Polymath Redux

Chapter 24: PROJECT: Hellgate Part 1

The mercenaries drew out their swords but in retrospect it kind of felt stupid. From where would they even begin to strike the golem? Would their weapons even work against this massive metal monster? The eyes of the golem glowed much more brightly and more intensely as the mercenaries could only stare at it in confusion. However soon they realized why it was glowing.

A concentrated beam of laser shot out from its face and destroyed parts of the building around them, trying its best to not hit any of them directly. All of the mercenaries dropped their weapons and took a step back.

"I don't like killing people; at the very least I will try not to kill people who haven't offended me in anyway, unless of course it was for business reason. So I will give you men a chance to run away. Ah, but the magician stays."

At those words everyone breathed a sigh of relief, except for the magician who was panicking. He turned towards the mercenaries for help but they ignored him, in fact they had already left the premises upon hearing that they had a chance to run away.

Morialia couldn't exactly kill off the mercenaries, she still needed them to report back to the minister and tell him that the mission was compromised. That way Morgana and the white figure would be identified as separate parties.

"Wha, wha, what do you plan on doing with me?!"

The magician asked, his thoughts discombobulated by fear and anguish that the mercenaries had abandoned him.

"Congratulations! You have been selected to partake in PROJECT: Hellgate."

To this cowardly and angry magician, Morialia returned a devious smile, filled with malicious intents as she spoke those words. That was the last thing that the magician would ever think in his life; he had become a puppet to a great and unfathomable power.

...

Two figures stood silently in a room. The minister of warfare, Atem Aspidova could feel his heart rate jumping up and cold sweat running down his back. His inner ear constantly being pestered a high pitch stinging noise as the large white figure in front of him stared him down in discontent.

The figure did not talk the moment he arrived but the minister knew what he wanted to say. Yesterday he had received reports that the shipments were compromised by an unknown third party. 'Those useless mercenaries!' the minister thought to himself; he never liked the idea of mercenaries, men without a cause or country to fight for. They were simply men who sold their sword to the highest bidder; a being without a shred of honor.

"Minister... you have failed. I have yet to receive the shipment I have asked for."

"Y, yes, I realize that. If, if you could just give me a few more days I could work something out. Track down those bastards who took the weapons and take it back."

The large figure sighed and shook his head.

"Minister... it is far too late for that. The weapon shipments are already gone and you do not have enough personnel to track down and retake it."

"I... I... "

The minister couldn't talk back. Indeed, even if he hired more mercenaries, it was likely that all of the weapons were already gone and delivered back to Xagontetia or wherever.

"It seems it was a mistake for me to come to you."

The large white figure said as he turned around to leave. The minister wanted to stop him but couldn't exactly do so, he had no right. Even all of the gold he had left over from hiring those mercenaries was taken back due to an inability to fulfill their contract. As the door slammed shut and the figure left, the minister could only blame his incompetence as he punched his desk in anguish.