Ash frowns and his scar twitched. "Rengan wasn't dangerous. Kind of scavenger. He never pursued anybody unless they attacked him first. Sky Boys killed him like he was a nuisance. That's not protection. That is annihilating."
The eyes of Florka turned black. Precisely. Orced still believes he is the special one. He still is he always was. He won't ever. He lost his family, created his empire on their blood, and today he is gathering lost souls online to follow him into whatever battle he chooses to start next." Gus threw a spit on the ground. "What about you? Tell him what you said."
Florka's tone grew more icy. "I related the truth to him. I let him know I despise what he turned into. I told him I can see behind the facade. He chuckled it away as though it were a joke between long-time pals. Still, I observed his eyes' expression. He understands our alliance is no longer from the same side."
Ash reached Florka's shoulder with a hand. "Then we prepare. Karkas is not Sky Boys. We seek neither fame nor front-page news. We shield our own. We get strength in the darkness. Should Orced desire war, we will be ready."
Florka nodded, the tension in his shoulders softening somewhat. "Yes. We shall be ready. But for now, we observe. Training is what we do. We ensure our employees are safe. Orced believes he is the unique one who could transform the planet. He's broken from his damn head."
The three men remained still for a little longer; the soft trickling of the fountain was the sole noise interrupting the evening. Then Florka headed for the main hall. "Come. Come have some food. Tomorrow we start working out our next direction."
Thousands of kilometers away in the Hedonas main command center, the air was electric with controlled urgency. The huge wall screens showed several feeds: live satellite images of Sky Boys Island (which is now flickering with the new invisibility protocol), old footage of the A-class fight in Perpa City, and real-time tracking data on Florka's movements.
Standing at the head of the table with his arms crossed, broad-shouldered leader Darkas had a powerful presence in the room even without yelling. Standing to his right was Meha, the tactical genius with a weapon sharper than any knife in her head. Jellal was at the console, glasses reflecting the light from several screens. With arms folded, Ultema leaned against the wall, her sharp eyes missing nothing. Nemo sat at the table, fingers tapping softly, while Pero stood a little away, still trying to make sense of his earlier talk with Orced.
Darkas was the first to talk. "Florka is an S-class curse. Confirmed: For months he's been building Karkas in the eastern wilderness, outside our view. But he was headed to the Sky Boys Island the same day Rengan was taken down by Sky Boys. Is it a coincidence? I reject coincidences as nonexistent."
Meha's voice was steady but clear; the mind behind many prosperous operations. "Not by chance. It is likely that Orced and Florka have history. That sort of hostility lingers. Florka is creating his own foundation of authority. Karkas is presently smaller than Sky Boys, but it is well-behaved. Faithful. They construct quietly instead of seeking celebrity. Should they join Sky Boys… or should they become enemies… the whole board shifts."
Jellal adjusted his glasses and brought up a new window. "Florka's current location confirmed in a remote village in central China. Though we are watching Karkas compound, it is well-hidden. Along with Ash and Gus, his best lieutenants, he is present. devoted all the way Our captured communication implies Florka is upset. He contacted Orced straight on his history."
Ultema chuckled. "Good. Let them duel one another. saves us the hassle."
Nemo bent forward and grinned slightly. "Perhaps not, too. Florka is S-class. He's a threat. His bitterness is nevertheless also rather expected. The uncertainty is Orced. That chat Pero had with him was too smooth. Too warm. Alternatively, Orced is considering the long run."
Still fixated on the café, though, he massaged the back of his neck. "He was quite normal, disarmingly so. Charming. Acceptable. Suggested a neutral gathering. No danger. There was more to the smile, though. As if he were assessing me. Trying everyone of us."
Darkas looked at Meha. "Your opinion?"
Meha's eyes were keen; the tactical brilliance was already envisioning several possibilities. "Sky Boys is changing. They destroyed an A-class today without second thought. The appearance of Florka introduces yet more uncertainty. We track both. No direct conflict still. We prepare backup plans, gather information, and reinforce our borders. Should Florka and Orced differ, we let them debilitate one another. Should they cooperate, we strike ahead of they become irrepressible."
The room agreed with a nod. The relationships were plain: The constant leader Darkas made the last decisions. Meha was the strategist, the person everyone went to for advice. Jellal was the ears and eyes, the meticulous analyst never forgetting a detail. Skeptical, Ultema pushed back. Nemo had a keen eye for people and was the quiet observer. Pero also... But it was Pero who could walk into enemy territory smiling and return with knowledge.
But he mumbled an apology after the meeting and went to his tiny apartment on the outskirts of town. A little, fluffy white dog sprang toward him as soon as he opened the door, tail furiously wagging and happy barking.
"Hey, buddy," Pero said softly, bent to scratch behind the dog's ears. "Missed me? Sure, I missed you as well. Difficult day".
Unconcerned with the gravity of the world, the dog—his sole true constant outside of work—licked his face. Years ago, Nemo had given him the dog; it was a stray he had rescued on a mission. Over time, the two guys had become close; they spent peaceful evenings and had the kind of friendship that didn't require a lot of words. Nemo was the only person Pero could openly talk to without filters, the one who understood the moral ambiguity of their work.
Pero would join the team to the neutral meeting Orced recommended tomorrow. He would be seated across from Orced once more, trying to decipher the guy behind the grin.
But tonight he had his dog, a quiet apartment, and the hope that perhaps, just perhaps, communication may stop the storm that was obviously coming.
Back on Sky Boys Island, Orced gazed out over the now-invisible horizon while standing on the edge of the plaza. Ema had finished the protocol. The island was haunted. Silent for a second, Kruna materialized next to him.
Kruna remarked at last, "Florka's not going to let this go."
Under the moonlight, Orcedd's smile was little and razor-sharp. "
I understand. That's precisely why we're going to be ready.
Their phrases drifted away into the night with the wind. The game had evolved.