Draco sat on a bench in the Silvermoon Stronghold, a scowl on his face as he cradled a can of soda in one hand, watching the setting sun with a distant gaze.
The Silvermoon Stronghold was divided into five main sectors: The Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Quadrants, along with the Capital, the spine of the Silvermoon's activites across the continent.
His mission was sited in the Western Quadrant, where he was to meet with a group of Hunters that would form his squad.
Draco stared at the time on his phone, and his grip
on the can tightened.
They're late? Deployed from Africa, travelled to the Western sector of Silvermoon, walked all the way to the coordinates they sent me... and I'm the one waiting. They literally live here, where the hell are they?
Draco took another sip from the slightly crushed can and sighed in frustration. He was in simple civilian clothes, yet for some reason, people kept staring as they passed by.
Wonder what they're looking at?, he thought as he stood up, when he felt something in the distance and sighed.
They were finally here.
Draco walked towards a park and instantly noticed them; a group of three- two boys and a girl- laughing until he approached them, and the room suddenly turned serious.
" I take it that you're my cohort for this mission,"
Draco asked, his eyes scanning the trio. They were... strange.
One of them had his covered with a headband.
The second one was big- unnaturally so.
The girl, seemed normal at first glance, but there was something about her grey eyes that kept Draco on edge.
" Depends on who you are," the girl replied neutrally. "But it seems you're at the right place, Crimson Carnage."
The titan grinned, while the one with a headband simply turned to Draco, and even through the headband, he could still feel his gaze.
" The briefing mentioned I would meet up with four Hunters. Who's missing?"
" She should be here soon. She left to look for you."
She? There's no way...
Draco felt a chill run up his spine, and froze when he noticed the last Hunter approach them.
Her silver hair glowed softly, and her icy eyes held a calm gaze.
Draco growled, and in a flash, a rifle formed in his hand, and a strange material clothed his body, forming a black combat suit; he was ready to kill, and his weapon aimed at his comrade without hesitation.
" Carnage, what are you doing?" the titan barked, ready to intervene.
" Oh please. You and I both know these bullets aren't a threat. Isn't that right, Astra?"
For a moment, sadness creeped into her calm gaze, then it hardened like ice.
She said nothing.
Draco scoffed.
"Thought so."
Slowly, he lowered his gun, but his armour remained, a sleek combat suit designed like the military soldiers of the old world.
His suit however was faster, more durable, and powered with the technology harnessed from the Abyssals he had killed.
A hood shadowed his face; a mouthguard concealed his expression.
If anything— it made the Crimson Carnage even more terrifying.
"…This might be embarrassing," Draco said, turning back to the trio, "but who exactly are you people?"
He hadn't exactly stayed to listen to Dan's full briefing. And honestly—the sooner he finished this mission and left this forsaken place, the better.
Silence lingered for a moment after Draco's question.
Then— the titan laughed.
"Seriously?" he said, grinning. "You pulled a gun on one of us before even knowing who we are?"
The blindfolded one sighed.
"Unbelievable."
The girl with grey eyes raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything.
Then, stepped forward slightly. "Jasmine."
She sounded neutral, unbothered even.
But her eyes studied him, chilling him with their gaze. Draco nodded slightly.
The titan stepped forward next, cracking his knuckles.
"Drax," he barked out with a grin. "Codename: Titan."
"…No kidding," Draco muttered, staring up to meet his gaze.
The titan laughed. "I like this guy."
The blindfolded one stepped forward.
"Kaizen," he said. One word. Nothing more.
Draco studied him carefully.
Something about this guy... set him off.
Only one person remained- Astra.
For a moment, their eyes met, but in the next second, he turned his back and walked away. The others watched silently, no one daring to intervene, but they could tell: this mission... would be their hardest one yet.