[Chapter 9]

  ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??

  "You are my little brother, you know that?" KiAera said, questioning his enjoyment of the biohazard cuisine.

  Liozel wiped the purple soup from his lips. "And you're my amazing big sis!" The dragonic boy pointed the bowl toward Xetra for seconds. "This stuff is amazing!"

  "See?" Xetra said, beaming.

  KiAera pinched the bridge of her nose. "Fine. But if this stuff gives me food poisoning, you're on clean-up duty for a month."

  She cautiously took a sip. It was surprisingly good. A strange mix of sweet, savory, and spicy, with a hint of something she couldn't quite place. It was like a party in her mouth, a wild, chaotic party, but a party nonetheless.

  The warmth spread through her body, chasing away the lingering chill of her transformation. Her headache began to subside. She felt a surge of energy, a slight boost in power.

  "Okay," she said, finishing the bowl in a few gulps. "I'll give you that. This stuff works."

  "Told you!" Xetra said, doing a little victory dance.

  Liozel tapped KiAera's shoulder. "Oh! Big Sis! Loa and Yaella asks for your presence. They want to update you on the status of the Ful-Ruin Network. Yaella and the engineers are close to reverse engineering it into the ManaNet!"

  The bowl in KiAera's hand slipped. The ManaNets creation would lead to the crew being one step closer to the activation of the Anti-Virus Network. The next step in counteracting Lorgagore, who had been discovered to have been a living embodiment of a virus. It made sense with his infamous reputation of literally devouring worlds and assimilating them into his Machine Empire.

  KiAera's mind reeled with the possibilities, the strategic implications, the potential to turn the tide of the war. "Are you serious? They've made that much progress?"

  Liozel nodded vigorously. "Yep! Yaella said it's all thanks to EliTa's help. She's a genius with that stuff, you know?"

  KiAera's thoughts drifted to EliTa, the priggish Division 7 Captain. Despite her own mixed emotions, EliTa proved herself as a brilliant scientist, a master of bio-engineering, and a walking paradox of elegance and genius.

  Her partnership with Yaella, the enigmatic Council Chancellor of the Right, had yielded incredible results, pushing the boundaries of what was thought possible. The majority of Chimeron's technology had been devised by Yaella and EliTa; and KiAera mustn't forget about Gilbud's and Dariel's involvement in the architectural blueprints and construction of the Sanctum.

  KiAera's comms buzzed, and she glanced at the display. It was Yaella. The monitor revealed a graceful noblewoman with long, flowing platinum-blonde hair, a slender figure, and bewitching pink eyes that held great wisdom despite her being in her late twenties. She wore a set of ribbons on her lovely, Oriental imperial-style dress.

  Yaella Yae-Fae was described as Chimeron's most beautiful woman, frequently compared to Diantha. KiAera often felt baffled to find herself included in such comparisons.

  Unlike the monsters that inhabited the Chimeron Sanctum, Yaella was not a monster. Instead, she was human in a sense, but not quite. The proper term for her people was... Wanderans.

  KiAera still failed to understand how the Wanderans branched off from humankind and found themselves in Zeldritzon, evolving into their current state. Yaella had never shared much about their origins, as Wanderans were known for their secretive nature. But KiAera knew that the Wanderans were a race preyed upon yet somehow competing with the powerful monsters of this dimension.

  KiAera also wondered why they were so rare. Perhaps it was due to their frailty, but that couldn't be the whole truth. While they were physically weaker compared to the likes of Oni, vampires, and other monstrous creatures, they compensated for this with their affinity for mana, superhuman capabilities, and internal Ki abilities known as their cryptic Sinastral.

  It was only then that KiAera remembered that Yaella was once the chief of a superpower clan that could have put the U.S., Europe, and many eastern countries to shame with their technological and magical prowess. KiAera had met her people once, and it felt like she had stepped into the future.

  It appalled KiAera to think about why the Yae-Fae had been executed, leaving Yaella as the last surviving member of her clan. Why had Yaella chosen to serve the Chimeron for all these years? KiAera did not distrust Yaella, yet doubt about the woman's ambitions lingered in her mind.

  Were they stepping stones to a plan for revenge against the Wanderan Empire that had slain her kin?

  The screen flickered, revealing Yaella's calm, composed face. "KiAera. I trust Liozel has delivered the news?" Her voice was serene.

  "He has," KiAera confirmed, her fingers fumbled on the blueprint fabric next to her. "Yaella, this is… incredible. How close are we, really?"

  Yaella's lips curved into a small, knowing smile. "Closer than you think. We've successfully integrated the Ful-Ruin's signal architecture into our own systems. The Anti-Virus Network is no longer a theoretical concept, KiAera. It's a tangible reality, waiting for the final command."

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  KiAera's heart hammered in her chest. This was it. The culmination of years of research, of sacrifice, of relentless effort. A weapon capable of fighting Lorgagore on his own terms, of purging the corruption that threatened to consume their world—new and old.

  "Where do you need me?" KiAera asked. The soup's energy kicked in, and a newfound determination surged through her.

  At that moment, KiAera realized her emotions were heightened. Despite her mind's significant resistance to telepaths and other psychic powers, when it was scattered and loose, only those close to her could see through her walls. This could only mean that the other Chancellor was aware of her thoughts: Loa, Chimeron's Chancellor of the Left.

  "Ahem," Loa's voice echoed through the comms, a hint of amusement in her tone. "Yes, KiAera, I am indeed a telepath. And yes, I am aware of your thoughts. But I assure you, my focus is on the task at hand."

  KiAera's face flushed, a rare occurrence for her. She recalled that Loa was an advanced Tengu. "Right. Sorry about that. So, what's the news?"

  Loa had a head of dark, feathery hair and owlish-dog ears that reminded KiAera of a Doberman. She always wore a revealing outfit, which was a mix of a crop-top and a business suit. She typically donned a black blazer, along with a pair of torn white jeans, sheer black tights, and heeled boots. Her attire was a bold statement of confidence and power, a reflection of her no-nonsense approach to leadership and innovation.

  The bags under her eyes were a sign of her arduous sessions managing most of the policies alongside Yaella. The Chimeron Chancellors were precious to their family, and KiAera could only hope that Loa would take her rest seriously.

  "We've successfully bypassed the Ful-Ruin's initial encryption layers," Yaella explained, her voice crisp and professional. "EliTa's analysis of the corrupted data streams has given us a clear path forward. We believe we can establish a stable connection to the ManaNet within the next three or so cycles."

  "A few cycles?" KiAera repeated, her excitement building. "That's incredible! I'll head to the HQ right away."

  "There's no need," Loa interjected. "Yaella and I will handle the final integration. We need you to focus on the bigger picture, KiAera. Yzarluzz's son is a threat we can't ignore."

  KiAera's brow furrowed. "But what about the network? We're so close."

  "We are," Yaella agreed. "But we can't afford to be distracted. The ManaNet will be a powerful tool, but it's not a silver bullet. We need a leader, a symbol, someone who can unite our forces and face the enemy head-on. That someone is you."

  Before KiAera could argue, her comms buzzed again, another call coming through. It was Endigo Zest. His face filled the screen, his deer-skull mask impassive, but she could see the intensity in his crimson eyes. The Division 2 Captain's armor, a fusion of crimson steel and obsidian, was still dusted with the sand of the northern wastes.

  "I've returned, KiAera," he said, his voice a deep, resonant rumble. "The Venolisk horde has been dealt with. What's the situation?"

  That was swift. KiAera quickly filled him in on the latest developments, from Yzarluzz's son to the breakthrough with the ManaNet. Of course, Endigo only cared about Yzarluzz III's aggression toward the Chimeron Sanctum. He cared little for Loa and Yaella's endeavors but acknowledged their progress. He was not a man of technology; he was a man of action.

  "I'll rally my division," he declared. "We'll be ready for battle."

  "Wait," KiAera said. "There's something else. I need you to do something for me."

  She explained her plan, her voice low and urgent. Endigo listened, his expression unreadable, but she could see the flicker of understanding in his eyes. When she finished, he nodded.

  "It's a risk," he said. "But it's a risk we have to take. I'll handle it."

  KiAera reached for her communicator, quickly inputting the command to summon Nex. The device vibrated faintly before his drowsy voice resonated through the speaker. Had he been asleep?

  "Tch." A fetching man with dark wavy hair, streaked with blue highlights, clicked his tongue. "Captain Nex here. What's the situation—"

  His dark blue eyes flicked from Loa to KiAera. "Don't waste my time, KiAera," he snapped. "What do you want? This better be important."

  KiAera suppressed the urge to retort. "It is," she said, her tone measured. "I need you to gather your lieutenants, Viz and Rox. Meet Jalkra in the main briefing room within the hour. We have a—"

  A woman's sultry voice reverberated from his end. "Nex! Come back to bed."

  Nex's eyes widened. "What? Who was that?! I must've butt-dialed you. My apologies." He promptly ended the call, leaving KiAera in a stunned silence. Fortunately Liozel had left the room. KiAera could sense that her brother had went to his bedroom.

  "Did you just hear that?" Endigo asked, the metal of his helm scraping against the pauldron on his shoulder as he tilted his head. "Who was that?"

  Xetra giggled. "Holy shit. I'm pretty sure that Nex guy was—"

  "None of your business," KiAera snapped. She knew he was at the Vampire Duchess's estate, but the call had left her with more questions than answers. She felt a sudden, inexplicable pang of... something. Disappointment? Annoyance? No, it was something else, a nagging feeling that she couldn't quite place.

  She glanced at the comms screen, where Loa and Yaella were still connected.

  She noticed it then: Loa's brow was furrowed, her lips pressed into a thin, tight line. Her usual composure was gone, replaced by a flicker of raw, unguarded emotion. It was gone as quickly as it appeared, her features smoothing back into a mask of professional calm, but KiAera had seen it.

  The fleeting glimpse of vulnerability, the subtle tightening of her jaw. KiAera's eyes narrowed. Loa was a telepath, a master of emotional control. To see her so rattled, even for a second, was... unsettling.

  What was she hiding?

  "I'll handle it," Yaella said. She gave KiAera a reassuring smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Loa and I will oversee the final integration of the ManaNet. You focus on your mission. We'll be in touch."

  The screen went dark for both of the Chancellors, leaving KiAera alone with Endigo and Xetra's stifled laughter.

  "Well," Endigo rumbled, breaking the silence. "That was... unexpected. Are you sure about this plan, KiAera? Relying on a man who's currently... distracted?"

  KiAera shook her head, forcing herself to focus. "Nex is a professional. Whatever is going on in his personal life, he won't let it interfere with his duties. And we need him. He's the only one who can get us the intel we need, quickly and quietly."

  Xetra decided to add her two cents, but KiAera quickly cut her off. "I've had enough of your thoughts for today. After checking the status of the ManaNet, I'm heading to Vesperia to talk to Zesza in person. You can make yourself useful by working with Endigo until we've all gather."

  "Whoa, whoa, whoa," Xetra said, raising her hands in mock surrender. "You're not leaving me with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Grumpy, are you? He looks like he'd bore me to death with stories about the glory of battle and the proper way to polish a skull."

  Endigo's crimson eyes narrowed, but he remained silent, a stoic sentinel of crimson steel and bone.

  "Fine," KiAera sighed, a wave of exhaustion washing over her. "You can stay here. But try to behave yourself. For once."

  She tapped her communicator, contacting her closest advisor. "Gilbud."

  "Yo!"

  "Send word to Zesza that KiAera of the Chimeron Crew is visiting."