Chapter 94 - The Rite

It was a long and tire full week of surviving the Night Tide. The casualties unlike the first became minimal. It’s all thanks to the 2 members of the Rooks. Their presence made it possible for all to survive the hellish week. It wasn’t much to brag but they’re the one who mostly take out the enemies.

“…And that concludes our expedition sirs.”

The directors nodded in acknowledgment. Dorian removes the helmet and intend to mat his beard, studying his reflection down the round table that is shows various data. They sat along the other 14 directors.

Maximo stands up and walk towards the long window. The evening was upon the mansion. He observed how the clouds gathered up, forming over the mountain on the southernly directions. Before him, ablaze the torches that the mercenaries had arranged, lined up in 2 rows as if making a road towards the cliff. The orange light illuminating the laden sad faces of the mercenaries who have lost their precious comrades. Ambling casually, he allowed his eyes to pass over the rest of the group that is camping remembering the people that they lost, feeling nothing.

“Very well, Dorian.” One of the directors replied.

“What do you make out of it, sir?” Dorian humbly asked.

“We can’t actually tell by now what they’re planning on gathering those materials are for, but we are certain they are preparing for something.” Rod replied. “We have also evidenced of Hemil Klust that are being mined in a city.”

“Great.” He sighed. “What’re we supposed going to do with it?”

“Nothing for now. The whole city was under surveillance by the police enforcers. Even the Canaries are involved with this.”

“That would mean trouble if we probe any further.”

“Aside all of that conspiracy, there is someone I would for us to discuss, that girl, Sherry, I heard that she has a terminal disease.”

Rod replied. “Our best experts are already doing their job to determine how it will affect her, but they haven’t yet fully figured out the blueprints handed out to them. The good side is that, the spreading of infection has stopped as if they were frozen and got absorbed back by Hemil Klust.”

“Not to insinuate, but how come we never voted if we should accept her or not. She is literally a walking weapon, regardless of undermining hostility, we must still consider some things before reluctantly accepting her.”

“Mister Oren, that is exactly the reason why we accept her.” Rod replied. “She barely grasped her own strength lest we should allow her to return in the normal world without knowing her capabilities. Give her some wide berth, please. After all, her normal life was gone before her eyes when Theo’s goons abducted her and use her for various experiments.”

“I know you’re just being careful Mister Oren, but Mister Rod has a point. It is best to keep the danger minimal and into our sight as possible.” Mister Orion added, “Undoubtedly, she’s still has some merits that Theo or maybe not his collaborators would want her. So, yes, it is wise for the both of us for her to stay here, guarded and trained until she’s ready to go back to the outside world.”

One of the directors, Mister Red replied to Mister Orion, “I must oppose on letting her go. According to the reports of Linda and Cid, Sherry can be regarded as rank A+ mercenary or more than it, she also has abilities that exceeded even their entire group. Her Inquiara Magic has not been identified yet, but with no doubt it would be powerful once discovered throughout her training. We cannot deny that her existence is an aberration, and we must not allow her to cross the border at any cost.”

“Aberration?” Rod asked, laden with annoyance. “Do you hear yourself Mister Red? She’s not an enemy, but a child. The Glade exist to help people in dire need.”

“That girl managed to put a scratch against an Arbiter, something that our mercenaries aren’t able to do so. You can’t expect us to turn blind eye on her prowess.”

Dorian had heard enough. He sat down and made his presence known.

“Gentlemen.” He raised his voice. “I understand the dilemma of your plight, but have you considered what must be done?”

“He is right. What must be done to her?” One of the directors asked.

They all exchange empty glances.

“Killing is out of options.” Dorian added. “Abandoning also is out of option and even letting her go is out of option.”

“What are you pointing at, Dorian?”

Dorian smirked. “I’m saying, let the fate decides. If she should turn to dark side, we will undoubtedly put her down, but she goes the other way, then we let her go.” Dorian continued, “We cannot strike our desire to something we have no control of.”

Maximo added, “He is right. What we can do now is to do our best to keep her on our light.”

The meeting concluded with agreement of Dorian’s and Maximo’s statement. Their words became a way for their moral compass to handle. It may be not satisfying as they intended to be, but it is enough to solve their current problem. Other than Sherry’s situation, they also have rising problems against the Arbiters activities in the other regions, Maximo and Dorian were assigned to investigate it, but ended up with more questions rather than answers.

It was midnight when they began the rite for the people who have passed away. The directors involved themselves to the rite as they’re the ones who became the parent figures for them. The bodies of the dead were cremated and was put all into a single jar.

Director Rod and Pietro leaded the rite and stand at the edge of the cliff.

“May your souls find rest in the next life. All of you may be gone but the sacrifice won’t be forgotten. We will carry you with us.”

Pietro open the jar and pour it into the ocean, but the dust was carried away by the wind and disappeared into the clear sky.

After the rite, Directors Rod, Pietro, Orion and Red sees Maximo and Dorian on the ocean. There wasn’t much time for them to waste here as they have their own expeditions waiting for them.

“So, we’re free to do what we wanted until we received our assignments, right?” Dorian asked.

Orion nodded, “There wasn’t much we can make out of it. So, yes. You’ll be laying low for now. But you have to keep your eyes open out there.”

“I understand,” Maximo replied. “But what about the Renegades? Aren’t we supposed to stopped and punished them for what they’ve done?”

Red shakes his head. “Your missions are more important than they are. We already have our best men out there in the field tracking their movements.”

“Even still, some of their members are on par with us. I think is best for a member of the Rooks to get involved in this case. Axel, Han and Reito, perhaps? They remained docile for a couple of months.”

“Even if we wanted to, we have no idea where they are. They’ve completely gone underground and there is no way including our fixers to locate them.”

Dorian and Maximo exchange glances. Dorian replied, “We might have some idea where they are.”

“Really?” Rod asked. “If that’s the case then heed on them.”

Maximo replied, “Even if you don’t tell, we will give them a piece of our mind.”

Maximo put his helm on his head. Dorian held his long arm ready to sprint towards the ocean.

“I hate this.” Maximo muttered.

“No one cares.” Dorian replied.

In a flash, they traveled in the speed of sound. As they moved in greater lengths, the sea parted in half. The mercenaries witnessing Dorian’s power were in awed.

On Glade’s behalf, they will gladly put their interest aside and help them when they weren’t able to do so while they were away.

All of disturbing thoughts diminished away when the spiking cold of spray from the ocean creep to his senses.