By His Command

AMY

I stood there, frozen in place, my chin gripped tightly by the cold fingers of the man in front of me. The sheer force of his presence sent an electric shock through my bones, suffocating the air around us. His power....his power was something I couldn't have even imagined. Slowly, I could sense it, like a storm brewing on the horizon, surpassing even the might of many of my comrades, whose mana surrounded us like a protective barrier. But his power? It was different. It was otherworldly. There were too many of us to be ignorant of it, yet it rose above us like a towering mountain, oppressive and unyielding.

"Well?" His voice cut through the silence....hostile, sharp, like a blade being drawn from its sheath. His piercing blue eyes locked onto mine, their weight suffocating, pushing something into my core. A warning. Never call me a monster again.

My body trembled . All my years of fighting, all the battles I had survived, and I had never encountered anything like him. I could feel his other arm still hovering inches from my chest, a constant reminder that he could strike me down in an instant if I dared to make a move. But even worse than the impending violence was the question that still lingered in the back of my mind.... How?how did our leader, Adrien, find someone like this? Let alone bring him here?...

"Are you now entertained or satisfied, Zehen?" A voice rang from behind us. The man who was supposedly called Zehen, slowly released my chin and withdrew his grip on the atmosphere itself, his oppressive mana receding like the tide. His voice was smooth, calm, but with an edge of disdain, "You're quite calm. Not angry about your beloved statue I destroyed?"

From behind Zehen, he appeared. His golden eyes, his silver-blue hair....it was a sight I had seen a thousand times, yet it still struck me with awe. His presence was undeniable, calm and composed as ever. "Not at all. Mistakes will always happen and this... well, is simply a minor issue" he said, his gaze sweeping over the remains of the statue. His tone was light, almost dismissive, as if the destruction of our sacred symbol meant little to him.

I watched them, stunned. The way Adrien, the same Adrien kenzaki who is the leader of the Celestials inhabiting japan. Spoke to Zehen....so casually, so... familiarly...was like nothing I had ever witnessed. They spoke as though they were old acquaintances, as if Zehen hadn't just caused irreparable damage to one of our most cherished symbols. No anger. No frustration. Just an easy exchange between comrades.

I stood there, unsure of what to make of it. My head was spinning, trying to understand the gravity of this moment, trying to figure out what kind of relationship these two shared.

SCARLETT ROSEHEART

From where I stood, watching the scene unfold, I couldn't help but wonder what Adrien would do. How would he twist this to his advantage? I had seen him navigate crises before, but this… this was entirely different.

Adrien raised his voice, his words heavy with authority. "My dear comrades-in-arms, today was simply a misunderstanding… a turn of events beyond our control. Zehen here is one of us now, and he means no harm." His calm tone carried a force that could sway even the most reluctant. "He is willing to fight for our cause, to serve our great God. He has been chosen."

I sensed the skepticism thick in the air, yet Adrien's charisma pushed it aside like a retreating tide. "You may not understand it now," he continued, his voice growing in strength, "but remember: this is a time for unity. We have sacrificed everything for humanity, for the Supreme One who granted us the power to fight the gods. How many of you stand here today because of that very blessing?"

The crowd murmured, anger rising like a tide. But Adrien stood unfazed, his gaze unwavering. "Do not let your pride blind you," he said, his tone sharpening. "We have fought for centuries, and you think you can defy me? Over what? A statue? A misunderstanding?" His words sliced through the tension. "Zehen will join us today, whether you accept it or not. We will not let small things like this tear us apart."

His mana surged as he spoke, an overwhelming pressure that made my own senses prick. My comrades fell silent, visibly shaken by its force, yet I remained steady....years of harsh training grounding me, carving my resilience into something unyielding, preventing ne from faltering.

Then, with finality, Adrien declared, "Zehen will be welcomed into our ranks. Any objections will be dealt with swiftly."

As murmurs of dissent grew, a strange curiosity stirred within me. Who was this Zehen, really? What drove him to cause such chaos? Why was Adrien so calm? It was as if they were playing a game I couldn't quite grasp. As i turned my gaze, Zehen let out a low, amused chuckle. which only deepened the mystery. Was he mocking Adrien's attempt at a peaceful resolution, or was it the way the Celestials reacted....like children being scolded?

He remained an enigma, a being of immense power with little care for the destruction he left behind.

Adrien's gaze hardened; his smile vanished as he raised his hand, unleashing a torrent of mana that nearly crushed the air around us. "You dare defy me?" he boomed, his voice sending even the most vocal into silence. "What authority do you have over my command?!?"

His tone left no room for argument. The ensuing silence was deafening, as if the entire world held its breath.

***

Adrien let his mana pressure linger, commanding the room. His eyes swept over the crowd....his Celestials....and his voice dropped low, almost a whisper. "Do I have to remind you all once again? We've fought for centuries. We've shed blood and sacrificed everything for humanity, for the Supreme One. And now, you would turn your back on that? On the cause that gave you power, that made you who you are?"

His words were more than commands; they were a challenge....a call to remember why we fought. "This is not a time for division. We will not fall because of petty disagreements. We will unite, or we will fall apart."

I watched him with growing admiration and a darker curiosity about his control over us. Had he always manipulated us so effortlessly, or was this something new?

As the murmurs subsided, I felt the crowd slowly shift. Some remained skeptical, but the force of Adrien's words....and his overwhelming power....swayed most of them.

Then, as if on cue, Adrien turned toward the woman Zehen had attacked earlier. His calm demeanor returned as he asked, "Are you alright, Miss Blackwood?" His voice softened, his charm evident as always.

I let out a light sigh, as my thoughts were still swirling, but one thing was clear: I had no idea where this path would lead, yet it promised to be an interesting ride.

A small smirk played on my lips as I turned my gaze back to Zehen, wondering just how he would fit into our little world.

This should be fun.