The crystalline walls of the Kaiser's chamber shimmered faintly as the gathered leaders of the Legion awaited his command. The air was heavy with the weight of unspoken tension, the oppressive stillness pressing against even the most resolute.
Sima Carlyle sat atop his throne of shadows, the golden glow of his eyes piercing through the dim light. The rhythmic ticking of his mask echoed softly, each sound a reminder of the fragile nature of time.
Velara Nost stood with quiet confidence, her fragmented robe shifting like shards of glass caught in an unseen wind. Beside her was Mara Vorth, her spectral symbols flickering faintly as if whispering secrets to the void. Wolfgang Kael leaned against a jagged column, his bloodshot eyes gleaming with faint amusement. The boy's sharp grin added an unsettling energy to the already charged room.
Sima Carlyle rose, his movements deliberate, his presence consuming the room.
"The Temporal Nexus," he began, his voice calm yet resonating with authority, "has become a thorn in our side."
Velara inclined her head, her fragmented symbols flickering faintly.
"It is the heart of the Sage of Memory's power, Kaiser. Its influence radiates across their territory, undermining our progress."
"And strengthening theirs," Carlyle continued, his golden eyes narrowing. "The Mnemonics cling to memory as if it were salvation, weaving their illusions into the fabric of existence. They hide behind their temporal fortress, deluding themselves into thinking they can preserve their precious order. But memory is nothing more than a prison."
Kael chuckled softly, his chaotic aura radiating faintly.
"Sounds like a good time. I'll take a hammer to it, see what falls apart."
Velara shot him a cold glance.
"Subtlety is not your strong suit, Beast. The Nexus is not a battlefield that will yield to brute force."
Kael shrugged, his grin widening.
"Chaos has a way of finding cracks, Velara. You'd be surprised."
Mara spoke next, her voice calm and deliberate, cutting through the exchange.
"The Mnemonics guard it zealously. Their cultivation is deeply intertwined with its structures. Breaking their defences will not be simple."
Carlyle's gaze shifted to Kael, his tone sharpening.
"And what do you make of it?"
Kael's grin turned predatory, his crimson eyes glinting.
"I think it's a big shiny target, ripe for breaking. Whatever they're hiding, it'll look better in pieces."
The Kaiser's expression remained inscrutable, though the faint ticking of his mask paused for a heartbeat.
"Subtlety," he said, his voice soft but unyielding, "will serve us better than destruction for its own sake. The Nexus is a monument to what I reject. It is a symbol of everything I have cast off—a mockery of my existence as an epounuch."
Velara hesitated, her fragmented symbols flickering as she processed his words.
"And its destruction would be a message, Kaiser?"
Carlyle stepped forward, his golden gaze locking onto her.
"Not just a message. A reminder. Memory is weakness. History, preserved, is a chain. The Nexus is their sanctuary, their cornerstone. We will make it their tomb."
The objective was clear.
The Legion would infiltrate the Temporal Nexus, dismantling its defences and unravelling the Mnemonics' influence. Yet beneath Carlyle's tactical reasoning lay something deeper—a personal vendetta, a resentment born from the symbolic affront the Nexus posed to his identity. For someone who thrived on obliteration, a monument to preservation was intolerable.
Velara was the first to speak after the Kaiser's decree.
"The Nexus's defences are woven into the fabric of time itself. It will take precision to breach their barriers and dismantle their structure."
Carlyle nodded, his voice calm but commanding.
"The mission will proceed in three phases.
First, infiltration. Thales will navigate the temporal distortions and identify vulnerabilities in their defences. His cultivation will give him the edge we need."
Thales, standing silently at the edge of the chamber, inclined his head. The sigil on his chest burned faintly, its chaotic energy pulsing in time with the tension in the air.
"Second," Carlyle continued, "disruption. Velara and Mara will dismantle the Nexus's core structures. Their cultivation is well-suited to unravelling the Mnemonics' temporal defences."
Mara tilted her head slightly, her glowing scars flickering faintly.
"They will not yield easily, but we will carve through their illusions."
"And third," Carlyle said, his golden gaze sharpening, "extraction. Any fragments of memory or history that can serve the Legion's purpose will be taken. What remains will be left in ruins."
Kael's grin widened, his bloodshot eyes gleaming.
"And if a few Mnemonics happen to break along the way, all the better."
The Kaiser's gaze shifted to Kael, his voice taking on a colder edge.
"This mission is not for your amusement, Beast. Remember your place."
Kael shrugged, his grin never faltering.
"I always do."
The tension in the chamber hung heavy as the Kaiser's decree settled over them. Each member of the Legion knew their role, their purpose, and the stakes of the mission.
As they dispersed, the fractured echoes of the Temporal Nexus loomed in Thales's mind, its pull stronger than ever.
As the Kaiser dismissed them, Thales felt the weight of the mission pressing down on him. The sigil on his chest pulsed faintly, its chaotic energy intertwining with the tension in the air. His Umwelt flickered as he followed the others out of the chamber, his mind churning with questions.
"Big mission for you, runt," Kael said, his grin sharp as he fell into step beside Thales. "Think you're ready?"
Thales didn't answer immediately, his Umwelt sparking faintly as he considered the fractured timelines and challenges that awaited him.
I'll find a way.
Kael chuckled, the sound low and predatory.
"Good. Just don't get lost in there. Wouldn't want the Mnemonics to get their hands on you."
Velara glanced back at them, her fragmented symbols flickering with faint irritation.
"Focus, both of you. The Nexus isn't a playground."
Mara's voice, calm but cutting, followed.
"And hesitation will only hasten failure."
Thales said nothing, his Umwelt flaring as he turned his thoughts inward.
The Mystery waited somewhere in the chaos, its pull stronger than ever. He didn't know what he would find in the Nexus, but he knew one thing: failure was not an option.