CHAPTER EIGHT – THE GODS COME OUT TO PLAY (1/2)

Ever since Liana was little, she never really fit anywhere. After being orphaned at a very young age, she had moved from one family to another. She was smart, so she adapted to the tasks given to her very quickly, but she was far from the most hardworking. This was one of the things that prompted her constant move from one home to another. Until she finally found herself in the royal palace. The queen had been having too many issues with all the princess's handmaidens. No one seemed to be able to cope. And that day, she gathered the finest the kingdom could offer, all being her daughter's age, to see who would be up to the task. The task of being the princess's personal maid.

"I'll like to welcome you all here. I'm sure you are all surprised that I came myself. Well, this issue has gone on for far too long. My daughter needs a maid, an assistant, sort of. Someone she can tolerate. So, for the first test, I need someone to go wake her up," the queen said to all the young ladies before her. But not one of them did as much as take a step forward. For they all knew what it meant to wake the princess. Death by hanging seemed more pleasant.

"Uhm… can I?" Liana raised her hand to ask.

"Sure," the queen said, surprised that someone actually took it up. It was more of tease. To let them know it wasn't a trivial matter. Everyone knew what waking the princess up meant, how much of a herculean task it could be. So, she had something else in mind. But if someone could actually pull it off, then there'd be no need for any further tests.

Liana walked confidently into the princess's room. What could be her reason to fear? The rumors had to just be rumors. Upon seeing the princess, Liana was surprised to see her sleeping soundly. She wasn't the monster people made her out to be. She tried to speak out, in an attempt to wake her up, but to her surprise, the princess spoke first. "You've got guts. I'll give you that. But I'd appreciate it if you leave now." And that was the first time Heress ever spoke to her.

"Everyone's a bother, right? I understand. I can help though. Let me be your outlet. Vent through me whenever you need. Main ilal abaad," Liana said, hoping to get Heress's attention.

Heress was a bit surprised to hear that statement, so much that she got up from her bed to look at Liana. "That was what my father promised my mother. Together forever. You sure you can pull that off? I'll hold you to it," Heress goaded with a smirk.

"I guess there's only one way to find out." And it was that day that the friendship between Liana and Heress began. A friendship that would transcend through over hundreds of generations. A friendship that was at risk of being destroyed, without any chance of being saved.

***

PRIDE; an organization that hunted down eccentrics, actually thought to be a robotics company to the outside world. As day to day work continued, PRIDE worked behind the scenes, eradicating eccentrics, protecting humans from them. Or so it seemed. A gentle breeze moved through the building from its entry point. It was so light, that it was almost unnoticeable. It moved all the way to the CEO's office, unlocking the door itself, without the surrounding staff's notice. And with the same stealth with which it opened the door, it closed it back. Within the office, Kai appeared. He stood in front of three other people, one being Goliath, the other a female and the last one was Leo.

"You're late, Kai. That is rather rude of you," Goliath said, rather calmly.

"Can't blame me. Flying through such a distance could be really tiring. So, I came back with the crew you sent. Plus, I can't move too well when it rains heavily," Kai replied. "Good work though, but why is Alice still alive?"

"She's no longer a threat. I confirmed that," Goliath replied.

"Right. Until she somehow manages to regain her powers. You seem to forget that she has very resourceful friends."

"You have some nerve coming late and still questioning everyone's actions. Besides, she's a threat to Liana too, so I'm sure she wouldn't help Heress return. And I don't see any other person that could do it," the young lady in the room snapped. She was Esther, the leader of the water faction. She had short blue hair, as short as her temper. Of all the gods, she had the shortest fuse and the most devious of minds. She was the first to join the hunter's cause of all the elder gods.

"My, my, Esther. So much poison," Kai goaded.

"You seem to forget that we might need her to regain her powers. That was the reason for not killing her. I was very clear to Goliath. His job was to pressure Heress not kill her," Leo said.

Kai was taken aback for a moment, but Esther was furious. "Oh, you still don't trust me enough to disclose the whole truth. Well, not that I'm surprised. But I thought you'd at least trust Esther," Kai teased, as he found Esther's frustration amusing.

"I don't distrust anyone. I only tell you what you need to know," he replied.

"Oh, I see. So, you have a plan already I guess."

"Way before we were all sealed. Everything has finally fallen into place. It's finally time."

"Something's bothering me though. Lucas, the god killer, I think he's a sensory type. His perk maybe?" Kai said.

"Did he see you?" Leo asked.

"I don't know. But every single time I was following them, he kept on looking in my direction. But not enough to show that he knew. And he threw Heron right in my direction in the grill. And the look on his face. I don't know whether it was a coincidence or not, but it was accurate enough to force me to move. Shouldn't we be bothered?"

"He's not of importance to us. The one with my perk is Erica. She's no longer needed," Leo replied.

"You're quite the meticulous one, aren't you? You even went as far as changing your face to blend among us without anyone noticing. Auron is going to be a wreck when she finds out she has been working for you the whole time. I have to say though, you're quite the nasty one, Roman," Kai said, with a smirk on his face.