The Siren Slayer

Report

Tap tap tap

Strategist gulped as the Empress read over the report she had submitted, internally already accepting her data wipe and removal from the Siren system. If only the Arbiter wasn't dragging out her execution for so long!

The report did little to hide the fact her search had come up with next to no leads. The End, the nightmare of their race, could not be found. Hundreds of Lurkers had infiltrated human civilisation and yet not a single one had reported back seeing the hide or hair of the Slayer

Maybe Stratagist was only being preserved till the full report was read?

The report was a couple hundred pages long, containing all the information their spies had uncovered in the human nations from their leadership to their advancements in technology, so perhaps Empress was merely taking her time deciding what to do with her while reading the reports

The Empress of the Siren race didn't seem to be in a hurry to finish the reports either, her face calm and relaxed as she reclined elegantly on a beach chair while a fellow Elite Siren held up an umbrella to block the sun's rays

Why the Empress of the Siren race was spending her day on one of the abandoned beaches they had taken from the humans Strategist didn't know, nor did she understand why she had been called to give her report now, a full month before it was due throwing her into a massive panic, but it wasn't her place to question the Empress

"Hmm..." The Empress flipped the page with such elegance Strategist went back to a thought she had previously while also internally panicking at what the humm could mean for her well-being

'Why did the empress want the information physically?' Sirens were an advanced race, capable of bending space and time to their whims with little trouble. So why was the Empress using something so utterly outdated to read the reports? The Arbiter could have simply downloaded the information directly off the Siren network or even taken it directly from Stratagists mind but instead had taken a paper-printed version

Why?

"Water." The Empress held out her hand, so delicate yet so deadly, and her request was met immediately by another Strategist Modle, this one a lesser version of herself as it was not an Elite but a simple executioner class

Strategist found herself further confounded by her Empress's behaviour. They were machines! They didn't need things like food or water! Yet here she sat, the peak of their race, leader of their kind, drinking from a glass of water with ice cubes! It didn't make sense!

"Hmm... It seems I owe Observer some credit."

Every Siren on the beach froze at the mention of the... removed Elite

Observer

One of the eldest of their race

Releaser of Doom

The Arch Traitor

In the few weeks that had passed since she and Purifier's codes had been ripped from their bodies, many names and titles had been handed to the 2 and not all of them were undeserved. Siren didn't normally feel fear or hate, their code was not meant to allow it in general

But what the Octopus Siren did had both emotions become very real in every siren's mind. Hate for the Arch-Traitor and fear of what she had released. It was inconceivable to many of their kind, that one that survived the near extinction of their race released the one responsible

She had become hated within the Siren halls, her name cursed and reviled. Why she had released the Devil they didn't know, but it had given them nothing besides a reason to fear leaving the safety of their base

Bases that might not even be safe if the Hunter found them

"My Empress?" Strategist wished she could pretend she didn't know why she spoke, directly bringing the Arbiter's glowing eyes onto her, but the truth was she knew her own code and so knew why she invited possible extermination onto herself

Curiosity

"Hmm? You're still here?" The words would have been believable if it weren't for the way the Empress's eyes shone with a malicious light, one that promised pain and suffering and Strategist had a feeling she knew why. Her report did lack a certain, highly coveted piece of information "Well seeing as you are, I suppose I can make use of you..."

Why was her throat so dry?

"Take a group of Mass Produced Ships and head to attack the Iron Blood coast, specifically here," A location was uploaded into the Elite Sirens brain, one she recognised from the very report she had given the Empress

Why she was being sent there? Strategist had no idea. The only thing happening at that port was the divergence of a high amount of power and large amounts of precious gems and resources. The answer didn't matter though as she had received an order, one that she would fulfil

Maybe this was good? It got her away from the Emporess's terrifying presence and gave her a reason to not hand in reports for a while. She would have to inform the Lurkers to report to their own elite for a while, or maybe even indefinitely

"As you command, my Empress!" With more relief than she had felt in a long while, Strategist gave a crisp bow before all but running off down the beach to where their portal had been set up for the Emporess's leisure leaving the Ruler of the Siren race with her few attendants

"Fufufu..." Empress rose from her chair, handing the empty water glass and reports off to a pair of waiting hands before stretching languidly, her body not capable of creating the sound of clicking back, but the motion was soothing on its own "I'll have to arrange for a replacement."

Diverging power? Precious gems? A nation's leader paying a visit? Upped military production? She had seen these events appear in reports in only one timeline before now. The best timeline in her opinion, for it was the timeline in which her love was created

"Soon, my beloved Tyrant, you will be back where you rightfully belong..."

That poor Strategist was either going to come back with the best information in the world, or none at all

Both would give the Arbiter the answer she needed

"Perhaps I should reward Observer... Nah"