Inside the throne room, Sniper stared at the luscious mountain range outside of the massive window behind his throne. As Mike entered the throne room, he was once again afflicted by an aura of overwhelming power. As he walked, he noticed how much more luxurious the throne room had gotten since his last visit. The shiny silver stairs were removed and replaced with steps made from pure gold. The statue of Atlas behind Sniper's throne was removed and replaced with a towering statue of Sniper himself dressed in a luxurious imperial robe. The inscription that used to be "pax est fortium" (peace is for the strong) on Sniper's throne was replaced with "imperium aeternum imperatori" (eternal power to the emperor).
Upon arriving in front of the staircase leading to the throne, Mike kneeled down and awaited Sniper's orders. Yet, as Sniper turned around, something about his expression felt different.
[Sniper] - "It's a resounding success, Mike. After 3 years of brutal conflict, we are finally wielding the key to greatness. The world shall see my vision of a greater humanity. "
Said Sniper as his voice echoed across the throne room.
[Mike] - "Indeed, uncle, our success is... "
[Sniper] - "That is 'my lord' to you, young man, but go on. "
Said Sniper as he returned to his throne.
[Mike] - "Of course, my lord. What I was saying was how quick our success was. "
[Sniper] - "Indeed, Grand Knight. We are about to bring an age of peace and prosperity never seen before to the world. You must realize how lucky you are to witness the birth of a utopia. "
[Mike] - "I do realize, my lord. "
Sniper signalled for Mike to rise up with a hand gesture.
[Sniper] - "So what brings you to visit me all of a sudden? "
Mike hesitated for a second before opening his mouth.
[Mike] - "Our empire, my lord. I happen to witness behaviours that soil the reputation of the imperial army go unpunished. I also saw the indecent and cowardly use of the godly power of the crystals by cyberknights. Unrestrained by the hands of the law or of nature, these cyberknights have brought dishonour and shame to the empire and you, yet they received no retribution for their actions. "
[Sniper] - "Hmm... I see. So what do you suggest, then? "
Said Sniper with a vindicating stare aimed at Mike.
[Mike] - "That we punish these delinquents with the appropriate sentence that corresponds to their crimes. "
[Sniper] - "So you are suggesting we must punish the entirety of the imperial forces? That we should purge the empire of all of its knights and officers? "
[Mike] - "Only those who have abused their power. "
Sniper chuckled at Mike's serious expression.
[Sniper] - "You see, Mike, no one is innocent in a war. Those who overstep their boundary will be dealt with accordingly. I'm not blind, Mike, I see everything! You accuse your comrades of immorality, but how innocent are you? I know your little love affair, despite how I prohibited you from engaging in any relationship. Yet, you not only defied my orders, but you also tainted our family blood by engaging romantically with a laboratory experiment. Does this mean I should cut off your head too? "
Said Sniper with authority.
The answer shocked Mike, as he didn't expect Sniper to find out about his secrets. Mike kept his head down and remained silent while Sniper stared at him with a vexing look in his eyes. Although Sniper remained seated with no action on his part, Mike suddenly felt a crushing weight on his back. Soon, even as Mike tried to resist the pressure using his ability, he found himself completely crushed against the floor.
[Sniper] - "You dare question my decisions, Grand Knight? What kind of heretical thoughts have afflicted your mind for you to doubt me? "
[Mike] - "My lord! Wasn't this Empire built on a promise of reform? Wasn't... Wasn't our Empire made to destroy a world that favoured these behaviours? I may have gone against your words in my personal life, yet I have served loyally and have never forsaken your philosophy and ideas. "
Muttered Mike as he fought the crushing weight on his back.
[Sniper] - "Yet you dare suppose I do not know of these behaviours from my own subjects. "
Mike struggled to breathe as the echoes of Sniper's words pressed against his lungs like a massive boulder. The sheer power in his voice was enough to suffocate Mike's will to fight back.
[Sniper] - "All that was needed from me is two punches for 10,000 years of civilization to end, and yet, I chose restrain. I, a man afflicted with divine power, chose to sacrifice my time and effort for an ungrateful humanity. Somehow, the simplest of issues is enough for traitors and heretics to appear in my Empire. However, what about all the good I have done? "
Yelled Sniper as he swiped his hand while the crystals on his arms shined with a blinding white glow.
With this simple gesture, the entire world received a microscopic earthquake. Though barely anyone was affected by the slight shaking of the ground, Mike knew just how terrifyingly wrong everything could go if Sniper had decided to throw a real fit of rage.
[Sniper] - "We have brought the entire world under compliance, yet there was not a single thank you from anyone. All these genocides, these so-called war crimes... Weren't these caused by the very people we tried to help? They resist, they rebel, they spread anti-imperial propaganda. What makes these people different than Michele and his rebellion? When you killed thousands of Michele's followers, were you feeling like a war criminal or an immoral agent? "
Said Sniper with a hint of madness in his eyes.
[Mike] - "So you ordered these massacres, my lord... "
Said Mike as dread appeared in his eyes.
Slowly, Sniper deposited his helmet on the side of his throne and revealed his real face beneath the mask. As he did so, he breathed a sigh of relief as if he had been holding his breath. This was the first time Mike had seen Sniper's real face with his own eyes.
[Sniper] - "Yes, I did. I do not need to hide behind a facade anymore. Because at a certain point, I forgot that I'm a God and allowed these mortals to dance on my head. Times have changed. Gods should not follow the same rules as mortals. "
Said Sniper with a smile of satisfaction.
[Mike] - "These are civilians, my lord. They have done nothing against the Empire. "
[Sniper] - "Aren't we all civilians once? But when you accept a certain ideology or role, you officially reject your role as an innocent. As Gods, we should not bother ourselves with the death of a few insignificant mortals. "
Mike, although deep down he was deeply disturbed by Sniper's arguments, still chose to show acknowledgement of Sniper's philosophy.
[Sniper] - "The deed has been done, yet your loyalty as my enforcer will persist. I will not tolerate another contestation of my decisions. Remember, I'm not only the God of humanity, but I'm also your God. "
Said Sniper with a raised chin as he pointed his finger at Mike from the height of his throne.
[Mike] - "I understand, my lord. "
Sniper stood up and walked back to the window, which overlooked the green mountains.
[Sniper] - "Remember who your allegiance lies with. A knife does not discriminate between blood if it's forged in the fire of betrayal. "
Mike's hands started to tremble uncontrollably as Sniper's words echoed inside his mind. As soon as the throne room doors closed behind him, Mike breathed a heavy sigh of relief. The oppressive atmosphere around Sniper forced every single fibre of his body to lose the will to resist. He was nothing but a stone statue back there, devoid of freedom or movement.
[Mike] - "God fucking damn it... Why am I trembling so much? "
Whispered Mike in frustration while his fingers kept shaking.
After banging his fists repetitively against the wall, Mike finally managed to regain control over his body. It was a fear he couldn't understand, but a fear so powerful that its source was beyond the confines of this reality. As for what Mike had witnessed today, somewhere along the line, Sniper must have had a change of mind during the crusade. Maybe it was paranoia, maybe it was insanity, but the Emperor Mike spoke to was no longer the man Mike knew him as.
Suddenly, a set of ideas sprang up in Mike's mind, ideas so terrifying that Mike avoided considering them from the moment they manifested inside his psyche. What if Mike had fought for nothing? What if all this bloodshed and virtuous effort were for nothing? What if he fought for the interest of a tyrant? What if Sniper was never the man he believed him to be?
Meanwhile, in the Mount Everest base, Kadyn walked freely in the hallways while attracting curious stares from her surroundings. Suddenly, a girl with long blonde hair stopped Kadyn in her tracks.
[KD-551] - "Why aren't you in your barrack room, KD-555? "
Said KD-551 with a murderous look in her eyes.
[Kadyn] - "Oh, don't need to. I have been set free. "
Said Kadyn with an innocent smile.
However, KD-551 didn't seem to share Kadyn's enthusiasm as she extended her wrist blades and aimed their tips at Kadyn's throat.
[KD-551] - "Cut the nonsense. You will return to your station immediately without delay! "
Said KD-551 without a hint of emotion in her voice.
[Kadyn] - "I'm being serious, you dumb bitch, just check the records. "
Without hesitation, KD-551 stabbed forward, but Kadyn immediately blocked her strikes with her own blades. After a few back-and-forth stabs, the two girls ended up in a blade lock while their green eyes stared intensely into each other.
[Mike] - "Hmm... I wonder which one of you is Kadyn. "
The two of them turned their heads to see Mike standing in front of them.
[Kadyn] - "Are you serious? "
Said Kadyn with a baffled expression on her face.
[KD-551] - "Greeting, Admiral-General Mike. My apologies if our presence has offended you. "
Said KD-551 as she immediately broke off the fight and kneeled in front of Mike.
[Mike] - "I was joking. Did you miss me? "
Said Mike as he gently hugged Kadyn from behind.
[Kadyn] - "Don't do this in public; you are going to get caught. "
Whispered Kadyn while trying to push Mike off her.
[Mike] - "Sniper knows already. I suppose we weren't as sneaky as we thought. "
[Kadyn] - "You don't want the entirety of the empire to know you are banging me. Imagine how degrading this would be for your image. "
[Mike] - "Oh, is that so? "
Said Mike in a smug voice.
Mike suddenly called out to all the personnel and soldiers who roamed the hangar.
[Kadyn] - "What are you doing? "
Whispered Kadyn as she tried to shut Mike up.
After making sure that he got most of the people's attention, Mike abruptly grabbed Kadyn and kissed her on the mouth. Although Kadyn was shocked by Mike's action, she made almost no effort to struggle out of his grip since she knew it was useless. After a few seconds, Kadyn closed her eyes and simply accepted the fact as it was. During this time, KD-551 remained frozen in shock at the scene that played in front of her.
Mike was commonly known across the empire as a celebrity and was well-liked by the men he served with. Many in the crowd who personally knew Mike cheered for him, while those who only heard of him showed an expression of shock at what they had just witnessed. By the time Mike pulled away from Kadyn, she was already red as a cherry.
Like a pair of newlyweds, Mike and Kadyn moved across rows of cheering personnel and soldiers. While Kadyn covered her face with Mike's coat, Mike saluted the people he recognized amongst the crowd. After exiting the hangar and moving to a place without people, Kadyn immediately stopped Mike and stood in front of him in anger.
[Kadyn] - "What has gotten into you? Do... do you know what kind of consequence this could bring? "
[Mike] - "Oh please, my little fox, without my armour or my helmet, most only know me as Admiral-General Mike. Most don't even know I'm the Grand Knight. "
[Kadyn] - "That's beside the point! I want to know why you did that. "
[Mike] - "Look, sooner or later, if we were to be official, secrecy won't last forever. So, instead of being scared, why not go out with a bang? "
Kadyn's expression quickly changed from anger to mischief. With a smug grin on her face, Kadyn quickly dragged Mike into a busy hallway while sticking her body against his and resting her head on his shoulder as they walked. The passing men and women quickly started to whisper amongst themselves upon seeing the two of them walking in such an intimate way.
After a while, they arrived inside the KD-assassins' barracks, where Kadyn approached her bunkbed and kissed Mike in front of her fellow assassins.
[Kadyn] - "Goodbye forever, losers! "
Said Kadyn while flipping off her fellow assassins.
All five assassin sisters simply stood in confusion as they couldn't comprehend why Kadyn decided to leave or how Kadyn managed to seduce an officer of such high rank.
As the two returned to the hallway, Mike finally broke the silence after so long.
[Mike] - "Can I know why- "
[Kadyn] - "I just feel like rubbing it in the faces of those bitches. "
Said Kadyn with a satisfied smile on her face.
[Mike] - "Fair enough. "
Once inside Mike's room, Kadyn threw her suitcase onto the side before jumping onto Mike's bed. After snuggling herself with the blanket, Kadyn allowed her camouflaged fox ears to pop up from her golden hair.
[Kadyn] - "Mpf... How can you sleep on such a stiff bed? "
[Mike] - "Well, how about this? "
The crystals on Mike's arms suddenly began to glow with a gentle blue light before Kadyn levitated into the air. As if gravity had disappeared only for the two of them, Mike quickly swam forward to lay beside Kadyn. With a snap of his finger, the room's lighting quickly switched to an ocean blue light, which gave the impression that they were floating inside the sea.
[Mike] - "Is this good enough for you? "
[Kadyn] - "It's like a dream. "
Said Kadyn with a giggle as she turned around to face Mike.
The two of them stared at each other for a moment before Kadyn spoke.
[Kadyn] - "So what now? Are we officially a thing? "
Said Kadyn as she took off her shirt.
[Mike] - "I suppose so. The war is nearing its end, so I have even more free time than before. "
Said Mike as he took off his military grey coat.
[Kadyn] - "Then I'm in your care. Make sure to spoil your wife well. "
Said Kadyn with an excited smile on her face while she took off her stockings.
[Mike] - "I'm not going to spoil you more than you already are. "
Said Mike with a grin as he took off his jacket.
[Kadyn] - "Hehe! Maybe tonight you can spoil me just a little more by giving me a ba- "
Said Kadyn in a playful voice while placing her finger against her lips.
[Mike] - "No! Don't even think about it. "
Interjected Mike before Kadyn could finish her sentence.
With a lustful expression on her face, Kadyn allowed her bra to slip off her body while covering her breasts with her arm.
[Kadyn] - "But I want iittttt... "
Said Kadyn with a playful expression.
[Mike] - "Not a chance. "
Slowly, she guided her hands down toward her lower body before spreading her "lips" apart with two of her fingers. In a swift motion, Kadyn pressed her hand against the wall while holding her breasts with the other. Without wasting a second, Mike took Kadyn in his arms before kissing her on the neck. After a long, steamy foreplay, she turned around and leg-locked Mike against her as they made love to each other.
Amidst their passion-filled session, Kadyn's eyes met Mike's before she slowly spoke.
[Kadyn] - "I know you said later, but when do you think we can build a family one day? "
Said Kadyn as sweat trickled down from her forehead.
[Mike] - "Someday, it's hard to say. "
Mike focused his mind on making Kadyn squirm in his grasp.
[Kadyn] - "Even if none of my other... Mphm... dreams can be accomplished, this is the one I will insist on... Since... "
Said Kadyn before letting out a series of muffled moans while covering her mouth.
Slowly, Kadyn pressed her hand against Mike's chest and stopped him from moving.
[Kadyn] - "... Since you know how much it matters to me. Giving life a chance would be the apex of my tainted existence so far. "
Mike gently grabbed Kadyn's hand and moved it out of his way.
[Mike] - "Shhh... I promise to realize every single element on your bucket list. Whatever it may be, I'll make it a reality eventually. "
Said Mike with a confident grin.
Kadyn's emerald irises shone brightly before she jumped against Mike, which caused the two of them to spin a full turn in the air.
[Kadyn] - "Mike... Why would you go crazy for someone like me? I was just joking to myself all this time, but you somehow went along with everything I wanted. "
Whispered Kadyn as tears of joy gathered at the edge of her eyes.
[Mike] - "You are such a dense girl sometimes. Why do you ask these dumb questions if you already know the answer? "
Said Mike in a gentle voice while caressing Kadyn's cheek.
[Kadyn] - "*Giggle* I suppose I'm just a bit silly sometimes. "
Finally, after a few hours, the pair lay exhausted on the bed with Kadyn rolling on top of Mike's chest.
[Kadyn] - "Say, Mike, can you call me something else than 'Little fox'? "
Whispered Kadyn while she tapped her finger against Mike's torso.
[Mike] - "Sure, what do you want me to call you? "
[Kadyn] - "Well, call me 'Lemon. ' "
[Mike] - "Because of your blonde hair? "
[Kadyn] - "No, because when life gave you a bitter lemon, you took care of her and turned her into a sweet lemon. "
Said Kadyn with a joyful smile.
Mike smiled back accordingly upon understanding the meaning behind Kadyn's words.
To be continued...