Some time after the mission on the mining planet was intercepted by their enemies, Kryos and the others were now in a state of confusion as the situation seemed to be worsening.
Meanwhile, in his office, Vorta Caelum was reviewing several vital documents regarding the Decam Proditor—the ten strongest individuals within the Declipse organization. It was 9 a.m., a peaceful morning for most, but not for Vorta.
"The Flows surfaced and managed to incapacitate Seth with ease. If this continues, we could lose to them!" Vorta thought hard, recalling their unfavorable situation.
"And why have the Primes been acting so strangely lately? Are they hiding something, or is there an urgent matter that keeps them from choosing a candidate for the vacant third High Sentinel position?" His thoughts spun in circles as he clutched his head.
Suddenly, his office doorbell rang.
"Come in," Vorta called out. It was Heliostra who entered.
"Ah, Heliostra. What is it?" He glanced briefly at her; she had arrived carrying a cup of coffee.
"Nothing, just checking in. By the way, you look like you have a headache. What's wrong?" While sipping her coffee, Heliostra noticed Vorta's restless state.
"I'm worried about our current condition. You remember not long ago, Seth was easily defeated by The Flows, even though they are of the same rank," Vorta said, setting down his documents and standing up.
"Don't overthink it. Besides, Seth was acting like a madman back then. It's no surprise he lost!" Heliostra replied casually, trying to ease Vorta's anxiety.
"But I don't see it that way, given how disadvantaged we are right now. That was just The Flows. What if Moonlight, Fear, or Illusion decide to step in? They possess immense power!" Vorta opened his office window, letting in the light from Planet Romeus's primary star.
"I know that too, but we can't do anything for now. The Primes haven't made a decision yet. You shouldn't worry too much; Kryos surely has a plan to handle this," Heliostra said, approaching Vorta. The strong aroma of her coffee filled the air.
"Huh... I suppose so." Vorta sighed and walked back to his desk.
"Oh, and about that child... have you met her in person yet?" Heliostra asked about the blonde girl Kryos had mentioned recently.
"Not yet. It's still too early for her. Kryos is judging too quickly; we haven't seen the extent of her abilities. Moreover, she's still a new recruit in training. we can consider her after she starts receiving missions!" Vorta sat down and picked up the file on the blonde girl. Her name was written clearly: Valencia Regina.
"Alright then, I'll be going. Don't forget to supervise the training later; it's your turn on the schedule. Bye!" Heliostra walked away, leaving Vorta in his workspace.
"Yes, I know." Vorta returned to his mountain of documents.
Meanwhile, far from Planet Romeus. In a sophisticated space station disguised as a derelict relic, a familiar figure appeared, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a black cloak.
"So, you've returned, Flows," a heavy yet authoritative voice resonated.
"Yes, Illusion. I'm back," The Flows replied to The Illusion's greeting.
"How is their situation? Hmm... they seem to be exactly as they were 700 years ago," remarked an elegant woman with hair as bright as the moon, seemingly well-acquainted with the High Sentinels' condition.
"They are far too foolish. They haven't even found a proper candidate yet, hehe," a small chuckle came from a brown-haired youth who seemed to look down on the High Sentinels.
"Even that 'Desert Dog' was nothing compared to me yesterday, haha!" The Flows laughed, recalling the moment he struck down Seth, the 9th-ranked High Sentinel.
"Your actions 700 years ago truly pushed them into a corner, Illusion," The Fear remarked, glancing at Illusion with eyes as red as blood.
"They deserved it. Everything I had was snatched away by them!" Wearing a mask with a four-pointed star pattern over the right eye, Illusion clenched his fist, remembering his past.
Suddenly, a figure with playing cards in hand spoke to the others.
"It seems we won't be moving just yet, even though we have plans to attack their vital facilities!" The heavy voice caused the others to turn toward him.
"The Joker... you might be right. We should rely on the 'Lunar' units for now," a bespectacled man with black hair agreed, nodding his head.
Back on Planet Romeus, it was now 4 p.m. local time. Vorta was seen walking alone toward the Command Room to meet Kryos and the others. When he arrived, he found Kryos, Heliostra, Foxana, and Fang already there.
"You're finally here," Kryos said, glancing at the newly arrived Vorta.
"Yes. Hmm, where are Haedeus, Siegfried, and Raiden?" Vorta was surprised not to see the three of them.
"They are accompanying Seth and will communicate via microphone. Sigh, someone—or rather, several people—must keep an eye on him so he doesn't cause trouble in the infirmary," Fang said as he turned on the monitor, showing Seth and the three sentinels via camera.
"Hehe, fair enough," Vorta chuckled, but it seemed Seth heard him.
"Hey Vorta, I can hear you, you know!" Seth sounded annoyed through the comms.
"Heh, Seth is at his weakest right now, haha," Siegfried teased, making Seth even more irritated.
"Shut up, Siegfried!" Seth snapped.
"Still annoying even after losing!" Foxana added, clearly tired of Seth's attitude.
"That's enough, everyone. We have more important things to discuss!" Kryos calmed them down, and silence followed.
"I've spoken with Prime Aresidon. He said he is considering my proposal regarding that child," Kryos mentioned Valencia, who seemed to have received a green light.
"I still think it's too early, Kryos. I don't want any more casualties!" Vorta protested, still disagreeing with Kryos's idea for the time being.
"But if we stay like this, they will easily defeat us!" Raiden gave his opinion, arms crossed and eyes closed.
"This meeting feels useless if we don't ask the Prime to act immediately. Chh, what is actually wrong with them?!" Vorta was reaching his limit, his eyes narrowing and his fists clenching.
"Calm down, Vorta. The situation is difficult, but you must restrain your ego!" a worried Foxana pleaded.
"Fine!" Vorta eventually settled down, exhaling and relaxing his hands.
"We must wait for a while to observe that child's abilities. However, to maintain our readiness, we should prepare for any possibility!" Kryos instructed them to stay on high alert.
"Understood!" they all responded in unison.
After the meeting concluded, they dispersed. Foxana was seen walking alone, looking confused by the current state of affairs.
"Why has it become like this? Is what Vorta said true—that the Primes are acting strangely?" Foxana stopped and looked up at Romeus's moon, currently in its full phase.
"Maybe yes, maybe no. I should just focus on Kryos's orders." Foxana's eyes turned red as she gazed at the moon.
"Could it be that the rumors are true? That the Primes have split into two factions?! Ahh, what is going on!" Her tail flicked restlessly, a clear sign of her anxiety.
That night, the High Sentinels seemed to have no choice left but to immediately recruit a new candidate to fill the vacant 3rd High Sentinel position.