章 32: The Calm Before the King
Elio steps cautiously into the Queen's secluded lair, his eyes wide with uncertainty. "Where… Am I?" he murmurs, glancing around at the unfamiliar surroundings. The last time he was in the Queen's lair, it was a dark cave, but now it's a grand room, adorned with a proper throne for the Queen and several intricately carved chairs lined against the walls. The change in setting leaves him feeling disoriented, and he nervously rubs the back of his neck.
"Elio?" a familiar voice calls out, breaking through the silence. Elio turns sharply, his eyes locking onto Arata. The surprise on both their faces is unmistakable, their eyes widening in disbelief.
"Arata?" Elio echoes, his voice filled with a mix of relief and confusion as he takes a hesitant step forward.
Arata's brow furrows as he approaches Elio, his hands resting on his hips. "What are you doing here?" he asks, curiosity laced with concern.
Before Elio can respond, a commanding presence enters the room. Uriel steps forward with an air of calm authority, his eyes fixed on Arata. "I will be training him," Uriel states, his voice firm but not unkind. There's a seriousness in his tone that makes both Arata and Elio stand straighter.
Arata's expression softens slightly, understanding dawning on him. He looks from Uriel to Elio, nodding slowly as if piecing things together. "I see," he murmurs, his voice low. His eyes shift towards the Queen, seated regally on her throne, her gaze sharp and knowing.
"Did you give him the Dark Dragon?" the Queen asks, her voice soft yet commanding, carrying across the room with ease. Her piercing eyes lock onto Uriel, waiting for his response.
Uriel lowers his head in a respectful bow, his posture conveying deep loyalty. "Yes, my Queen," he answers solemnly, his voice reverent as he kneels before her.
Arata's brow furrows as he hears Elio mention the "Dark Dragon." He looks between Elio and Uriel, confusion written across his face. "Dark Dragon? A ring?" he asks, his voice laced with curiosity and concern.
The Queen's calm yet authoritative voice cuts through the air. "An ancient ring," she explains, her gaze steady as she watches Arata process this new information. "He will be able to wield it properly once Uriel trains him."
Arata takes a moment to absorb this, glancing back at Elio. The tension in the room hangs heavy, but a small smile breaks through on Arata's face, his eyes filled with a mixture of relief and hope. "Ancient one, huh?" he says, a slight chuckle escaping his lips. "That's great. You'll be of help on the field as well, Elio."
Elio, who had been standing a bit stiffly, relaxes a little at Arata's words. He nods, determination flickering in his eyes. "I'll do my best," he says quietly, his fingers absentmindedly brushing the ring Uriel had given him.
But Arata's mind races ahead, his smile fading as concern creeps back in. "But will it be okay to train here?" he asks, his voice dropping as he leans in slightly, almost as if trying to keep his worries from spreading. "I mean, isn't our squad going to come after you if that's the case?"
Elio meets Arata's gaze, his expression firm yet reassuring. "Don't worry, Arata," he replies, his voice steady but with a hint of resolve. "They won't find me—at least not for a month."
Arata's eyebrows knit together in confusion. "What does that mean?" he asks, tilting his head slightly, the curiosity in his voice now tinged with anxiety.
Elio takes a deep breath, as if preparing himself to deliver difficult news. "The squad is disbanded, Arata, for a month. Everyone's gone to train," he explains, his tone resigned but confident. "Dan and Jennifer though… I have no idea what they're doing. But Dan… he seemed like he had something on his mind as well."
Arata crosses his arms over his chest, processing the new information. "Hmm… Interesting," he mutters, his mind racing with possibilities. His eyes narrow slightly, contemplating the implications. "So we have a month before things go crazy again…"
He pauses, glancing back at Uriel, the Queen, and finally Elio. "What if the Undergrounders appear, though?" he asks, concern evident in his voice as he raises the question. His gaze shifts back to the Queen, searching for any sign of reassurance.
Elio doesn't respond immediately, the weight of Arata's question hanging in the air between them.
The Queen's voice echoed with calm authority as she leaned back on her throne, her gaze piercing through the dimly lit room. "That won't happen," she said, her tone resolute. "At least not until the King's followers decide to step up and declare an all-out war."
Arata's curiosity was piqued, and he tilted his head, a glint of interest flashing in his eyes. "Hmm?" he murmured, leaning forward slightly. "What does that mean?" His voice held a mix of curiosity and concern as he tried to piece together the significance of the Queen's words.
Butter, who had been standing quietly near the Queen's side, took a step forward, her eyes soft yet serious. "You see, this King that we speak about," she began, her voice low and deliberate. "He's been dormant ever since he arrived on this planet."
Arata blinked, confusion evident on his face. "Umm… what?" he asked, his voice trailing off as he tried to make sense of what Butter had just said.
Uriel's deep voice broke the silence that followed, his tone laced with a touch of grimness. "He is the reason the Undergrounders exist in the first place," Uriel explained, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at Arata. "We all carry his genes in one way or another."
"I was created first," The Queen stated, her voice calm but with a hint of pride. "Hence why I am the Queen."
Cheese, perched nearby, let out a quiet hum before speaking. "The Queen, though… she diverges away from the King's followers. She has her own set of rules," Cheese added, glancing at Arata with a knowing look.
Arata's gaze darted between them, trying to process the flood of information. His brow furrowed in confusion as he sought some form of clarity. "It's all a myth, though," Uriel interjected, his voice softening as if trying to ease Arata's confusion. "The Queen is a living self here, but the King… no one has met him or knows who he is."
Arata's mind was racing, each new piece of information only adding to the jumble of thoughts in his head. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to keep up. Just as he was about to respond, Elio, who had been standing there in stunned silence, finally spoke up, shaking his head slightly as if to clear his thoughts.
"That's… a lot of info dumping that my brain can't hotwire right now," Elio admitted, his voice tinged with both awe and exhaustion. He looked at Arata, his expression mirroring the overwhelmed look that Arata himself was feeling.
Arata furrowed his brows, clearly trying to connect the dots. "What does that have to do with no new Undergrounders appearing?" he asked, his voice laced with both curiosity and the weight of exhaustion from all he had endured.
The Queen's eyes glinted as she leaned forward slightly on her throne, her gaze piercing through him. "Recently, how many Undergrounders did you fight, excluding us?" she asked, her voice calm but with an edge of calculation.
Arata paused, reflecting back on his battles. "Three maybe four?" he answered, a hint of uncertainty in his tone. His mind raced as he tried to remember the timeline of his recent encounters.
The Queen's lips curled into a knowing smile as she watched him closely. "And look at the gaps between each of your battles," she said, her words sharp and deliberate.
Arata's eyes widened slightly as the realization hit him. "A month at least," he replied, his voice softening as he began to grasp the Queen's point.
"Bingo!" The Queen clapped her hands together softly, the sound echoing through the room. "If the King was capable of producing these Undergrounders left, right, and center, he would be ruling your world right now… but he isn't," she explained, her voice steady yet carrying a gravity that made Arata's heart sink.
Arata took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling heavily. The weight of her words began to settle in. His gaze drifted downward as he processed the implications. His fists clenched, not out of anger, but frustration with the situation.
The Queen's voice softened as she continued, almost as if she were sharing a secret she had carried for too long. "I don't know why," she said slowly, her eyes narrowing as if she were contemplating something far beyond the room they were in, "but he needs time to produce new Undergrounders. And the ones who do his bidding are his followers."
Arata exhaled slowly, his mind spinning with everything he had just heard. He looked up at the Queen, his face reflecting a mix of determination and unease. He knew this was only the beginning of something far more complex than he had imagined.
"Got it… So I have a month before another Undergrounder shows up, right?" Arata asked, his voice firm, but a shadow of anxiety lingered beneath the surface. His eyes searched the Queen's for confirmation, needing reassurance amidst the chaos that had become his life.
The Queen met his gaze with a calm, steady nod. Her eyes held a knowing look, as if she understood the weight of what she was telling him. There was no sugar-coating the danger, no false promises of safety. Just the raw truth.
Arata inhaled deeply, trying to steady his nerves. He glanced over at Elio, who was standing next to him, equally tense. Their eyes met for a brief moment, and without words, they shared a mutual understanding. This situation was beyond anything they had prepared for, but there was no turning back now. They had to get stronger, and fast.
Elio clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white as determination surged through him. "We'll need to push ourselves harder than ever before," he thought, his mind racing with the possibilities. He knew they couldn't afford to let their guard down—not with the King lurking in the shadows, waiting for his moment to strike.
Arata's gaze shifted to the ground, his thoughts swirling. The idea of the King lying dormant, biding his time, filled him with a sense of urgency. "We have a month," he whispered to himself, the reality of the situation weighing heavily on his shoulders. He took another deep breath, trying to push the fear aside.
"I have to be ready," he reminded himself, lifting his head with newfound resolve. His muscles tensed as he silently vowed to protect everyone, no matter what it took.
But he wasn't the only one getting stronger. He knew the enemy would be preparing too. The King's followers wouldn't sit idle for long. And when they returned, the battle would be fiercer than ever before.
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