Arc 2: The Tower of Power
The Twelve Stärkeren
Caen, Queen of the Fairies, Guardian of Light – Caen is over seven hundred years old. With long, silky white hair, she's often seen wearing an elegant white and blue kimono. Kind-hearted and deeply connected to nature and animals, her gentle demeanor hides a woman who has seen countless conflicts ravage forests and slaughter innocent creatures. It was these tragedies that led her to join the Organization, where she became one of Aoji's trusted advisors.
"Please, take your seats. I'll have refreshments brought in immediately."
Caen welcomed the guests with a warm smile. But what truly caught the eye was her luxurious hair. Samantha couldn't stop staring, wondering:
"Why do elves have such silky hair? What do they use?"
"You're late," said Aizawa Temaki, the strongest among them.
Aizawa sat calmly with his arms crossed at the left side of a long marble table inlaid with gemstones, his gaze relaxed but direct.
"Three minutes late? That's hardly worth fussing over..." Sana pouted, her pink cheeks puffed out in visible protest.
Aoji, seated at the head of the table, had a clear view of everyone. He didn't seem in a great mood.
"Enough. Sit. We have important matters to discuss," he said sharply.
At that moment, several maids—some human, others elite fairies—entered with steaming cups of golden tea for everyone.
"You all look quite comfortable here. I'll leave for a while, but should you need anything, just call for my maid, Eve."
Caen gestured toward a tall redheaded fairy—her most trusted servant.
"Eve, I'm leaving everything in your care."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Eve replied, bowing her head.
Thud... Thud...
As soon as Caen left and the grand doors closed, Aoji's demeanor shifted.
"So... who can explain to me why not everyone is here? Do threats mean nothing to you all?"
He sighed, clearly frustrated by the lack of discipline.
"Sir, it's not that we don't want to attend... but we each have various missions to carry out. Many kingdoms contract our services beyond the Organization," said Emma Abraham, an elf with long, soft pink hair from the kingdom of Heine.
"What kind of missions are you handling, Emma?" asked Aoji.
"For example, there are still black dragons roaming the world. I've been hunting them on behalf of the Kingdom of Aden, in Gracya."
"I see. From now on, I want every mission reported—either to me or to Werner."
The room grew tense. Even the strongest looked uneasy.
"Aizawa, what have you been doing? You've missed three meetings in a row. I want answers."
With his arms still crossed, Aizawa slowly opened his eyes and replied,
"I've been... investigating something."
"Do I need to ask what that something is?"
"In short? Evidence of demons."
Aoji's eyes widened with surprise.
"Hah! Impossible. They were eradicated long ago."
"Actually, what I've found are signs of possession..."
At that moment, Endeavor Fever, a humanoid beast from the Fever Clan, joined in.
"Sir Aoji, I've been traveling and visiting villages. I've encountered people who were possessed—the darkness within them was so thick, it was visible."
"I see... Aizawa, continue your investigation and keep me updated."
Aizawa nodded without objection.
"Samantha."
"Yes, Sir Aoji?" she replied, slightly lost in thought.
"Your brother Van. I haven't heard from him in months—five at least. Last I knew, he was in the Western Sun Continent. Drop everything and find him. That's your mission."
Van, the ninth among the Majors, had been missing for months. No death. No betrayal. Just silence. Deep down, Samantha believed he was alive—but now, she faced a difficult choice: obey Aoji, or keep her promise to Asura?
"I… I mean… well..."
She fumbled over her words, nervous and conflicted.
Asura noticed and stepped in.
"I'll go. Samantha's still inexperienced with solo missions. The Western Sun Continent is dangerous—especially with the dwarves hating us more than anything. She wouldn't last long."
Aoji saw the resolve in Asura's eyes.
"Very well. But don't disappear on me too."
"Emma, stay in Gracya. I want you to find out whether someone is summoning these black dragons—or if they're just remnants of an old war."
Emma, always composed, nodded. "Yes, sir."
Finally, Aoji turned to Akane Sunderland, the tenth among the Majors.
"You did well in those Vernumbra villages, Akane. But the casualty count was... excessive. Don't draw that much attention again. I hate your methods."
Akane wasn't good. Nor was she evil. She simply had her own way.
Standing at 1.7 meters, twenty-two years old, blood-red eyes, long black hair, and a taste for schoolgirl uniforms—Akane was an elven master of assassination and infiltration, feared throughout the Organization.
With a wide, unsettling grin, she closed her eyes and replied:
"You know, sir... the good thing about corpses is—they don't talk."
Two months earlier, she had eliminated an entire uprising in Vernumbra from the shadows, leaving no bodies behind. Aoji sighed, too tired to argue.
"Tel'hynas, Van, Nabine, Arwen... Why is punctuality such a challenge?"
Just as the thought crossed his mind, a loud screech echoed outside the palace.
Flapping wings. The piercing cry of a beast.
Eve's eyes widened in horror.
"That shadow... No, it can't be—get down!" she shouted.
A massive shadow grew across the glass walls until a hippogriff—over three meters tall—smashed through them, sending shattered shards flying everywhere.
Eve froze in horror. "What will I tell the queen?!"
She stared, stunned, as a red-bearded dwarf rode the beast straight into the palace like it was his own home.
"Yo, guys! Did I make it in time?"
Nabin Redbeard, grinned, dismounting mid-chaos.
He tried to land the hippogriff carefully—but the beast slipped on the table, skidded, and crashed into a wall, destroying both.
"You IDIOT!" Eve screamed. "That glass was over seven centuries old! You destroyed ancient elven architecture!"
"Relax, at least I arrived in time" Nabin said, flashing a thumbs-up.
"Moron… The meeting's over," Sana muttered, not even flinching through the chaos.
"Dear gods… what do I do with these lunatics?" Aoji buried his face in his hand.
"You're all dismissed—except for Jay. I need a word."
"Wait! I didn't even get to hear anything!" Nabin complained, still woozy from the crash.
"Then arrive on time next time. And get that beast out of here," Aoji snapped.
Samantha, who had dodged the impact, now sat petting the hippogriff.
"He's so cute... Sell him to me?" she asked sweetly.
"Absolutely not. Get your own," Nabin huffed.
"Meanie," she pouted—though the joy on her face couldn't be hidden.
Once everyone left, Eve stormed over to Aoji.
"You're coming with me to explain this to Her Majesty."
"Yes, yes… I will. But give me a moment—I need to speak with him privately."
Eve, sensing something serious, nodded and left.
"The experiments. How are they going?" Aoji asked.
"Very promising," said Jay. "But I still need time. And more test subjects."
"I need results, Jay. I won't be able to cover your tracks forever. Be more discreet."
"Yes, sir. But I bring good news—one subject survived. She's responding well to the drugs and treatment. If this continues, she'll be ready in a few months."
"Good... I'm counting on you. Don't fail me. For the sake of the world, every sacrifice is worth it."
And with that, Aoji turned and left.
To be continued...