CHAPTER 2 - BE STRONG

“Get down!” Nathan shouted. Bullets are flying, grenades are exploding. Cold bodies are lying on the floor as Ashriel and her Cadre executed their plan.

            “Boss! I found the hostages!” Raith shouted. Nathan and Natsuki cleared the area as Raith, Xieaniel, and John untied the children and led them outside. Nathan released his last grenade that ceased the fight. The place was cleared, many walls broke down, and sweat and blood were mixed on the old marble floor.

            “Boss, one of the traitors is tied here.” Ashriel and Nathan came into a room where Leon was with one woman tied with chains and kneeling on the floor. Her face was covered with her auburn hair. Kate stepped forward and reached for her hair, clearing her face. She opened her light blue eyes and studied them.

            “You’re one of the Second Rank Nobles that are under Amber Theupholis named Oriana Atherton, am I right?” Nathan clarified as he studied her face.

            “Boss, she’s not on the list.” Olive bumped in, looking at her phone and back to Oriana.

            “Release her,” Ashriel ordered Leon as Nathan examined the whole place.

             “Fool, are you sure you want to click that?” Leon laughed that it took everyone’s attention. Oriana was holding a gun and pointing it at him. “Don’t ever do something that you’ll regret in the end.”  His face dimed, sending shivers to her spine. In a split of a second, she held nothing, her head bowed down and her knees kneeling on the ground. Leon was now pointing the gun behind her head.

            “Boss Zi, will you permit me to shatter her head?” Her eyes widened as she heard his words. Boss Zi?

            “You’re not on the list. What is your business here?” Leon asked. He took every courage she has to lift up her head and speak. She must, or else she will lose her life.

            “I beg your pardon for my misbehavior. Two of my men named Julius and Ceasar-“

            “Julius and Ceasar, are you kidding us?” Leon interrupted.

            “Why would I joke in this kind of situation? Please check your list, sir. I am telling the truth.” Olive quietly laughed and checked the list, then she waved her hand for Oriana to continue.

            “Both of them are acting strangely. Two days ago, First General Nathan warned all of the Elite Forces about the traitors who entered Austere City, so I was alarmed.” She gulped as her injured left arm began to sting. “Last night, I followed them until we reached their hideout - this place, so that I can send information to Her Highness, yet they caught me.” She lowered her head.

            “You’re brave, but you’re weak.” Ashriel walked towards her and uses her index finger to lift Oriana’s chin to meet her eyes. “Go, run and be strong. Don’t commit the same mistake again. Your braveness and loyalty are needed in this Kingdom. But I warn you, tell no one about this. Speak, and you’ll die. I have your records, and my eyes are on you.” She shivered, but a tear escaped from her eye as she nodded and dashed out of the room, leaving the old mansion and sealing her mouth.

            Olive was about to speak, but Ashriel motioned her hand. “Not now, Olive. It’s still early.” She nodded her head, and they began to depart from the old mansion. The whole place was filled with the military and medical teams, helicopters and unmanned aircraft teams, and investigators. The authorities took care of the cold bodies inside the old mansion. The medical team dressed the wounded victims and suspects; some were carried to the ambulance, leading to the hospital.

            “Diana, send some of your men to inspect the bodies. Find any marks or signs of the Quislings, then identify the city or Kingdom they are from. Olive, interrogate those who survived and do the same.”

            “Okay.”

            “Yes, Boss.”

            “Copy Boss.”

***

            “Ashriel,” a very familiar voice called her name.

            “Ashriel” she looked around but could not find the owner of the voice. For the third time, the voice echoed.

            “Granny? Granny, where are you?!” there was a narrow, rocky path. She heard it again. The voice was somewhere beyond that road.

            “Ashriel’” tears run through her cheeks. She ran but the big rock that she is holding stopped her.

            “Granny, please, show me yourself. I missed you so much.” The path was long, her arms were swollen, but she did not let it go.

            “Ashriel, release that. You cannot follow me here if you will keep on holding that.” She used all her strength to run and grab her hand.

            “Wait for me!” Catching her breath, she opened her eyes. The room was cold, but her face was full of sweat.

            “I will.” He answered with his gentle smile. Her heart was racing like a horse running down a hill. He put his palm on her face and swept away few strands of her ginger red hair.

            “Nightmare?” She looked up and met Nathan’s ocean blue eyes, still panting.

            “Sort of.” Ashriel straightened. Her face was pale and strained. She removed his hand from her cheeks and fixed her hair.

            “I don’t know why you don’t answer your phone or come out of your room, so I entered. The Cadre meeting with the Elder assigned will start fifty-five minutes from now.” He said and raised from the bed. She frowned but nodded reluctantly. It took her several moments before she gathered her thought back to reality.

            Forty-five minutes past seven in the morning, Ashriel and her Cadre reached the Meeting Hall. There, a woman in her mid-forties can be seen sitting in the Elder’s chair. Xieaniel froze. He knew her more than anyone in this room.

            “Mom?” She looked at him straight in the eyes. Her gaze sent a quiver down his spines.

            “You are all fifteen minutes late.” They sat down faster than a flash of lightning. He huffed, knowing that his mother is the Elder assigned to help them with their mission. Kitori Mizuki, Head Tactician of the Kingdom of Theupholis’ Elite Forces. She is known for her intelligence and tactics.

            “A letter of help came from the Kingdom of Kauis. There are multitudinous reports about missing women for the past five months. The authorities found clues and information regarding this incident, yet they cannot arrest even one suspect. I’ve studied the files they sent, and as you can see from the papers you are holding, this mission is facile for us, so we only need less force. That means only the ten of you are needed.” She flipped the paper that she is holding.

            “Kingdom of Kauis?  Why is it that Kauis has the highest percentage of incidents this year?” Raith asked.

            “What do you expect to a compromising kingdom?” Ashriel blurted out. “Where will this mission take place?” Closing the folder, Ashriel focused her eyes on Lady Kitori.

            “Considering their movements in the given data, it would be at the 56th floor of the Hotel de Grande at the capital of the city of Ren. They should meet tonight to make their move. I already sent someone to install our hidden cameras there.”

            “Good. But the Grand Event will take place tonight at the main palace. We are all aware that the Elders will let some people outside the Austere City come. This is the most dangerous event that we will throw this year. Since Thaddeus and my brother oversee security, I want them to be excused in this mission and secure the event.” Leon frowned. He wanted to object, but he has no choice. That’s an order. 

***

            “Calm down, Leon. Don’t you like it? Guarding this place is easier than fighting there.” Natsuki laughed. He knew that Leon does not want to stay still while the High Members are fighting. The evening had started. Under the gloomy night sky, several noble cars were stationed in one yard of the colorful banquet hall. Countless Austerian and non-Austerian citizens entered the palace that seems to be endless in space.

            “Sir, may I go somewhere?” Leon asked.

            “Take your time.”

             Various pretty women tried to get Leon’s attention, but he did not lay an eye to even one of them. He hates squeaky women. A total opposite of Raith. Natsuki looked around to check the place. Many familiar people are present. My men are guarding, how about I’ll have some fun? He smirked.

            “Hey,” a woman wearing a mustard yellow gown approached him. “Pass me the Champaign.” She said, pointing the glass of Champaign beside Natsuki.

            “Faster. You’re a staff of a very famous palace, yet you’re serving so slow?” She hissed. Natsuki’s face dimmed.

            “Do I look like a staff?” The woman stopped. She examined him from head to toe.

            “May I know your name?” He asked with his gentle voice and smile. She raised her eyebrow and smiled at him.

            “Barbarra. Barbarra Ceyde. Daughter of Thoman Ceyde, one of the business tycoons in this Kingdom. And you?” She stated proudly. Ceyde huh? Pathetic.

            “Oh, I see. Miss Barbarra, I am Amaziah Natsuki La Elora Cerveil, grandson of the late Ruler of this Kingdom.” Her eyebrow drops down, and her heart started to race rapidly, fully aware that she insulted the wrong person.

            “Thomas Ceyde is the Chairman of Ceyde Enterprises, am I right?” He smirked. “Ceyde Enterprises is now the acquisition of our family’s company because of bankruptcy. Right, Miss Barbarra?” His smile is still present, but his tone was sarcastic.

            “Since you are a Ceyde, I suppose you don’t live here at Austere since your family is not wealthy enough to buy a land here.” Barbarra gulped. Tiny beads of sweat started to form on her forehead. She stepped back as Natsuki leaned forward, hand inside his pocket, aiming to speak on her ears.

            “Do you not know that I can destroy your company in just a snap of my finger?” He whispered. Her eyes widened like a plate.

            “What happened, Miss Barbarra? It is quite cold in here. Why are you sweating?” Her ice-cold hand reaches her handkerchief, trying to avoid his gaze. “Next time you provoke me, I’ll bury you alive.” She froze in fear. Natsuki left her and continued to join the crowd. He despises people with unpleasant behavior because of their high social status. Especially those who think highly of themselves. He walked around, looking for the pretty lady he saw a while ago.

            Natsuki searched the whole place. More than fifteen minutes passed, at the corner of the hall, he saw the woman he was searching for. Wearing a beautiful smile, he sauntered towards her. The woman saw Natsuki and threw a questionable look, but the two men beside her bowed down.

            “Lady Mix, right?” He asked with his charming smile. Her eyebrows furrowed, and her head tilted, giving him a more questionable look.

            “May I know-“ he motioned his hand to silence her.

            “Oh yeah, you’re the new heir of the Tethoris Kingdom, so I’m not familiar with you yet.” Mix examined him from the head down to the toe. Confusion covered her face, wondering who the man is standing in front of her.

            “Tell me your name, then perhaps, I can recognize you.”

            Natsuki formally introduced himself to Mix. She gazed at him for a moment before she knelt. Panicking, Natsuki pulled her up.

            “But you are the older brother of Her Highness Zillian and the soon–to–be Head of House Cerveil. You also oversee the training of the Elite Forces of Aparctias Kingdom. Isn’t this the proper greeting, sir? P-pardon me, my name is Zaphora Mix Ronus.” She hesitated, unsure if she will look at him in the eyes or not.

            “It is. But not in this type of gathering. I don’t want to stick out like a sore in the thumb.”  Realizing what she did, she quickly looked at the surroundings. Fortunately, no one saw them except for her two bodyguards.

            “Do you like to dance?” Natsuki asked, offering his right hand.

            “I beg your pardon General, but I cannot. To avoid any conflicts, I need to observe my people.”

            “No need. My men are guarding the whole place and so do your people. Besides, you’re a noble. Let your men do the job.” His dark blue eyes captivated her. Natsuki winked at Mix’s bodyguards.

            “Can you two observe the whole place while your Lady enjoys the party?” Both smiled and agreed.

            “My hand is numbing. Are you going to refuse me or not?” She looks uncertain, so her bodyguards pushed her to him, and Natsuki grabbed her hand. Her dark green gown flew with the motion of their dance. After a moment, they disappeared into the mob.