This confird her suspicions. That world. That ancient, ruined planet lost in swirling clouds and forgotten history. It was connected to her people.
Sohow, in so way, the remnants of Kaelzar technology still slumbered there.
Her mind raced with possibilities, but she forced herself to focus. That mystery would have to wait. Right now, she had sothing more imdiate to uncover.
Her gaze dropped to the small, unassuming mory device in her hand.
"Now… let's see what secrets you hold," she murmured.
With steady hands, she inserted the device into the scanner, then leaned back, watching as the data began to decrypt.
Cleo stood motionless as hundreds of holo-screens flickered to life around her, their blue glow illuminating her face like a constellation of cold, digital stars. Her sharp eyes darted from one display to another, scanning rapidly as data flooded in.
But as she watched, screen after screen shifted from blue to red, the legacy of a system ravaged by ti and decay.
"Tsk. Is everything here corrupted?" She muttered, frustration lacing her voice. More and more red filled her vision, the corrupted files mocking her with their inaccessibility.
Then a flash of green light appeared.
Her eyes widened while her fingers moved instantly to zoom in on the single uncorrupted data file. Her heart quickened as she began to parse the contents.
"Let's see… just a specter drone… rapid-fire laser turrets, target acquisition systems, self-repair modules." She exhaled, tilting her head. "Well, at least it's better than my current combat drones."
She was about to keep searching when sothing else caught her eye.
Another green screen.
Her heart skipped a beat as she quickly opened it. The mont she saw what was inside, her breath hitched.
Her pupils dilated.
"This is… this is it!"
Every other screen around her vanished as she focused entirely on this one. The room seed to fade away, the hum of machinery dulling to a distant murmur. Whatever was in this file… it was sothing far beyond simple drones or weaponry. It was sothing important.
Sothing ga-changing.
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anwhile, on the other side of the galaxy, another storm was brewing.
For nearly two years, Lilla's power had grown unchecked. Both politically and militarily, her influence had reached a level where the Human Senate could no longer turn a blind eye.
She had beco too strong, too independent. And with Mada Rose, her most powerful ally, having disappeared without a trace, the Senate saw their opportunity.
A secret eting had been called. The room was dimly lit, filled with the murmurs of politicians and high-ranking military officials. The air was thick with tension, a silent war waged in the space between their words.
A man cleared his throat while standing at the head of the table. His cold, calculating gaze swept over the gathered officials, his presence commanding the room.
"So, the situation is clear. We can no longer allow Lilla to continue unchecked. She is a threat to the stability of our newborn empire. It is ti to remove her." His voice was firm, absolute, leaving no room for dissent. "Is everyone in favor of this plan?"
The silence that followed was heavy, the weight of the decision pressing down on everyone present. Then one by one, nods of agreent spread across the room.
A gruff voice cut through the air, breaking the tension.
"I won't deny that those zealots are a damned nuisance," a general muttered, leaning back in his chair. His weathered face was etched with disdain. "But what about the Saintess? Are we killing her too?"
A murmur of consideration followed, the question hanging in the air like a blade waiting to fall.
"Of course we will," another politician scoffed, his tone dripping with contempt. "If we want to be rid of this cancer before it spreads further, we must eliminate her as well. Without their symbol, those zealots will fall apart."
Laughter echoed from another corner of the table. It was low, twisted, dripping with malice.
"I have a different idea," a second general said while licking his lips as his eyes glead with sickening amusent. "Why don't you hand her over to ?"
So of the n turned to him, raising their brows in curiosity or disgust.
"I've always wanted to see what kind of face she would make while I break her." His voice was thick with sick anticipation, each word a venomous promise. "I could make very good use of her."
A few chuckles rippled through the room, though so remained silent, their expressions unreadable. The air grew heavier, the darkness in the room deepening.
A politician shrugged, his indifference chilling. "I don't care what you do with her, as long as she's never seen again. If soone finds out she's alive, you kill her on the spot. No second chances."
The general grinned, leaning forward, his hands clasped together as if savoring the thought.
"Agreed. In that case, my n and I will personally join the attack." His laughter slithered through the room like poison, a sound that made even the most hardened among them shift uncomfortably. "This is going to be fun."
A final, unanimous nod sealed the fate of the Saintess.
One of the generals stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the polished floor with a harsh, grating sound. His voice rang with cold finality, cutting through the tension like a blade.
"Well then. Since we are all in agreent that this damn woman needs to be eliminated, let us begin with her spies."
Without hesitation, he pulled out a firearm, a sleek, black weapon that glead ominously under the dim light of the chamber. A single shot rang through the room.
The explosion of sound was deafening. Blood splattered across the long conference table as one of the politicians heads snapped backward with a gaping hole where his eye had been. The body slumped lifelessly to the ground, crimson pooling beneath it.
Panic erupted the next instant.
"W-what is the aning of this?!" Another politician shot to his feet, knocking over his chair as his wide eyes darted between the corpse and the general who had just pulled the trigger. His voice trembled while his face was pale with shock.
The general let out a low chuckle, stepping forward as he knelt beside the fresh corpse. He reached into the dead man's pocket and yanked out a small transmission device, holding it up for all to see. The tiny gadget glinted in the light, its blinking red light a damning testant to betrayal.
"Oh, do not worry," he said, his voice dripping with amusent. "This bastard was a spy. A rat for that saintess. He had been transmitting our conversation to her the entire ti."
The room filled with murmurs, half in disbelief, half in fear. The air grew heavier, the weight of the revelation pressing down on everyone present.
"Th-then why the hell did you wait until we finished planning our coup d'état?!" Another politician shouted out while pointing a shaking finger at the general. His voice cracked under the strain of his anger and fear.
The general threw his head back and laughed.
A deep, manic sound that sent chills through the room.
"Because it is not fun if she does not fight back!" His wild grin stretched across his face as he slamd a fist on the table, the impact echoing like a thunderclap.
"I was born a hunter. What is the thrill in slaughtering prey that does not struggle? I want her to feel the walls closing in, to fight desperately for her life, to crawl before as her fate becos inescapable!"
His voice dropped lower, filled with sothing primal, sothing that made the blood run cold. "Even a rabbit, when cornered, will bite. And that is what I live for. A worthy hunt. A prey that refuses to die easily."
His eyes flickered toward the far end of the room.
A young maid stood there, frozen in horror, her trembling hands clutching the tray she had been carrying. Her breath ca in short gasps, her legs locked in place as fear paralyzed her.
The general's grin widened, his teeth gleaming like a predator's.
"Speaking of prey…"
He raised the gun and pulled the trigger.
The shot was instant. The maid barely had ti to scream before the bullet pierced her skull, her body crumpling lifelessly to the ground.
A silence more deafening than the gunfire filled the room.
The general took a step forward, nudging the maid's body with the tip of his boot before leaning down and speaking directly into the communicator she had been carrying.
"That is two of your spies down, Saintess." His voice was mocking, taunting. "I hope you are listening. Prepare yourself. Clean your neck for . I will mount your head where everyone can see it."
Inside the temple, the air was heavy with tension.
Lilla sat in complete silence, her expression unreadable as the transmission played out. The counsil scheming. The general's madness. The cold executions. Every word had reached her ears, yet she had not spoken once.
Across from her, one of the priestesses turned off the communicator, her fingers trembling slightly.
"Saintess… should we call the paladins?" she asked hesitantly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Lilla closed her eyes for a mont, inhaling deeply.
{Cleo was right....She had been right all along.}
A deep sadness settled in her chest, but it did not last long. It hardened into sothing else. Sothing unshakable.
She opened her beautiful gray eyes.
"There is no need to call the paladins," she said, standing up as several priestesses moved to her side, already preparing for what was to co.
"Inform the High Inquisitor," she commanded, her voice calm but firm. "The ti has co."
Two of the priestesses imdiately bowed and left the chamber. Others moved to her side, swiftly unfastening the ceremonial robes she wore. They replaced them with sothing far more fitting.
A sleek, pristine suit of white power armor.
Lilla's expression remained steady as the final pieces were secured, the armor humming softly as it ca to life.
"The first Holy Crusade begins now."
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