Pankration

Chapter IV. Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.

- "Xanatos. It's nice to finally put a...masked face to the name." Max initiated the conversation in a rather reluctant manner.

- "I take it my brother has mentioned me, no doubt. Only good things heard about me, I hope." Xanatos replied.

After a tense exchange of looks between the two, the Zanagarian orders Ra to send the human to his chambers first thing tomorrow morning, leaving the room in quite a style and causing concern for Max as he realized the plans made with Xenos and Rayna went down the drain because of this shocking early appearance from the enemy. The next morning, Rayna gets word of Xanatos' premature arrival as she passes by Max in the corridors and he gives her a "plans cancelled" sign. Her expression instantly became overwhelmed with worry and she went to confirm the suspicion with her father.

- "Father! Is it true? Is Xanatos here already?" Rayna inquired while entering Ra's quarters in a rather innocent fashion.

- "Indeed it is, my dear. Heard it from the human scum, undoubtedly?" Doctor Ra answered her in a defiant manner with obvious hints of disgust in his tone.

As she tries to interrupt him and confront him on his unusual reaction, she gets cut off by Ra's venomous remarks.

- "You think I would not find out? My dear, I have an unimaginable network of eyes and ears everywhere in this city. You may be smart, my love, but remember... I will always be one step ahead of you and everyone else who would dare defy and betray me. Precisely as I had feared... turning out to be just like your whore of a mother. Pity." Ra verbally abused his daughter, leaving her in shock.

- "How dare you talk about my mother in such a way?! YOU WERE THE ONE THAT BETRAYED HER! YOU BAS-" Rayna yelled but could not finish her savage reply as one of her father's guards knocked her out from behind with a taser.

- "Take her away! Let her rot in the same cells as her despicable cohorts until I arise with a decision regarding her situation." Ra orders his guards.

As the tension was filling up the entire atmosphere on Romar, Max found himself at the doorstep of the one they call Soter of Andromeda. The person singled out by his new companions as the villain of the story. A warrior who seems feared by many, but respected by more for his reputation. How should he approach this unavoidable encounter that he's been building up to? He takes a deep breath and opens the door in front of him. As he enters the room, Xanatos is standing in front of an exposed window, almost vulnerable to any attack from the outside, gazing upon the entire capital of Romar, somehow metaphorically absorbing its powerful energy, with his back turned to Max. With one move of his index finger he signals his guards to leave the room. It was clearly a psychological power play on the Zanagarian's behalf and Max caught on quickly, all the while admitting to himself it was quite a subtle, yet impressive display. He knew right then this man cannot be underestimated and that his arrogance is actually rooted on solid reasons.

- "Your highness." Max ironically addressed him. "You wanted to see me?"

- "Funny. I've quite missed a dose of humor in these unsettling times. Tell me...Theseus...what is it you desire exactly? Freedom? Power? Knowledge? All of the above? What do you think your role is in all of this? To be a pawn? To be moved aimlessly across the chessboard with the sole purpose of being sacrificed by someone like Ra? No...No, I highly doubt you do. You see, I have a feeling about you. I'm cooking up some promising plans for you. You're it. You are my element of surprise. My missing piece in the grand scheme of things. I feel as if we're going to work well together going forward." Xanatos calmly spoke to Max, as the outlander became visibly intrigued by his speech, trying to unmask the supposed hidden intentions beneath his carefully chosen, yet inspiring words.