Robert Kraus bit back a curse as the people around the table clamored about Azazel's show of power just minutes ago. With it's exposure to the public masses, they had gathered the remaining survivors and anyone they could from the central offices to conduct an emergency meeting. Seeing as despite the rather large damages on the main hall of the building, there were several rooms left relatively unscathed from the attack and so both groups had agreed to converge in one of the available rooms to begin the meeting straight away.
That had happened ages ago, and to this moment they had yet to reach a conclusion on what to do with the Arcobaleno's threat. Which honestly both baffled and infuriated him.
What is there to even think about? Those creatures declared war on them! They should be meeting this threat with their full force! Not wasting time squabbling like some gossiping housewives!
Scowling, he took notice as another cacophony of sounds began to rise around the room; a clear indication of yet another on going argument. Suppressing an irritated sigh, Robert shifted his arm upwards, glancing at the watch on his wrist. Immediately, his mood soured even further. They had been in this godforsaken meeting for nearly 3 hours now, and no one seemed to be able to provide an adequate solution.
"—can't afford to anger them anymore!"
"What do you propose we do then?"
His sudden retort caused the room to quiet as the remaining officials turned to look at the darkly scowling man. Undeterred by the varying hostile and wary gazes Robert Kraus simply continued on.
"You're all here blabbering about the Arcobaleno might do if we refuse to agree to their terms, but then what do you propose we do? Just bow and scrape after their words? Wait until something else takes up their interest?" He stated, a sneer on his face as room continued to remain quiet.
"I—"
"Or do you just want to wait until the rest of us are dead as well?"
His words brought a chilling silence to the room. After all, it was something that lurked in each of their minds. A possibility that despite their best efforts, there continues to be the chance that death is what awaited them.
"Then, what do you think we should do?"
Brown eyes glanced towards where the voice sounded, where on the far edge of the table sat a stern-looking man. The new director sent by the central office.
"You pointed out that even if we adhere to their demands, they might turn back on their word." He stated calmly, gaze never once wavering from Robert's own. "In this seemingly lose-lose situation what would you suggest we do then?"
Robert Kraus blinked back at them, seemingly baffled at their question.
"Why, we fight back of course."
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Despite the hectic day they encountered, there was a strange calmness to the night. There was the slightest breeze in the cold air, a telltale sign that Autumn was approaching. In the dead of the night the mansion was quiet, a peaceful silence encompassing its halls. Most of it's residents laid fast asleep, drained from the day's activities. However, a single golden light continued to shine through the dark night.
If one were to traverse the marbled hallways in search for that source of light they would eventually end up realizing that it came from a desk lamp. One in particular that is currently bathing the small figure of a familiar teen settled on a large leather desk chair.
Anastasia sat hunched over at the large ornate desk in the office. Several papers laid strewn over it's glossy surface, all of them scribbled with writings and the occasional diagrams. There was a tall stack of files on the far right of the desk. The large blaring numbers displayed on the clock situated by the lamp indicated that she was awake well into the next day. Despite that however, the teen simply placed down the paper she had been holding and was already rather blindly reaching for another one.
Clumsily grasping a nearby paper, causing the edges to crumple ever so slightly, Anastasia blinked her grey eyes as she tried to make sense of the papers in front of her. Despite her best efforts, the words on the white surface seemed to blur together.
YOU ARE READING
The Arcobaleno
JugendliteraturAnastasia never lived the easy life, orphaned from birth all she has left of her original family was her pendant but life never seemed to make it easy for her. In a prejudice and magic-filled world she has to blaze her own path and learn to distingu...
