Chapter 34: Secret Organization!

Elder Mathews frowned. His mind struggled to connect her dots.

"What do you mean?" Mathews asked.

"A secret organization? How did you even reach that conclusion?"

Elder Briggins sighed. He leaned forward in his chair.

"Martha," Briggins said. "You are stretching it. You are stretching it far."

He shook his head slowly. "If a hidden faction existed, they would leave traces. There are always footprints left behind in the desert sand of hidden crimes."

Martha glared at them. She gripped the edges of the obsidian table. She took a hard breath.

"I understand what you mean," Martha hissed. "It is not easy to hide your traces when you are working in this field."

She slammed her fist onto the table.

THUD!

"But do you really think we would be uninformed? With all our spies? With our members who have infiltrated the deep roots of Bastion Seven?"

She raised a bony finger.

"Look at all the things that happened," she demanded. "The blast in the factory where we made human sacrifices. Our plan to obliterate the students was also stopped."

She bared her teeth like a cornered animal. "And nobody knows who killed the Summoner. Graves was also assassinated, I believe."

Mathews opened his mouth to speak. Martha cut him off instantly.

"Listen carefully," she snapped. "The first two might be coincidences. An accidental fire causing the blast. Fine."

She leaned closer. "The second one is where things start getting suspicious. If the Golden Boy has the capability of killing the Abyssal Chimera, then who killed the Summoner?"

She slapped her hand down again.

SMACK!

"The third one is the most suspicious. Let us say an Academy expert killed the Summoner in the previous incident. Let us say someone from the Academy killed Graves."

Her eyes widened with fanatic realization. "Then where did the Aegis Core go? It was supposed to be in the Vault."

She pointed accusingly at the two men. "If the Academy has it, then why are they checking every student? Tell me your thoughts on this."

Silence filled the cavernous room.

"I am a thousand percent sure that someone is pulling the strings behind our backs," Martha declared. "A secret organization whose aim is our destruction is what I believe."

Briggins and Mathews looked at each other.

They suddenly burst out laughing.

Their roaring laughter echoed through the cavern. They laughed their hearts out.

Martha had a serious problem. She was a chronic overthinker. She liked to make up stories. Give her a single word, and she could make a whole scenario out of it.

At first, her words made sense to the Cult. But as time went on, it was all futile. Whatever she said never came true. This situation was exactly like the boy who cried wolf.

"I have to give it to you," Briggins wheezed while laughing. "Whenever you call these meetings, I am always hoping for a funny story. You make it sound so convincing."

He wiped a tear from his eye. "I really believed you for a second there."

"That is so true!" Mathews joined in. "Oh dear. Martha, no offense, but this is the reason nobody comes when you call for a meeting! This cannot get any funnier."

Their laughter irritated Martha deeply. Her face flushed dark red.

"Oh really?" Martha responded. "Then how do you explain these happenings? Do you have a better reason?"

Briggins took a breath. He calmed down.

"Listen to me," Briggins said. "You have answered the first question for us. It may have been a fire leak. It may have been an accidental short circuit."

He crossed his arms.

"The second incident where the Summoner died? I am sorry for your loss. He was a capable guy. But we cannot bring back the dead. They have given their life for the Eclipse."

He scoffed. "As for how and who killed him? I believe the Academy is just hiding the real mastermind so that we cannot know who it is. That Vane guy is sharp with his mind."

Mathews nodded in agreement.

"For the third incident, there may be various reasons," Mathews said. "The security may have been tighter than we expected."

Mathews adjusted his glasses. "But since they haven’t declared Graves a traitor, it seems they felt that he was killed by a thief. A thief who infiltrated the Vault. The thief was trying to shift the blame to us."

Martha paused. She interrupted him immediately.

"That is it!" Martha shouted. "Why did Graves die? Why was Eternal Eclipse blamed for this? Tell me!"

She gritted her teeth. "There is someone after us. I am telling you."

Mathews let out a heavy sigh.

"Sure," Mathews said mockingly. "I will consider your suggestion. I will investigate further. Are you happy now?"

"Yes," she replied defensively.

Briggins stood up. He dismissed the meeting without another word.

---

The scene shifted across the city.

Draven Mordis walked down a sterile hallway. He was completely unaware of the things happening due to his actions. He did not know about his terrifying reputation.

He was on his way toward the Vanguard Medical Ward. He needed to find Neville’s room. He needed to talk some sense into him.

’I cannot believe I am talking to that idiot,’ Draven thought.

His expression was flat. A single defeat was going to make Neville shake hands with the Evil God.

It was almost evening. The matches were over in the afternoon. Now it was time to just rest.

Draven stopped in front of a private room. He knocked on the door.

"Come in," Neville called out from inside.

Draven opened the door. He stepped into the room.

Neville lay in the hospital bed. He was awake. When he saw Draven’s face, he was genuinely pissed.

"What do you want from me?" Neville asked. He wore a mocking smirk. "Loser."

Draven stared at him with cold eyes.

"Oh," Draven said calmly. "I guess Aegon did not beat you enough to get your head straight."

Draven tilted his head slightly. "Oh right. You do not have one."

Neville dropped his smirk. He gave up the tough act.

"Are you here to brutalize me more than I ever was?" Neville demanded. "Just get lost if that is all you wanted to say!"

Draven stepped close to the bed. He kept his hands stuffed in his pockets.

His lazy demeanor vanished. A heavy and suffocating pressure leaked into the room.

"Listen to me," Draven whispered dangerously.

He looked down at the so-called Hero.

"You better change the way you talk to me," Draven commanded. "I will not tolerate your little pranks any further."