Chapter 55: Impromptu Aggression!
The air in the grand chamber was thick with tension, the kind that clung to every breath and settled in the bones. The remaining Eleven ( 11 ) members of The Conclave sat in a wide semi-circle around the obsidian table, their faces hidden beneath their hoods.
They were the most powerful individuals in ORION, each an expert in their domain, whether that be medicine, technology, and most of all, COMBAT! They commanded untold resources and knowledge.
Yet, today, there was something different in the air. A bitter taste of frustration and embarrassment. For the first time in years, the first time since Krypton, they were on the defensive.
"The boy," hissed one of the figures, his voice a venomous whisper. "Harbinger. He's a child, yet he's dismantling us, piece by piece. He's humiliated us in the eyes of our own operatives."
"Silas' failure was a disappointing one, but not surprising considering he's so arrogant. However, he managed to break through Silas' mental barriers and gather info, which should be impossible. Not even I can do that." One of them continued, his voice more intrigued than angry.
Another voice chimed in, sharp and biting, "We've been forced to scatter like dogs, retreating from our strongholds, running from a child who somehow managed to strike at us from every angle. We should be tearing them apart, not scrambling to protect our assets!"
"Forza production is crippled. Half of our European operations are gone, our labs destroyed. Our secretive operatives are also crippled. The only reason this place isn't annihilated is Leader's precautions.," murmured yet another member, his tone calculated and cold. "This Harbinger is more than just a nuisance. He's a threat to everything we've built."
This was Councilor Balak, the economist and financier of ORION's shadow empire. Although he was one of the weaker members, it was him who made most of the plan to take over the World.
"Enough!" A booming voice cut through the rising tension. It belonged to Marovik, the weapons and technology specialist, his fist slamming down on the table with a resounding crack, "We are ORION! We control governments, economies, armies! And yet we cower from this—this earthling! Why do we allow him to dictate our actions? We should be crushing him and anyone who stands in our way!"
Several others nodded, the tension in the room escalating. Yet, through all the heated discussion, the head of the Conclave remained silent.
The Grand Marshal, seated at the center of the semicircle, had not moved a muscle, his imposing figure still as stone. His presence, as always, was intimidating, his face hidden behind the smooth, featureless mask that he never removed. The air around him seemed heavier, darker, as though it obeyed his command.
The Grand Marshal's silence was both a comfort and a threat to the others. A comfort in the sense that they were allowed to keep speaking, but a threat in when he spoke, it was final, and everyone had to listen.
Finally, after some more back and forth bickering, The Grand Marshal finally stirred, raising his hand as silence immediately descended across the room. Then, his voice, deep and resonant, echoed through the chamber, each word laden with quiet authority.
"We underestimated him."
The admission hung in the air, a blunt statement that none of them could refute.
"Harbinger is not a child. He is a tactician, a warrior, and a threat. His ability to read Silas' mind is a worrying one, as that means unlike previous operations, we cannot work individually. Any of us being captured turns from asset to liability in a snap of a finger."
The members of The Conclave shifted uneasily in their seats. The Grand Marshal rarely spoke so directly, and when he did, it was to either deliver orders or administer judgment. Today, it seemed, was a mix of both.
"He caught us off guard," the Grand Marshal continued, his voice smooth yet deadly, like the calm before a storm. "But that ends now."
There was a collective shift in the atmosphere of the room as The Conclave members leaned forward slightly, anticipation crackling in the air. The Grand Marshal never wasted words, and his plans were always ruthless.
"Harbinger has disrupted our operations, yes. He has forced us into retreat, yes. But retreat is not defeat. It is a repositioning. We have been patient long enough. The time has come to remind him, and the world, who we are."
There was a subtle menace in his tone now, the kind that sent shivers down the spines of even the most hardened members of The Conclave.
"We will no longer run. We will no longer hide. National City is where Harbinger operates. It is where he thinks he can best us. So we will burn it to the ground."
The declaration sent a ripple of shock and awe through the room. None of them had expected such a direct, brutal response. The Grand Marshal had always been a man of calculated aggression, but now it seemed he was ready to unleash ORION's full might.
"We will strike at the heart of his sanctuary, his home. Since he loves it so much, National City will be eradicated, and Harbinger will be left with nothing."
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle over the room like a suffocating blanket. Then, his tone grew colder.
"Dracon. Vira. Marovik. Zeek." He named each one, his voice low and commanding. "You will go to National City, work in pairs. You will take control of key points, any resistance, you kill them. Crush anyone who stands in your way, and bring Harbinger to me."
The named members exchanged glances. The numbers of the Conclave members directly represented their strength, and this was a powerful team.
Dracon - The 3rd member of the Conclave.
Vira - The 5th member of the Conclave
Marikov - The 6th member of the Conclave.
Zeek - The 9th member of the Conclave
There was a mix of anticipation and trepidation in the eyes of the four. They wanted to go on the offensive, but now they were even happier, this wasn't just a counter-attack, this was annhilation.
They had wanted to go on the offensive, but now they understood that this was not just a counterattack—this was annihilation.
"Begin with the schools," the Grand Marshal said, his voice dripping with malice. "Take them. Use the children as leverage. Force Harbinger's hand. Let him see that his actions have consequences, and that no one in his city is safe."
The chamber was deathly silent as the Grand Marshal finished speaking. No one dared question him. The plan was clear. ORION would stop hiding. They would show the world their strength once more, and National City would be the example.
The Grand Marshal stood, his presence towering over the room as he turned toward the exit.
"We have been forced to run," he said, his voice echoing behind him as he left the chamber. "But now, we will hunt."
The doors of the chamber closed with a heavy thud behind him, leaving The Conclave in the dim light of the braziers. The four members named by the Grand Marshal remained seated for a moment, their minds racing with the weight and excitement of their task.
Then, one by one, they rose. Dracon's grin was savage as he glanced at Vira. "It's time we remind the world who we are."
Vira's lips curled into a wicked smile. "Harbinger won't know what hit him."
Without another word, the four of them left the chamber, ready to unleash ORION's full fury on National City. And this time, they weren't just fighting to win.
They were fighting to destroy.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone