More Than a Mortal

Aerial Assault

Shaksel returned to the chambers of the Council and was met with expectant looks from his peers. He took a seat at his station and smiled merrily at the others.

"Do not leave us in suspense, Shaksel," said a tall, thin woman with silver hair. "What of the meeting with the king and queen?"

"We are in agreement, Nerida," Shaksel confirmed. "They understand that we are overruling them and sending a team to earth to retrieve the crystals and the Inhuman."

"Just to retrieve?" another member, a burly redhead named Samil, asked.

Shaksel nodded. "Yes, that is their wish- that the Inhuman be brought to Atillan." The other members of the Council began to protest this and Shaksel raised his hands for silence. "I understand your concerns. I know that this is not in line with our wishes. But Acrimon and I have already discussed this and our original plan still stands."

Samsil shook his head. "But if we go against the wishes of the king and queen there could be consequences. Our current power has its limits. And our ascension in power must be as innocent in appearance as possible, unless we wish to lose the faith of our own people."

Shaksel smiled. "Acrimon and his agents will carry out the task. This new prince will be executed in a way that will leave no one in doubt of our innocence in the matter."

"Am I to understand that we are stacking the task force with individuals who will aid in this?" Nerida asked.

"Yes. Though the king and queen have insisted that Princess Crystal join the team."

Again the Council was outraged. This detail complicated matters a great deal for them. Princess Crystal was the sister of Queen Medusa and loyal to the throne. If she were joining the task force it could only mean that the king and queen had suspicions. It also implied that Crystal would serve as a witness should anything untoward take place.

"Your concerns are heard, friends. But the princess, though powerful in her way, is but one Inhuman. It will not be difficult to deal with her. In fact, we have already made plans for the princess."

Nerida met Shaksel's gaze. "And those would be?"

"A most unfortunate accident will befall Princess Crystal on earth. We will say the Inhuman they seek killed her during the attempt to apprehend him. Prince Acrimon will say he had no choice but to kill him. He and his team will return the Terrigen Crystals and the corpse of the prince to Atillan. They will be lauded as heroes who did what needed to be done to avenge the death of Crystal and the ensure the security of the Terrigen Crystals."

Samsil shook his head. "This Council has done much to undermine the power of Blackagar and Medusa. We have gone as far as to sabotage their ability to conceive an heir. That is treasonous enough. But killing Princess Crystal? That will take us down a path from which there is most certainly no return."

"Do you hear yourself, Samsil?" someone else asked. "We are already on that path. We have already committed an act of treason. What is one more if it means ensuring Acrimon's ascension to the throne?"

"He is right," Nerida agreed. "That is what it has always been about. Acrimon will give this Council unrestrained power on Atillan when he becomes king. His goal stretches far beyond the boundaries of this kingdom. He seeks to return to the old ways of our ancestors and go further still. He wishes to enslave earth and have the Inhumans reign over it as gods."

"And when that happens," Shaksel went on, "our reach will extend further. Acrimon will have what he wants- the submission of our lesser kin."

"And we will have absolute power," Nerida added.