CHAPTER 82: ASTRALIS

"Mr. Trent---"

"Mr. Ackerman---"

"Mrs. Marie---"

"Is it true---"

"Your company---"

"Information about---"

"Westeron has been---"

"You’re one hell of a Boss" Theo chuckled, nudging Trent as they walked away from the reporters.

"Reeves Technologies has been doing wonders in the stock market in the past few days" Xander chuckled, joining them with Scarlet

"You’ve got a ton of attention drawn to you. There’s certainly going to be more. You’ve pulled the surprise of the year"

Trent chuckled, glancing at Marie.

"We’re now positioned to take the place that a kind old man has left empty for us"

"I bet he didn’t see that one coming" Marie laughed softly

A day before the company’s listing on the stock market, Morlov Sanchez declared a form of allegiance for the Kraven Empire and announced that all his assets will be moved from Westeron.

Such a big news— of course Westeron took a massive hit. Their currency fell woefully in the foreign exchange market.

"The President’s secretary called again today" Xander scanned around as they entered the ball room of the palace— few guests... That must be the Emperor’s throne at the podium.

How did he get us invited here?

"They keep reminding us to schedule the meeting as soon as we enter the country"

"That’s not going to be an issue" Trent chuckled, looking around.

President Joe Stanper... A puppet leader for the Sinclairs. Let’s go see if he can be of any help. He’ll be changing Masters soon anyway.

And, Ave... I have to meet the target first, huh?

"The other thing’s set, yeah?" He turned to Xander.

"Yeah. I had it arrive yesterday and Tyson has been with it throughout"

Xander stared at Trent for a while. He’s ordered that something be built and brought in secretly. I’d seen Master build something similar before he died.

Weird enough, he’d asked me to buy some things for him to build something on his own.

He exhaled, shaking his head.

Doesn’t matter.

Trent exhaled, holding his pocket. I didn’t expect him to call me and say he’d decided on the date. Choosing Astralis of all days... What an interesting decision.

"I might have to leave you guys for a while" He tapped Marie’s back.

"I understand. I wish I could come tell him goodbye" She whispered, covering her mouth

"But it’s not really goodbye, is it?"

"The world’s a wonder" he chuckled.

"And tonight... I create a god"

"What if the others don’t think likely of it?"

"They wouldn’t---" he paused as the light dimmed and the sound of Trumpets filled the room.

"Announcing..." The announcer paused, clearing his throat

"The Light of the Stars, their guardian Beast of the world... Their chosen and honored one— Emperor Thaddeus Kravenberch the Seventh"

Everyone bowed as they sighted the Emperor walk in, the Grand Chamberlain and guards following behind him.

Just his presence has filled the room with Tension. How will the Citizens feel, seeing him like this and hearing about his death tomorrow?

And he still didn’t agree to choose a heir. The sheer chaos that will follow his death...

The Emperor took his seat and cleared his throat.

"The Stars have blessed Kraven, it’s honored one and their mercies have shown on its blood, Kravenberch"

"THE STARS BE PRAISED" Everyone answered, voice echoing in the room.

Trent and the others looked around. Someone caught his eye immediately

"Target spotted" Ave cut in

What? He blinked.

The target’s a... Cardinal of the Astral Temple?

He gulped as the Cardinal turned to him and nodded with a smile.

"What’s wrong?" Marie whispered, looking at his face

"It’s nothing" he turned to her with a smile.

The Emperor gave a brief speech of light, worship to the stars, how they’ve made the Empire stand strong for centuries and how they will continue to shine their grace

Trent scoffed. It’s ironic how he says that and plans to destroy the Empire himself.

"...the stars give and they take..." Thaddeus continued,

"It has been my honor to serve as their vessel in this world and there will be nothing more than the grace of joining them" he paused.

"Our souls belong to the stars"

"WE WILL JOIN THEM IN NIRVANA" Their voices echoed again.

He chuckled and stayed silent for a while.

"Cardinal Ferinni will lead us in the absence of the Pope"

The Cardinal that Trent had seen was already up there, bowed and said a silent prayer to the Emperor before he faced them.

After the teachings and prayers, the Emperor walked off with the guards leaving the Grand Chamberlain to take care of other things.

"It’s time" Trent tapped Marie as he sighted one of the guards walking towards him.

"...Alright. I’ll tell them there’s no need to wait" she nodded

Theo and Xander looked at them as he walked off and looked at each other.

"What’s going on?" Theo whispered, asking Marie

"He’s been invited to meet someone" she turned to him

"Says there’s no need to wait on him"

"...Alright."

_____

Trent held the railings of the stairs as he followed behind the guard.

Were they going to do the meeting here?

He looked at the guard as he heard voices coming from beneath them.

"I’ll stop here" the guard turned to him, "Just continue down the stairs" he bowed, stretching his hand towards the direction.

"Alright. Thank you" Trent nodded, looking at his face as he proceeded down the stairs.

He turned as he heard a thud after the guard muttered something.

Fuck. He blinked as he stared at the corpse. Was this necessary?

His jaws tightened as he took his phone from his pocket

"Seren..."

He waited for a few seconds for a reply

"What’s up, Man? It’s---"

"It’s time?" Seren’s voice cut through from the phone.

"Yeah"

"You got the chip, yeah?"

He grabbed his pocket and sighed,

"Yes. And I’ve got every part made by the scientists just how you ordered"

"There shouldn’t be any problems, then" Seren chuckled, "This is exciting. It’s lonely being the only god"

"If this works..." Trent paused, "How do I protect myself from him? Are you sure---"

"That’s why it took a longer time building it" Seren interrupted

He calls three days a long time?

Well, it did feel long— locked up for a three whole days working on this chip while only having breakfast and dinner.

"You explained it, but---"

"As I said, I developed the limiter and you’ve created it and configured limits you’ve set which primary include protecting your interests" Seren exhaled.

"He’ll be a god. Perhaps a demigod because of the limits but he’ll be able to do everything I can do, apart from harming you... and me"

"Right..."

"Or hurting your people. He’s basically under you and---"

"We shouldn’t say this so they hear"

"Yeah" Seren chuckled.

"Just go and do what you ought to do"

_____

They looked at him as he descended the stairs— it was a big space underneath, round with chairs placed against the walls and all the equipments he’d ordered at the center.

"Mr. Ackerman"

He looked around to see who called him. The Cardinal?

"Yo..." The Cardinal walked towards him with a smile.

Holy... Lord Isadora?

Trent’s eyes widened as he walked towards him.

"Mission complete. BlueBee Inc.— Buy. +15 Intelligence"

Damn. Trent blinked as information rushed flooded through. Every tiny detail...

My... birth...

Their face...

Was this how I was supposed to---

Ferinni’s cough brought him back to reality.

Right. He shook his head. The present.

A Cardinal of the Astral church?

It wasn’t that weird since Sirius is also one of their Stars but---

"I wasn’t always a Cardinal, Mr. Ack---"

"Trent" Thaddeus cut in,

"He’s Trent... Ferinni"

Ferinni chuckled as he turned back to Trent

"Should I---"

"You can call me Trent, Lord Isadora"

"A funny naming situation" Ferinni chuckled, "Just call me Uncle Ferinni"

So he knows?

"Forgive me for interrupting your uncle time, Ferinni" Cara cut in,

"Why the sudden meeting, Thaddeus?" She turned to him,

"And what are those?" She asked, pointing at the things arranged at the center

"I was about to ask the same thing" A lady chuckled, from the end of the room

She nodded at Trent as their eyes met.

She must be Lord Ignatius.

Another unique naming situation.

"You should get started" Thaddeus looked at Trent and exhaled.

"Alright..." Trent nodded, smiling at Ferinni before walking to the center

"What are you going---"

"I’ll tell you later, Cara. It’s quite an interesting tale" Thaddeus chuckled

They watched as Trent walked towards the things and took out some things from his pocket.

Trent took out a smart glass and connected the earphones he brought, wore them and looked at the chip in his hand.

"It’s time, Seren" he muttered, glancing at the people around

"You remember how I explained the arrangement, yeah?" Seren’s voice cut through the earphone.

"Of course" he chuckled.

"You’ve got great memory" Seren chuckled seeing how he put everything together so fast.

"It’s like you’ve done this before"

"I just had a really good teacher" Trent chuckled turning towards Thaddeus and the others

Thaddeus cleared his throat as Trent nodded

"I guess it’s time for the big reveal, Cara" he chuckled, walking towards Trent.

"What---"

"It’s Astralis..." He interrupted her,

"On such beautiful night... With such significance... I have decided" he paused, glancing at Trent.

"Decided what?" Ignatius stood up, confused

"To kill myself"