Cross Ange: The Knight of Hilda

Chapter 10: Midnight Rendezvous

With a gust of cool night air, the doors to the balcony of the royal bedchamber were pulled open and a lone figure stepped out onto the parapet. Being the captain of the Misurugi Imperial Guard, Riza Rundog was able to schedule patrol shifts in a way that allowed her to come and go as she pleased. Of course, ever since the attack on the Dawn Pillar, it wasn't as if there were very many guards now to dodge anyway. Behind her, his sleeping form laying peacefully in his bed, Emperor Julio remained oblivious to her absence. She had initially thought that gaining access to the Imperial Family would be a challenge but his Majesty's secret desires had played right into her hands. Once she had caught his eye and was invited into his bed, it had been child's play to seduce her way into becoming his right hand. And while she regretted that doing so meant sacrificing his parents and younger sister, Riza would not be detained from her mission. Like all of the false humans in their empty and false prosperity, they had stolen what they had no right to take. The sins of their forebears had been deferred long enough and their debt against her people would soon be paid.

With a final glance to ensure no one was watching, Riza stripped out of her robe, the silken fabric falling to the ground as the great wings underneath extended to their full length. A quick moment to stretch out the stiffness from being held in for so long, and Riza rose into the sky. Like a great bird of prey, she soared against the backlight of the moon as she flew over the castle grounds and towards the Dawn Pillar. In the distance, the lights of the Imperial Capital shone around the pillar grounds like a ring of jewels. Did any of them wonder why they were so prosperous? Did none of them question where the Light of Mana came from? Perhaps if they had then their fate could have been avoided.

Alighting on an outer balcony, Riza lightly stepped through the empty halls until at last she reached the control room. As her own energy was not derived from the "Light of Mana" but rather the refined Dracunium pellets she had been provided, the Pillar's sensors would not detect her presence as they would a false human. Standing before the main control system, Riza activated the pillar and across time and space itself, the image of an ornate shrine appeared before her on the screen. Comprised of several steps, on each level was positioned a feminine form hidden behind a silken screen. And at the very top, a small figure looked down upon her from behind a folding bamboo blind.

"Lizardia," the High Priestess greeted. "Have you made any progress in your investigation?"

"I have," she answered. "From what I have uncovered, these renegade humans implant themselves with cybernetic devices that prevent them from absorbing Aura's power into their central nervous system."

"And that is why that man is unable to read or control them?" a figure beneath the high priestess asked.

"Correct Lady Salamandinay. However, they can still absorb it through their peripheral nervous system. It seems they view Aura's power as too great a weapon to be discarded entirely." At the shrine's base, two figures sat with their weapons lying before them.

"Then in truth they are still nothing more than thieves," one snarled, her hand clenched atop her twin swords. "Just like the rest of their kind. They shame Aura with the abuse of her power."

"And what of their relationship to the Norma?" Salamandinay asked. "What have you learned in that regard?"

"It's very difficult to say," she answered. "The false humans have a very complex system when dealing with the Norma mutations. Some nations like Rosenblum send every Norma to their military base. Others only supply a fixed quota and then send any excess to other facilities. The Marmeria Republic has the most moderate policy, sending excess Norma to a penal colony where they live in fairly peaceful conditions. In contrast, the Velda Dynasty euthanizes any and all Norma that are identified past their required quota. This 'Network' however, seems to focus on the location and evacuation of any Norma before the authorities can capture them. It would seem that 10 years ago, they were part of an alliance between the Norma of Arzenal and the handful of the surviving people native to this world. However, their central base was located and the majority of their forces annihilated. As a result, they were unable to participate in the attempt to dethrone our enemy."