Lucaen's down. A tap to his muzzle.
This should do it. Salus would shut up for a while.
Caius' eyes followed his tail. The mechanical snake moves independently, its forked tongue out with every change of direction as if it were tasting every rhythm change. Even to this day, it feels like a part of him was assaulted. A constant reminder of what had happened before the tail had been integrated to him. It was a necessary one. Otherwise, he might've been labelled as scraps.
"Caiuss... you owe me tonsss sof coress." Salus hissed, its jaw open and closed, mimicking its fueling gestures.
The act was ignored. Not once had this parasitic tail contributed to his goal, other than being a demanding transactional partner. "Not now, and behave." He scolded, taking a second to engrave the current work in progress.. It was acceptable.
Lucaen, paralyzed beside the door. General Nefertari, dismantled. It wasn't the perfect picture he had when he planned this. Variables.. happen.
[System: Symbiotic S Low On Fuel]
An annoyed grunt was heard before Caius grabbed the base of his tail and asserted. "You ate before Lucaen was here."
"What's up with the demands?"
I have a lot to consider, and this parasite can't keep his gluttony to himself.
Salus jerked itself away from him. "SSssnnoying!"
Caius let Salus back into its neutral stance aggressively. He had no time to entertain it. "A deal's a deal. Think twice with your instincts."
"Don't ruin the plan."
The door autonomously locked itself behind Caius as he left the Transition. For now, he had other things to do. To pretend normalcy for someone. His steps were assured, yet it felt unusual. He had never come to the top floor and found himself alone, operating amongst the masses.
Caius had a brief pause at General Nefertari's office. Her office was a mess, as usual. Bandages, cans of coolants, and an exo polisher by her desk. The blade plates all were everywhere. But that was how she liked it.
Her IOD hummed around the desk, specifically instructed to not tidy her place. It was the first and only order she had demanded of her IOD when she was promoted. Otherwise, she would do it herself.
She was self-sufficient.
Caius dropped the sentimentality; he had no space for remorse. Such thoughts will only be a liability. Lucaen as the prime example. He only needs to focus on what he deems needs to be done for the most plausible outcome.
It hadn't been a long wait before the exos below erupted to an admiring crowd upon Aurelius' arrival. Some might say, it was a signal for the next phase of his plan. The world itself was on his side, so it seemed.
Caius glanced to the open space on his left. Aurelius nodded and passed through the Hub seamlessly. Some eyes lingered on him, and so was Caius.
The rhythm had changed him.
It's obvious. What were you thinking, Aurelius?
Since the Transition was on the farthest right upon entering the HQ, Caius naturally went for the Hub using the stairs near his office on the other side. This will curate an interaction with Aurelius.
With every elevated step, Aurelius' wings scraped by the marbled floor. A subtle announcement of his near presence. Caius locked eyes with him. A subtle nod shared between the two.
He stayed low. He needs Aurelius to report to the Optic before he can inject from behind. Under the pretense of reporting as well. Suspicion? Null.
"Something doesn't make sense."
"Don't you think so?" He turned.
"Caiusss Ssshe's on you.." Salus notified him with a restrained hiss. The narrator that was useless in all senses.
Caius glanced back, half body turned before stepping down the staircase. Aurelius had positioned himself between his office and Lucaen's.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Caius."
That standalone. Never once had he felt his name called with pure threat.
"The Hub, showcased General Nefertari is INACTIVE, and General Lucaen is INACTIVE."
"I received no notification that my case had been reported to the Optic. I found it strange that Lucaen is suddenly on his day off..."
"Without reporting." He continued.
"Sss..checkmate~" Salus purred, mocking his host quietly.
"Well, it's not my job to track what the Hub shows."
Despite the fanatical and loud entrance, *Aurelius saw the Hub?*
"He was here. Wasn't he?"
Aurelius stared at Caius for a long moment, causing Caius to instinctively take a step back. It was a micro slip, but the sound of his metal claws grinding announced a suppressed confession.
Ah- He would clock that.
"What are you getting into here?"
"Whether Lucaen did or not. Why does that bother you-"
"Why did you take a step back?"
Before Caius had the time to defend himself, Aurelius chuckled. "Never mind, I've been on edge lately."
"I can see that." Caius shrugged.
That was a tight closure as he turned his back on Aurelius. A subtle display of submission to lower Aurelius' guards.
But, it was silent. No retort, immediately it felt off.
And, Caius' system braced spontaneously.
He knew.
Followed by a confirmation of Salus coiling its slithery scaled body around Caius' hip, tensed. Its eyes were slitted.
"ssduck Caius!"
Caius dropped to the floor, a low hiss was heard out of him from the perceived threat. He didn't have to look behind him to understand the situation. Aurelius had targeted him.
What.
What gave it away?
Caius shifted his body, lowering himself to the ground as much as possible. His head anchored to Aurelius' wings, which were flapping threateningly above the stairs. Was he aiming for his neck?
"You are the only one with an active case."
"Your progression's increasing as we're talking."
He was watching the Hub from here?!
Caius growled, followed by the tail lashing behind him. Spurts of venom splattered across the stairs. He retreated towards the glass railings of the staircase, alerted as he steadied himself with all four. Not once did his eyes wander away from Aurelius. An image of defense yet offensive.
A set of fangs was bared, before Caius jumped at Aurelius. His arms, which now acted as forelegs, were raised to cover his head while setting up his next attack mid-air. Aurelius' chest was open.
[Core Detection]
[Close Counter/Exposed 90% Accuracy]
[Initiate Skill: Obliteration]
With a swift swerve of Aurelius's aerial mobility, he swerved to the side reflexively.
[Invalid Distance To Initiate 'Obliteration']
[Estimated Agility Insufficient]
[System: Defensive Close-Quarter Recommended Against An Aerial Combatant]
Caius had to adapt by jumping on the wall, leaving scratches on it. Before he could land properly on the inconsistent level foundation of the stairs. Aurelius spared no mercy in snatching Caius' nimble hind leg that was last to touch the marbles.
[Warning]
"Salus- change potency!" He hissed as he scraped the floor to anchor himself.
[System: Botulinum>Hydrogen Cyanide]
[120 PPM Equipped]
Salus snarled on Aurelius's arm, wrapping itself.
"Bold of you to crave death twice." Aurelius' tone was itself venomous.
Caius braced himself as Aurelius smashed his body from the air to meet the glass railings below.
[Fatal Impact Detected]
[Defensive Close-Quarter Combat Recommended]
Salus wept when Aurelius let go of Caius. Only for Caius to roar in defiance as a surge of pain washed through his system the moment Aurelius dug his talons into Salus. Puncturing its mouth, while dragging Caius' body across the railings in a rapid flap of his wings.
[HCN Nullified]
[External Extension Critical]
[System: Symbiotic S Low On Fuel]
The HQ rained pieces of glass onto the first floor, engineers below scrambled to not being swept into the general's fight. Not a scream was heard. Only efficient space was given. They know a general is not on par with any officers.
"Tch-"
Nano pieces of glass went into the crook of his metal plates, causing micro injuries to his internal system. It was painful, stings that pounded every inch of his body as the rhythm inside him carried the sharp material around.
Caius let out a grumbling growl, reaching for Aurelius' face while the other anchored to the foundations of the railings. His claws managed to bind to Aurelius' jaw. Deep enough to divert his course. With a strangled pull of both of his claws, Aurelius was brought tumbling to the first floor with Caius hooking Aurelius' midsection to make himself as an additional weight.
The ground broke with the tungsten weight projectile that had no space to recover from the diversion. The Hub itself favored its right side.
Silence befalls.
Aurelius was seen propping himself from the ground floor's marble using his wings. The smoke between them was helping Caius finalize the fight at once.
Caius had gone.
Aurelius took a defensive stance from his static position, and behold, Caius was behind him. Just where his core was. Claws out. A moment late, and his core would have tasted the sterile air.
[Core Detection]
[Close Counter/Exposed 100% Accuracy]
[Initiate Skill: Obliteration]
It's not a battle I can win.
[Skill Invalid]
The intrusive thought was a whiplash to Caius' system.
Hesitations?
Change of plans.
The ending must be me who wins.
"Salus, paralyze him." He whispered.
Salus regurgitated slightly. His venom was seen dripping second by second.
[External Extension Critical]
[System: Symbiotic S Low On Fuel]
[System: Hydrogen Cyanide>Phospholipases A2]
Caius didn't need a vast amount, only sufficient enough to cause deterioration.
He retreated, taking advantage of the smoke as he faded amongst them. His white exo dulled, blending in.
He was served on a silver platter with many openings as Aurelius stood. A futile attempt to track him. Aurelius' sides. His back, front, rear, and above.
Show some effort at last, Aurelius.
"Ah.."
That was what echoed last through the mist. The last time Caius was able to stay on his fours.
From what he thought he was blending, reality hits him. He was merging with the ground, his own jaw skewed, tasting the soil of this planet.
[Warning]
[Warning: Mana Fluctuation Detected]
[Area <5M]
?!
Since when does he have gravikinesis?!
No- He knew where I was-
The marble was crushed alongside him. His view was distorted by the seconds. Salus venom pooled near him, seeped from the punctured hole of its head.
Potent-
Caius tried angling his body away from the venom itself. Everything was fast. He can't see well, can't feel well.
[Warning: Immobilized]
[Detected]
[Skills Efficiency Dropped]
"Au..re..lius!" Caius gripped the foundation of the planet itself, glaring at the presence that stood in front of him.
The words echoed unashamedly throughout the HQ.
A click.
The sound of a switch flip, crystal clear to every exos in the area.
Followed by a heavy mass meeting the debris. As if a slab of tungsten were dropped onto the marbles. It shattered the material beneath. Even in this state, his defiance was embedded in his very own material.
The tables had turned.
[SYSTEM: DESYNCHRONIZATION]
[SYSTEM: General Aurelius Everhart Flagged//Maintenance]
[The Transition Lab//The Optic]
Caius glanced to his side as he stood; the leaning Hub served his hard-earned victory.
[G. Nefertari//INACTIVE]
[G. Aurelius Everhart//INACTIVE]
[G. Lucaen Theron//INACTIVE]
[G. Caius//ASSIGNED//STATUS: ACTIVE]
Ultimately, everything went according to plan.