The air in the briefing room was heavy as Owen’s and Callahan’s team stood at attention.
All the team mbers had arrived exactly thirty minutes after they landed, even Owen.
Apart from the two teams, there was Colonel Evelyn, a commander they had never t before and the reason for the suffocating atmosphere—Commander Ajax.
He wasn’t supposed to be here but he had sohow been inford about the mission a bunch of newly promoted cadets were sent on, and unhappy would be an understatent to his mood right now.
"Sit" he ordered and everyone in the briefing room imdiately obliged, even the other commander.
He then turned to Colonel Evelyn and asked "why did you think it was a good idea to send a bunch of freshly promoted cadets to their deaths?"
Instead of Evelyn, the commander— a man with dark brown hair and eyes— replied,
"I don’t think that question is necessary, after all the kids made it—"
A sudden pressure crashed on him, causing the man to almost pass out. Commander Ajax’s aura was similar to a primal’s and currently, the man saw him as one.
"I wasn’t asking you," Ajax said coldly. His voice coming out just as terrifying as his aura.
He then turned back to Evelyn, waiting for an answer.
Evelyn swallowed in fear. Even though the aura wasn’t aid at them, they all still felt how terrifying it was.
"I’m sorry commander," she started "but I was only following orders."
"And who did those orders co from?" Ajax asked.
Evelyn glanced at the commander still struggling under commander Ajax’s pressure before replying,
"Commander Voss," she said, her voice steady despite the tension. "The mission was approved and signed off under his authority."
The mont the na left her lips, the pressure intensified.
Voss, the other commander, let out a choked breath, his knees buckling as he clutched the edge of the table for support. Veins bulged at his temples, and sweat dripped from his brow like a leaking faucet.
"So," Ajax said, his voice now dangerously calm, "not only did you authorize a high-risk mission for cadets barely out of training, but you didn’t even have the spine to admit it."
Voss didn’t respond—he couldn’t. His mouth opened, but only a weak rasp escaped. The pressure lifted slightly, just enough for him to speak.
"I-I had clearance. Full authorization... High Command signed off on it."
"That doesn’t absolve you of stupidity," Ajax snapped. "You’re a field commander, not a glorified paper-pusher. You knew exactly what kind of threat that region posed, and yet you still sent them."
He gestured toward the seated cadets, especially team 7.
"And even if you didn’t know the dangers," he continued, his tone sharp enough to cut steel, "I heard you were later inford of what the creatures they were going to face were, but you still decided to send the cadets."
Commander Voss glared at Evelyn, suspecting that she was the one who might’ve inford commander Ajax, but even if she was, he could do nothing about it... Not right now anyway.
This was her revenge—for making her send kids on a mission that could very well have ended in their deaths.
Even if the commander might make her life harder later, the satisfaction from this was completely worth it.
"They completed the mission," Voss croaked. "No casualties."
"That doesn’t an the mission was justified," Ajax replied coldly. "It ans they survived despite your judgnt, not because of it."
"We’ll be having a very long conversation later, Voss" that was terrifying enough to make the poor man’s soul leave his body.
Commander Ajax turned his attention away from Voss, who finally slumped back into his seat, looking like a man who’d aged ten years in ten minutes.
Commander Ajax then addressed Owen’s team.
"You were sent on a mission that, by all standards, you weren’t ready for. And sohow, you survived. I’ll read the full report myself, but I want to hear it from you. Owen," he called, his gaze landing on Owen. "You’re first."
Owen stood up slowly, his hands behind his back, posture straight despite the weight of the mont.
His normally sleepy deanor was gone, replaced by a serious one.
"Yes, Commander," he said in a steady voice.
Owen proceeded to explain what happened from the start of the mission. From the mont they got separated, to them attacking a cave full of Voidspawns.
Leaving out only Reid’s and Marcus’ core formations, after all, it was their decision on whether to reveal it or not.
"You six... were placed in the worst possible situation. Sent into sothing not even high-ranking units would handle without preparation." Commander Ajax said after listening to Owen’s words.
"And you didn’t just survive—you uncovered sothing far more dangerous."
He looked toward Voss, who was now as pale as a ghost.
"You were sent to die," Ajax continued "and instead, you returned with information on one of the most dangerous primals we’ve seen since the eruption."
He took a small pause before adding,
"Good work."
Commander Ajax wasn’t soone known for giving out praise so it ca as a surprise to both commander Voss and Colonel Evelyn.
"As for the rest of your team" he addressed "be sure to prepare your statents, I want a report on everything that happened when you all got separated."
"You all have a week’s rest before taking another assignnt."
With that, commander Ajax said "team seven is dismissed."
Then he turned to Callahan and his team "as for you, officer Mace, I want to hear your team’s reason why you were late for two hours after backup was called for."
This got Callahan to imdiately start sweating but Reid and the others didn’t stay back to find out how that turned out.
______
"That was intense" Marcus let out a breath he was holding in as soon as they walked out of the briefing room.
"Tell about it" Clara also said.
Withstanding the pressure from Commander Ajax, even though it wasn’t directed at them was terrifying.
Even when compared to platinum tier primals, his felt different. Maybe, wilder and a lot more suffocating if that was even possible.
"Well, at least we survived that,"Owen said before letting out a yawn, "I’ll see you five in a week."
And like before, he walked away before they could even get the chance to respond.
The team watched him leave in silence, before Clara spoke up, "anyone else hungry?"
"Starving," Marcus said, rubbing his stomach. "I could eat an entire primal siege at this point."
"It’s decided then," Clara pointed towards direction of the canteen "to the canteen!"
No one rejected the idea, so they all headed to the canteen.
______
anwhile, in the sa underground lab, the flashing of red light had stopped as the creature had stayed completely calm after its initial lash out.
It had adapted to its host... Or rather, its host had completely adapted to it.
Unlike other Voidspawns that had completely taken over the bodies of their hosts, the host of this one was completely different as he had maintained control while still keeping the abilities of the void spawn.
He flexed his fingers as he felt the power coursing through him.
This.... This was everything he ever wanted. This type of overwhelming power that’ll make him hard to ignore.
The type that won’t allow anyone else to overshadow him, not anymore.
"This feels amazing" he muttered, drowning in the ecstasy of power.
Sensing the power within him, he determined that he was at least platinum rank right now.
He turned to his forged beast at a corner of the lab room. The creature was trembling in fear, not recognizing it’s tar anymore.
Even the connection that had been established had been cut off. The only thing it saw was a monster, wearing the skin of its previous tar.
"I guess I don’t need you anymore" he said and slowly approached the forged beast. The poor creature crawled back but there was no escape.
It was trapped in here with this monster. As soon as the man got close enough, he outstretched an arm, which imdiately turned black with rows of teeth appearing on it.
Before the forged beast could even let out a whimper, the hand swallowed it whole and the entire lab fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the faint hum of machinery still running in the background.
The man closed his eyes as he absorbed his forr partner. The power—the mories, abilities, instincts—rged seamlessly into his own.
He opened his eyes, which now shimred with a sickly purple glow, void energy dancing within their depths.
He cracked his neck slowly, relishing the surge of strength. "No more limits. No more bonds. I’m beyond everything now."
A slow clap echoed through the room as the confinent doors slid open. The man lifted his head—only for his blue eyes to et a pair of eerie, glowing red ones.
He imdiately averted his gaze, eyes snapping to the floor, too terrified to hold the stare of that... man—no, that thing.
What the hell is he? the thought clawed its way through his mind.
He had believed himself stronger now, powerful even. But the presence before him felt like a chasm he could never cross.
"I see you’re enjoying your new abilities," the Master said, his voice laced with amusent. "I trust they’re everything you ever dread of?"
He sounded like he had a grin on his face but the man was too scared to raise his head and check. He just felt obliged to answer, and so he did.
"Yes master" that flowed smoothly from his tongue, as if he had practiced it a million tis.
"Good," the Master said, satisfaction lacing his voice. "That ans our part of the deal is done. Your turn to hold up your end, little Fletcher."
Reviews
All reviews (0)