Return of the Light

A retribution class ship was sailing toward Tryscar a message would be sent "A new shipment of Kyanite, Arian, Vaiton, and Diaone slaves is coming in, also our leader, the great angel of light himself Lucifer would like to speak with Dorren Burne immediatley."

A message was returned to the ship on behalf of Dorren Burne from ServaCorps.

"Hello,

We will arrange for you to meet with CEO Dorren Burne immediately. Upon docking in Tyton, please report to the ServaCorps headquarters for your conference with Mr. Burne. The shipment will be received immediately by our transaction specialists.

Thank you for contacting ServaCorps."

As the ship docked a cloaked figure with dark blue wings and 4 grey knight stepped off the ships, one grey knight spoke to the guards or representatives there and said "this is lucifer himself, take us to Mr. Burnes, this is a matter of the utmost urgence."

The ship would be docked in the city of Tyton, a massive, sprawling urban jungle that spanned for miles. It was the largest city of Tryscar, and it rivaled nearly any large city of most nations twice the size of Tryscar. It easily dwarfed most other capitals of Elysium with its crowded streets bustling with hundreds of thousands of people and vehicles, elaborate port buzzing with activity as everything from yachts to cargo freights cruised over the water, and endless span of tall city buildings jutting up as far as the eye could see.

The people of Lux Lucis were immediately escorted to the ServaCorps headquarters - a gigantic compound with facilities reaching at least an entire city block. Most of the buildings were emblazoned with the ServaCorps logo, the proud black letters entwined with each other, and the most impressive building was an intimidating, spire-like skyscraper that shot up from the center of the area and craned up into the sky, at least a few stories taller than most other buildings nearby.

They were quickly lead straight through a lobby and a waiting area. After a quick security check and a trip up an elevator, they were brought into a final waiting room outside of the conference room.

"Mr. Burne will be here in just a moment."

The only thing they would find on them would be the single spear each grey knight holds with them but no one would have the guts enough to tell an elite grey knight protecting a high gene angel to give up his weapon. It could very well start a war and Tryscar having traded with them would know this. Marol simply nodded and awaited Dorren Burne to make his appearance so he could talk to him. Certain things he had scried had begun to worry him.

It was only a few short moments before another security guard opened the doors to the conference room.

"Mr. Burne will see you now."

The door opened up into a fancy, well-lit room with a long, brightly gleaming mahogany conference table lined with high-back chairs. There was a large computer terminal with an LCD screen on the wall, displaying a screensaver with a glowing ServaCorps logo set against the flag of Tryscar. Mr. Dorren Burne sat on the far end away from the door in a neat black suit - he looked incredibly frail and weak for a man with such unquestionable power within his nation, and the little bit of white hair that he had left was attentively combed back in wisps over his wrinkly skin. A man with short black hair sat at Burne's right-hand side with a briefcase on the table in front of him, and a blonde woman with a small laptop sat at his left. Security guards kept a close eye on everyone in the room. With his thin, gnarled fingers, Burne gestured for the others to have a seat at the table. His voice crackled out.

"Hello. Please, come have a seat. What brings you here today?"

The grey knights did not spreak but eyed the security personal closely, Moral flipped off his hood and he would be recognized from stories about the destruction of spero. "I need to talk to you about the recent theft of some of your slaves Burnes. It may have been Atrumite Magis and if that is true, we have a problem."

Burne nodded, slightly interested. He wasn't intimidated by Marol. "Atrumites? I've heard of them. Sounds like they may be getting themselves into some trouble. Tell me what you know."

Marol would chuckle a bit and look at Burnes with a condescending look in his eyes "Yes they may be but...so may Tryscar. Ive seen them fight against much larger and more powerful nations, namely lux lucis, and survive. The only reason Lux Lucis beat them at Spero was because of me. If they can hold their own against Lux Lucis what hope does tryscar have eh?" He would smirk "An order comes from Emperor Constantine the 6th himself, you are not to attack atrum, you are to ask what they want and work something out. They are our prey."

Burne clasped his hands together on the table in front of him, considering what he had just been told for a few moments. He knew that he had few options, but he contemplated the situation anyway.

"Very well. We have no plans to attack them, anyway. We've barely even made contact with them. I can tell you some things that may interest you, though...I have information that will make them easier 'prey' for you."

Burne's thin, wrinkly lips turned up into a smile, and he eagerly awaited Marol's response.

Marol smirked and raised an eyebrow "Really? what might that be Mr. Burnes?" He would lean forward slightly, making his wings a bit more comfortable for him they would open slightly.

Mr. Burne considered telling Marol that all information had a price. He wasn't stupid, though, and decided that the best option now would be not to irritate one of the leaders of Lux Lucis. Perhaps they would form some mutual trust out of this, although he doubted it.

"Mr. Josson. The invitation, please."

He turned with a crooked smile towards the man at his side. The man reluctantly popped open his briefcase, sifting through some folders and papers, and then pulled out a copy of a letter. It was an invitation to Cruor's Trials of the Warrior's Inquest.

"Some of the notable Atrumites are here right now, in the nation of Cruor. One called...Karos Ivory-Wolf. Their king's younger brother, if I recall. He's a competitor in their Arena."

Josson handed it to Burne, who tapped his fingers across it. "Would you be interested in seeing this?"

Marol would nod "Karos is a powerful child...but im a warrior not some dishonorable assassin." He would look at the folder and smile "I would, thank you. Perhaps i can work something out with the Bishops and develop some sort of...deal with Tryscar. You've been valuable, and all those who aid the sword and shield of god should be rewarded for it.

Mr. Josson slid the paper over to Marol's side of the table and then quickly closed his briefcase, setting it down beside him. Mr. Burne continued.

"Oh, no. I'd never imply that you were an assassin. I was just simply...sharing information."

The grinch-like smile crossed Burne's face again.

"Information is valuable to you, isn't it? Perhaps I can get you more information as a part of this 'deal' then. Tell me, what is it that you'd like to know about these...Atrumites, since they've been here in Elysium?"

Marol would put his hand on top of the folder " Thank you." He would look at the letter and nod "Cruor...more magik using heathens like atrum..." He would look at burnes and smile "You've delivered another nation to us, good job my friend. Well done indeed." He would think for a moment "Anything, weaknesses, where they are building, alliances."

Burne nodded smugly to himself. He had no qualms about selling Cruor out - especially for his own safety.

"They're located on an island to the southwest. I have an entourage there now, for these 'games' of theirs. I believe they might be close to considering an alliance with Atrum, since they seem to have very similar goals. They're all of the magical sort - they call it 'blood magic' I think, whatever that may mean - and they mostly keep to themselves, and occasionally consort with the other...magic users."

He tented his fingers together, a thought-provoking grin crossing his face.

"As I recall, they placed an order for several hundred of our products not too long ago. I'm unsure of their intentions, since they're not a nation that deals in slave labor or trading. They probably bought them to set the whole lot of them free - but they can all still be tracked. That might be valuable information for you, if you need to find something quickly and discreetly."

Marol would smirk "Beautiful. Thank you, cruor will come crashing down when i bring atrum to its knees and set it a blaze. I have one prolbems with declaring war with any nation on this damned continent."

"Well, of course - the nations that aren't helpful to you, anyway. But everyone here at ServaCorps considers the nation of Lux Lucis to be excellent friends and business partners."

Dorren Burne offered a cold smile. Alain Josson lowered his head slightly and said nothing.

Marol saw Alain lower his head and he smirked saying not directly to him but it was directed at him "God has a special place in hell for those who doubt, and i can tell most of the people in Tryscar do not. You have aided the shield of sword of the almighty trinity and shall be rewarded with no blood running through your streets. As long as you stay faithful to the cause my dear friends. i am the dark one, i am the black scourge, i am the aspect of death,i am an angel of darkness. I truly do not want to have to bring that here."

He would nod "I have a question of one other nation on this continent, do you have any information on this..Imperium"

The Tryscarians seemed to have little interest in Marol's speech. Alain offered no response, but Burne nodded. "Ah, yes. I am faithful to your cause, indeed. As far as Imperium, we have little information. No one has much information. They keep to themselves, and don't cause any problems - which is more than I can say for these other meddling countries. Why do you ask?"

Marol knew they didnt care about his speech and that burne only nodded and said that to stay in his good graces. He nodded "Right, they are isolationists. We want to know because out of all the nations here they could oppose us best. That and they beleive their leaders are gods in the machine. Deus ex machina or as they call them the cyber pantheon and this heresy cannot stand. We also need you to find out more about them."

"I see. Very well. I'll try to do what I can to get you any relevant information, but we have very limited communication with them. Perhaps more with most other nations here, though. I'll see what I can do."

Burne contemplated for a moment.

"What else would you like to know?"

Marol smiled "Im sure you will do well again my friend. No, i have nothing else to ask of you. But i know information does not always come free, you asked fro no payment but is there anything i can do for you?"

Burne was very, very tempted. He knew that Lux Lucis' power was nearly limitless, and he might be able to get anything he asked for. He was shrewd, though, and knew that it might not be the best option to stand in front of the Lux Empire with his hand out for something.

"Your friendship is quite enough. If there is anything that would be able to help us or assist us in gathering this information, I will contact you. But for now, I'm just glad to know that we have an understanding."

Marol would stand and begin to walk out then turn and smile "And you should be. Your people being of a technologically advanced society may not believe monsters exist, but they do and Dorren... If you look me in the eye. Your staring at one." He would turn flip his hood back up and walk out with his grey knights as if Dorren was just a subordinate, someone he could disrespect. As he walked out wherever he had been it became cold, a chill would run up people's spine as if death itself had been in the room.