Hyshana wiped her sword on the monster's fur. Turning towards the exit, she sheathed her weapon. The sand crunched under the tal of her armor, and the smoke rising from it was not only due to its high temperature.
"The thirty-fifth wave is not a walk in the park, right?"
No sooner had the new Champion erged from the arena than a vulture was already trying to unsettle her. Sighing under her mask, she turned to one of Ishaka's subordinates.
"Your master took twenty-seven minutes to finish his fight. His wounds were so severe he almost had to be amputated. My juggernaut armor is still working, and I'm barely out of breath. I still have enough energy to challenge you to a duel."
The armor masked the subordinates expression, but Hyshana could sense his fear. The man bowed.
"I'm sorry, Champion. My words were out of place."
Hyshana swept the excuses aside with her hand. Words were useless in Hoplite society; only actions counted.
"What do you want?"
"Supre General Ishaka requests the expertise of Champion Hyshana. If you'll follow ," he said, bowing again.
Hyshana nodded and followed the fool. His lack of courage was disappointing, but he knew she'd have killed him if he'd accepted the duel.
A few minutes later, Hyshana and her escort arrived at a heavy door. The Hoplite headquarters were inside the Colosseum. What better place for a warrior civilization?
Without waiting to be announced, Hyshana opened the door. Behind it, a vast room filled with computers, technicians and scientists awaited. The Champion moved quickly through the room, stopping regularly to return the greetings of the n and won working to improve the future of their race.
None of the hoplites here were skilled in warfare. Yet they were respected. Hyshana felt no disdain for those who had chosen the path of science. Sacrificing much of their physical training, the scientists concentrated on supporting the Hoplite soldiers. It was a noble vocation, and the Champion knew they were needed more than ever. After all, the 'threat' sent to them by the System couldn't be cut with blades.
At the far end of the room, a second door was waiting. A secretary tried to stop her, but Hyshana entered quickly. Her ti was too precious to be sacrificed to bureaucracy.
"Ishaka, you wanted to see ?" she asked in a neutral voice.
Sitting behind a desk, the Supre General looked up from a docunt.
"Co in, Hyshana. Thank you for coming so quickly. Please sit down," he said, pointing to a chair Hyshana had already pulled towards her.
The chair creaked under the weight of her cha armor, but didn't break. Hyshana didn't bother to lower her mask. Her attitude was rude, but she didn't like the general. The feeling was mutual.
After a few seconds of silence, and as Hyshana began to entertain the thought of cutting the desk in half - a way of expressing her displeasure at the wait - Ishaka spoke up.
"We think we've found Kazushi."
Hyshana gasped. A second later, the Hoplite Champion stood up abruptly, destroying the chair with her acceleration.
"Where?!"
Ishaka lowered his hands to calm the situation.
"Let's calm down. I..." The general paused. The tip of Hyshana's sword lay against his throat. The Champion had unlocked Micro at Stage 1. Ishaka was one of the most powerful hoplites, but he had no chance of escaping alive at this distance if she decided to kill him. He also knew that, despite her proud and upright nature, Hyshana could commit folly when her family's well-being was concerned.
Placing her hands firmly on her desk, Ishaka looked into the eyes of the Champion.
"I know our history has impacted our relationship, Hyshana. The scientific and protective factions' admiration for you is a thorn in my side. However, you know I'm loyal to our race. This is not an attempt at manipulation on my part. Hes your husband and our Champion. Terrible wars are coming, and we'll need him. Sit down and listen to . Please."
Hyshana's heart rate began to drop. A second later, she slowly put away her weapon, cald her emotions with Micro, and took another chair.
Taking a breath, she repeated her question.
"Where?"
"A world called Elysium. One of our Prophets was able to make contact using the reward of an Achievent. Your husband was the first hoplite to pass the Impossible Tutorial. He was chosen to enter a unique and perilous world: Elysium. According to him, only Titan-class soldiers could have a chance of survival there in the long term.
Hyshana frowned at the news. Only one Hoplite in a million could qualify for the Titan class. Trained from an early age, genetically modified and cybernetically enhanced, the Titan classes were the elite. Most were already Barons, and the best were Viscounts. If this level of power was barely enough to survive...
"How is he?" she asked, trying to mask her concern.
"He's alive. I don't have any more information at the mont. However, he was able to give us another piece of information."
Ishaka must have had a reason for helping the Hoplite Champion. Kazushi's political clout was significant, and the general would normally have been delighted to 'lose' his rival.
"I'm listening."
"The resources in Elysium are exceptional. Any blade of grass can be used to craft an elixir. Certain plants, growing naturally, have the ability to boost attributes by dozens of points. The environnt itself can unlock resistances," announced the general.
Hyshana nodded. The Supre General was greedy. But if it could save her husband...
"There is more," he continued. "The environnt is saturated with aether. We could save our people."
Hyshana's eyes widened. The System had introduced a deadly virus, a 'threat', which attacked and caused aether hemorrhage in hoplites who had undergone genetic manipulation. A constitution greater than two hundred was required to survive the virus.
It was obviously a trap. Exceeding two hundred in constitution triggered a Tribulation. Fortunately, the virus killed slowly. For the ti being, the dead were children and the elderly. Despite this, the entire civilization was paralyzed. A trip to Elysium would solve the virus problem. After all, if the environnt had more aether than a hoplite's body, he wouldn't lose his aether...
"You want to open a passageway to Elysium," asserted Hyshana. "And for that, I suppose you need ?"
Otherwise, why would he call her?
"Indeed. There is an object capable of creating a passage between Calisto and Elysium. But Kazushi has to use it."
Callisto was one of the satellites orbiting the Hoplite howorld. It was currently ho to the Hoplite Reunion.
"How do you intend to send this item to my husband?"
"The wave forty-five reward is a wish. That should be enough," smiled Ishaki.
Son of a... Hyshana forced himself to remain calm. The basilisk of the thirty-fifth wave had nearly killed her. Wave forty-five was impossible. Ishaki knew her chances of survival were slim, but he had nothing to lose. If the new Champion died, no one would be left to challenge his orders. If she succeeded, she would use her precious reward to offer him passage to a world that would change their civilization.
But that didn't matter to Hyshana. She finally had a chance to reform the most powerful Champion duo in Hoplite history. A chance to reunite with her husband.
Hyshana stood up, deep in thought. To stand a chance, she had to survive her Tribulations, then unlock Mastery. First, I need to repair my armor.
The door closed behind her. Supre General Ishaka looked down at the report concerning Kazushi. According to the Champion, other civilizations were present in Elysium.
"It's been a long ti since the Hoplites have had an enemy. A war would be excellent..."
"Exactly. You're their main target, and we're in danger by staying close to you. It's too late now, but you shouldn't have joined us. At least we know the safe places. How were you planning to get us there alive?" asked Mirscella.
"I have a Domain that can protect us, and my mist would be able to keep the insects away."
The grandmother nodded. "All the way to the Palace?"
"Not in one shot." Insects would devour his mist, and only his Domain could then protect them. Priam had considered the problem and thought about a solution. "However, by stopping at houses occasionally so I can replenish my reserves, we'll get there."
"Good, but you're forgetting two things. The first is that Claire's power could allow us to reach the Palace easily. She can order the insects to leave us alone. Not you, because you're their target, but we arent."
Priam looked at Claire, who remained silent. "She would betray you."
"She'd die first. But there's a second reason why she should stay alive."
"..."
"Her power could allow her to go back and forth between the Palace and the most attacked dwellings. She could help evacuate whole groups of people. The lives of millions are at stake, and her contribution could save thousands of lives."
Priam gritted his teeth. "I know her well She'll say anything to stay alive, but she'll run away as soon as she gets the chance."
Mirscella stared at Priam. "Perhaps. But in the anti, we would save hundreds of lives. Lives you've condemned," she reminded him.
Instantly, Priam stood still. Mirscella's sentence resonated in his head. He hadn't wanted all those deaths, but... He knew he had a responsibility in this tragedy.
Everything had happened so fast, he hadn't really had ti to think about it. Running for survival, listening to his clones, and following the path that offered him the best chance of survival
When had he realized that people would die? He couldn't say. He knew there would be deaths and had avoided thinking about it. Now, the Locusts were invading New Earth. Was it his fault? He hadn't asked the System to create Tribulations! Could he have survived without using the do barrier? There was little chance.
Yet people were going to die. What had he done wrong? Thoughts raced through his head.
His hands trembled, and suddenly, he felt himself embraced.
"Dad..."
"Shh. Listen to , okay?"
Priam buried his head in his father's shoulder. It seed lower than before. He'd grown taller. Yet he had never wanted a hug more. His father's voice soothed him, chasing away his dark thoughts.
"There's going to be a lot of death because of your actions, son. I know you didn't an it that way, but it's a fact. It was certainly the only way to survive, but you brought a swarm of millions of immortal locusts here. I'm sure you didn't have all the information or much choice. Still, people are going to die."
Priam trembled as tears stread down his face. His father was right. His clones hadn't told him because Priam was selfish. He had put his own survival above that of New Earth. And
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