Location: Myriad Realms, Yellow Plains, Freedom Fighter's headquarters.
"Baylor, how could you?" the demigod who dabbled in necromancy and chimera arts, stood frozen, his face a mix of shock and outrage. Finding Baylor not only bringing a stranger into their headquarters and inviting them to a private meeting of department heads he summoned on short notice in Henricks absence. This was just unthinkable. Especially now, when the Freedom Fighters were teetering on the brink of annihilation.
Baylor, unfazed by Jax's outburst, slammed his fist onto the round table, the sound reverberating through the room. "Sit down, Jax," he barked, his voice cutting through the tension. The department chiefs seated around the table exchanged uneasy glances, their frowns deepening at Baylor's brashness. Ignoring their displeasure, he continued, "In Henricks' absence, Ned was in charge. In light of his disappearance someone has to take the lead while Henricks is off somewhere—God knows where—"
"He didn't just go 'somewhere,' Baylor," the HR department chief, interrupted, her sharp tone underscoring her frustration. She leaned forward, her piercing gaze flickering to the robed stranger standing beside Baylor. "Henricks went to meet the Southern Princess to hold her to her end of the deal."
Baylor scoffed, his lips curling into a bitter smirk. "Oh, come on, Blair. Let's not kid ourselves. It was the Southern Princess who exposed our dealings to the World Leaders, prompting their strike against us. Even a child could see that trusting her now is a fool's errand," he retorted, his words laced with disdain.
Blair's eyes narrowed as she sat back in her chair, her fingers tapping against the table in a measured rhythm. Baylor seized the moment to press on, his voice rising. "Let's say—hypothetically—that Henricks somehow convinces the Southern Princess to uphold her end of the deal. After all, she's done to us, after everything that's happened, would you honestly trust her enough to restart the migration plan using the passage she provided? Do you still have faith in her, Blair?"
The room fell silent as Baylor's words hung heavy in the air. Blair's tapping stopped her gaze from hardening as she mulled over his pointed question. Around the table, the other chiefs shifted uneasily, the weight of their precarious situation sinking in.
"Oh? Then do you have any brilliant ideas, Baylor? I'm all ears," the R&D department head snapped, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair, her sneer making it clear just how little faith she had in him. The tension in the room thickened as everyone silently watched Baylor, waiting for his response.
"Yes, I do," Baylor replied instantly, his tone smug, as though he'd been lying in wait for that very question. His lips curled into a satisfied smirk, and Luna, the R&D chief, frowned, realizing she'd walked right into his trap.
Her frustration was obvious as she looked away, biting the inside of her cheek. The room fell into an awkward silence, the other department heads refusing to engage. They all knew Baylor was baiting them, but no one dared speak up. Everyone understood what was happening—Baylor was staging a coup in Henricks' and Neb's absence.
Instead of confronting him, the department heads opted for neutrality, each wary of further destabilizing their already fragile situation. They weren't silent out of agreement but out of necessity. In a crisis , sticking together was paramount. Strife within their ranks would only hasten their downfall.
Still, it was heartbreaking to watch. Henricks's disciple, whom they all trusted, was now trying to undermine him.
Luna broke the silence, her voice laced with exasperation. "Enough of this. This is a waste of time. I'm heading back." She pushed her chair back with a screech and stood, brushing off her lab coat. Her narrowed eyes swept over the room, silently chastising the others for their inaction.
Luna turned to leave, her steps brisk and determined, her mind already racing with ideas for a new migration plan—just in case they needed one. She didn't wait for anyone's permission or acknowledgment. But just as she reached the door, it slammed shut with a heavy thud.
"Luna, take your seat while I'm still being polite," Baylor said, his voice cold and commanding, the tension in the room escalating instantly
Luna froze mid-step, her fingers curling into fists. Slowly, she turned back to face him, her expression dark and unyielding. "What the fuck did you just say to me?" she shot back, her voice sharp enough to cut through the air. Her eyes burned with defiance, and though she was only a Card Emperor, she made it clear she wasn't afraid of Baylor—or any of the demigods in the room, for that matter.
As her starry pupils began to shimmer with a dangerous glow, the room's atmosphere shifted. Baylor and every other demigod, including his mysterious guest, immediately shut their eyes and sharpened their other senses. Their intent senses flared to life, scanning for any movement or change. They knew better than to underestimate Luna's bloodline ability and its strong psychotic effects.
But for those caught in her line of sight, it was already too late. Her gaze had snared them. She was in their heads now, dulling their minds' sense of time with terrifying ease.
Luna slowly walked back toward the round table, her steps deliberate, her head slightly tilted as if in thought. She mumbled under her breath, her voice low but audible enough to echo faintly in the tense room, "Just because I lost Wyatt doesn't mean I'm weak. It just means he's strong."
Her eyes locked onto Baylor as she reached the table, her manic grin spreading wider with each step. "You," she said, her voice sharp and laced with mockery as she pointed a finger in his direction. She paused, letting the weight of her words hang in the air before continuing, "As someone who betrayed their family and homeland, I'm in no place to lecture about loyalty... but are you really sure you want to go through with this?"
Baylor didn't reply—not out of shame or guilt, but because his mind was processing everything excruciatingly slowly. Under Luna's bloodline ability, every second felt like five, leaving him stuck in a mental fog. The room felt heavy and oppressive, for those affected by her eyes it was as if time itself had been warped.
It wasn't until Luna stood directly in front of him, her piercing gaze boring into his, that Baylor's mind finally caught up to what she had said moments ago. But just as he scrambled to form a response, she tilted her head slightly, her grin fading into something far more sinister.
As Baylor's sluggish thoughts fought to take control, Luna's hand twitched at her side, her intent clear. She was ready to end him and send his soul to the River of Souls. Whatever Baylor was plotting, she knew it wasn't good for the organization—especially now.