ÁSTUR
08.01.8462 - 4:10 AM
The National Museum of Ástur is the largest museum of Natural History and Anthropology of the New World, located in one of the most beautiful parks north of Ástur, in a Palace built to house the Royal Family on their visits to the New World. After the independence of Asturias, the site was transformed into an extensive museum, and its parks opened to the public, allowing any citizen or visitor to enjoy the beautiful view of one of the city's bays.
The Palace, in those early hours of the day, remained lit by external reflectors, which gave a majestic air to the place. The trees in the park were shaking with the wind from that higher area of the city. Except for many cats that roamed the gardens and slept on some short walls, no other being could be found around the place.
The person all dressed in black jumped over one of the iron gates that gave access to the park, entering a wide pedestrian street lined with leafy trees. They walked down the path, passing by a Zoo, also located on the park's perimeters, and onward turning left and accessing a small pedestrian crossing that went up to the National Museum.
The person crossed the small garden, surrounded by palm trees that were decades old, and headed towards the Museum's main entrance, climbing a flight of stairs and crossing the street in front of the Palace. They looked from side to side, squinting their eyes and trying to identify anyone else in that location, but found only the various cats scattered around the building. According to information collected, there was no security whatsoever at the museum, whether technological or human.
They made a small wave with their hands, and a metallic sound came from the knob of one of the museum's three main doors. The person tried to turn the knob, but the door would not open. 'A simple Spell is not enough to open these doors'. They took three steps back and raised their hands in the air, and in a choreographed movement, rotated their hands in a coordinated way, then lowering them, pointing all fingers towards the double doors in the center of the building.
With an unquestionable bang, the doors fully opened. The person flinched in fright and approached one of the walls that were not illuminated by the spotlights. They started to look from side to side, their breathing labored, remaining in the same place for almost ten minutes, ensuring that the noise had not caught anyone's attention.
After waiting, they left the dimness and walked through the double doors, entering the museum. Spotlights illuminated the museum entrance, highlighting a beautiful dark meteorite in the very center of the room. The person glanced at the meteorite, remembering a certain schoolwork on the five tons, one and a half meter siderite. They pushed away from childhood thoughts and proceeded to the goal, circling the meteorite and climbing the stairs to the museum's upper floor.
The person walked through two rooms, reaching a section reserved for New World natives objects. They carefully observed the walls and tables filled with tools, cutlery, paintings, and even old photographs of New World natives. The illumination of the spotlights entered the room through the glass windows, still, it was not enough to illuminate the room properly, but it was enough for the person to locate the needed artifact.
A rusty scythe with a wooden handle was on the wall opposite the windows among several rudimentary agricultural tools. The person gave a small smile.
GOVERNMENT PALACE
08.01.8462 - 10:12 AM
The Government Palace is a large building located on one of the several beaches of Ástur. Although the main buildings are on the water, the entrance to the complex was through a building in the middle of Liberty Square that is connected to the others by a bridge that crosses a strip of beach. That morning, unusual cars approached the Square Building, as is called the building on Liberty Square. The last car to arrive at the Palace took Mila, Marta, Mário, Scarlet, and Nair.
Five floors above, in the Square Building, Charlotte sequentially tapped her long fingers on the brown table in the conference room. Beside her was sitting Fernanda, with her laptop open, her hair in a bun. Sitting on the left side of the table were Lélia, Fernand, Vaughan, and Richard, all with their heads bowed, looking at the top of the table. Charlotte stopped tapping her fingers and looked out the window, squinting her eyes a little, feeling a pang of pain as the sun shone through the building. A small beep echoed through the room, drawing everyone's attention:
"The rest of the guests arrived," said the voice of the receptionist.
Everyone sighed momentarily.
The door to the meeting room opened, and Nair, Scarlet, Mila, Mário, and Marta walked into the room; Mila was sitting in a chair next to Marta. The right side of the table, empty, awaited the latecomers. Everyone settled down, while Marta pulled aside one of the chairs to make room for her daughter's floating chair.
Like the entire Government Palace, the room was minimalist, with little furniture, all made of wood or glass. The hardwood floor brought a certain warmth to the place. When Mila's floating chair approached the table, the girl put her arms on the brown top, and Charlotte began to speak.
"I've been through the Musical Wars and the Last War, and you know well the many aspects that the two have in common. An interesting feature is that both began with a substantial increase in violence and intolerance among individuals, intolerance of cultures mainly. The Musical Wars put half the world at war with its neighbors, and even the ancient world entered that war that became the biggest since. I saw friends dying, family members disappearing, the war left the ground and went to the seas, and from the seas went to the skies. I was in my early thirties when it all started. At first, representatives and even spies were kidnapped; they were brutally tortured to reveal the secrets of their countries," Charlotte was so engrossed in her speech that she didn't even notice a certain discomfort in Fernand. "We know it all started with my father, but soon after, other kingdoms did the same, and took it to a greater degree, kidnapping and imprisoning people who might have any relationship with the Herrscher and Vindobona dynasty. Finally, centuries later, the world was different. My father had lost the war, and our former colonies were now independent kingdoms. A few decades ago, I watched the same thing happen; the States of the Old World seemed not to be satisfied with my rule and the diminishment of their sovereignty. People close to me were gone, some spies and secretaries. The war started three months after the first disappearance. Do you understand what do I mean? After the conflict between the Old and New Worlds, violence was banned."
"Actually, it was concentrated in your hands...," Richard interrupted.
"Be silent, Richard. This is not the moment," Charlotte looked with burning eyes at Richard, although keeping her voice and gestures of pure calm. "Yes, I was harsh and insensitive, but I managed to banish violence from this entire planet, using those who surrendered to their most primordial instincts."
With a long wave of her right hand, Charlotte made a teapot on a corner table, followed by several cups come floating and distributing themselves among the guests; the teapot magically served one by one with a steaming amber drink.
"It's cinnamon; I prepared it myself. Help yourselves," Charlotte continued. "It is unacceptable that something like this should have occurred. Everyone right now at the Intelligence Institute of Arkadia is committed to finding out what is going on. Each of you in this room will have agents from the IIA" Charlotte pronounced the acronym "ia" stretching out a little longer in vowel I. "and the Arkadian Police to protect you," Charlotte said.
Fernanda then began to take some notes.
"This is not right, my Queen," Lélia said. "An IIA and AP agent following me all the time? There's no need, I know how to defend myself very well, Charlotte."
"I don't doubt that Lélia, you have AA class powers, you can make a third of the population of Arkadia pass out with a snap of your fingers.
"Do not exaggerate," said Lélia.
"You don't understand what I'm saying here, Lélia. The betrayal my father suffered from my mother and me made him lose the Musical Wars, and it was the betrayal of an old friend of mine that served as the final straw for the beginning of the Last War. It is those we love the most that can hurt and destroy us; after all, from our enemies, we always expect the worst, and we are always on the alert. It is those we love and trust that we should be afraid of. They are the ones who know our secrets and can wreck us. I'm sure one of you knows everything that's going on, and the IIA and AP agents are just out to find out who the bad apple is," Charlotte's face had changed; she looked at everyone suspiciously. "And be glad not to include Globapol, as long as the case remains within Richard's realms, it won't be necessary."
"Involving the World Police would be too much; it would even go beyond your jurisdiction," Commented Richard.
Except for Lélia and Richard, everyone seemed stupefied by what they had just heard. Richard smiled with disdain; he knew that this was a typical attitude of his aunt, while Lélia was red with anger.
"Seriously, Charlotte, you're exaggerating; look at Mila, someone attacked her. Why is she here listening to this?" Lélia spoke in a very low tone, clearly trying to control herself.
"Was she really attacked? And she really doesn't know anything?" Charlotte asked, staring at Mila. "Anna told me that the blade was soaked with a solution that prevented Mila from dying, anesthetized the wound, and even helped with the healing. Strange, and the stab wasn't even in a vital place."
"ENOUGH," Shouted Marta. "ENOUGH! I didn't come here to see my daughter insulted like this. Come on," said Marta looking at Mário, Nair, and Scarlet.
Charlotte crossed her fingers, placing her elbow on the table, unfazed by Marta's outburst and Mário, Nair, and Scarlet getting up and heading for the door. She simply started to speak in a lower tone.
"Marta, note that your daughter is special. There are twenty-eight beings with AA class powers in the entire world, and three of them are here in this room. The exceptions of the world seem to be all around us," Charlotte glanced sideways at Marta, who was already up and heading for the door. "Do you think there's nothing weird?" Charlotte took a deep breath looking at Mila sitting in the floating chair. "Anyway, you can go. But first, let everyone know that we must disclose everything that happened. The disappearance of Oswaldo and Jeannie, as well as the attack on the girls," Charlotte paused. Mário, Marta, Mila, Scarlet, and Nair were already near the door; he got up and looked at Mila sitting in the floating chair. "And good luck Mila, hope you get well soon."
"Thank you," Mila said awkwardly.
Marta hurried down the hall, guiding the floating chair with her right hand.
Charlotte remained calm in the meeting room on the fifth floor of the Square Building at the Government Palace. She was always very emphatic, but when someone in a meeting lost patience – and this often happened when she was present – she had the strange characteristic of becoming calmer and more measured. Richard, noticing that Fernanda continued to take note of some things, began to say:
"Charlotte, if your employees are here to protect my citizens, I agree. In any other circumstance that exceeds protection, I'll ban them from Asturias."
"Richard, I'm sorry, but you are not in a position to choose; this is a matter of world security...," Charlotte began.
"Well, then everyone on my team will be watching your team, including the Rouge," Richard said, facing Fernanda. However, it was Lélia who got excited.
"Oh! Great, now I will be watched by my State and the World Government, is that right, Richard?" Lélia said coldly, raising her eyebrow.
"Calm down, Lélia," Fernand said quietly, taking her friend's arm and pulling her again to sit down.
"Lélia, not you, but the rest of Rouge will be under watch," Richard said. "At least the ones who entered Asturias."
"You should be less naive, Richard. Comme d'hab, you just react to my attitudes, never being able to lead your own. It's amazing," Charlotte said, settling back in her chair and turning to face Lélia. "Lélia, like it or not, you will be watched; if this will be beneficial for your safety or ours, only time will tell us. But let everyone know that the measures aim at everyone's comfort and protection. Everyone should declare any trip, understood?"
"Yes," said Fernand. "I'm going to Raghar in four hours. I'll take a direct flight from Ástur there. Where should I formalize this trip? Can it be with you, Fernanda?" He said with an ironic tone.
Lélia turned to him with a tone of surprise.
"It can be," Charlotte replied dryly. "Are you going to visit the children?"
"Yes," Fernand replied simply.
"They are not in Pleiziň?" Charlotte asked suspiciously.
"No, they got tired of the extreme cold of the north and went to the south of the country; they are with their aunt, Alena."
"I will have a lecture for new CriSPe entrants today at 6 pm, in Luísia. Will I need to declare too?" Lélia questioned. "Do you already want to tell one of your employees so they can go with me?"
"Lélia, you don't need to warn anyone; follow your path, all of you," Charlotte calmly faced each one at the table. "But know that there will be agents of mine taking care of your safety or discovering your frauds. Do we have a deal?" Charlotte said seriously. "Fernanda, please, send all the information we have discussed here today to Eillen. You're all released. I will spend the day in Ástur with my team, and we will return in the evening to Arkadia; any problems, please contact me."
Charlotte got up and left the room without saying another word or looking at the rest of the group. Fernanda followed the Queen's attitude, leaving the room silently but more out of shame than irritation.
"Lélia, do you really need to go to CriSPe today?" Richard asked.
"Yes, I need, I'll take a commercial flight to Luisia, and I believe I'll stay there, at home."
"Oh, okay. I'll see if I can arrange for Nair to stay here," said Richard. "Vaughan, what action do you want to take? Do you want to go to Luísia with Lélia or offer help to the IIA? Whatever you decide, you will have my support."
"Let's stop by Marta's house to say goodbye properly to the guys and tell Nair to stay here, and then we go to the island. I prefer to stay there," said Vaughan
"Okay," Richard said, getting up. "I'm going to my office to solve some pending issues, it's probable that I'll summon a Mayors Board meeting to discuss the commemoration of Asturias independence, so can stay here during the day, and stop by Marta's house at nightfall, before going to the Island."
Fernand and Lélia said goodbye to Richard and Vaughan with kisses on the cheek. Lélia was somewhat shaken.
"Everything will be fine," Richard said. "Good lecture."
"I know. Thanks. Send a kiss to the guys for me and apologies for not passing by," Lélia replied, looking down. She picked up her bag and looked at Fernand. "Fernand, are we ready to go to the airport? I want to get to Luísia earlier and rest at home a little bit before the lecture."
"Yeah, I should be there by now," Fernand replied.
Fernand and Lélia left the building, entered the subway station just in front of the Square Building, and headed towards the airport. At the same time, Richard and Vaughan crossed the building towards the bridge that connected the other buildings suspended over the sea near the beach.