Despite her random bouts of chaos she had been flaring up sporadically over the past month, Renna had been suspiciously quiet ever since the recovery of the Crystal Tree from its safe spot deep in the Southernland Deserts.
The whole operation almost became compromised with the unexpected arrival of curious Heroes, sticking their noses into her business, uninvited. The final outcome of that skirmish forced her to teleport not only herself, but the entirety of the army back to her stronghold, draining a significant amount of energy from the gauntlet itself and her own soul?s Mana reserve.
It was a risky escape, it left her drained for days, but that was not the only reason why she was left with a bitter taste in her mouth. One question still remains upon her lips.
HOW?
How did they know where to find her? The Crystal Tree did not animate any kind of detectable energy, and she kept her gauntlet?s power output low ? so low in fact that she deduced not even Edward Batten could had detected its unique energy signature? So how did they do it?
It was almost as if they knew where to look, almost as if someone had?
It struck her only months after the fight with Race. She had this sneaking suspicion for quite some time now that something was watching her. Something undetectable to her senses, somewhere she would not think to search. But she never expected the aforementioned bug to be attached to her damn corset!
Fortunately for her, the inference from the magical wards in her stronghold has thus far prevented the Heroes discovering its location, and she intends to keep it that way. With the arrival of the last remaining Crystal Tree in all of existence, the security and privacy of her base of operations became paramount to all other needs. Experiments were put on hold, and her minions were ordered to return from their various tasks to help block up the only entrance in and out of the underground facility.
There was no need for a door, when you could simply portal in and out?
Renna over watched the task from the safety of her Command Platform, dressed in a black cloak, her feet teetering on the edge as she stared across the massive cavern towards the only corridor in and out, and the masses of Black Monks moving there, working to bring the tunnel down into a state of collapse; to entomb her secrets from the world above.
?Mother,? an innocent whisper uttered from behind a gasmask and the patter of her approach, ?You summoned me?? May?s own black cloak came to an end above bare feet, her voluminous hood covering most of her masked head.
The Betrayer inclined her head just so, ?I grew tired of waiting... I hope you have brought me that report on the new batch of children, like I have asked...?
May?s masked face dipped forward, ?Forgive me for being so tardy, Mother, but I had to perform another task of equal importance pertaining to the Vindicator.?
?I do not want your apologies, Sister May! We will talk about other issues soon enough? Continue with your report on the children.?
May bowed at the waist, silently asking for further forgiveness. ?The edited Sister Virus has been implemented into the new batch of children. The virus is currently in its incubating period. I predict full assimilation within the hour with a ninety-five percent chance that all of the children will survive and become Sisters. No anomalies have been reported thus far? It seems your new strain, Mother, is a complete success.?
??Once the virus fully takes hold, I want you to dress them and issue their equipment accordingly, arrange their accommodation in the lower level bunkers, and assign them their new designations. Make sure they are well fed and well looked after. Understood??
?Understood, Mother.?
Renna?s hands intertwined behind her back, as she turned to regard May. ?I take it the Vindicator is having fun with her new pet??
?Mother, I think the treatment of the Scathachian may result in her death. The Vindicator?s torture is too severe. The woman has lost a lot of blood. If you are going to use her in the future, we need to take better care of her.? May righted herself from her bow, ?The Vindicator has already sliced away her arms? I suggest that the Vindicator be assigned to a different task.?
Renna took slow steps towards May, ?Show our enemy, mercy, May? Is that what you are suggesting? I thought I raised you better than that??
The girl shook her head, ?Not mercy, Mother. Pain can only go so far as a form of torture. The longer we keep her captive, the longer can we endure her suffering.?
A dark grin spread across Renna?s lips, ?Well said, my child. So be it. I will reassign the treatment of the Scathachian to you.? She turned to observe the darkness below, magma swirls spying the tiny movement of Black Monks far, far below. ?Once the tunnel is sealed, I shall retire to my chambers and proceed with my examination of the tree... There's something odd about it... Something I've never seen in a Crystal Tree."
The whole operation almost became compromised with the unexpected arrival of curious Heroes, sticking their noses into her business, uninvited. The final outcome of that skirmish forced her to teleport not only herself, but the entirety of the army back to her stronghold, draining a significant amount of energy from the gauntlet itself and her own soul?s Mana reserve.
It was a risky escape, it left her drained for days, but that was not the only reason why she was left with a bitter taste in her mouth. One question still remains upon her lips.
HOW?
How did they know where to find her? The Crystal Tree did not animate any kind of detectable energy, and she kept her gauntlet?s power output low ? so low in fact that she deduced not even Edward Batten could had detected its unique energy signature? So how did they do it?
It was almost as if they knew where to look, almost as if someone had?
It struck her only months after the fight with Race. She had this sneaking suspicion for quite some time now that something was watching her. Something undetectable to her senses, somewhere she would not think to search. But she never expected the aforementioned bug to be attached to her damn corset!
Fortunately for her, the inference from the magical wards in her stronghold has thus far prevented the Heroes discovering its location, and she intends to keep it that way. With the arrival of the last remaining Crystal Tree in all of existence, the security and privacy of her base of operations became paramount to all other needs. Experiments were put on hold, and her minions were ordered to return from their various tasks to help block up the only entrance in and out of the underground facility.
There was no need for a door, when you could simply portal in and out?
Renna over watched the task from the safety of her Command Platform, dressed in a black cloak, her feet teetering on the edge as she stared across the massive cavern towards the only corridor in and out, and the masses of Black Monks moving there, working to bring the tunnel down into a state of collapse; to entomb her secrets from the world above.
?Mother,? an innocent whisper uttered from behind a gasmask and the patter of her approach, ?You summoned me?? May?s own black cloak came to an end above bare feet, her voluminous hood covering most of her masked head.
The Betrayer inclined her head just so, ?I grew tired of waiting... I hope you have brought me that report on the new batch of children, like I have asked...?
May?s masked face dipped forward, ?Forgive me for being so tardy, Mother, but I had to perform another task of equal importance pertaining to the Vindicator.?
?I do not want your apologies, Sister May! We will talk about other issues soon enough? Continue with your report on the children.?
May bowed at the waist, silently asking for further forgiveness. ?The edited Sister Virus has been implemented into the new batch of children. The virus is currently in its incubating period. I predict full assimilation within the hour with a ninety-five percent chance that all of the children will survive and become Sisters. No anomalies have been reported thus far? It seems your new strain, Mother, is a complete success.?
??Once the virus fully takes hold, I want you to dress them and issue their equipment accordingly, arrange their accommodation in the lower level bunkers, and assign them their new designations. Make sure they are well fed and well looked after. Understood??
?Understood, Mother.?
Renna?s hands intertwined behind her back, as she turned to regard May. ?I take it the Vindicator is having fun with her new pet??
?Mother, I think the treatment of the Scathachian may result in her death. The Vindicator?s torture is too severe. The woman has lost a lot of blood. If you are going to use her in the future, we need to take better care of her.? May righted herself from her bow, ?The Vindicator has already sliced away her arms? I suggest that the Vindicator be assigned to a different task.?
Renna took slow steps towards May, ?Show our enemy, mercy, May? Is that what you are suggesting? I thought I raised you better than that??
The girl shook her head, ?Not mercy, Mother. Pain can only go so far as a form of torture. The longer we keep her captive, the longer can we endure her suffering.?
A dark grin spread across Renna?s lips, ?Well said, my child. So be it. I will reassign the treatment of the Scathachian to you.? She turned to observe the darkness below, magma swirls spying the tiny movement of Black Monks far, far below. ?Once the tunnel is sealed, I shall retire to my chambers and proceed with my examination of the tree... There's something odd about it... Something I've never seen in a Crystal Tree."