the project been halted?"

  She kept her head low, clenching her hands again and shutting her eyes as tight as possible. Tears were beginning to well in her eyes. "... Umm... uh... a wee-"

  Suddenly, Virtra was knocked back all the way to the wall with a dagger lodged in her collarbone. She shrieked in pain.

  "Instead of finding replacements for those good-for-nothing pathetic dogs who get sick to their own fault, you stay in that room with your piddly little excuses and tell yourself a lie that they’ll recover quick?"

  The dagger's metal was strong enough to keep Virtra above the ground and stuck against the wall. She felt her flesh contracting and elongating against the metal dagger, threatening to snap her bones into two.

  Her screams turned from painful to gut-wrenching and piercing as Erika looked straight into her eyes.

  "Give me an answer, Virtra. Because lately, you've amused me more by crying like a fucking baby than actually being of service."

  Virtra choked a cry out as tears started flowing down her cheek and she found herself coughing. "I... I COULDN'T FIND ANY REPLACEMENTS- AAGH-"

  Another dagger was thrown to her, this time impaling her just above the stomach area.

  She screamed louder than before. Her own sobbing turned into wailing and screaming from the sheer pain and trauma being inflicted onto her. It took everything Virtra had within her willpower not to fall unconscious to save herself from further torture.

  "Bullshit." Erika remarked, walking over to the box that Virtra was carrying before. "It's all in here, isn't it?" The box contained progress reports on the project handled by Virtra, the team leader.

  Virtra was a world renowned scientist, known across the world. A key player in developing their strongest weapons and to create mech for soldiers to wear while fighting. While Testharia is leading in the industry of utilizing advanced scientific concepts in battle and weaponizing them, this doesn't mean Macabre Flugel is lagging behind.

  In fact, they're the second in the entire galaxy.

  While Virtra was trying hard to keep herself balanced, shifting weights against the two daggers stabbed deep into her, Erika dug in and found the stack of files Virtra brought along. She skimmed through the papers for a moment.

  "Is there something you're not telling me, Virtra?" Erika mused.

  Virtra was lost for words and her breathing turned heavy. "Führerin... please..." Her voice cracked. The lack of strength in her was evident. Virtra was sure she had nothing left to say, only thinking about how her family was also going to pay the price.

  Erika then stumbled on the paper she needed to read. "The Flugelmech Project..." She whispered in thought. She turned over to face Virtra and her dying light, that dim smile painted on her face, unnerving the very spirit of this poor soul.

  Virtra weakly, and shakily, raised her arms all in an effort to take the daggers out. It wouldn't matter if she did, there's an unstoppable force that threw those daggers in the first place.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  This Führerin was a vicious leader alright, but how far would she go in torturing this scientist?

  "'Nach dem 34. Experiment sind wir zu dem Schluss gekommen, dass der Flugelmech-Prototyp AVx-1 und DKK-01 eine umfassende überarbeitung und Verbesserungen ben?tigen. Die Energieversorgung fiel für eine erhebliche Zeitspanne aus, was zu unvorhergesehenen Konsequenzen sowohl für den Mech als auch den Nutzer führte, wobei die Abstimmung mit den KI-Systemen und das Ausführen einfacher Bewegungen sich als viel zu komplex erwiesen…'"

  (After the 34th experiment, we have concluded that the Flugelmech prototype AVx-1 and DKK-01 need extensive overhauling and improvements. Power has failed for a significant duration due to unforeseen consequences on both the mech and the user, where attuning with the AI systems and performing basic movements proved to be far too complex...)

  "Führerin! I-It's not... This only means progress! We know where to go from here! Please, have mercy!" Virtra let out another gut-wrenching cry in agony as blood oozed from the corners of her mouth.

  Erika turned around, not saying a word. A clear void in her eyes proved enough that the Führerin already decided to let Virtra bleed out and die. Or for her own amusement, shoot another dagger but this time aimed at her throat.

  "It is such a shame, Virtra... I gave you another chance at life in return of being a useful dog. But you don't even have the grit to become a dog? A disappointment, lower than a dog. At least dogs are capable to do simple tricks."

  Virtra flinched and widened her eyes. "N-No, please-! Please don't-"

  Throwing the dagger, Erika expected it pierce Virtra's throat, not even looking back. However, there did not follow a gurgling sound or a rattle. Turning back, she realized that the dagger was suspended in the air, clashing with a sword.

  Someone else was entering the room. It was a male with short white hair and green eyes.

  A simple black vest was the only thing on his upper body. His lower half was adorned by a pair of brown and black striped pants. The sword was his too, as he disintegrated it along with the dagger.

  Virtra was also saved, as the daggers that pierced her were also disintegrated and fell into his arms. While her bleeding wasn't going to stop anytime soon, he gave her a stim to cauterize the bleeding, allowing her to recover some strength in her arms and legs.

  "... Right." Erika was disappointed to say the least. She could've gotten some pleasure from seeing that pathetic scientist die, leaking all her bodily fluids and blood out of her body from her daggers.

  "Führerin." The man bowed, allowing Virtra to get back up. Looking at Virtra one last time, she left back to her quarters. The man sighed and watched her leave before turning back to Erika.

  Erika sighed, going back on her throne and sitting down on it. She held a dagger in her hand. You couldn't really call it a dagger. It looked more like a miniature Zweihander up close.

  "What a pitiful excuse of a life," Erika spoke. The man then walked closer to her throne, lowering his head. "And what do you want? Did He send you again? Because I'm in no mood for Him right now."

  "I will have to warn you not to speak of Him like that. I have come here to tell you that the destruction of Zephite City has successfully been conducted. No one has survived the blast and Testharia are in crippling financial debt."

  "Right. And what about Him? You don't just come to me without a good reason to do so."

  The man stared blankly and responded bluntly, standing up. "He has requested your presence."

  "..."

  -

  [ ??? ? ?? ?? ???? ? ?? ]

  About 250 kilometers away from Zeister City, was an unending stretch of dune fields. With a mostly undisturbed barren landscape and arid environments, this environment could only be the famous Golden Dunes.

  From a far, distant vantage point in the center of a large oasis, stood an ominous person with a concealed aura and another person that was robed from head to toe. The clothes and the shadow it casts would not allow anything to determine what this robed person looked like, keeping themselves concealed and indistinguishable at best.

  There was also a third person, with black hair and purple eyes. They wore a dark blue tracksuit, a small satchel and nothing on their feet. While this guy looked the least terrifying out of the three, his Soul-Residue and Aura was so strong that it was on par with the white man.

  And completely overshadowed hers.

  There was again, also a fourth person with black straight spiked up hair, white plump skin and teal coloured eyes, though sat the furthest away from the three.

  Erika walked with the white haired man and then stopped at a certain distance. The man wouldn't bow, but Erika would. That made all the difference between them.

  The white man walked over to the three. "I brought her." He simply said.

  "Good work, Nevo." The aura-concealed figure said.

  "... So, why am I here? I have better things to tend to." Erika huffed. "Or is this just another way of you sucking my mind into another bullshit session?"

  The robed woman turned around. There was something ominous about her. Possessing no perceivable Soul-Energy nor Soul, yet her presence overshadows her completely.

  "Erika Flügelhart. Just because you have a Soul and are capable of outputting power on a fundamental level, does not mean you can speak to me like that. Lower your tone."

  "And what, you're gonna 'dispose' of me? You're in my world right now, so if anyone will suffer in your twisted form of retribution, it won't be me."

  Erika stood confidently with her chest sticking out and a scowl present on her face. This was a silent war of dominance. She wouldn't let anyone even think she had a weakness.

  Her only weakness, however, is herself and her morals.

  The white man just watched the entire situation go down, wondering what the point of bringing Erika Flügelhart specifically of all people was. Sure, there were others like her who held power or at least, some shred of competency, yet there was also many flaws.

  Everyone was flawed in one way. But then, not all people were born to do the same.

  "You see it now, Sparks? Just how useless they are." Hana spoke to Vincent.

  "You toy with them like me?" Vincent sneered.

  "... All of you are pawns to Him, as I state every time. If it wasn't for Him, I would've left you for dead."

  As Erika kept herself on the offence, Vincent turned to Hana, glaring right back at her. Hana wasn't looking at Vincent though, but to where Erika's voice was heard.

  "Erika Flugelhart, ever since you have joined my cause, your Soul has already been confiscated... Semi-Confiscated, as I like to say. You are to obey me and Hana, even my subordinates. I have promised you many things, but you will only get if you do as I ask."

  "... Your end of the promise has felt like nothing but LIES!" Erika snapped, the emphasis on the last word like a growl of a cornered predator. Her face was completely scrunched up as she wanted to spit acid towards him.

  "Zephite City is reduced to ashes! The leaders of Fyrin and the Axirum are assassinated! You put me and my army up for missions and promised to wake my father from the grave... Where is my father then!? He has suffered long enough beca-"

  Erika was silenced by Hana, who just appeared in front of her like she wasn't just there. To anyone looking on from the outside, it would seem that Hana just instantly moved.

  She was so incredibly quick that only a millisecond passed from Hana's usual spot to in front of Erika.

  "Quiet."

  While her tone didn't carry any emotion, that's not to say it didn't feel intimidating to Erika. Erika, despite her hardened persona, took a step back in shock, finding herself shocked to even talk or continue her argument.

  "..."

  Erika didn't join Hana or this aura-concealed figure by will. She was forced, semi-confiscated like Vincent was.

  "Do what you are told, or my hand won't be the only thing forced through your guts."

  This girl however, scared Erika the most. It even scared Vincent. How Hana can pull Erika down a few notches easily is simply astounding to witness. Erika Flügelhart, one of fundamental power, shut down by someone who is apparently inferior.

  Someone who lacked the sense of touch and vision and yet knew right where Erika stood. Hana then moved close enough to whisper in her ear:

  "You would make a good doll, for someone as deviant as you..."

  Vincent tried to hold himself back. He hated Hana and Kaioshun but was forced in the same boat as Erika. Vincent was used to Hana threatening him or even playing him like a puppet.

  Hana then put a hand on her shoulder, instantly moving her in front of Kaioshun while moving back to her spot next to Vincent. This also happened in just a fraction of a second.

  Erika flinched again, gasping slightly in surprise at the sudden movement. It was no question in her head now that she did have a fear for her. This was Erika's inner beast, screaming in primal fear at whatever these two beings were.

  She swallowed back, her throat dry and heavy as she still forced herself to hold her ground, glaring at Vincent for a brief second, then back at the aura-concealed figure who kept his eye on Erika the whole time.

  "Do you understand how little your life means in the bigger scale of things?" Kaioshun broke his silence.

  "..."

  "Do you understand?"

  "... Yes."

  "Good. I will assign you to a mission soon." Kaioshun's tone changed completely, his gaze wandering upwards into the red skies. "Let's hope we meet under the brightest moon tonight and not the dimmest light. You're dismissed, go." He said to Erika, walking away to his seat.

  Erika breathed, the scent of blood wafting up her nostrils. In a complete 180 of attitude and demeanour, she became stiff as she saw her path ahead, swallowing a bit as she made her way to her usual home. While she was walking away, she had a nosebleed, possibly from the fear.

  "Kaioshun, you already know what I'm planning to do." Hana said. "I'm off to somewhere with Ren. We're going to run an errand. I'll leave Vincent to you."

  "Do your best." Kaioshun said. Hana walked away with the hooded Ren, leaving Vincent and Kaioshun behind.

  "Huh, would ya' look at that. The mistress is gone," Vincent smirked as he spoke to Kaioshun. "You can't keep me in shackles forever, she can’t either."

  Kaioshun snickered. "Still insufferable, Vincent Sparks. You don't know what you'll lose if you defy us."

  "That so?" Vincent stood up.

  Kaioshun sat down, looking at him. In this state right now, it looked like Vincent dominated over him in height and physique. "You can't just confiscate my Soul. You wouldn't take that risk. You also wouldn't kill me because according to what she said, you see value in me. So in other words,"

  Vincent towered over him. "You have confiscated NOTHING of me."

  Then, Kaioshun stood up, towering over him now.

  "I do not need to confiscate your Soul as your Soul has confiscated your life long ago. You are a ticking time bomb, waiting to go off at the most inconvenient times, Vincent Sparks."

  Kaioshun then kicked Vincent a full 10 meters back and down the staircase. It took a moment for Vincent to regain his senses, as he didn't expect to be falling from such a height. "AUGH-! Fuck!" He cursed aloud.

  "You have everything to lose, Vincent Sparks. Let it be the constant nagging of guilt or the hurt your Soul brings on. You will obey me, and you will cause Destruction wherever you go as I order you to. Disobey me and the ones you hold close will pile up lifelessly on your hands. Your little one, your once beloved and your sister."

  Vincent sat there, staring at Kaioshun, a sense of despair and depression creeping upon him. No, he realized that he was in his control now. The tone of Kaioshun was absolute. A final reminder and warning not to get involved, let alone test what he can do.

  He could rip everything from him in mere seconds.

  "You can be a hopeless, former shell of yourself or you can accept your role as a servant. Either way, you are a pawn." Kaioshun sat down, turning around to meet the horizon and the setting sun.

  Vincent was left on the bottom, letting that dark abyss cloud his heart and thoughts. To know he was powerless against Kaioshun, against Hana. As the light only shone down on Kaioshun, as the dark creeped up on Vincent, he started to really question his existence.

  Is he even a human anymore? Or is he reduced to a machine, to be pointed in an objective direction and following it without asking questions?

  "..."

  Absolute power corrupts absolutely, Kaioshun-Rymela.

  Humans are not pawns.

  And you are nowhere near a God.

  You're a pawn too. I can see it in your eyes.

  Kaioshun-Rymela, you are...