Folly & Agendas & Talulah

Chapter 38: Déjà Vu

A few days later:
---

"We have received our orders from the leader! It is time for us to depart to Lungmen and claim the city as our own! Time to enter the new age Talulah has promised us! Onward!"

Mephisto's words didn't sway anyone in the slightest. He lacked the fiery rhetoric and passionate voice Talulah had. His friend Faust watched with him as the Reunion soldiers marched out of Chernobog. However, a small number of soldiers stayed behind as per Talulah's order, maintaining communications and furnishing weapons as a another assault was bound to happen.

"Hey Sasha, did you think Talulah saw the light?" Mephisto asked.

His Pythia friend turned around and eyed the Chernobog Control Tower. He wondered if Talulah was inside it. His green eyes met the glare of the afternoon sun, hindering his vision, before he turned to see his friend.

"I think she did," Faust answered. "But she acted as if it never happened."

"She is busy Sasha," Mephisto said. "And so will we once we capture Lungmen!"

"Of course we will..."

"Hey Sasha, I have a question."

"What is it?"

"Will we see Kaiser Rye in Lungmen?" His eyes grew large, filled with hope and excitement; a large open smile bloomed on his face.

"Most likely," Sasha replied.

"I can't wait to see him again! Maybe he can join us too! Remember what he said before he left?"

"Yes... I do..." The Pythia was wary about his friend's words. He closed his mouth and made a straight face. The Originium crystals on his face contrasted with his pale skin as couldn't deliver his answer to Mephisto.

"Didn't Kaiser Rye say-"

"Enough Eno. Save your questions for when we meet him."

"Okay... but can't you reach him?"

"Reach him?"

"Yeah! Didn't he always say that you can reach him with a firework!"

"A firework?"

"Yeah... a firework... Don't tell me you forgot Sasha."

"It has been such a long time..."

Faust looked at the crossbow in his hands. His calloused fingers traced along its edges until he pulled the cables. He reached an explosive bolt from his quiver and loaded it into the chamber. He looked at the cloudy sky above, aimed his crossbow, and pulled the trigger. A trail of smoke followed the bolt until it ultimately collapsed and burst into a cloud of orange.

He was expecting to be filled with joy, nostalgia, a foreign - yet fleeting - feeling, but he wasn't. He looked at Mephisto with empty eyes. His shot alerted the Reunion soldiers around him, but he ignored their array of questions. He looked out towards Lungmen and advanced towards the city.

--
Within the confines of Lungmen:
--

"Who will attack Lungmen first?"

The Draco sitting in front of Wei Yenwu stared at him blankly. Amiya, the Doctor, and Ch'en have already discussed what they needed to talk about five minutes earlier, and all that's was Kaiser Rye and Lungmen's cunning leader.

"Skullshatterer," Kaiser Rye answered. "He'll attack first."

"And why is that?" Wei grinned.

"The Reunion sends in grunts first. Only the... weaker leaders go and face large militaries. The stronger ones only lead when they are losing. But when they come in, you're doomed."