by Riker Kane
But now wasn’t the time for either one of them to compare appearances. The room was silent but the tension was noticeably thick with more important matters to discuss.
The thin figure standing before the throne spoke slowly with a clear voice. “I have confirmed the termination of Romanis.”
The figure in the chair tapped his fingertips together and contemplated it for a moment. “The power?” He spoke with a deep voice. Despite how low it was, it still managed to echo through the room.
“I believe it was absorbed by the defender of Iorus… Ultima.”
“Ultima…” He said the name in a low grumble, confirming what he already expected to hear. It took less than a second for him to regain his composure.
“I apologize, master. I should have allocated more resources to Iorus—”
“Romanis knew the decision he made. It is merely a consolidation of power, as all deaths are.”
“And Pyronas as well?”
“The loss of two Paladins is a small part of a bigger picture. Casualties on the road toward an inevitable destination.”
“Of course, my master.” The figure bowed his head then took a step forward. “Though Romanis failed, we can prepare another assault on Iorus—”
“No. There is nothing of significance remaining in that world. It will fall in time. We must now turn our focus to what requires our immediate attention.”
The towering stranger in his throne was imposing even though he was sitting. So when he stood up from his seat as he did now, there wasn’t a single person on Earth who would be able to look him in the eye.
He marched through the darkness of the room toward the side where something was barely visible from the light. A suit of crimson armor, large and hulking enough to dwarf even the largest Vanguards or Zealots. His hands behind his back, he examined the etchings on the plated armor. He knew the decision he had to make. He wasn’t afraid of making it. It was just the opposite. He had been waiting years for this. And with the opportunity finally presented to him, a cathartic satisfaction washed over him.
“We started a war on Earth many years go. We did not anticipate they would fight back. But now the time has come to finish it.”
“The Legion Omega Defense did not exist all those years ago. Earth has grown stronger.”
“All power is consolidated for us to take. As they did with Pyronas. As they did with Romanis. As they did with Glacier, Curse, and all of our acolytes. Every path leads to the same destiny.”
The massive stranger stood quietly, his eyes not moving away from the armor before him. He kept his thoughts to himself. Violent images of war and death and chaos and destruction that would make another uneasy. But for him… All it did was make him smile.
“Your orders, Master Kreonyx?”
The stranger addressed as Kreonyx paused for a moment. It was his next step toward the destiny he always sought for himself. “The time has finally come for me to decide this.”
“Then…”
“Inform Vexus. Ready my collective. It’s time for humanity to face its destiny.”