Code Name: Anarchy

Code Name: Anarchy By Raymora Mayven
"Operative Sil'Vas to homebase, I'm at the checkpoint" I said, taking another sip of my drink. The blazing hot sun shined upon the small city of Valtula, a city only a few hundred miles from the capital city of Dragonbane. I scanned the area as a small voice rang in my ears. "Greetings operative, Please wait while I confirm your location...location confirmed, mission Code: False Philanthropist. Mission Priority: Low. Operative Sil'Vas already on site. Operative, your mission is to investigate the grand donation of food and clothing provided by Lord Ta'kal owner of Prism Core. You may proceed to the target location," Said a light female voice, the voice of the operatives, Mayvora. Her voice wasn't as formal and direct as most missions, but to be fair when it came to low priority missions that really isn't a problem. We operatives put our full effort into every mission we undertake, because no matter how big or small the problem is , we follow one golden rule: complete the mission no matter what. Still, I wasn't sure why Rathalos assigned me to this mission. As much as I would disagree, all the other operatives see me as the strongest and most skilled of them all. I would never admit to this, but I will definitely say I'm not one to be taken lightly.''Why am I here anyways?" I asked her, the sharp reply that used to catch me off guard, responded almost instantly. You see, thinking on the fly is my type of style, but when it comes to Mayvora, she knows everything she needs to, even much more. "Lord Ta'kal has been a very blatant opponent to King Salukamoth's rule. He has been publicly seen protesting against the king, and has been actively trying to expose the operatives as his secret assassins. However, what concerns us is this strange donation that seemed to have come out of nowhere. He has never been a man to share his wealth to others, yet here he is giving away what could equal up to a million Coin." I've heard of this Ta'kal before, in fact his name has been coming up a lot more often at our headquarters. While in some truth we operatives are in fact working under the command of the king, if this truth got out to the people of Dragonbane, it could cause an uprising. Our job as operatives is to deal with any "problems" that arise. To us, we are the bonds that keep the kingdom together, by removing those who would dare to go against it. Yet to the rest of the land, we are terrorists who only seek destruction. It's nearly common knowledge that we work underneath the king, however we make sure never to leave any evidence that could connect us together. For once the truth gets out, only anarchy would follow. While other people like Ta'kal were a problem for the king , he was a dangerous one in particular. Without any proper evidence of treason, if he were to disappear, people would get suspicious. So for now the only thing we are able to do is watch from a distance, waiting for the moment to strike him down the moment he tries something, anything, that can convict him. But I already knew all this, this wasn't the answer I was looking for. "I meant as in why am I here? Stealth isn't really my style, wouldn't this mission be something up your alley?" Mayvora's response was quick as always, but there were hints of confusion within it. "Rathalos himself assigned you, everything he does is extremely deliberate and we should know better than to ask" I was going to respond but I found myself out of time. "Homebase, I have reached the target location, No target in sight yet" I informed. "Confirmed, describe the location" she ordered, with a more focused voice. I took a quick scan around, careful not to draw too much attention to myself. I had to make sure not to look suspicious, my face wasn't exactly unknown to people. More of a reason to be confused as to why I was chosen for this task. "Town Square, surrounded by buildings that are closed for the event. Large crowd of people, high class townsfolk. All gathering around... the Hyper Rail?" This was something that I was not informed of. The Hyper Rail was an ancient road that used an extremely fast land ship that was connected to the ground by some sort of rail. However, it has been thousands of years since the Hyper Rail was active, for it required an immense amount of magic to power it, and without the help of the dragons it was assumed to be obsolete. "This is strange indeed, I'll update the logs now. Keep an eye out, the target should be arriving now." I blended into the crowd, waiting. I was calm, and relaxed. The truth is taking a nice simple mission like this was just what I needed. I'm always fighting, always killing someone or destroying something. So I do enjoy taking these missions where my life-or anyones-isn't on the line. Oddly, there was something that made me wonder if that is really true. And this fear was only enforced when the caravan entered the town. It was a small convy, only three horse pulled wagons in total. Still Takal did know how to arrive in style. "Target is approaching target location, moving closer" I say, politely making my way to the front. It wasn't an easy task, everyone wanted to see the "Golden Hero" in the flesh. So I wasn't the only one who was disappointed when they made their stop in the middle of the square, in front of the Hyper Rail. The third wagon's door opened, and first out stepped three armed guards. They had light armor with bows slung across their backs. Their swords were at their side, but their expression focused and vigilant. However, the last person wasn't Takal, it was a younger man dressed in exquisite formal wear, and a small smile on his face. His hair was slicked back and he kept his attention on the Hyper Rail. Now I know something is wrong, and little old naive me was hoping that it would end here, but as an operative I know that's never the case. "Change of plans, Target is not here. It seems there is someone else in his place." I informed, keeping my gaze upon him. I couldn't make direct contact, whoever this was clearly is expecting something like me. He walked over to the front of the hyper rail, in a dignified and determined way. When he spoke, his voice was loud and deliberate, evidently he was skilled at public speaking. "Greeting good people of Dragonbane. I must apologize for my unscheduled appearance. I am well aware that I am not the man you expected to see here today, however, I am truly afraid to declare that my father, Lord Ta'kal, is a very busy man. He is working day and night to make Dragonbane a better place by helping those who live in the shadow of a false light." He said the last part in a mocking type of tone, for everyone knew who he was talking about. Still, I now knew who this was. "The person in place of Ta'kal is his son, Earl Talkair"."Takal's Son? But I thought that he was too lazy and worthless to do anything for Ta'kal's business. Never thought that he would be trusted for this sort of job" She was right, everyone knew that Earl was the black sheep of the family, in fact it was common knowledge that Ta'kal resented his son. So the answer to the question was quite obvious. "Well I guess that means this really is a donation, Ta'kal wouldn't make his son do anything that was even remotely useful to him. Maybe this is just a huge publicity stunt; it wouldn't be the first." Mayvora stated. Nevertheless the mission was still active. I waited in anticipation while he gave the same dull speech that his father always gives. I've heard enough of these to have memorized the entire speech by heart, I recited it to myself to test my theory. I see myself as a man of action, so standing around waiting for something that most likely won't happen is very boring, wasn't exactly a good use of my skills. The heat was overbearing people around me who were taking out umbrellas or using fans. Not me of course, I've been trained from a very early age to withstand any type of environment. This was nothing compared to the deadly heat of an active volcano. Still, at least in the volcano I had something to do. I'm just glad I don't have to do any paperwork on this, Tanara takes care of all that. The sun was beginning to set when my wish was answered. Earl stood firm and made a motion to the hyper rail. "As you know the Hyper Rail has remained a dormant monument for thousands of years. But thanks to our brilliant third parties, we have found a way to reactivate the Hyper Rail, and we shall use this opportunity to help those who are in desperate need of help. Tomorrow at noon, with the help of the Hyper Rail, we will deliver a grand gift from Lord Ta'kal himself" He said, and with that made a motion towards the back of the crowd. Everyone turned around, but I wasn't able to see what was gathering their attention. They then started to move to the side to make a passage for someone. Well, it wasn't just one person, it was four men who weren't even armed at all, made their way past the crowd. They were carrying something, A rectangular box with a small green line embroider around it. It looked to be heavy for the four men who were carrying it clearly looked strained, ready to drop it the moment they got the chance to. I knew something was up, whatever was in that box was going to change something. At the time, I knew it was going to be something big; little did I know that what was in that box would bring an end to everything I knew. When the workers eventually made their way towards Earl, the crowd only impeding their progress, they gently placed the box on the floor. I could tell they were indeed tired, but watched the box with great interest. Slowly backing up, Earl stepped forward and took a key from his suit and unlocks the box. I was ready for action ,when once again I found myself disappointed. "As you can see, each and everyone of these boxes are filled to the fullest with quality clothing and top grade food. Thanks to the gracefulness of my father, we will transport a total of 50 containers to the broken down city of Valken. A city long forgotten by the king. We already have the rest of the containers stored within our warehouse on the northern outskirts of the city. Tomorrow morning begins the new era of prism core. I thank you for you time and remember, we make this future together!" He finished his speech with a smug smile upon his face. I couldn't believe this; an act of kindness was not uncommon, but from a man so vile as Ta'kal? I knew something wasn't right here, but right now I had nothing to go off. "Mission Complete, moving to the debriefing zone. I whispered to Mayvora, and made my way back into the crowd. People were herding around Earl, bombarding him with questions, to which he dismissed them with a simple smile. I thought that he was going to be stuck there all night until his guard came to break him out. I didn't stick around however, I still had one thing to do. I slipped out of the heard and made my way to a small alley, hidden from the public eye. I explained all the events to her, and for the first time ever, Mayvora was speechless. And to think that what caused it, was an act of something so innocent. "No matter how we look at it, there is nothing malicious about this. Return to base immediately, we shall discuss further actions there." she ordered. But I wasn't convinced just yet. We have been tracking Ta'kal's movement all around Dragondale, and he has never done something to this scale. To top it all off as well, we haven't even seen him or anyone mention a third party, especially one that has the power to activatie the Hyper Rail. "There is something strange going on, I've been an operative for too long to be blinded by such an act." I told her my suspicions, none of which she denied of course. We both knew that something was amidst here. Still she responded with a large deliberate sigh, "Well, there is nothing we can do about it now. Return to base as soon as you can and we will decide upon further actions." I took a quick look around the alley, there was no one nearby to notice me. The route behind me led to the northern part of the city, a place of particular interest. I didn't even have the slightest urge to head back, we all knew something was going on here. And I'm going to find out just what that is. "Mayvora, you with me?" I asked, starting to move carefully down the alleyway. "Sil'Vas, the mission is over; what are you planning to do?" she asked concerned. I retrieved one of my knives from my belt, flipped it, caught it in mid air, then sheathed it. And with a small smile, I was on my way. "Just gonna have a quick look around."
It took some time for the people of the town to return to their normal lives. Earl retreated to what seemed to be a high secure estate near the Hyper Rail, protected from the adoring fans that tried their best to make their way inside. Their persistence was something to be admired, for even the dedication of the guard wasn't enough to quell such a mob. Of course this made things all the way easier for me. Most of the city's attention was on Earl's residence, making it quite a simple task to slip to my destination. "Sil'Vas, I don't agree with this in the slightest. It's pointless to take such a risk" she repeated. Perhaps I was being a little bit invidious, but this was too big of an opportunity to pass up. I made my way to the warehouse undetected, there were only a few guards patrolling the streets, most of which have been sent to assist Earl. I stuck to the shadows, using the dim light of the city lights to guide my path. I used to find it strange to see cities like this, barren and empty. I was trained in the main capital of Dragondale, Dragonbane city. There the city was always alive, whether it be day or night. Filled with music and joy; I used to envy such a life of ignorance. Not anymore, however, I've since come to learn of the shadows that creep within our world. And it's our job as operatives to keep such shadows hidden. I studied the exterior of the wherehouse. It was three large buildings, normally used to keep supplies for the city itself. Each of then where long and narrow, they weren't that high about two stories high. I knew that inside, was only one large open space, perfect for storage. I had to keep an eye out, while this side of the city was nearly deserted, there were still a few patrols going around the warehouse. I stayed hidden in the shadows of a nearby bush, just outside the walls. They were solid androsteel, a common yet durable metal that is the standard material for construction. However, despite its common nature, it still cost a decent amount of coin; meaning that the walls were made of chain-link, not full alloy. This of course was an enormous advantage for me, as It allowed me to watch for movement safely hidden behind the comfort of shadows. As expected there was only three squads on patrol; four man squads each armed with light armor and standard issue andro swords. They had a simple rotation, one squad would patrol a warehouse while the other two circles around the other houses. After studying for a decent bit I can assume they do quick ten minutes checks on the right, then left and finally middle. All I wanted to do was to investigate one of them, I decided upon the left house, after which I will return back to base before Rathalos can notice I'm out on another "one of my missions." I may follow orders when I'm told to, however I also have my own morals. They make me who I am, and I will not dare to defy them. As soon as I saw a squad enter the middle warehouse, I used the veil of night to scale over the wall and made my way towards the edge of the building. It wasn't much larger upfront and wasn't detailed at all. Strange to have someomething so important be left lightly guarded. Something is up, and the answer has to lie within. Entering through the main entrance was far too dangerous; I would be noticed the second I left the shadows. Now I know that if worst comes to worst I can easily take on nine lightly armed men. However, that would be the worst thing I could do right now. People already see the operatives as terrorists and if me, one of the most known and dangerous operative, was to be seen attacking a warehouse that is assumed to be filled with goods and supplies, wouldn't that just prove Ta'kal, inadvertently making him even more powerful? This was a risk that I could not afford to take. There was no other option, I had to do this within the shadows. My only option was to enter through the skylight windows. Normally, getting to such a high roof would be nearly impossible without being seen for I would have to get uptop a close by building and make the jump. Not this time however, because for once in my life luck seemed to be on my side. The walls of the building were old, eroded. This made them crack and create small little holes that one nimble enough could exploit. Needless to say, it was quite easy to scale the wall. Once at the skylight, I checked on the progress of the other squads. The two squads rotating around the perimeter had just begun their second round, which means that my time is starting to fade. I quickly but quietly opened the window and looked inside. As expected it was a large room, filled with shelves and few prismas provided light. The contents of the shelves were nothing strange, just some random junk that wasn't worth mentioning. What was interesting is the pristine boxes that took up most of the floor level. I knew this was my target, and made my way down. I carefully dropped on the nearest self, I had to be wary; one misstep and I'll be fighting my way out of here. I could faintly hear the sounds of the guards changing shift making my time frame clear. Making my way around the room was easy; my step is naturally light. Not before long the boxes were within reach. They were locked, of course a simple lock that even a novice could open. With the help of one of my daggers, the box was opened in no time. Truth be told, I was really waiting to find some type of weapon. Maybe some toxic that could kill someone in an instant. In fact, I wanted to find something that could give me an excuse to end that low life Ta'kal. He whose only job is to tarnish the name of operatives, and bring chaos to Dragonbane. But what I found brought even more confusion. And slight disappointment. It was identical to the other box: food, clothing, and medical supplies. All of these boxes contained useful items. I informed Mayvora of my discovery, who responded in a confused tone. She then went silent while I stared at the contents blankly. The evidence was here, there was nothing malicious about this. Yet so many questions still remained: who was this third party, what is with the random act of charity, and why in all of dragondale would Earl be the one to run it? The answers of reality conflicted directly with my instinct and operative training. "Regardless you need to return here at once" She said, adding "Without any more distractions" in a very stern tone. I silently agreed, readying myself for departure. There wasn't much rush, I still roughly have around 6 minutes before the guard shift changes again, all that was left to do was make my way to the top of the building and scale down the wall. Nevertheless whenever luck seems to favour me, my old friend misfortune gets very jealous. I hear the sound of the small wooden door creak open, indicating someone was entering. This wasn't right, I counted exactly how long each rotation takes; there was no way that I could be out of time. But I had no time to curse whatever god finds such events humorous, for I had very little time to conceal myself. The back of the storage was a large wall, with a lot of old and hanging clothing. I wasn't exactly Phantom, but it was better than being in the open. Three men walked inside; they wore different armor and stood in a formal and professional way. They entered in standard triangle position, a common tactic used by the military with two soldiers standing and the highest ranking one in front. After sharing quick exchanges, the two in the back each took their respective sides of the room, and began to investigate with the one in the front checking the middle of the room; right where I was. I knew that they weren't part of Ta'kal's militia because they were far too structured. Nevertheless, I shouldn't allow myself to be caught by anyone; I had to get out of here immediately. I watched the man from the shadows, unable to get a clear view of his face. If I could move I would be able to get a better look of course, yet there was no point in risking my guise. It was possible that I was in the worst possible position that I can be, there doesn't seem to be any way to escape from it. The best thing to do is to remain as still as can be and hope that he doesn't catch my gaze. Sadly, hope and luck were always my greatest adversaries. The man strolled through the shelves, passing by each of the boxes with a quick glance. As he was near my location, he noticed something. Leaning over and checking the box that I had broken, he opened it with great interest. Once he looked inside, and immediately dropped the lid and called for his fellow soldiers. His voice was old,deep, stern and focused: absence of any emotion and above all, familiar. I foolishly peered from my concealment and examined the man. He wasn't very tall, below the average of a normal adult. The man appeared to be quite young at first, but his face was wrinkled and broad, caring an expression of focus and delibrance. The armor that he bore looked pristine, most likely recently polished and repaired. There was one thing that did stand out, the first major problem. Over his heart, was a symbol of a flower-less rose, with a sword right through the side, a vivid indication that this man ,along with his comrades, were members of the Shattered Rose: The Grand Army of Dragonbane. This army has served Dragonbane for over fifty years, and are also an enmouse threat to the operatives. The High General didn't believe in using magic or technology in battle. Because of this, the army is strictly traditional soldiers; who live and die by their own sword and strength. Every single soldier in that army is trained for countless years in advanced swordsmanship, archery, battle tactics, martial arts, vigilance, bravery, and even dragon slaying. Even as one of the biggest enemies of the army, we operatives have heavy respect for every single soldier who can make it through that type of training; even if we have been through far more intense drills. Regardless, this man wasn't wearing standard footmen armor, which is made from magatitum, a magic resistant material. Nor did he wear commander regalia, armor that is more reinforced than normal and possessed purple engravings. Instead, his armor was plain white, and made from Eireaum; a rare and incredibly durable material that was the second strongest magical resistant material in all of Dragondale. No one else in the entire army wears that rare armor, which was a very bad sign here. To top it all off, when he turned to face his men, I saw his sword, sheathed and attached to his right side, confirming my worst suspicions: He was left handed. And there was only one person in all of The Shattered Rose who was left handed and wore that armor. High General Thorn turned to face his men, who were facing attentively towards him. "It would appear our information was correct. Someone was here" he said, emphasizing the last part. Both of the soldiers nodded keeping their attention on the general. "Search the entire complex", Thorn held the broken lock and added "It's not like an operative to leave such a mess." I mentally sighed; he wasn't wrong, I should have been more careful in leaving any evidence. But I cannot worry about that now, I seemed to have ran into quite the predicament. The Shattered rose was bad enough, but General Thorn? It was as if Dragondale itself was against me, though in this line of work that wouldn't be surprising. As I've already stated the Shattered Rose was the operatives greatest threat. Yet this is not because of the army's skill-which is already incredible-but instead of the generals on command it. Unlike the days of old, Dragondale generals aren't picked from a cast of specialised tactations, rather they are picked because they excelled both in military tactics and combat skills. The best way to explain it is that they are as dangerous with a sword as they are behind the war table. The Shattered Rose has three generals: Wyvern, Chaos, and Bloom. Every single one with their own fighting style and unique weapons make them formidable foes. I myself have fought each of them at least twice, so I can say for sure that the strongest of them all, Is none other than their own High General Thorn. He is the ideal soldier. Master tactician, expert in every single form of combat that has ever been created. Dragon or Operative, they all fall to Thorn. Some even believe that he would surpass Vex Mayven-the Legendary Dragon Slayer- if he wishes too. However Thorn resents dragon slaying, not for the benefit of the creatures of course, but because he believes there are bigger problems in the world then dragons. And he would be correct. I held my breath and stayed still as possible, every time Thorn shows up in a report, it's never pretty. I watched as Thorn surveyed the room, not yet noticing me. It would only be a few moments before he finds me; and when he does it won't end well. Thorn may be the greatest challenge I have ever faced, and I've been slaying Arch-Mages since I was nine. I've dealt with crazy fanatics, magic weapons, entire battalions equipped with the most destruction of light cannons, that could level a mountain in a few barrages. Thorn however, doesn't need any of that. He doesn't need powerful magic enhanced weapons, he doesn't need indestructible scales or advanced technology. Armed only with his broken sword Ever-Bloom, Thorn is the only person in the entire land that has caused me to fail a mission. But I wasn't going to make that mistake again. Now, I am no were near prepared to take on Thorn. I came lightly equipped because I didn't anticipate getting into such a situation. I'll make sure to always bring more daggers then I think I'll need going forward. Besides, even if I did want to fight him I would be at a disadvantage anyway. I use a very acrobatic fighting style, meaning I use every piece of the area that I'm in to aid me in battle. But this building was far too enclosed; you can't go five feet without knocking into something. It was evident that fighting was not an option: I had to find another way out. And I needed to find it fast because I could see Thorn inching ever closer to uncovering my location. Things were starting to look grim and I started to prepare to fight my way out, when I noticed that some of the shelves were angled just right so I could climb up and leap to the roof in less than fifteen seconds. It was my only hope, but I still didn't know how I was going to make it to the shelf without alerting Thorn or his other men to my location. I looked around, I wasn't in sight of anyone yet, but I would surely make some form of noise when attempting my escape. I held back a growl when I heard the rustling of armor approaching me. If I was going to do something, now was the time. I was going to carry out my original plan of just rushing to escape, but the moment I moved the support pillar next to me creaked faintly. And that gave me an idea. As I mentioned, these warehouses were old and falling apart. If I can't escape quitely, then I'll just make a little noise. Of course this most likely wasn't the best option; then again doing things in a dangerous fashion is a core element to being an operative. Still, rarely do the other times involve facing the High General himself. I stayed motionless long enough to ensure that no one was around me. From what I could see and here, the soldiers were on opposites of the room, with Thorn patrolling the shelves. I took a quiet breath and silently drew a dagger from my belt. I got myself into this mess, now I will get myself out of it. Moments like this are the main reason why we operatives are pushed far beyond the breaking point in training. Because there is no time for fear, and definitely not for hesitation. In one motion I threw my dagger directly to the pillar that loomed before me, and just as predicted it splintered and snapped off it's foundation, falling backwards to the nearby shelf, knocking it over. The guard to the left side was startled by the spontaneous crash, yet while most people would remain in shock after such an event, he wasn't phased for long. He called out for Thorn and the other guard, who came on their own terms and began to search the area. But I know they won't find anything, so I simply smile and begin to scale down the walls. A simple tactic really, as soon as my dagger impacted the pillar, I made my way to the right side wall, which the guard was already alerted by the sound of impact. From that it was quite easy to scale to the roof and make my escape. Similar to the outside, the bricks were broken and displaced, resembling that of a mountain side. I wasn't safe of course, to be fair I never am, but at least I was in a marginally better situation than before. I stayed silent for a while; I knew they couldn't have seen nor heard me but I needed to make sure of that. So it was reassuring to hear men talking about old buildings and unstable supports. Thorn was nowhere to be seen and that was perfectly fine. Getting out was easy, people have returned to normal and the city became more lively. I dropped from the roof and quickly vaulted over the fence making my way back into the city. I no longer looked suspicious, to the civilians and the guards I was just another person. I still kept my head low of course, not in an obvious manner but to appear as if I was hudling from the cold, and this was believable for it was quite chilly out indeed. Not that it affected me at all-I've been below freezing temperature before-but it did aid it keeping my guise.
The attention of Earl had entirely faded, few people still stood in front of his estate but most of the nobles had either gotten bored or were pushed away by the guards. It was nice to see a city like this, innocent people going about their lives, streets brighten only with the lights of the Prisma-lights and the Sal. I returned to the Inn where I had been staying, a simple two story tavern on the outskirts of the city. As I walked in I gave the Innkeeper a polite nod and made my way into my room. The room was small, single bed with a dim lantern for light. Still, I shouldn't complain, after all I'm lucky to even have a bed for this mission; it'll be awhile before I am treated to such luxuries again. As soon as the door was shut, I made my way to the window and gazed upon the beautiful strye sky. The Sal stone shined upon the citizens of the peaceful village; oh how I would love to be apart of it. To walk with such ignorance, to be unaware of the tragics that consumed our land. To know not of the horrendous creatures that lurk upon our land. The sight of such peace is so enthralling, to the point where I nearly ignored Mayvora. "Sil'Vas!" she called again, this time in a more aggressive manner. I returned from my fantasy and reached for my communication prism, which I then placed on the table. Once it was set, I pushed the top of the prism in order to activate it, making the top of the fall downward and the three sides opening like a blooming flower. Once the three sides were down, each gave off a primary colored beam, with the center giving a mix of black and grey. The process is fast of course-everything Lord Raven creates is done in the most efficient way possible after all- and very soon I found myself basically face to face with a very displeased Mayvora. "Care to explain why you went silent for nearly twenty minutes?" the image asked, her eyes staring deep into my very soul. I crack a small smile, trying to dismiss the serious tension that surrounded both of us, and said very clearly "High General Thorn was at the storage. Contacting you was far too risky". Her reaction was expected, an audible sight, the disappointed shaking of her head, and the rolling of her eyes. "It's almost as if you shouldn't have gone on this personal quest of yours in the first place. Were you spotted?" She added the last part with a bit more caution, my answer may very well change everything we've worked for after all. I told her not to worry then explained the events of the night. Once again she sighed, but kept her attention on me. "This is going to look lovely on the report" she mumbled, clearing her throat and redressing me. "Under direct operative command, I order you to-" I interrupted her, which is something that I never do-especially to Mayvora-but this mission wasn't over yet. "Mayvora, you must understand that this situation is nothing like any other one involving Ta'kal. I must see this to the end." She gave me a concerned look, and turned her attention to her station. After pressing a few buttons I get my response. "Truth is, this mission is over and since nothing big happened there is no real reason to rush your way back here; yet, are you sure you want to do more research, especially with the high general lurking about." A warning that I really shouldn't ignore. And that warning only fueled my desire to do this. "Thorn somehow new someone was going to be at the warehouse tonight. Something is going on, and tomorrow I'll figure it out." Mayvora shook her head, but she wasn't going to try to change my mind. At this point the only thing that could stop me would be an order from the King himself. "You know Rathalos isn't going to be happy with this, regardless Sil'Vas please... just try to stay safe ok? Operative Mayvora signing off" and with that the image disappears and the prism returns to its natural state. I looked out the window once more-it was midnight. Tomorrow I was going to find the truth. There were no clouds, only the styres and the Sal-stone filled the sky. I couldn't help but give a little smile. A rare occurrence for operatives. Yet it can't be helped; sometimes it's nice...nice to see the world that I risk my life for. While I-we- serve the King without question, everything we do is for the better of Dragondale. But it's hard, fighting for people who hate you. We operatives live in shadows, and are cursed behind our backs. I however, has the worst reputation. People fear me, because of what I do. They see me as a monster, a mindless slave to Salukamoth. An insidious killer. Worst part is... they aren't entirely wrong. One thing the people are wrong about, is that we Operatives never had a choice. Salukamoth holds something over my head, and as long as he wields it I can never leave him. The blood on hands, the things that I've done. But...If I knew what I would become that day, the day the king found me and dragged me into his castle. The day where he gave me one simple choice, serve him or die. I was on the edge of being broken, my family lost and I've spent years doing what I could to stay alive. I became an operative at the age of six, the day I gave my life to Salukamoth. If I had a choice, if I knew where this path would take me... nothing would have changed. Because I didn't join Salukamoth for myself. And as long as I draw breath, I will do anything to protect her. And if that means protecting a monster, even becoming one myself, than so be it.
Against everyone's better judgement, I made my way towards the town center once again. Once again the crowd of people converged in front of the hyper rail. It was announced that this morning the Hyper Rail would be active in order to move the supplies to the forsaken city, I figured I might as well watch this event. My mission is over, which means if anything does happen I can't count on the support of Mayvora. Not that it changed much of course, most of our missions are solo anyways. I knew this was most likely nothing, everything pointed to this being a harmless donation. Yet for whatever reason I was on edge. Even if I stood in this same spot yesterday, on a low priority mission, everything felt different. My instinct tells me to be vigilant for anything, mostly for the High General really. I didn't see Thorn anywhere, which did alleviate my worries. I didn't want to wait in the mob of people; I have no intentions of staying that long of course. I entered the restaurant that I had previously spent my time in; This time, however, I wasn't here for a drink. I walked to the back of the building, where the restrooms were, and exited through the back exit leading to the back alley way. No one could see me from here, which was perfect. I climbed to the top of the building, a rather simple job as the buildings had their own signs that were easy to mantle to. Well easy for me; If I was spotted up here no one would be able to follow me. One thing I can take pride in, I don't need wings to fly. Once at the top I crept my way towards the edge, where I had a clear view of the hyper rail. I could get close If I jumped to the other buildings, but I don't need any more of a risk to be spotted. I still couldn't see Thorn, but that was fine by me. The Hyper Rail laid dormant at its station, if this worked it would be the first time it moved for thousands of years. A historical moment if done under different circumstances. I waited, keeping a watchful eye of any danger. A part of me was exhausted; I haven't had the chance to sleep for a few days now. Doesn't really matter of course, I must give it my all no matter the circumstance. Most of the night I spent watching the town square, watching the rail but I saw nothing. There were no guards or inspection crews and it was still early morning, the crowd growing larger and larger, till nearly the entire city was watching the rail. Earl said that it would take place in the morning as soon as the Sol reached the skyline. Yet there was no sign that anything was going to happen, and just as I started to wonder if Ta'kal just canceled the entire thing, I spotted Earl's wagon coming from his estate. The people moved aside, allowing Earl to approach the station. It stopped in front of the Station loading point, where he gave his speech yesterday, and out exited four armed guards. Thankfully, not Shattered Rose men, just a part of his own milta. Waiting for Earl to reveal himself, I searched the area for anything strange. I soon discovered the mass convoy that approached the rail, large wagons. But they weren't Prism Core wagons, instead of the colorful Prism logo, they were old and run down. The clothes on them were tatterern and roughly torn. They clearly weren't in the best care. With five of them in total, the convoy surrounded Earls wagon in a half circle facing towards the crowd. Out of each of them stepped around 8 lightly armored but heavily armed men. Mercenaries. Their armor was made of leather, if they even wore armor. Some stood shirtless, and wore as little as hide greaves. Their weapons, however, were far more advanced: prisma Crossbows, able to fire twelve bolts of pure light before needing to recharge. One of them carried a large cannon-like device upon his back, but I couldn't tell what it was. One thing was for sure, the only people that carried that type of prototypical equipment was the infamous Mercenary guild: Valor's Mantle. Ran by criminal leader Valor Ulos, they use stolen prototypes of unstable weapons, burning and pillaging villages in the name of "testing". They call themselves mercenaires, but there is only one term that I would use to describe them. Killers. The crowd took a step back, as the men loomed over them with such hatred stares. The people started to get nervous, and the city guards started to reach for their swords when they heard a voice from atop the station patio. "Halt my friends. Please keep your sword stowed" Earl called. He must have entered while everyone was focused on Valor's men. The guards looked at him, puzzled they complied and stepped back towards the crowd. I myself had moved closer towards the edge of the building; if things were to go south I was ready for action. Earl purposely cleared his voice, then addressed the crowd with the same fake smile that he bore yesterday. "I apologize for any disturbances that my associates may have caused, but I assure you that these people are with me." The audience focused on Earl, but I could see as they glanced towards the bandits with evident fear. "Now, I know that these good men are seen in such a...murderous view. But don't be so quick to judge, you see these fantastic people have volunteered to aid in this grand event. They have spent all night moving the boxes from our warehouse into the Hyper Rail, and have even agreed to ride the rail and help distribute the supplies to the poor people of Valken. A process we shall delay no longer" With that, Earl enters the Hyper Rail through the side door. For a few moments there was nothing, until a loud mechanical screech was heard. The Hyper Rail instantaneously filled with light and energy. After thousands of years, the Hyper Rail will move once more. I thought about contacting Mayvora, but I knew she wouldn't pick up: there was no point to it after all. But that wasn't the concerning part of this, because there was something Earl said that stood out, and it wasn't about the bandits. I had been watching the Rail all night, not once did I see anyone approach the Hyper Rail. Which means that the boxes containing goods aren't in there, that they were still back in the warehouse. Yet that doesn't make any sense, if that rail wasn't carrying any form of supplies, that means the mercenaries weren't here for distributing reasons. But that leaves the question: Why are they doing this? If they wanted to active the Hyper Rail thats one thing, but to claim such an act and hire bandits? I backed away from the ledge and moved towards the side of the building. Because there was only one answer to why such an army is required. The boxes at the warehouse are a decoy, and Valor's men aren't here to distribute, they are here to guards. There is something on the rail, something big enough to warrant such a scheme. Which means, it's time to catch a ride. The Hyper Rail still needed to charge, I needed to reach it before it left the city, otherwise it'll be over. I leaped over to the next building, in a rapid and pretty careless manner. At this point I didn't care if I was spotted, reaching the Rail was the only thing that mattered. I crossed from building to building, keeping a close eye on the Rail. While I don't know exactly the Hyper Rail works, I am assuming that it has some form of charging period. That is the only reason it hasn't left the station yet, and I must not waste this chance. In the distance I could see the perfect building, it was the highest in the city spanning over 30 meters tall looming over the Rail. If I could reach it, I'll be able to reach the Hyper Rail. And I wasn't far from it either, only a few buildings that I'll use to reach the tower. When I reached the edge of the roof I was standing on, I leaped on to the next one. The building below me was the next one in my path, and while I didn't want to lose any height it was required if I am to reach the tower in time. I landed into a roll to break my fall, using the moment to continue my sprint. However, when I looked up I saw figure dressed in full battle attire. I halted and our eyes met. His face stared at me, expressionless. While he stood in a focused and readied position, he has yet to draw his blade. I carefully reached for my dagger, but kept it concealed within my belt. "Sil'Vas" Thorn said slowly, his intimidating blankness seeping into my mind. I would not avert my eyes, nor will I dare blink. We both know a fight's imminent but neither of us wanted to make the first move. Instead we stood there, merely watching for now. I knew I had to reach the tower soon, it was only a matter of time before the Hyper Rail was ready to move; Yet I cannot make the slightest of actions. In one on one combat against an opponent of equal or higher skill, the first move is extremely important. While the first attack can cripple an adversary, it also exposes vital weaknesses in ones form. This moment, of intimidation and meticulously planning is known as "The Duelist Phase". Here, the two fighters study each other, looking at their stance for any openings but most importantly, predicting their movement. Me and Thorn both have faced our share of difficult opponents: this is far from the first time we've been in this phase. "The moment I heard this I knew you would be here. Salukamoth would never dare to allow an act of such chivalrous nature from anyone other than himself." He called out, keeping his attention on me. I wasn't scared of him, and in many cases I have nothing but respect for Thorn. A man who sees the unjust nature of the king, and is determined to stand against him. Still, he is naive: he has no idea of the anarchy that would be caused in the events of regicide. Reasons that drive me forward, not for me, but for everyone else. "How strange that you see the king as a corrupted tyrant, yet you stand as the High General of his army?" I called out. This would do nothing of course, Thorns resolve would not he swayed, I just wanted more time. "Because...I stand as the only thing that keeps Salukamoth in check, while he may command Dragonbane, the grand army serves me." What was his plan? Does he believe that he could stand above the king? Not even I could do so, and I have tried before, and barely survived at all. Well I did admire Thorn for his persistent nature, his foolish desire to protect the people of his land, that doesn't change that fact that he is on a fool's eraren. It felt like hours, standing there and waiting for someone to make a move. My focus was set on Thorn, nothing else mattered to me. But after all this time I still had no idea what Thorn was planning. The most important part of the Duelist Phase was to predict your opponent's movement, and when it's someone like Thorn, there are so many things he could do. I stayed my hand, neither of us had drawn our weapons yet, and made a plan for most possible outcomes. If Thorn went for an attack, I didn't have the room behind me to evade by jumping back, however I could roll to either of my sides and circle around him. This was not a good idea, if I were to roll I would be leaving myself open for an attack, which could devastate me. If he tried a horizontal swing I could duck and strike his legs, but he would respond with a swift kick knocking me off balance. An overhead one could allow me to quickstep back and counter, but if he anticipates my counter and parrys my attack, he could stagger me. But so far, he made no movements, his hand was relaxed and no were near his blade. Expected of course, the greatest of duelists never draw their blade during this phase, one can learn a lot from someone's blade stance. There are so many things that Thorn can do in an instant. He could go for a sudden attack by delivering a swift thrust, go for a longer heavy attack, or even just wait for me to- that's it. He isn't trying to fight me: he is stalling me. A metallic screech broke me from my focus, the sound of the Hyper Rail beginning movement. I rushed past Thorn, it was clear his intentions weren't to fight at all. My fears were confirmed as I saw the Rail slowly gaining speed, soon it will be long gone. "A shame. Operative Sil'Vas, the most infamous terrorist of this day and age, failing his objective in such a pathetic way." Thorn remakred, drawing his blade. I stood on the edge, watching the Rail move by, hope of finding the truth draining away. But this was not over yet. I turned towards Thorn, who stood blade drawn. "Listen to me Thorn, whatever is the Rail is not you think it is. Ta'kal is planning something!" He laughed and walked closer to me. "Ta'kal? How strange that you antagonize that man, who has done everything to oppose Salukamoth's rule." He was in range to attack, but time was running short, I needed to make my move now. "Demons reach Thorn! Can you set aside your prejudice for one moment and understand what would happen if the king were to fall." He responded with a small smile and lunged for an attack. I sighed, and turned back to face the edge. The Hyper Rail was starting to leave the city, and I wasn't going to waste any time dealing with Thorn. Before Thorn could reach me, I jumped off the building landing on the ground. The people around me screamed, but I paid them no attention. By my blade I will reach that rail. I dashed past groups of people, all who ran in terror from me. The streets weren't as crowded as they normally are, as it was still early morning. The city guards started to follow me, with Thorn in the lead. I climbed on top of a small merchant stand, and from there returned to the roof tops. The guards halted their advance, but Thorn still followed. I could spot the Rail in the distance, it was getting faster and faster, but at its current rate, I should be able to reach it. I crossed rooftop after rooftop, crossing gaps up to nine meters at a time. I was running out of time, and city. The front of the Rail started to leave the city, the remaining part of it was still close enough to jump to. As I reached the ledge prepared to make the jump, I heard a voice. "Tell me, what made you such a monster?" Thorn said, crossing the final gap to the building I was on. "You have mastery over many skills, you could be someone so much more. Yet you stand in the dark?" He asked. Curiosity filled his voice, and he replaced his sword. He wasn't going to try to stop me. "We are both very similar Thorn. I give as much effort in protecting Dragondale as you do, you just don't know it" I prepared to jump, the rail is almost out of my range. "And what if you're wrong?" He inquired. I gave him a small smile. "Then my life would be a lot less complicated" and with that, I jumped from the building, and barely held on to the tail of the Rail, the far end of it which looks like a sideways prism.
Before this, I always believed that nothing would be as insane as fighting an Arch mage in the middle of an erupting volcano. But, here I stand, on the Hyper Rail filled with deadly mercenaries, unknown containers, and moving faster than any record before. The force of the wind is almost strong enough to knock me off, but by Marrow's wings I would be defeated by a little breeze. I stood my ground on the Rail, the winds weren't strong enough to knock me off outright, regardless, my steps must be quick and short. My first objective should be getting inside, which isn't a problem as the Hyper Rail has an access point not too far from the tail of the Rail, the place where I managed to mantle too. So that means I'll have to cross in order to get inside, which should be simple enough. Of course, nothing is ever simple in my life. As I reached the end of the tail, the Rail started to slow down, not to stop but to a rather drastically slower speed. On one hand this will make it easier to transverse the Hyper Rail, on the other hand; I hear a sharp metallic sound of an access hatch opening. May the light of Madias bring fouturn ay? Seems that even the Gods are against me doesn't it? Doesn't matter. I took this chance to take a stance, and watched as about four mercenaries climbed to the roof. They all wore little armor, one of them being shirtless. Two of them jumped over to me, and the rest activated Prisma-Bows. One advantaged Prisma weapons had is they suffered no wind residences. Meaning if they fired it forward, even the strongest wind couldn't change its direction. I wasn't worried however, menceriares are nothing against me. Don't even have to initiate the duelist phase for these grunts. Once they were close enough I retrieved one of my daggers and readied myself. The first one swung her sword aiming for my neck, an amateur move. A nice break from constantly fighting top leveled duelist all the time. I avoided her attack by taking a small step back. The quick reaction caught her off guard, because she had put far too much force into that attack making her stagger as she missed it. I took the time to deliver my counter attack, lunging forward and impaling her with my blade. She groaned in pain, but I had no remorse for people who would kill just to make some coin. I threw her body off of the Rail, and without missing a beat, I threw my dagger into the heart of the other grunt. His faint cry is lost as his corpse slides off the Rail. The other two stared in disbelief from how easy I dispatched their companions. Realizing that it was their turn next, they began to open fire. Now Prisma Bows have a fast rate of fire, yet the reason they aren't standard equipment is because the recoil when fired is far too much for an average soldier. Needless to say, they were not prepared for the force when they started to fire. Which was great for me, while they struggled to keep the bow straight, I drew two daggers and charged forward. Their faces filled with fear as I approached, throwing my daggers into their heads. Now that I was upon the access point, all I had to do was make my way inside and find out what exactly was going on. But as I reached for the hatch, it swung open, smacking right into my head. I stumbled back, almost falling off the Rail, when I heard someone climb on top of the roof. It was a huge muscular man, his trousers were tatterned, no shirt just a chest covered in muscles and scars. His face was no better, a large gash across his left eye and a sinister smile completed his complexion. Smiling on the battlefield was pointless, most of the time fools do it in order to intimidate, but really it just made them look stupid. But this man had a reason to smile. For he carried a very large cannon. One aimed directly at me.
It's quite the coincidence because I remember that a few days ago I overheard how a group of unknown personnel stole a prototypical hand-held cannon from Lord Raven. Just my luck that I seemed to have found this prototype, as well as the thief. His smile grows to a more sinister grin, as he raises the cannon-which I am sure is far from light-and aims it directly at me. At first glance, it was a simple cylinder split into two direct parts. The half that the uses holds has a handle extending from the back, the cannon part of it wasn't just a single cannon. In fact it was three small barrels extending forward, attached to a central gear. I can only assume that this gear is connected to a prism, power surges through to the gear, making it spin at a gradually increasing rate. I had no idea why it did this, but if one thing was clear: I do not want to be on the receiving end of this. There was no room to stand for he loomed over me, instead of I rolled back, and forced myself to stand. I was back at the tail, if I took even the slightest step backwards I would fall off of the rail, and while I love Dragondale, I would not want to be a permanent part of its terrain. Still, I should thank the gods that I made it out just in time, because when I look up I see nothing but a hail of prisma bolts. Luckily, the recoil of the cannon was something he was not ready for, he struggled aim it towards me. But I had little time; if that storm of bolts reached me I would become a new type of holely. With no room to doged, going both backwards or forwards would mean certain doom, I needed to think of something fast. Thankfully, my incredible perception has yet to fail me, I noticed that the bolts weren't piercing the roof of the rail. Meaning the prism matrix isn't properly conducative. Instinctively I drew one of my "special" daggers out of my belt. If it hasn't been clear, every operative uses a special weapon weapon. Not unique in sense of design, but rather in ability. This is the main reason people fear and hate us. But you can't blame them, after all magic is the signature weapon of the dragons. While it is impossible for humans to wield magic in any form; we operatives are trained for an extensive amount of time to wield these special magical weapons. My signature weapons are daggers, but not any old ones. To make things clear, my armor is specially designed to hold around a hundred blades. I may have neglected to state, apart from our weapons, all of our gear is specifically designed by Lord Raven to tailor to our roles. Because my main role is recon and directed force, my armor is very light-weight. Back to my daggers, I normally bring a hundred on each mission, of course because I thought this mission wasn't going anywhere near the direction it is now, I brought around twenty. Ten of which are basic daggers, nothing special about them other than the fact that I could reuse them afterwards. The more interesting part of my arsenal follows. Four Combustion blades, at first glance they look like daggers but once they are thrown, a faint crimson light emanates from them, and when I choose to, they will explode. Two conductive blades, these travel at the speed of lightning once thrown, and if two are placed on opposite sides of each other they will conduct an electrical current which will severely harm any life who tries to walk through them. I have another, seemingly normal type of blade. This blade is a one of a kind, a special blade. It's longer than the rest, around eight inches. I save it for direct close combat. Now why does all this matter now? The answer is because of my last special daggers. I retrieved one from my belt and quickly threw it on the ground. The torrent of bolts was almost upon me, right as they were about to hit me, they were blocked by a wall a solid wall of ice. I hear the bolts ravaged the other side of the wall. I knew that it wouldn't hold forever, but it gave me a moment of respite. Now I just needed a way to- hold on. My train of thought was interrupted by a loud buzz and a display of flashing lights coming from my left pocket. I replaced my blades into my belt and retrieved my Communication Prism. With a sigh, I activated it, I am greeted by a familiar sight.
"Hey! Mayvora. You know you don't have to contact me anymore. After all the mission is over, correct?" I said loudly, hopefully draining out the noise of my ice wall being repeatedly hit by prisma bolts. "Just checking in thats all, you should be at base by now you know. After all, the mission is over, correct?" she responded, adding the last part in a condescending tone. Demons Reach, she got me there. "Besides..." she started, foreshadowing there was another reason for this sudden contact. "Rathalos wanted to know why our best operative is currently moving across dragondale at around a hundred miles per hour" Demons reach! I forgot about the tracking matrix. It's a helpful tool that can help lost operatives return home. Or for when I step out of line, it would seem. "That depends, is Rathalos currently at base?" I asked cautiously. I hear struggle from Mayvora's end, then I hear a different voice. "Why yes he his. And right now he is very unhappy" Said the prime operative, Rathalos. His voice was deep, almost growly. And no matter what he is saying it always sounds like he is focused. Come to think, I don't recall him ever saying anything that didn't feel like a briefing. "Heyo Rathy. Look, I am rather busy right now and-" his voice cuts through mine, as sharp as his blade it would seem. "Sil'Vas. Can you please tell me your exact location at this very moment" he says irritably. I looked around for a slight moment before responding. "I can't really tell right now, I think it's a desert. I'll tell you when I slow down." He stops and processes this for a moment. For a moment he said nothing, and I had hoped he would drop the coms, but sadly he caught on. "Sil'vas...Are you on the Hyper Rail" he said slowly, most likely wishing that I would correct him. Still, he probably knows the answer to that question anyways. I crack him a friendly smile and simple said "Possibly? What's our intel say?" I wanted to lighten the incoming lecture. "Our Intel says you're a reckless fool." I've been called worse, so I'll take that opposed to anything else. "How did you even get on the Rail without- are you being shot at?" He asked with increasing concern. He could finally hear the cracking of the wall, a signal that I was running short on time. "That reminds me, if you could tell Raven that I found his Cannon that would be great." He started to shout at me, his voice consumed by rage. But I could deal with that later, it was time to get back on track. I turned around to see the wall of ice at its breaking point, very soon it would shatter. "Demons Reach Sil'Vas if you continue to ignore me there will be-" I interrupt him and flashed him a quick smile, then cut the coms. Oh man was I in for the lecture of a lifetime when I get back to base, but at least that was something I could handle. I looked at the wall, it was about to be broken and with it I wouldn't be able to avoid such a storm. But I realized that it still had one more use. With the amount of time it took him to adjust his fire towards me, I could exploit that with ease. I sprinted towards the wall, jumping to the top of the nearly eight foot wall. The brute saw me and immediately started to bring his cannon towards me, but that left him wide open. I slipped to the right of the wall, barely avoiding the stream of bolts and began to dash towards him. When he realized my plan, he slowly brought the stream of certain death until it was just above my head. But his fate was already sealed. I slid under the cannon fire, Slashing the cannon upwards. The handle of the cannon was made of a really strong metal, but the barrels on the other hand were very soft. My dagger cut right through it, breaking it in two. Sorry Raven. His smile was instantly replaced by rage, but I left him no chance to retaliate. Drawing a blade with my left hand I slashed at his legs. The beast of a man howled in pain, throwing the useless cannon to the side and attempting to lock me into a chokehold. Unfortunately, I was far faster than him. Ducking under his right hook, I grabbed his arm and pulled myself up, Using his torso as a spring-borad, I flipped backward. He breaks into a full on change, running at me at full speed. It was clear he was trying to ram me off of the rail. Just as expected. A simple step to the left was all I needed to avoid his assault. Poor brute wasn't able to stop himself before he crashed into the glacial wall. It was weak enough so when he made contact it shattered, stunning him. He growled and turned around, still disoriented from contact. Yet when he looks up, I stand in front of him. Smiling. One strong kick was all I needed to send him off of the Rail.
In all honesty I expected much more from inside the Rail. I guess I thought it would be laced with gold, covered in the fanciest of display. Yet it looked like it was the inside of a cargo ship. A narrow passageway, two racks spanned the entire Rail. Doors separating sections every now and then. There weren't even any windows, dim old fashioned lamps barely had any effect. There were a few more guards inside, I dispatched them with ease. Four more entered the room, and I could hear a large force gathering behind me. However, I was done with fighting. I drew my conductive blades and placed them apart from each other in front of the door. Once they gained enough forces, they rushed into the room without any plan. The blades activated and all six men were immediately electrocuted. I took a moment to wipe the sweat from my forehead and catch my breath. Once again, a familiar sound was heard from my prism. "Demons Reach Sil'vas, I can't believe you forgot the last time you end coms against Rathalos." I smiled and shook my head. I didn't forget. "Is he still there?" I asked, looking around. "He is still here, but decided it would be best if I handled coms for now." She replied. Mayvora was clearly mad at me as well, but she respected me enough not to attack me. "Where are you, it's quiet on your end." It was clear that she was concerned, the last time there was so much wind resistance I imagined it would have been hard to hear me. "Let me take a guess: you are now in the Hyper Rail" she accused. I laughed and confirmed my location as indeed, in the Hyper Rail. She sighed but wouldn't raise her voice, it was unlike her to do so. "Who was attacking you?" she asked, as I walked down the halls. "Nobody alive. At least anymore". If I could see her I know she would have rolled her eyes here. "Before you say anything, they attacked me first" I started to explain, but she responded in a dignified tone. "Maybe because you were breaking in?" While she did have a point, I still find my actions as just. As I've said, I have no remorse for mercenaires. Back to the halls of the Rail, I found nothing to be concerned about, just the boxes from the town. Except they weren't the boxes from the town. For one thing, the boxes in the town couldn't have been moved overnight, especially while I kept watch. Secondly, the boxes in the town had a green lining to them. These had a red one. Something was wrong, because something tells me these boxes aren't empty. "Mayvora, something off with these boxes, I am going to have a little look." Did I need to tell her? No, not really. After all, it wasn't even a mission, force of habit I suppose. I reached for the nearest box, but my attempts to pick it up was in vain. Now I know there is something inside the box. Now, I get answers. I reach for my blade, and just like before break open the lock. Ta'kal didn't invest much into these locks, might of thought his menceraires would be enough. Or maybe he thought that no one was stupid enough to borad the Hyper Rail in transit. That is also a fair point. Regardless, I flung the lid open, and laid in total shock. On the one hand, I was right, there was indeed something sinister about this whole ordeal. This is the first time in all of life, all of the experiences as an operative, where I wished I was wrong. "Mayvora...Crystals" I managed to stammer, I was at a loss for words. The contents of this box was far worse than anything imagined. "Mayvora! Ectonomeia Crystals!" She didn't respond, instead I heard her voice in the distance, shouting. This had to be a mistake, please let it be a mistake. I opened every box I could find, but it was all the same. Every single one of them was filled with Crystals. I understand if this is confusing. What's so dangerous about harmless, pretty, gemstones. Let me tell you, Ectonomeia Crystals are far more than harmless. First glance, they look like blue transparent crystals, but they are not crystals. Inside these things, are mass amounts of ectonomeia, a liquid form of magic, which reacts when a mass amount of kinetic force is applied to them, causing it to detonate with a force far stronger than anything ever recorded. To sum it up, they are bombs. The smallest crystal could level a small building, but with the amount in here, this could level an entire mountain. Or...a village. "Mayvora! The Hyper Rail isn't a donation! It is a full on WMD." I still got no response from them, I kept pestering them trying to get any form of response. Oh man, what a good story this will be, So there I was, standing on top of probably the biggest explosive in thousands of years! I have to keep focus. After an eternity I get my response. It wasn't Mayvora like I had hoped for. "Sil'Vas, You need to get off that Rail now!" Rathalos commanded, it was clear that was an order. But I shook my head, racking my head for ideas. "No? May I remind you that you have already disobeyed my commands once-", "Demons Reach Rathalos! Don't you understand, if the Hyper Rail reaches the city of Valken, the following explosion would wipe it off of any map! Hundreds of thousands would die!" My anger showed through speech, for I have never used such language against him. But I didn't care in the slightest. When he asked what I planned, I told him I was going on my own mission: To stop the Hyper Rail at all cost. "By Marrows Wings you have a chance at stopping that Rail. Get off while you can, you are far more important-" He stops midway, and takes a large breath. "There is no way I can talk you out of this, is there?" I smile and shake my head. "Very well. May Madias guide your path" From there I could tell he leaves the rest of this up to Mayvora. "Alright, May tell me all the information we have on the Hyper Rail" I could hear her searching the archives, looking for the data. "Not much, we assume that it runs off of Magiateck" Great, that's just perfect. Unlike the standard crystal power that Dragonbane runs off of, Magiateck does not rely upon a central powersource. Instead, the magic runs throughout the entire Rail. "Your best bet is to get to the front of the Rail, the central control should be there." I give her my thanks, and begin my sprint across the never ending halls of the Rail. I had to be fast, every second brought this Rail closer to Valken. I needed to stop it before it gets anywhere close. The guards spot me and move into to attack, but a quick dagger to their neck kills them before they get the chance too. I fought my way to the head of the Rail, where A locked door stopped me from entering. No time to pick the lock, I take out my combustion blade, and open the door my own way. I readied another blade, waiting for a full crew to attack me. But as soon as the smoke cleared I saw nothing but one main. The room was slightly bigger than the other rooms, only just however. In the front were three large pane windows, and a small control panel. And tall, well dressed man. "Hello Operative. Congratulations on making it this far." Earl said, mocking me with fake applause. "Simple mercenaires are no match for an operative. Stop the Rail at once!" I commanded, holding the dagger to his neck. He did not falter however, instead he pushed the blade away and kept his fiendish grin. "But of course. Your skill with a blade is already proven. That is not what I am congratulating you for. Instead I praise you, for doing exactly as my father predicted you to." He explained, moving towards the front of the Rail. I had no idea what he was talking about, how could Ta'kal predict that an operative would so this? This is an obvious attempt to buy himself some time. "Earl! Stop this Rail. What does your father gain from the deaths of thousands?" I asked. I had no idea how to work this Rail, I needed to get Earl to do it for me. "What he wanted for so long. After this Rail takes that forsaken city of the map, people will beg Salukamoth for his aid. And when he does nothing, Ta'kal shall step in," Earl said this with such deliberate manner, that it irritated me. "So your father would murdur thousands to prove a point?" I inquired. Ta'kal has always been a despicable man, but to think he would go to such lengths? My hatred for him only grows. "No no no. Not murdered. Think of it as" he pauses and looks directly at me."Heroic sacrifices." Enough was enough. Kicking Earl in his legs, I grabbed on to his collar held my blade against his neck. "Sil'Vas, you are running out of time" Her voice snapped me out of my rage, and back on task. I've never had a bad temper, but even I have my limits. For the most part, I am calm, relaxed, in a way kinda laid back. But when lives are at stake, nothing else matters. I let him fall to the floor and made my way to the control station. Something was wrong, I've dealt with magiateck far older than this so I know how to use this. It just wasn't responding. "A shame. I've already altered the station, it will never respond ever again. Its by Marrows Wings that you would stop the Rail." Earl started to laugh, but my rage has already faded. Instead a new curiosity was born. "Why are you doing this? Your father hates you, so why agree to something as terrible as this." I asked. His laughter ceased almost instantly, and sorrow replaced his expression. "My father wants me to redeem myself, so if I do this for him, than I would be apart of his legacy." I could tell he wasn't certain about this for he looked away from me. "So you are doing this for your own gain? People like you are why we operatives exist." I desperately moved around the station, trying to find any way to activate it. Yet my efforts were in vain for nothing I did got even the slightest reaction. "If that was the case, why stand for such a person." Earl barked standing back to his feet. "Because he has already won. Both you and your father will end with nothing" I looked outside to find the City of Valken in the distance, it was almost over. "A shame really, the infamous Sil'Vas can't fight his way out of this one. In the end I will stand while you will fall." He wore a smug grin and began to exit the room. "You don't get it Earl?" I called out, stopping him. He turns in interest to find me shaking my head. When he asks by what I meant, I simply looked into his eyes and stated "You are aware your father-no one-loves you right? Because you aren't here to redeem yourself. You are here because you're expendable" His face fell and he tried to defend himself but his words were lost, like he was in a truth that he always knew but would never dare to admit. It was quite obvious, no one on the Rail was supposed to come back. That's why Ta'kal sent his son, and paid mercenaries in an attempt to cut losses. Typical. I expected as much from a beast such as himself. Earl eventually composes himself and says through gritted teeth, "It doesn't matter. Because there is no one in the whole land who can stop the Hyper Rail now! Not you, not me, not my father or even the damn King."
"I guess there is no use in keeping you alive then." I said and drew my blade. He slowly back against the door, eyes fixed on my dagger. "Wa- wa- Wait! Surely you wouldn't kill an unarm-" His corpse hit the floor with a loud thud. "I'd rather stain my hands with the blood of monsters than of innocent people." Believe it or not, I hate killing. The idea of taking lives has never appealed to me, just wish I had the choice. Nevertheless, there are some people in this world that don't deserve to live. Anyways I needed to focus on the matter at hand, but time was short. "Mayvora, the station is cut. Is there another way of stopping this thing?" I asked, moving around the Rail. I wish this was modern tech, then I could just disrupt the prisma matrix and we would be done here. However I find myself standing inside of history, feeling completely dated. Mayvora's voice rang through my ears, but it didn't have good news. According to all the information we have, The Hyper Rail would only stop if it reached its location. So it's by Marrow's wings that I could stop it. "Get out of there oppertive. You have no chance of stopping it; we can't afford to lose you." She did have a point, If I ever died the operatives would lose a key player. Regardless, how would I live with myself if I failed here? If I ran away without even trying, I would be no better than all the accusations about me. The problem with these types of crystals is once active, they would detonate in a matter of moments. Earl must have primed them once they left the town, so it would explode right as it reaches the city limits. That's my answer! I cannot stop Hyper Rail conventionally, but I can make sure there is nothing to stop. This means one thing: I must destroy the Hyper Rail. I told my plan to Mayvora, who did not agree with my tactic. "No, with the amount of crystals it is highly unlikely you would survive." As a result of working with Mayvora for a long time, she continued before letting me interject. "And yes, I know you do not care about your own life when others are in danger. Nevertheless, the Rail is far too close to the village, if you detonated those Crystals, the resulting kinetic force would still reach the Valken, destroying a grand majority of it." She was right, even if I did detonate them, I would most likely die and thousands would still die. While it did seem like my only option, regardless of the near certain death, if I wanted to save at least a few thousand that is. On the other hand, however, I never do anything halfway. "May, what if a stronger force matched the energy caused by the crystals? A force from the opposite direction." Silence followed my question, maybe she was trying to figure out my plan. She confirms this by stating, "Well, both forces would change to the direction of the stronger force. Nevertheless, where in all of the Dragondale do you plan to find something as strong in such a short time. Please Sil'vas, get out of there now." The last part wasn't an order, but a request. I know where she was coming from. Operatives have no family, no outside friends or relationships. We only have each other. At least, that's how I like to see it. In truth we operatives are supposed to be independent. It's rare to have communication with home base, this mission is an exception but only because it's so close to home base. Most of the time, we are sent out alone, no way of communication until we return. No intel, no status reports. When an operative goes on a mission, no one knows if they will be seen again. If they fail to return within objective parameters, then they are presumed dead. Thankfully it has never happened, but I still fear the day when one of us doesn't return home. Only I feel this way, other operatives are so distinct outside of missions. We respect each other, but we don't bother becoming friends or anything. Well I don't believe that. I try to have a conversation whenever I get the chance to. And the other operatives understand that. In fact, the biggest reason I am seen as the best is because they trust me. I've been told they feel safe around me, like they could count on me to help them when they are down. To them, I am like their big brother. They rely upon me, and I won't fail them. Smiling, I tell Mayvora, "Don't worry, just tell Tanara to get the reports ready." I hear her call my name before I cut the coms. Man, twice in one day, I am definitely getting cleaning duty for the next few cycles. I'll worry about that later, for now it's game time. I dash through the hallway carefully placing my last two combustion blades, one in the middle and one in the back of the Rail. Once I was sure of their location, I double timed it back to the head, and climbed to the top. Taking out my three Galical blades, I struck the track of the Hyper Rail. The Rail of course being powered by magic means it has no need of wheels, however that doesn't mean that the sudden encasement of ice can't inhibit its movement. It wasn't by much, and in a few moments it would most likely break free. But it got me the time I was looking for. I leapt off the head of the Rail, which had slowed by a considerable margin, and broke into a sprint. I ran faster than I ever have before, until I was around five miles ahead of the Rail. I could hear the sudden shattering of the ice, and watched as the Rail heading directly for me. There I stood, staring directly into the face of danger-the hyper rail filled with enough explosives to desolate an entire mountain-with nothing but a single blade. Behind me, a city full of hope, dreams, and life. A city that would all be lost if I had failed. I wondered how I got here, from such a simple mission to risking everything. But I wasn't scared one bit. No. I was proud. Because at this moment, I remember what I am truly fighting for. Not the king, not for myself. I fight for Dragondale. I raised my hand, and detonated the blades. The resulting explosion was immense, a visible way of kinetic wave of destructive force. I needed to be stronger than this force, so I drew my one special blade. I took my stance, and began to focus. At this moment, I forget about operatives, I forget about what the world thinks of me. I forget about Ta'kal and the king. I focused all my strength, all my power and might into one attack. My blade started to glow a bright orange, and my mind was set on one thing. I would give this attack everything I had. The wave was almost upon me, but I was ready. With all my strength condensed into one attack, I shouted words that gave me power of the lost blade arts. A power that only I weild. A power, I use for good. "TAEL HEGAE!" All the power that I channeled flow forward, within my dagger, changing it into a blade of pure power. It struck into the Hyper Rail, overtaking the force and moving it away from Valken. A small gust of wind hit me, but it was nothing compared to what could've happened. I smile, knowing that I did it, then collapsed upon the floor. My vision started to fade and I could feel myself going numb. That attack took everything I had, leaving me in a dire state. The angry crowd of villagers charging me was the last thing I saw before I passed out...
Sometimes, when you are knocked down it's hard to tell if you are still alive. You feel nothing, and your mind finds itself at a loss. However, a pungent pain is a very good sign that Marrow hasn't claimed my life yet. Good, there is still more work to be done. I can't waste my time with trivial things such as death. I opened my eyes, being nearly blinded by the great light that loomed over my head. I was inside a room, it was plain with one door leading outside. At first I wondered if I had been captured, from the large crowd I saw it is a good assumption. This theory was falsified when I heard the sound of the door unlocking, and in stepped operative Amarie. "Good to see you awake. You know if Tanara wasn't close by those villagers would have torn you to shreds." he said. Amarie was the newest operative, and the first one to join by choice. I am not too sure why he did, but I won't fight his choices. "You can send her my regards, I feel like if she sees me again I'll be right back here in a matter of moments." I say this as a joke, but it isn't that far from the truth. However, Amarie's reaction wasn't what I expected. His face fell, yet he still kept a friendly smile. Taking a breath he says, "You can tell her yourself right now, Rathalos has issued a top priority emergency meeting. I was told to come get you". I nod in acknowledgement and thank him for telling me, with that he leaves the room. Top priority meetings only happen when things are bad. After the recent events, I can only imagine what this is about. Using the bed that I laid on to stand, pain flared soon as I stood on my legs. It hurt like dragon-blood, it is a good thing that me and pain go way back. I forced myself down the halls, it was clear that I was now in home base, our central location within Dragonbane city. It was a large underground complex, with many features like a training yard, medical station, archives, and of course, the main consul. As I limped through the hall, I could feel the pain starting to rise. Soon, these empty halls felt like endless tunnels. Maybe I did go a "little" overboard, but that doesn't matter. Bones regrow, skin heals. But life can never be replaced. I approach the huge door that loomed on the opposite side of the wall. Taking a deep breath, trying to relax myself. I didn't realize until that moment that I was shaking, which has never happened before. My last mission has given me so much to think about; maybe the events of what happened haven't fully processed yet. Once I pushed the door open, I was welcomed by a gallery of faces. The meeting room itself wasn't too much, a large rectangular table sat in the middle of the room, with small lights built in to the ceiling. At the center of the table was a projector, that could display a variety of information at a moment's notice. That is a few upside of working with the King, and by extension Lord Raven; we get to use equipment far more advanced than anything else in the land. So we stand with the power of magic and technology at our side. Amarie sat closest to the door next to his girlfriend and second-in-command operative Tanara. On the left side sat Mayvora who sat happily content next to her lover, Operative Criron. It is surprising that such relationships can bloom under such dire circumstances. Something about the power of love I guess. Never really been interested in love though, I got far too much to do. Across from Amarie sat the Prime Operative himself, Rathalos, who did not look happy at all. That's a good thing, for he never does. A change would be quite terrifying. I take my seat on the right side of the table and clear my mind. To be honest, it's quite hard for me to stay focused on things, my mind can go on and on causing me to get sidetracked easily. Unless lives are at stake, of course, sometimes I never lost track of. I look around the room, six operatives are accounted for, so I assume the meeting will begin shortly. Now of course, there are seven operatives in total, but we rarely see the last one. He never shows for meetings, opting to read the reports afterwards, and never socializes. Occasionally I'll see him in the home base, though he never stays for more than a few hours. Conversations with him are short, in fact I'm not sure if I've even had a full conversation with him before. From what I know, he is a strictly by-the-books type of person. He is given his objectives, follows them through verbatim. Unlike the other operatives, he will only do what he is told to, never more and certainly never less. Also, he never has any support. He does every mission solo, and never contacts home base for anything. Well, from what I hear apparently he has some form of aid, but I've never met his companion. I've been told he operates on his own base somewhere in the outskirts of dragonbane city, but that's about it. Even though we never talk, it is clear that he does not like me. For what reason I am not sure, but he always reviews every mission I do, leaving comments on my "incompetence and lack of logical thinking". Words of course are nothing compared to the things I face on missions, most of his reports have something to do with me. I've tried to talk with him before, but he pushes me aside and carries on his way. "Do not meddle with the lives of others, focus upon your own life" was the only thing he has ever said to me off duty. "Sil'Vas, are you trying to set the record for most commands disobeyed in mission?". Snapped Rathalos, bringing from my thoughts. Like I said, sidetracked. "My apologies. There is a lot to think about and half the time to do so?" I started to explain what happened in detail, starting with Earl's introduction, to the wherehouse, to destroy the Hyper Rail. They knew most of this, after all I did keep relatively close contact with Mayvora. Regardless, hearing it once again rewarded me with a collective sigh from both Tanara and Rathalos. He took a few moments to gather his thoughts. He opened his mouth to speak, but was immediately cut off by Tanara. "I knew something like this would happen. The longer we wait to deal with Ta'kal the more powerful he gets." She stated, addressing Rathalos as well as everyone else. The Prime operative shook his head, responding in dignified and commanding voice. "Nothing has changed, no matter the case we can't connect Ta'kal to this. He has too much political power, if he dies then people will blame the King. We need a definite reason to order the assaination. Remember, Ta'kal is not like the other anarchist, he is smart, resourceful, and has many friends." He said, We've all heard it before, but Tanara has been trying really hard to convince Rathalos to allow his death. She remains calm and composed but spoke in a rather aggressive tone "But what difference would that matter? Even if we find the most damning evidence that Ta'kal only has self interests, no one would believe us. And the king can't speak out against him as well for it would have the same effect. What is the point of all this recon?" Rathalos didn't answer, but he didn't seem surprised by this. In fact he looked content, as if he expected that response. "Do you forget our purpose. We have ways of spreading information, albeit information that is a little off the truth, this recon is to find a way to slander Ta'kal, if we are to even make the slightest attempt on him we must remove his strongest source of power." This had been the same response that Rathalos gave anyone. This is where the argument normally ends, but this time Tanara was determined. Slamming the table, causing a small dent within the it, I should mention the table is made of androsteel, her composure lost. "And what if we can't? Ta'kal seems to know our every move, he will never leave himself exposed." She bellowed. Tanara shouting is by no means a new thing; she doesn't really have a good temper. What was shocking, is Rathalos smiling after she explodes. Remember how I said that Rathalos always looked displeased, and how if he changed it wouldn't be good. I was wrong, and proud to be. He activated the table, causing a projection to expand across the table top. We watched as he entered a few things into the device, and showed an image. It was a really expensive looking mansion, three stories tall built with gold and maldranite. It was quite the image, but what was really interesting was the news that came along with it. "According to our sources, Ta'kal is holding a grand party for all of his supporters within his own estate." He said, watching as we all nod in agreement. However, one person was not entirely convinced on this good news. "We could use this chance to eliminate-", her words were cut short by Rathalos, back to his normal state. "We won't be. If we can get an operative to go undercover as one of his supporters, we might be able to convince him to reveal what his is planning because obviously the incident with the Hyper Rail is just the beginning." Tanara objected to this at once,stomping the ground. "What! This is the greatest opportunity we've had in months. If we are to stop Ta'kal, we must take this chance". Rathalos would not hear it, his mind was set on recon only. "This mission will be recon only, no exceptions." he said, looking at me as he said the last part. "The perfect operative for this job is clear." We all knew who he was talking about. Criron nodded his head, there was no better operative for a mission like this. My face is well known, plus my injuries prohibit me anyways, Amarie is still relatively new to take upon this type of task, and Mayvora is well...a bit too shy and introverted to gather the proper information. "Operatives" The Prime operative addresses all of us, gaining our attention. "We are now in a critical state. Until we take down Ta'kal, we must treat every mission with extreme care. Any mistake now could destroy the operatives forever, and without us the bonds of the kingdom will shatter." We nod. Now, everything was at risk. "I will give it my all." I tell Rathalos, preparing to stand when I hear a voice. "That, is something I would love to see" The voice was cold, emotionless. We turned towards the doorway to see the source of this voice. To our amazement, the person in the door walked past Amarie and Tanara, directly to me. He wore light, almost leather light armor that had glowing lines running through. His face was void of any emotion, a dreadfully serious was the only thing that could be seen. His hair was short, black at first but at second glance looked almost reflective. His pale skin was nearly perfect, no scars or bruises could be seen. On his head he wore some form of metal that hung on the left side of his face. It projected a small display that covered both his eyes, while we can see the projection we can't see what is displayed on it. But the most interesting thing about him was the long cylinder like object strapped on his back. His own weapon, a one of a kind weapon that he created along side Lord Raven with the help of dragon magic. The Draconian Rifle is by far one of the most dangerous weapons that I have ever seen, able to fire a blast of pure magic in a condensed beam from any range. With his deadly aim, he could take out targets from hundreds of miles away. With the power of the rifle, one hit is all it takes to kill a fully grown adult dragon. All he needs to do is hit the target. From what I can tell, he rarely misses. But I am not sure if it's because of the rifle, or his own skill. Regardless, he is feared as "The light of Salukamoth", for there is no escaping his wrath. Now he stands in front of me, the seventh operative, the man who hates me for no reason. "Operative Sevyor, this is a first", Rathalos stated. He grunted and took a seat next to me. "I believe this meeting is almost over?" he inquired. After receiving his answer, he merely scoffed and assumed control of the projection. He didn't need to use the consul of course, the device upon his face allows him to access things remotely. He pulls up a recent article. It discussed the events of the Hyper Rail, but more specifically, the cause of the disaster. The title of the article read, "Terrorist Strikes Again!" displaying an illustration of a destroyed Hyper Rail. He gives me a sour look, and begin to read the first passage. "Disaster strikes when the Hyper Rail, activated after years of dormancy was destroyed by terrorists, on its way to the shattered city of Valken. The Rail was said to be filled with supplies such as food, clothing, and medical equipment. Witnesses, including High General Thorn, confirmed that today's actions was carried out by none other than operative Sil'Vas, a well feared operative who enjoys torment. If anyone has any information on these operatives, please notify the nearest..." The room fell silent. This should have been expected, we should have known they would try to blame this entire incident upon me. "We stand here looking at problems that exist outside of our own ranks." His voice was formal and mono toned. He spoke with a reason and had little need of emotion within it. One would assume that he wasn't even alive, and at this point they might not be wrong. "What's your point Sevyor? What do you have to gain from any of this?" Rathalos inquired, asking the question that we all had on our mind. Without taking any form of hesitation, he replied finally showing some emotion, frustration. "For years Operative Sil'Vas has disobeyed orders, risked more than his own life on missions, directly opposed command-not only from you but from the king as well- and justifies his actions with the belief that he is serving the greater good." He stands and turns away from every one, staring towards a map of the known kingdom. "Must I remind us that as operatives our loyalty should to the king alone. As operatives we should not allow such morals deter us from our main objective. Nevertheless, operative Sil'Vas believes that his own actions and emotions come far before any objective." For the first time, I see expression upon his face, as he looks at me clearly irradiated. "I have been watching Operative Sil'Vas, reading his reports and studying his ethics. For I knew that one day, it would be his actions that would begin our downfall. And today, I am proven so." I stood up to defend myself, but a quick glare from Rathalos told me to wait, clearly he has some interest in what Sevyor has to say. I reluctantly obliged, forcing myself to hear all of his allegations towards me. "If Operative Sil'Vas had done his mission exactly how he was supposed to-" "Then thousands would die!" I couldn't resist, I wasn't going to stand there listening to his insults. Jumping from my chair and grabbing onto the table, a sudden action that had caused pain to flare within my legs. Everyone but Amarie shot me a concerned glare, Rathalos showing a hint of anger. Yet, Sevyor wasn't phased at all, in fact I think he expected this response. "You are entirely correct. If you had followed orders like a good operative, thousands out have died. However" he barked, "They would have no evidence connecting this event to us. The King could have easily pushed this to the side, and we even could have even used it again Ta'kal, after all it was his donation. Nevertheless, you stepped in, disobeyed a direct order not once, but twice!" I stayed in silence, speechless. His response was clearly well thought of, he must have predicted my answer. But how, he knew nothing of me. Except from the reports he has read of me. Why, why must he have so much interest in me. Worst part was, he was right. If I had not interfered, then we would have been one step closer to bring down Ta'kal. Would the cost have been worth it? No. I must remind myself, you can't put a price on life. You just can't. But before I could respond, he continued, satisfied with my reaction. "Time and time again Operative Sil'Vas continues to act by himself. This cannot stand. But alas, we are too late. Because of his actions, the land is even more worried about the operatives. Now every operation we carry out will be even harder, staying deceit will be practically impossible." I stayed silent, defeated from being exposed to evident truth. I still stand my ground, I will never regret saving lives. Sevyor still continued strong, but he turned his attention towards Rathalos instead of me, who watched with increasing curiosity. "What do you believe is the best action" Rathalos asked. His face hardened, not as a form of intimidation but rather as a blankless expression. He once again turned away, and responded to his question, "I believe the best course of action is to remove Sil'Vas from action-" Before I could defend myself from his assault, another voice came to my steed. "By the light of Madias Sevyor, how could you be so arrogant!" This voice didn't come from Rathalos, or Tanara. Instead it came from the clearly concerned Amarie. "I mean sure, Sil'Vas has made things infinitely harder for us, and put us in a scenario that could mean our destruction but in the end he still has saved thousands of lives." Amarie was the newest operative, he only joined around three years ago, and is the only operative to join of his own will. He never speaks out against other operatives, so I never expected him to come to my aid. "That doesn't matter. We must deal with him before he ruins everything-", Sevyor attempted to justify his words but Amarie wanted none of it. "Sevyor, if everything is about the operatives as a whole, then we need Sil'Vas. Now more than ever. Ta'kal is our main focus, not each other." It would appear that I wasn't the only one to be shocked by Amarie's sudden outburst. Even Tanara was supposed, yet she did look rather supportive. Sevyor didn't yield however, merely shook his head and turned around, walking towards the door. As he walked past Amarie he mumbled, "You have no idea what you have gotten yourself into", and simply walked away. Amarie didn't pay heed to his comment, no one really did. The room stayed silent for a few moments, allowing us to process what had happened. But it would seem Rathalos rather not discuss it, for he simply declared the meeting over, excusing all of us except for Operative Crion and Mayvora for their next mission debriefing. Tanara didn't agree with it, she still stands that we should strike Ta'kal down while he is vulnerable but Rathalos clearly had too much for one day, dismissing her without a second word. She stormed out, followed by Amarie. I stood from my spot and started walking down the hall, feeling the pain in my leg again. It's not that bad, few days of rest and I should be back on active duty. I knew I should have gone to my room, getting the rest that I spoke of, yet there was something else upon my mind. I picked up my pace towards the entrance to our base, a tunnel that connected to the sewage system of the city. As expected I spotted Sevyor preparing to return to his own base. I shouted out to him, but he didn't stop. I know he heard me, he didn't act like he couldn't. He was just choosing to ignore me. I knew he wasn't going to stop, but I wasn't done with this. Pushing past the pain, I limped my way towards him and called out, "What is your problem". I wanted that to sound better, but in my rush of emotions I couldn't stop myself. He stopped, not facing me and responded in an emotionless voice. "My problem is that we operatives allow such an incompatant whelp like you into our ranks." I had anticipated such an attack. "What is incompatant about saving lives?" I parried. This felt like a battle of its us, like I had just initiated the duelist phase. He scoffed, not turning around to face me. "Ah yes, congratulations. And I am sure those people are cheering and chanting your name now; celebration of the great hero that saved them from certain doom." he mocks. "But we both know that isn't true. No. Right now those people that you risked your life to save are currently cursing your name, wishing and praying for your death. Because in their eyes, you just destroyed their last hope, their final salvation. Gone, obliterated because of you. The people that you saved today will only work harder to bring you down." He began to walk again, he wasn't moving fast at all but the pain was making it hard to keep up with him. Refusing to fall I call out, "So what? As operatives our job is for the greater good, no matter the cost. Don't you understand that, don't you know that-", A loud roar echoed throughout the tunnels as Sevyor snapped around in a sudden outrage. A fierce passion was summoned fourth, a passion I had never heard or seen before. I took a small step back as he barked, "When will you understand that there is no room for morals. We are nothing operative Sil'Vas. Nothing. We are puppets, slaves to the king. Don't try to pretend that we are something else." I was stunned. I know we don't have freedom, I know that we live to serve the king. But I also know that we are much more than that. Every single operative has their own story, and it makes me wonder; what is Sevyor's? Maybe it is something I will never find the answer too. "But that's not true. You are right, we all serve the king, but each one of us stands to protect-" He scoffs and slowly shakes his head. His anger had calmed down, almost as if it never existed. He lowers his head, and covers his face with his hands. "You mean what you stand for. Sil'Vas..." he turned away from me, but before he did, I saw a different look upon his face. An expression of despair. His utters his next words slowly and quietly. "I don't care about you. I don't care about the other operatives. I don't care about Rathalos or the king or... the people. I am a puppet. I am given orders, I follow orders verbatim and complete my mission exactly how it is required. Nothing more, and certainly never less. There is nothing for us. we are on our own." he started to walk away, sorrow in his step. As one last attempt I shouted "What...what do you want me to do?" He didn't stop walking, instead he simply said "Try thinking with logical instead of emotions. And please... stop interfering with others. They don't need your help." and with that he disappeared into the shadows. I stood there, speechless. This was the first time I had ever talked to Sevyor, and I've already learned so much about him. He has been working as an operative as long as I have, yet only now I am starting to see his true self. A man who is lost without purpose." I turn back to return to my room, but I barely make it one step further. I collapsed on the ground, my leg couldn't carry on. "Sil'Vas!" I heard a voice. At first I thought it was Sevyor, but he gone by now. Instead when I looked up I saw Amarie, who has been watching my conversation from the shadows. I noticed him when I entered, but felt like it wasn't really something to note. He helps me off the ground, getting me to my feet. "Thanks Amarie. Would you mind helping me to my room" He agrees and I wrap my arm around him, we start walking to my room. I didn't see any other operative, Tanara is most likely filing reports, and the other two are getting their mission debriefing. When we reach my room, a small damp space with a single bed and light. At first it felt like a prison cell, not too far from the truth, but now I relish the time I spend in this small box. He helps me to my bed, I thank him once more as he leaves, but before he does he asks me something about the recent conversation. "Is it true, do people really see us as monsters", his voice was soft and gentle, innocent as Amarie was. Why someone like him ever joined the operatives I will never know. I take a small breath, and sighed, lowering my head. "Yes. To them, we are the monsters who seek to destroy this kingdom." He frowns, sadness filled his eyes. "And" I take another breath, "They aren't entirely wrong. We do things solely for the benefit of the king. Not everyone we kill deserves it. In a way, we are monsters." His grim expression loomed over me, but I wasn't going to lie to him, not really my style. Nevertheless, I look up and give him a friendly smile, easing the tension that I had just created. Against my well being I stood once again, Amarie looked concerned trying to get me to lay down, and I stared at him face to face. "But just remember, no matter how evil the king is, no matter what he does, he is still the only one holding this kingdom together. Neither I nor you know of what happened before the king took over; just understand that it period darker than anything before. If he falls, anarchy would overtake our land. We must make sure that never happens. We are not evil, nor are we benevolent. A little bit of both if you will." He smiled, content with my answer. Yet one thing still remained upon his mind. "So we just have to live with every single person antagonizing us?" I laughed and stated my single moral code that I will follow to the death. "If they are alive to hate me, then I'm doing something right."
"Your mission must remain deceit at all cost. Breaking cover could result in a terrible disaster. This could be the most important mission you have ever taken. Failure shall not be tolerated." I nod in agreement, staring at the prime operative. My mission was simple: infiltrate the estate, find Ta'Kal and learn about his plan, and escape without breaking cover. While simple, this will not be an easy mission. But I am the only one that could pull it off. "You mission shall begin tomorrow. Are you ready to risk your life once again." I stood from my seat and extended my right hand. Focusing my might, I summon a blade of water like substance, which instantly froze into something that one would mistake as ice. Looking at Mayvora, I stated "Operative Crion, ready for deployment."