The Shards of War: Balancing Power

Chapter 21

Aria sat in the dimly lit room of the Royal Vanguard's headquarters, nervously rubbing her palm with her thumb. The weight of her decision to join Illiyas and Sunny in their quest for revenge bore heavily on her. Her primary concern was her brother, the little boy she had entrusted to Illiyas during the tumultuous battle between King Octaviano and the New Thunderbeak Platoon.

As she waited, memories of that day flooded her mind. Aria vividly recalled the chaos and the overwhelming desire to protect her brother from the conflict that raged around them. When Matsu, the enigmatic leader of the New Thunderbeak Platoon, helped her find the lost child and reunite him with his sister, Aria had momentarily glimpsed a different side to their adversaries.

But now, she found herself entangled in a dark web of revenge orchestrated by Illiyas and Sunny. Her apprehension grew as she pondered the consequences of her involvement.

The door creaked open, and Illiyas entered the room with a determined expression. "Aria, the time is approaching. We need to proceed with our plan to rescue King Octaviano. Are you ready?"

Aria hesitated before responding, her voice tinged with uncertainty, "Illiyas, I... I just want to see my brother. That's all I care about."

Illiyas' gaze hardened, "We will free the king, and you will be reunited with your brother. But remember, this path has no turning back. Once we start, there's no going back."

Aria nodded, a mixture of determination and trepidation in her eyes. As she followed Illiyas out of the room, the weight of her choices bore down on her shoulders, and she couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that their actions would have far-reaching consequences.

Aria couldn't shake the nagging doubt that clouded her thoughts. As they walked through the secret headquarters of the Royal Vanguard, she finally voiced her concerns to Illiyas, "Are we doing the right thing? The king willingly let himself get imprisoned. And Matsu... he's a good person. He helps people."

Illiyas turned to face her, his gaze stern, "Aria, sometimes sacrifices must be made for the greater good. The king's imprisonment may be a part of a larger plan, one that we need to unravel. And as for Matsu, don't be fooled by appearances. He may seem like a benevolent leader, but I assure you, he's a manipulative little shit who will do anything to make things go his way. Even manipulate people to betray their country for dreams they could've pursued at home."

Sunny, who had been punching a nearby punching bag, stopped abruptly and turned to Aria, her eyes ablaze with anger. "Don't be so naive. Matsu plays the game well, and he's not as virtuous as he seems. People like him use kindness as a weapon, and in the end, they only serve their own interests."

Aria bit her lip, torn between loyalty to her brother and the unsettling reality that Illiyas and Sunny were painting. The weight of her decision hung heavy in the air as they continued down the dimly lit corridors of the underground base, preparing for the ominous task that lay ahead.

Aria hesitated for a moment, torn between her loyalty to Matsu and the growing uncertainty about his true nature. "I don't want to betray his trust," she finally confessed, her voice a mere whisper. The weight of the secret she carried threatened to suffocate her.

Sunny's eyes glinted with curiosity, "What did he say? Anything that can help us in our mission?"

Aria covered her mouth, grappling with the revelation she was about to make. "He's in a relationship with agents one and two," she admitted reluctantly. Illiyas, however, dismissed the information, frustrated that it wasn't more actionable.

Sunny, on the other hand, perked up at the mention of the relationships, "Agents one and two? That would be Calie and Marie, right?"

Aria nodded, and before Sunny could press for more information, Aria added, "But this is my first meeting with him. He hasn't revealed much to me yet."