“Hmm…” Misdreva hummed while flipping through the notebook. “Nice work, Grant. They seem to have some powerful stones in their possession.”

  “Before our target unlocked his strange powers, they won a few fights, so I assumed that some useful magic stones had to be the cause of it. With an immobilization stone in their hands, it makes sense how they managed to take out a few of our own assassins.”

  “And how did you stumble upon such a comprehensive list?”

  “I’m sure you could hedge a guess, Misdreva.”

  “I was right to trust you with such a stone it seems.”

  “When are you ever wrong?” Grant said with a smile.

  Misdreva let out a small laugh which she immediately cut off.

  “I’ll let you have this notebook back. I’ve already memorized it.”

  Misdreva tossed it at Grant who caught it with one hand before slipping it back into his pocket.

  “We’ll take our leave now, Misdreva.”

  “Thank you for your time, Moon Empress!” Ralis said, before bowing several times.

  Misdreva waved them off.

  Now alone, Misdreva pointed a finger gun at the large ball of fire at the ceiling, before pulling the imaginary trigger which immediately dispersed it. With the room now dim again, she turned her chair back towards the wall.

  “That false queen is always getting in my way…” she mumbled to herself. “It’s truly a shame that she’s not nearly as helpless as she portrays herself or I’d have had her eliminated a long time ago…”

  Now down the coalition headquarters halls, Ralis and Grant walk side-by-side. The masked members passed on the way each bowed as Grant walked by.

  “Being so liked and popular is such a chore!” Grant said, sarcastically putting his hand on his forehead with a smile.

  “I thought I was going to suffocate in there…” Ralis said, drooping his head.

  “You all treat Misdreva like she’s some rabid beast. She's much softer than you all realize.”

  “I don’t treat her like a beast! I don’t want that rumor spreading, Grant! Imagine what she’d do to me if she found out!”

  “Calm yourself, Ralis. You’re proving my point too extremely which is no fun. Now, get ready. I’m going back to Paradise Falls, and you’re coming with.”

  “I am?!”

  “Of course! I’ll need my disciple there with me watching my back.”

  “I’m no good in a fight though, Grant! I’d only hold you back!”

  “You don’t give yourself nearly enough credit, my dear Ralis. Just keep that gemstone I entrusted to you on your person, and you’ll be more of a help than you could imagine.”

  “O-okay…”

  Grant and Ralis then made their way into a room which had a large chamber in the middle of it. A member opened the door to it once Grant approached it.

  “Where to, commander?” the member asked.

  “Paradise Falls, old boy!”

  “Of course, sir.”

  Grant entered the chamber and gestured at Ralis to join him who did so reluctantly. Grant removed his mask, urging Ralis to do the same. Once they were both unmasked, the door was shut, and a portal was created in the back of the room which Grant entered with Ralis following behind him.

  *30 minutes before*

  Location: The Capital, Admia - Central Palace Government Conference Room

  “Th-this is terrible! Just terrible!” an old statesman sitting at the large table said. “We can’t let this information get out! As far as the public knows, Tinsen Entilin is on vacation!”

  Ten well-dressed men were sitting around a massive, expensive-looking conference table. At the head of the table was King Thelden. He was dressed in a long purple robe and a massive gold crown adorned with many different gemstones which were certainly magically imbued. He sat lazily in his seat, leaning his elbow on the armrest of the chair with his eyes closed. He was a young man for a king at only 32. His own father, King Talon, who started many of the Admian conquests, was only sixty when he passed from an incurable disease.

  “Calm yourself, Wells,” the man sitting to King Thelden’s right said. “There’s no need for your crying, especially not in the presence of his majesty.”

  “Oh, please! The situation is dire, m’lord! I know you see it! It is true that Commander Entilin was an arrogant man, but he was indeed powerful. They dispatched him and his entire battalion easily! It’s obvious that these rats are more powerful than we estimated,” Wells said, using lots of different hand gestures as he spoke.

  This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

  “You were correct about one thing, Wells. Tinsen Entilin was arrogant. He was arrogant, drunk on power, and it was the end of him. His majesty only gave him the responsibility of capturing the thieves to gauge their power, nothing more. Your panic is nothing more than a tantrum. Please show his lordship more respect.”

  Wells leaned back in his seat, unable to raise a counterpoint. He only stared daggers into the man sitting to the king’s right. That man was Cadicus, the personal aide to King Thelden. He had been the Admian king’s aide the previous half-decade and served Thelden's father several years before his demise. Cadicus was a tall and skinny man well-known for his way with words and immense skill with magic stones. He had curly black hair that had made him resemble a diseased shiitake mushroom.

  “Any other childish outbursts?” Cadicus said, holding out his hands. “Good. Now, let’s get down to business. His majesty has received intel on the current, and next whereabouts of these terrorists and is sending a strike team to finally snuff out their flames for good. They currently reside somewhere in Aquarium’s capital, Paradise Falls, and we know under good faith that their next destination will be Darkvent, which is where we will intercept them.”

  “Why can’t we intercept them in Paradise Falls? We would have much less trouble getting men into Aquarium than in Darkvent," a bearded statesman asked.

  “We do not know this for certain, but there is a large chance that the terrorists are being hidden within the walls of Queen Puri’s palace.”

  “Then, let’s go get them!” Wells said, perking up. “That queen is a pushover to Admian demands. How dumb are we to let them slip through our fingers when we have a good idea of where they are?!”

  A few seconds of silence passed.

  “‘Dumb’?” Cadicus inquired. “Are you calling his majesty, dumb?”

  “Th-that’s not what I meant! I only meant to say th-”

  Wells’s speech was immediately cut off by a large zap that sounded from above him. A bolt of lightning pierced the top of his head, leaving a charred hole in his skull as his body lifelessly slumped onto the table. Cadicus had a look of disinterest on his face as he blew the tip of his finger before putting it back down at his side. The men at the table’s eyes all went wide, but they knew that they could not show weakness in this situation, or they might be next.

  “...As I was saying, we are not in a position to go into Queen Puri’s palace. That’s all there is to it. Any other questions?”

  No one said anything.

  “Good. Now, let me introduce you all to the commanders of the strike team that will be intercepting them at the Aquarium/Darkvent border.”

  As Cadicus finished talking, the doors at the end of the room shot open as two imposing figures made their entrances. One was a massive man who resembled a living tank. He had bronze skin, a bald head, and was wearing a dark green jacket that had many pockets. The most eye-catching quality about him though was the golden headband wrapped around his forehead. Embedded in the headband were three gems which were sky blue, red, and yellow, from left to right. The second person was a fair-skinned woman of normal size and height. She had a black eye patch over her right eye, and was wearing gemstone-decorated golden bracelets, one on each wrist. Her one visible eye was blood red, and her hair was snow white and medium length. As they entered, every eye was drawn to them. King Thelden too had finally opened his eyes, but he was still leaning on his elbow the same as before.

  “We welcome you, brave warriors,” Cadicus said. “Would you be so kind as to introduce yourselves?”

  The woman looked around for a second and suddenly started laughing uncontrollably. The large man looked around as well and tracked his partner’s vision to the dead man still slumped on the table. The smell of charred flesh still permeated throughout the room.

  “A disagreement perhaps?” the large man asked.

  “Just an example of what happens when the king is disrespected. I implore you both to keep that in mind as well…especially her,” Cadicus said, looking at the woman who was still laughing.

  “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” she said, still laughing. “It’s hard to keep a straight face looking at all these terrified politicians! I think that one over there pissed his pants! Stand up, sir! Please stand up and show the class!”

  “S-silence!” the statesman said with a red face of both anger and embarrassment.

  “All you big wigs are so thin-skinned!” the woman said, still laughing. “This is what real life looks like, bitches!”

  “Lavette, please,” the large man said calmly. “I can tell we’re not making a good first impression, so let’s just introduce ourselves so we can complete the mission.”

  “Sorry! Sorry! You’re right… I’m okay now,” Lavette said, taking a deep breath.

  Cadicus was rubbing his temples, obviously irritated.

  “Please, go on with the introductions,” he said.

  “Of course! My name is Lavette. I’m a Scorpio, I love long walks on the beach, and my specialty is close combat,” she said with a big smile.

  “Right…Now, you,” Cadicus said looking at the large man.

  “Understood. I’m Zaglen. You can just call me ‘Zag’ though. My specialty is support and ranged combat. I’ll make sure this mission is completed without error.”

  “Thank you,” Cadicus said. “Remember – you will be representing Admia and his majesty, so failure is not an option.”

  “Of course, sir,” Zaglen said.

  “You can count on us!~” Lavette added.

  “You may take your leave now. We have a campsite set up on the rendezvous, so I ask you to bring your battalion there promptly as we don’t know how long they will stay in Aquarium before making their move.”

  Zaglen and Lavette both saluted and made their exit out.

  “Any other comments or questions before we wrap up for the day?” Cadicus asked.

  Once again, the statesmen were all silent.

  “Wonderful! Now…you, and you – please take Wells’s body out of the room and bring him to the crematory.”

  The two guards he pointed to both took one shoulder of the corpse and led him out of the room. Afterwards, the rest of the statesmen filed out at a brisk pace, leaving only Cadicus and King Thelden in the room.

  “I hope you know what you’re doing, Cadicus,” King Thelden said, annoyed.

  “Please leave it all to me, your majesty. That ring will be within your grasp soon enough.”

  A moment of silence passed, as Cadicus looked down to his feet.

  “Do you have something you wish to say, Cadicus?”

  “I…are you sure you would not be able to lead this nation yourself? I think you would be a wonderful leader, your majesty. And I would be here to help you every step of the way!”

  “Are you questioning me?”

  “Of course not! I only want you to reach your full potential! I’m always on your side, m’lord.”

  “Then this is where this conversation ends. Now, go.”

  “Y-yes, your majesty.”

  Cadicus left the room leaving King Thelden alone in the large conference room. Thelden sat for a few seconds, before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep.