"W-what?" The cold pang of fear pierced its bloodied fangs through his mind, his heart drumming the motif of dread. His chest heaved with laden breaths; his trembling words stifled in his throat. The duo had grown accustomed to the audacious ways of their organization, they knew the lengths they'd go to just to get what they wanted, yet such a mission tasked so abruptly was blatantly illogical. Meydem stepped forward, the composure behind her vivacious green eyes shattering to pieces. Reading past the opaque eyes of their leader, there was no bluff to call, nor was there a lie to expose. He stared at them with zero doubt in his eyes; he was dead serious.
Her eyes narrowed, her throbbing heartbeat echoing in her ears. "Sire... why?" Meydem murmured, squeezing the words from her inundated synapses. "Why the change of heart? What is the reason behind bestowing such an insurmountable endeavor onto us?" Sacrificing their chess pieces just to coordinate the bigger picture was no unfamiliar concept to the two, yet they were staples within the foundation; irreplaceable warriors that held together both their populace and organization, throwing them aside as if they were another expendable pawn was ludicrous.
"This is... rather unexpected, I am aware." Stanislaw concurred, nodding his head. "I wouldn't normally task you both with such an arduous journey. But, circumstance has carved a different path for us, I suppose." Their commander trudged toward the side of his office, grasping the meticulous map that both oversees and extends beyond the expanse their missions usually take place. The man slammed it onto his desk, grabbing a pen from his pen holder.
"I don't mean to question your leadership, but you do realize what you're asking us to do, right?" Vorion interrupted, brushing past his wife. "Of course I do. But, as it stands, we have little choice. The Havoc Force is the dead center of this war; it's the causation, it's the epicenter of battle, and its ethereal capabilities are something ubiquitously hunted for. That being said, with recent escalation... factions have been growing more desperate."
Vorion's eyes widened. Once voiced, he was able to somewhat cohere what Stanislaw's point was. As of recent, efforts from their adversaries have been growing more desperate. Despite being realized by the two, it was a variable gone unnoticed, something merely glossed over by the two. Prying spies into the minds of the other factions was no easy task, so having insight as to what their opponents were doing behind the scenes was rare.
"...the science division has been working harder than usual too, now that you mention it," Vorion added, pondering. Stanislaw nodded, "Even if direct confrontations with The Havoc Force are close to impossible, I'm sure you're aware of its erratic nature. It warps our world regularly, it distills the stars and caters reality to its will; yet, never once has it been as vulnerable compared to now."
"Recently, scientists have discovered its recent fluctuations could both lead to adversity and blessing. Its recent fluctuations have made the force both vulnerable and unstable. With the wrong stimulation or if left alone for too long, The Havoc Force could very well rewrite— or even warp our entire world beyond what it was already."
"What do you mean?" Asked Meydem, her eyes fluttering with curiosity. "You do recall the reason the war between humans and monsters didn't end years ago, right? Due to The Havoc Force's random appearance, the war was driven from the lands they fought on, which is what forced the world into dividing into four factions. The Havoc Force warped the battlefield, and those close enough to it were slain by its mere inundating presence alone. Thankfully, what was executed was an inferior form of its actual capabilities, mitigated beyond our comprehension... which leads to our current qualms. There has recently been a risk that it could release something beyond what it did during its formation and said risk has only been growing stronger. The field around the cavern that The Havoc Force exists in has appeared to be faltering, with its constant warping growing to a bigger scale as a result."
At the reassuring explanation, Vorion's pounding heart slowly abated to its steady flow; the diminishing perplexity welted up in the fighter relinquishing his bated breath. "I... see." It all came too abruptly. The weight of their endeavor pushed down like a mountain, the pressure of them suddenly being tasked with bringing the terminus of their never-ending war pressed down against their nape, sinking into their enduring hearts.
"We really don't have a choice, do we?" Asked Vorion, to which Stanislaw nodded. "Well, more of an ultimatum. You don't do it and our world ends. I think the choice here is obvious." The man tilted his head, leaning forward, waiting in anticipation for their inevitable caving.
"Vorion, honey... this is what we've been working up to, even if it's coming sooner than we thought!" Meydem placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Smiling, she continued. "Think about it... so as long as we are successful, the war comes to an end, and we can restore things to what they originally once were! The conditions our society is in could change, for the better! All the factions could migrate together once again, and–" Vorion cut her off. "This is a really big 'if', you recognize that, yeah?" Vorion glared down at Meydem. She truly was his other half; with her tender gaze alone, she abated his usual belligerent nature. But, with his blood pumping with trepidation, her glimmering emerald eyes reflected a new perspective: an impetus to protect the one he loved. "...one step at a time, dear. I believe you're jumping ahead, there's a lot of complexities standing in our way before we achieve ubiquitous peace."
Meydem stopped, considering his words. He was right; but even with his dismissal, her eyes twinkled with excitement. What would the look on the townsfolk's faces be when they returned with a solution to their poverty? What would their world look like once civilization was reunited? What would it be like living in peace and tranquility with both her husband and her kids? Being able to focus their undivided attention on being parents? Her fantasies fueled her ambitions, the possibility of a harmonious future just out of her grasp, yet feeling the warmth of its radiance on her fingertips.
"What about the others?" Asked Vorion, "We may be the best you have, but it isn't like the others couldn't provide some sort of use. Why are we going alone?"
Their commander chuckled, "Don't worry about that, Vorion, you think I'd send only you two?" He shook his head, answering his own question. "Of course not. But the path you guys are taking isn't the same as the rest of your group. They're coming from more populated angles, simply a mirage to hold back adversaries. You, however, are taking a more inconspicuous route. I don't doubt that you could clear them on your own, but..." Stanislaw eyed Meydem. "...I want to get to the root of the issue before anybody else has the chance to. We aren't the only individuals to make this discovery, after all."
"I see... should be a rather easy trip then, right?" Stanislaw shook his head again, "No. Not at all. We aren't the only ones to think of this plan, there are sure to be others you two will encounter. We can't hold off everybody, after all. Especially not their more capable units."
Vorion folded his arms, taking in the situation. "If the stabilization for The Havoc Force has faltered, I assume it'll be easier to access." Stanislaw nodded, "As you could assume, the tools created by our scientists would be able to affect the thing. We'll hand it to you two on your way out." Even with their leader's reassuring explanation, doubt boiled in the depths of Vorion's soul. His reluctance reflected in his eyes, dilated pupils glaring into their oddly composed leader.
"When should we head out then?" Vorion glanced toward Meydem, seeking her input as well. Unlike her husband, Meydem refused to let her qualms falter her burning aspiration. Even with the blades of their inevitable journey attempting to try into her mind. "Uh... we could leave after preparations," Meydem responded, resurging her confident attitude yet again. The complexities of The Havoc Force scorched their world, yet it was far too abrupt to have coincidentally discovered a way to subjugate the enigmatic power. Even if their experiences didn't substantiate Stanislaw's words, they could sense he wasn't lying. The word faltered under the recent fluctuations of The Havoc Force. They sensed the truth behind being tasked with bringing the cessation to the war they thought endless.
"Right, well," Stanislaw stood up, ghosting the tip of his pen across the presumed path the duo would take. "You all get yourselves situated. I'll meet you in the briefing room, yeah?" Stanislaw's eyes jumped toward the two, "Alright." Vorion nodded, shifting toward the exit. "Let's go, Meydem." The two trudged out of the office, the grandiose doors slamming behind them as they left.
Stanislaw lowered his head, sighing. A small grin plastered his face, rhythmically tapping his pen against the desk. "...I suppose things are in fate's hands now." Scooping up the map into his arms, the man turned to the view displaying the outside nature. Durable thick glass stood in between him and a beautiful expanse, lush in their greenery and preserves. Despite how The Havoc Force has changed their world, areas not exposed to the war still retained their intrinsic beauty. The forest, whilst not living up to the mystical greenwoods their world once flourished in, still struck awe into the unfamiliar hearts.
Hope glimmered in his irises. They were given the chance to restore– no, surpass the world they once knew, to bring the raging turmoil between the cardinal factions to a halt. His grip on the map tightened, and his subtle grin evolved into a smile. With a profound, blazing determination, the man turned to his left, pushing through another door.