"Hey," he called out softly, his voice calm and non-threatening.

    On the other hand, the person on the receiving end was immediately surprised at the sudden greeting, instinctively his hand reached for his weapon, but Apollo was faster. Before the man could react, Apollo''s eyes stared deadly at him, it locked onto the man''s gaze.

    "Calm down I am not an enemy, aren''t I one of your allies"

    His voice dropped to a soothing, rhythmic tone, the subtle power of his copied authority seeping into his words.

    "You don''t need to be afraid," Apollo said, stepping closer. "You''re safe. You''ve done your job, and now you can relax. All I need is for you to answer a few simple questions."

    The man''s tension melted away as the power of mystics worked like a hypnotic suggestion that took hold. His eyes glazed over slightly, his posture relaxing as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "Yes... safe," he mumbled, his voice distant and eyes vacant.

    Apollo''s voice remained soft and steady, drawing the man deeper under his control. "You worked for the Revolutionary Church, didn''t you? Tell me about the experiments they were conducting here. What were they planning?"

    The man blinked, struggling to form the words as Apollo''s power held him in its grip. "They... they were making vessels... people who could channel the power of gods. They''ve been trying for months, but most of the experiments failed. Only one vessel survived."

    Apollo''s eyes narrowed. "The one we just saw?"

    The man nodded sluggishly. "Yes. He was the first success. But they''re not stopping... there are other labs, other places where they''re trying to make more."

    Apollo leaned in slightly, his voice growing more insistent. "Where are these other labs? How many more vessels are they trying to create?"

    Hearing that question the man hesitated, his mind fighting the fog of hypnosis for a moment. Apollo deepened his control, his eyes glowing brighter as he reinforced the order. "Tell me everything."

    Finally after strengthening the command the man finally gave in.

    "There''s... there''s a lab north of the empire, deep within the shelf," the guard finally said, his voice a monotone. "In the mountains. It''s hidden, heavily guarded. They''re closer to perfecting the process there. They''re planning to create an army of vessels, enough to challenge the empire.

    But they need something—some artifact to stabilize the magic."

    "I think we should wait for a bit and see if we could spot the people behind this," Apollo murmured, his gaze fixed on the site below. "It might give us an edge."

    Alicia glanced at him. "Wouldn''t it be dangerous if they spot us here, I think it''s more feasible to let the archduke''s men handle this."

    Apollo''s eyes narrowed as he spotted a lone guard staggering away from the wreckage. Unlike the others who had rushed into the warehouse before the explosion, this one had stayed back, watching from a distance. His uniform marked him as one of the higher-ranking mercenaries, likely privy to details that the foot soldiers wouldn''t know.

    "Wait for me here," Apollo said quietly.

    Before Alicia could ask what he meant, he leapt down from the rooftop, landing silently a short distance from the guard. Moving through the shadows he silently approaches his target, Apollo stands beside the man, who is clearly shaken by the sudden destruction of the warehouse.

    The guard''s attention was still fixed on the smoldering remains, making it easy for Apollo to close the distance without being seen.

    "Tell me who hired you to guard this place?" he asked in a very calm manner...

    Strangely the guard was enveloped with a power that left him no choice but to answer.

    "It was a...woman!....the princess of this kingdom! She told us it was a treasure from a dungeon, if we can secure it we will be paid handsomely"

    Apollo was suddenly taken aback hearing that it was this kingdom''s princess who would do such a thing.

    "The princess is she a member of the church...or perhaps an artificial god in disguise?"

    His thoughts were running wild until a notification called his attention.

    Discover stories with empire

    [Creator the guards are heading this way it''s better to leave]

    Apollo then nodded before ordering the man to forget everything about their conversation.

    Then he returned back to the rooftop and left an insect spy to act as his eyes as the two disappeared into the shadows, preparing to return to the archduke to give their report.