Get ready

(Right after Hider disappeared from the train.)

A shadow rises from the ground slowly coalescing into a familiar figure, an old dark elven man with graying hairs. He stands a top a cliff face with another man who has very brown skin and dark flowing hair.

"Why'd you interrupt me Mudaris?", Hider asked, though his smile already betrayed the fact that he knew why. Mudaris turned around, his face scowling at Hider. "You were meant to direct them away from the cult.", he said angrily ,"Why the hell did you tell them anything?", he asked.

"Because we needed the help. We've been in a stalemate for decades now. They find a fragment and we stop them. We find a hideout and they move away.", Hider answered. "We need more help old friend.", he said.

Mudaris lost the scowl on his face, he knew that Hider was right but he did not want other people be involved. " This is my war to fight, and more people means more variables to consider, more potential weaknesses to be exploited.", Mudaris said.

"Then why'd you train those kids?", Hider asked. "Not to fight against some cultists.", Mudaris answered. "I trained Davin because I thought he was best suited to inherit my work and research when I am gone. While for Ryu...", he paused for a moment towards the end. Then continued, " I just did not want him repeating my mistakes.". Hider dropped his smile at Mudaris's answer, he looked with pity at Mudaris as they both stood in silence for a moment. "Davin spent all this time looking for you. It's the whole reason he even went on this 'expedition of his in the first place.", he then said. Mudaris staid quiet for a moment. Then he simply said, "Not yet.", causing Hider to frown.

Hider then remembered something and regained his mischievous smile. He then suggested, "We can use this as test for them.". Mudaris looked at Hider with a frown and said, "I know that smile Hider. Do not do anything stupid or anything that could get them hurt.".

"Don't worry about it.", Hider tried to assure Mudaris then in an attempt to switch topics he said, "Shouldn't you be heading to Omnia and tracking their movements?". Mudaris sighed at Hider's poor attempt then answered, "I will be going now, make sure to protect their families.". Hider gave him a nod and melted into the shadows. Mudaris turned around and watched the train rolling across the landscape for a while longer before shifting into a bat and flying away.

(Several days later)

It is currently midnight, and the only light sources as far as the eye can see are the lights from the train and the moon light. Ever since the train left the station the terrain had been constantly changing, from lush forests to rocky mountains then towards vast plains and finally now in a dry shrubland. The train was to reach Seca city in the morning so everyone except the some of the crew were sleeping.

A large group of men stand below a bridge all of them wearing a large amount of black clothing, hiding within the shadows and crevices of the ravine. Among the figures there was a tall, lean human male with sky blue eyes and black hair. He was standing on one of the many boulders that littered the ravine's bottom.

A woman with short, braided, grey hair approached the man, and while her rugged, suntanned skin makes her seem older, she is in fact in her late 30s. "Grandmaster, the charges are set and the men are in position.", she tells him. Without turning to look at her, the Grandmaster said, "Good job Ciscra, now both you and Brynnia should have your men be ready, the train will be arriving soon.".

"What do we do about any potential survivors?", Ciscra asked. After she asked her question the air grew cold and the Grandmaster turned towards her, his eyes piercing through her soul. "You know what I think of stupid questions Ciscra.", he said coldly. Ciscra was shivering slightly in fear, some of the weaker willed people around them either fell to ground or shivered violently. "All are to be eliminated, no one must know about our hand in this particular incident.", he said. "Yes sir.", was all Ciscra could muster up in response. The cold air then disappeared and Ciscra began to quickly make her way towards the other Master that was present for the operation, Brynnia Grey.

Brynnia is a hill dwarf and as typical of her people she is about chest high with light brown skin and dark brown hair. However she does have very black eyes, almost like the night. Brynnia noticed that Ciscra was heading towards her so melted into the shadows and appeared right in front of Ciscra. This startled some the nearby Standards, who made up the rank and file of their organisation, however Ciscra remained calm almost as if she was expecting it to happen.

"What'd ya ask 'im to piss 'im off?", Brynnia asked, "Could feel the chill from all the way here.", she added. Ciscra stared at the dwarven woman with contempt in her eyes for a moment before answering, "I asked what we are to do with the survivors."

"That seems like a fair question. Dunno what's he so pissed about."

"I should have deduced it based on our objective and mission approach."

"Did 'e answer ye?"

"Yes.", Ciscra answered with an arrogant smile that ticked Brynnia off slightly but Brynnia was not so quick to anger. Instead she asked, "First of all, why ye looking all smug for? Second of all, what did 'e tell ye?". Ciscra immediately lost her smug look when Brynnia asked her first question but she still ended up answering, "He told me that we will eliminate all survivors.", her smug smile then returned and she added, "Also, to answer your first question, it is because me walking away from that unharmed and with an actual answer despite my foolishness is most definitely because of my loyalty to the group."

Brynnia was not completely surprised by the answer to her first question, she had deduced as much considering their outfits did not host their logo and also because their current operation is far more violent than any one before. However she was internally recoiling from Ciscra's answer to the second question. 'My goodness ,she's disgustingly delusional.', she thought. She then snapped herself out of her thoughts and told Ciscra, "I'll get the Captains that are topside ready, you get the ones below ready.". Ciscra huffed out, "I do not need you to tell me how to do my job.", but Brynnia just kept her annoyance in check as she melted into the shadows and appeared at the top of the ravine.

Brynnia then teleported between where both the Captains and their men were located to get them ready. Just then she heard the sounds of a train approaching and the headlights quickly approaching. She immediately teleported to the bottom of the ravine to inform Ciscra. "I hope yer ready, the train's almost here.", she said.