Raziel and his compatriots, Vasa, Ephra and Cassil, were sat in the conference room quietly as the Zionid Officials filed in – not all of them, but around 150, which was a daunting number. Levan winked at Cassil as she sat opposite her. Yasen, meanwhile, fixed Raziel with a glare full of hatred. Believing him to be a lawbreaker and rabble rouser, she had marked him out as her nemesis long ago, and this was partly the reason why Raziel hated the Officials – Yasen was influential, and he would struggle to get his plan authorised with her at the helm.
Kushel and Harrut were the next to enter. Kushel was a huge-bodied Zionid, and next to Harrut he looked even bigger. Harrut was a mysterious, elusive Zionid and one of the highest-ranking Officials in Zion: a personal friend of the King.
“Why are we wasting our time with this rogue?” demanded Yasen. Raziel sighed. It was already beginning.
“We’re simply going to hear them out, and try and work out a compromise. Antumbra is a problem that must be dealt with, and we may be able to pick the berries that will make the jam of a solution at this very conference.” Harrut replied.
Cassil leaned over to Raziel. “I’m glad you’re here. You can convince them, I know it.”
“Thanks for your faith.” whispered Raziel with a grin. “Guess we just try as hard as we can.”
“I still think that not inviting the King himself is a little underhanded.” replied Yasen, a grumpy look etched onto her face.
“He told us to sort this however possible.” replied Kushel. “We honour his word, and we do not bother him until we are confident in solving the problem.”
They sat in a stony silence for a while, until there was a beep on Harrut’s wrist phone. With a nod, he switched on the viewport, revealing a similar looking conference room seating Mizar, Saiph, Fafnir, Ephra and a huge number of Voidian Officials.
“Let’s begin.” Alcor said. All participants nodded, with Mizar, Raziel and their friends doing so slightly less enthusiastically than the Officials.
“So, we all possess bits and pieces of your plan, but can someone explain it in full?” Harrut asked. Raziel nodded.
“Vasa?”
Vasa, surprised at having been asked to speak, fumbled with his book for a moment and found the page he was looking for. “So, um, yes… we discovered that there is a sub-dimension in the Reaches of particular importance – known as the incubator. Um, it is suggested to contain infinite energy which is looking for an object to be a host. So, we, uh, open it and then we can infuse the infinite energy into some kind of weapon, like a sword, and… well, have the power of a creator. Which will allow us to, uh, kill Antumbra.”
“So?” Harrut pressed.
“So, uh, in order to open the incubator, I think, uh, it says in the book, that is, that we’d need to, um… defeat the Kings. In, um, single combat.”
His statement, as before, was met with silence.
“Very interesting.” Denneb said with a lazy smile. Mizar glared at him. “You see, Vasa, I read the stuff you sent me from Seeds and Shadows, and I’ve come to a totally different conclusion.”
“We think this plan will be… more suitable.” Alcor replied.
“Vasa’s not wrong, everyone. The incubator is key.” Denneb said. “But there’s no need to assault the Kings; that’s a bit hasty, isn’t it?”
There were muted agreements amongst the Zionids and Voidians. Vasa looked curiously at the screen, wondering where Denneb was going with this.
“No, the incubator is exactly that: an incubator. For the Universe Seed. You see, I’ve read up on the Universe Seed before, and Seeds and Shadows pretty much confirms my idea. What we need to do is collect the Universe Seed and take it to the incubator.” he said, standing up and beginning to stroll around the rooms self-confidently. “You see, it says in the book that the only thing with enough power to make a new universe… is a dying universe. So, when Antumbra destroys our universe… that’s when we can immediately replace it with a brand new one. Zion and Void continue to exist, surrounding the nice little new universe, and Antumbra wastes all of his/her/its energy.” he explained.
“I thought the Universe Seed was a hoax?” said Yasen. “I’m not saying I disagree, but do we know it’s out there?”
“Furthermore,” Vasa cut in with uncharacteristic aggression. “That’s a gross violation of Baal’s Recursive Cycle Theory – unless we timed it perfectly, I suppose.”
“Questions answered all in good time.” Denneb. “…Yeah, now’s a good time. The Universe Seed must exist, since Netzach found it. I don’t know about you, but the legendary explorer Netzach has never lied in his logs before now, so why would he lie about finding the Universe Seed, the object required, or so some theorists believe, to create a new universe?”
“…Point taken. Continue.” Yasen replied.
“And yes, Vasa, I think you know I disagree with Baal’s theories. I much prefer… other theorists.”
“Right then.” Vasa said. “So, the Officials are just giving up?”
“What do you mean? We have a plan.” Caroli said.
“Yes, but you’re not fighting Antumbra, are you? You’re just making a new universe after Antumbra destroys the previous one, and banking on the fact that he/she/it will run out of energy? Come the hell on.” Raziel cut in, defending Vasa. “You’re giving up.”
“That depends.” Harrut said. “Can you wield the blade of reason and land a killing strike on our plan, or are we indeed, as you say, giving up?”
“…Um.” Vasa replied, mind blank.
“Yeah, I can.” Fafnir said. “You’re all tossers.”
Both rooms were completely silent for a few moments as 150 Zionids and 150 Voidians stared in shock at the plucky citizen sat before them.
“We, uh… we can get her arrested for that, right?” Alcor asked. Kushel shook his head. “Technically, since she’s inside the conference room… anything goes.”
Fafnir grinned with insufferable smugness.
“I apologise on behalf of Fafnir.” Mizar said. “But, uh, I do actually have a counterpoint.”
“Oh?” Denneb replied, looking at him with an overconfident smile.
“Yeah… I’m just reading through the bits of Seeds and Shadows that Vasa sent me and this quote intrigued me… “The Universe Seed is the key to creating a new universe. It does not contain a universe, it is important to note. It is simply the ‘heart’ that powers the body of the creator, and it has the power to emit psychic surges using the infinite energy within it.” Can someone explain that?”
Denneb nodded. “I see why that concerns you, Mizar. But don’t worry. Like I said, Vasa’s not entirely wrong, and I think the Universe Seed needs to be in the incubator, not just to become a new universe, but also because the infinite energy that is in there…”
“…can power it.” Vasa said. “So, the infinite energy is the ‘key’, as it were, that makes the Universe Seed hatch into a new universe.”
Denneb grinned. “Glad you understand.”
Raziel leaned back in his seat, glaring at the screen, but he turned to Vasa briefly. “Do you buy it?” he hissed. Vasa shrugged. “He’s not wrong, his plan would work. Came to the same conclusion myself, but it depends on too many random variables, like the existence of the Seed and whether Antumbra will use up all its energy or not.”
“So, what do we all think?’ Alcor said with an air of command. ‘Are we all agreed? Expedition to get the Universe Seed, stick it into the incubator soon as Antumbra arrives to destroy everything, and everything will be absolutely fine.”
“What about our plan, then?” asked Raziel.
“You will not, on any account, be allowed to go through with your plan. It is reckless and foolish, and if you make any move against the Kings I will personally execute you.” Yasen said. Raziel stared evenly back at her, memories of past events flashing before his eyes. She would never forgive him, and if he did anything, he could go to prison for a long time. He considered his options.
“…Alright, guys. If Vasa thinks they have a decent enough plan, then we’ll let them go ahead with their idea. We wouldn’t have been able to pull ours off, honestly, with or without Official input.”
“Guess so. Worth a shot, though.” Mizar replied. Raziel nodded.
“I’m so glad your cave of recklessness has been lit with the glow of knowledge and deference.” Harrut replied with a warm smile that belied the coldness inside. Kushel glanced at Raziel. “It was good of you to be so concerned about Zion and Void. But don’t do anything daft.”
Raziel and his friends stood up, and on the screen they watched the Voidian citizens file out of the room. Observed by the Voidian and Zionid Officials, and most notably Yasen, Raziel led his friends out of the conference room, and they began to walk down the corridor.
As they walked, Raziel remained silent. Almost simultaneously, Vasa, Ephra and Cassil felt their wrist phones vibrate, and saw the same message on the screen.
Ra added
Mi to Group Chat [Operation Infinite Energy] [Raziel
, Cassil
, Ephra
, Mizar
, Fafnir
, Rana
]
