The Muse

The Muse - Episode Three - The Underground

The Muse - Episode Three - The Underground

During World War I, a Mongolian fleet cruised its way to the Devil's Sea. They encountered a terrible storm and worst, the swirling sea. They had no control over anything, the army surrendered themselves to chaos. The sea swallowed them, and a huge seven headed serpent appeared, took them, and they woke up in the shore of a mysterious land. "Saikan", meaning, beautiful, so they called this land. Beautiful yet catastrophic. It was habitable, except that the weather was always bad. The Mongolian army lived in caves and adapted to the atmosphere. They found treasures, and materials enough to build shelter and in time, an empire.

They worshiped the seven headed serpent. The serpent then gave them a wonderful gift, Rahyndra and Rakan, winged creatures who governed rain and thunder. Imititating their form, they guided the humans to build a great civilization. Hundreds of years later, humans grew more and more intelligent that they no longer needed the guidance of the celestial beings. The humans placed a new leader and invented SRAM, holograms, weather controller, and machinery that made life easier. They would plot different things to steal Rakan and Rahydra's power. Until they made Rakan surrender and transfer his entire power to a plantation that powered the entire nation's machinery. They also castrated his wings.

In return, they cursed the river and the lake to produce the destroyer of humanity. Later on, they were chased out by the government and labeled as evil beings. Since then, they never appeared again. The marvelous story of the seven-headed serpent became a myth that only theurgists believed from then on.


Fast forward, an underground organization (UG), held its annual recruitment tradition at their main base, below the ground of Mishuno Hospital and a residential building. Clio was there, he is now one of the crucial members of the UG. Clio is one of the survivors of the dark plague.

In the annual recruitment, 50 people attended. They were to go under the recruitment process, where the strongest is to be determined. Most of the recruits are from the low ranks, and society outcasts. There, also joined the Muse.

In a monitored underground field, they were about to experience a battle. At the center of the field was a hole. In four hours, they should eliminate others by pushing them to the hole. The countdown went to zero, the Muse's song played in background. The muse laughed. The battle began.

The recruits ran and grabbed another. There was fight everywhere. The muse was simply running and hiding from everyone. She tried to find a buddy, but unfortunately was grabbed by a group. She learned she has to use force either way, without ruining her disguise. She found an opponent. A lady who seemed weak. But this lady turned out to be strong. She was thrown out into the hole. Beneath the hole was a net were people fall safely. The upper ground was high that they wouldn't be able to climb back up, except if she would be able to persuade people to form a pyramid to get her up there. She tried to bargain. Since she's a millionaire, she can just exchange favor for points. But she realized she's in disguise and her SRAM was disconnected. Cancelled. In two hours, she just sat in a corner with the others. She had a chance to have a conversation with them. Thankfully nobody recognized her. She listened to a man telling his story. His name is Trajua. He's 40.

"I lost my child and wife in Xi. They were taking low rankers. I don't know where they took them. I need the help of UGs to fight those Maruns. I swear revenge, I swear revenge. But here I am, we couldn't even get up there. I'm lost, I'm shattered. But maybe I can just, ask a favor from someone in the UG to fulfill my request... Bring my family back to me." Said Trajua.

"Maybe I could climb up there with a little help." The Muse suggested

"Yes, you're thin, light-weighted. I could carry you in my back." Trajua said.

"If you bring me up there, I'll avenge you. Or we'll find another way for that vengeance." She laughed.

"No, I believe in you. I have to believe in you. Get up there and I'll find my friends and we'll carry you." Trajua promised.

And after finding his friends, Trajua helped the Muse climb up the ground. There were numerous attempts but she made it.

Few moments before the hours end, the Muse encountered the last man standing in the field. The audience were shocked of a comeback from the hole. The last man charged forward to attack her. At the edge, the Muse was resisting his force. Just a little more and she would be back in the hole. Surprisingly, a hand from the below ground held the last man's feet and pulled him to the hole. The timer went zero. The battle ended.

It was another remarkable recruitment battle in UG.

She was escorted to the UG infirmary to check on her health and gave her a uniform. The rest of the recruit were also given uniform. All of them were accepted. One problem, a nurse noticed that she has no SRAM. She called an expert to tend the Muse in disguise.

There came Clio. There were only the two of them in the room. He starred at her. He smiled and greeted her.

"Ey! Someone's got a problem with the SRAM! I'm Clio, the handsome, at your service!" Clio cheerfully exclaimed.

"So hyped." The muse smiled.

"Let me see... so you don't have an SRAM because you removed it? Since when? It must have hurt." Clio asked as he thought deeply.

"Can you not ask about that...?" She said.

"Okay, I won't ask anything else except for... your name." Clio said.

"Riantheliss Wantflower." The Muse answered.

"Okay, that's too long. I'll call you Ri. You can't object! Okay?" He smiled. "Good girl. Now, wait here, I'll be back." Clio said and left.

After he left, he became extremely hyped than ever before.