Chapter 6: Calm Discussion.
Bastian leaned back in his chair, his silver hair brushing the edge of his collar as he surveyed the room. His gaze flicked from face to face, taking in the council's mood. Oti's left face was scowling, which wasn't surprising. In fact, Bastian couldn't remember ever seeing Oti's middle face active around him. The aTer shifted in his seat, muttering something sharp under his breath.
Tera lounged across from him, her usual smirk tugging at her lips. Her raven dark hair spilled over her chair, and her long tail swayed lazily behind her.
Tristan, his best friend, was as calm as always. His silver skin gleamed faintly, a smile that mirrored Bastian's own resting on his face. Bel and Zub looked as apathetic as ever, their shadow forms barely moving. Iberia looked bored, his green blob-like form shifting slightly in his seat.
While Aztec simply stared at Bastian with a gaze that felt quite sinister.
'Such a scary guy,' he thought to himself.
Respen well, didn't look like anything naturally, since he had no face, but Bastian could tell he was already thinking of how to shut down anything he proposed.
Umber just sat quietly like always, not particularly interested in matters not concerning his people. The obscured glass of his suit revealed nothing of his form or thoughts.
Bastian finally turned his gaze to the expression he was most interested in seeing, Nach Grimm, Arbus's grandfather.
He was surprised to see how blank Nach's face was considering how passionate the Tarokian chief usually was. Clearly this case was affecting him more than he wanted to let others know.
Bastian sighed as his smile faded. "Firstly I'd like to address the loss of Terytl-b. As of right now there have been no confirmed survivors besides the Renegade responsible for the death of Ronan."
"As much as I'd like to keep this incident a secret for a while, that wouldn't be fair to the families of the civilians killed there," Bastian said as he turned to Aztec.
"I want you to use the communication network to relay the news to the other Star system's Sentinels and high Councils, as well as the king. After that spread it across the Star system"
Kings were Renegades appointed as rulers of each galaxy, known unofficially as the final ruling class in the universe. The Wardens, the Pinnacles, and even the Emperor himself, did not have the luxury or time to focus on governing. Their focus stayed on keeping the most dangerous Reincarnators in check and protecting the universe from them. Naturally, Pinnacles and the Emperor held more authority than any king, but they rarely needed to use it.
Aztec nodded, his four eyes blinking in sequence. "My team will also have to update the communication system we're currently using, considering Ronan was able to negate it so easily. Although firstly we'll have to examine his body to see how it was done."
"Done, you can have the pests remains. Anything else?," Bastian asked.
"No, that will be all. We can handle everything else from here, Sentinel," Aztec replied simply.
Bastian turned to Respen next. "I want you to look into how Ronan made his way to our galaxy and why he targeted us specifically. These attacks are usually random, but I have a feeling this one wasn't."
Respen simply nodded. He transmitted his response directly into the minds of everyone present. "I had the same thought. My best inquisitors are already working on it, Sentinel."
"Good. I also want you to handle the bodies of the Renegades personally. See that they get to their families as quickly as possible. They died valiantly in the line of duty. It's the least we can do for them."
"My men were already handling that as well, Sentinel," Respen replied, his tone steady in their thoughts.
Bastian nodded as he shifted his gaze around the table. "This was truly a great loss for the N-0-A-1 Star system, and the Renegades in general. Unfortunately, we don't have time to dwell on it. We need to tighten our defenses and cover any weaknesses we have now. I'd rather we not get hit by another Reincarnator in these unstable times. At least until a Warden is assigned to our galaxy for protection."
Everyone present nodded in agreement.
Now it was finally time for the part of the meeting Bastian had been dreading. He took a slow breath and leaned forward in his chair.
"Now let's talk about the hero of this event, Arbus Kaelen," Bastian said, turning his gaze to Nach.
He paused, then tilted his head slightly. "or would you prefer if I called him Arbus Grimm?"
"I'd prefer if you didn't," Nach said simply, his blank expression steady as stone.
"Of course. Arbus Kaelen it is then," Bastian replied, his voice even.
He straightened up. "According to the already confirmed reports, Arbus Kaelen was the one who managed to kill Ronan after the slaughter had concluded. Quite frankly, it's a miracle he pulled something like this off. But it seems the boy has a penchant for creating miracles." Bastian said with a small smile.
"Miracle? Is that what we're calling it?" Oti said, his left face scoffing sharply. He leaned toward Nach, his voice rising. "Tell me, Tarokian chief, from your experience with Reincarnators, what chances does a low-level sentry have of beating one?"
"None," Nach said, his tone flat.
"Exactly!" Oti snapped, his left face twisting into a sneer. "And yet this boy managed to kill a Reincarnator—especially one as powerful as Ronan. It's unbelievable. Simply untrue. I believe we're not being told the full story of what happened on that planet."
"Unfortunately, I have to agree with Oti," Tera said next. She twirled a strand of her hair between her fingers, her smirk lingering. "The boy is a shardless Renegade with only basic training, since no one of note bothered to teach him anything. Meanwhile, Ronan was a Reincarnator who killed over twenty High Commanders, seventy commanders, thousands of Renegades, and billions of civilians across multiple star systems and galaxies. It does seem quite impossible, doesn't it?"
Respen nodded, tilting his head slightly. His voice slipped into their minds, cool and measured. "I'd have to agree with her as well. Mostly for the reasons we've already discussed. Somehow Ronan traveled across eight galaxies and a Warden's outpost to reach ours. For some reason, he attacks Terytl-b and slaughters everyone there—except the human. Which gives him enough time to come up with a strategy that worked perfectly on Ronan. I believe this was planned by someone, maybe as a way to make us trust the boy more."
"You believe Ronan willingly gave his life for someone else's plan?" Bastian said, leaning back in his chair. "I've only met him once, when I was asked to chase him. From that impression alone, and how fast he ran at my arrival, I can tell he was someone who valued his life greatly."
Before Oti could speak again, Tristan raised his hand. "If I may, I believe you three are underestimating the boy quite a bit."
He paused, folding his arms. "We all know he's still a Sentry because we didn't allow him to rise any higher. In every test he performed during basic training, he outperformed all his peers by a wide margin. If I'm being honest, I'd say he's already at the level of a Vanguard."
Bastian felt a flicker of relief as Tristan backed him up, like always. He nodded slightly. "Precisely. The boy has the blood of a Reincarnator flowing through his veins. While this is unfortunate for him, it can also be a boon. His ability is passive and keeps him alive no matter what. Which means he cannot die, and cannot get tired, at least not physically."
"The fact he has the blood of a Reincarnator flowing through his veins is exactly where the problem comes from," Nach said finally through gritted teeth, breaking his silence.
He leaned forward, his voice tight. "He's cursed. He's an abomination that should have never been born. Sharing the same blood with our enemy is not something we can simply look past, Bastian."
"Abomination? That's rather harsh," Bastian said, his expression going blank. He fixed his gaze on Nach, not pleased. "Doesn't he share your blood as well?"
"Yes, he does," Nach said, his tone hardening with barely contained rage. "Due to my foolish daughter's mistakes. She was charmed by that devil Joren and even helped him hide his true identity after knowing what he was."
He paused, regaining his calm expression. "That abomination may share my blood, but he is no family of mine. He is no Tarokian, especially after he committed sins of his own."
"That wasn't his fault. We already discussed this," Bastian said, his voice firm.
"It matters not now," Aztec said, finally speaking up. "I agree with Oti, Tera, Nach, and Respen. While what the boy did was rather impressive, I do not believe we owe him anything. Just to be safe, we should discharge him from the Renegades and send him to live out his life on one of the less civilized moons in luxury, as his reward."
Bastian released a weary sigh, his eyes sweeping across the remaining council members.
"And what do the rest of you think about this?"
Right now, they were at a stalemate. Bastian's vote as Sentinel carried the weight of three council members. Tristan stood with him, while Aztec, Nach, Respen, and Tera opposed. The rest would tip the scales.
Iberia spoke first. He was already tired of the meeting, and was eager to count his losses from losing a trading hub like Terytl-b. "I agree with whatever Respen thinks. He's usually right about these things, after all. Plus, let's not forget the last time a Reincarnator half-breed joined the Renegades. I don't wish to see history repeat itself."
Bel and Zub exchanged a glance, their silence stretching for several heartbeats before Bel finally spoke.
"We do not care either way," she said, her voice flat.
"But we do recognize effort," Zub added. "We don't believe this Renegade should be judged for how he was born, but by his actions. So far, it's clear he doesn't side with the Reincarnators, though it could be a ruse. Until we see otherwise, we believe he should be given a chance to prove himself and advance like any other Renegade."
Bastian's smile crept back after hearing that. He turned to the only one left, Umber.
Umber paused, looking around the room to gauge everyone's expressions himself. He would be the one to determine if this would be a stalemate or not.
He sat still for a moment, then spoke through his mask. "As the Emperor already told us years ago, we should let the boy live how he wants, unless he proves to be a risk. I doubt the Emperor wanted him suppressed, like the council has been doing. I vote that the boy be allowed to advance, at least for now."
Bastian clapped his hands once, a sharp sound cutting through the room. "Then it's decided. The boy will be rewarded with a promotion, as well as a few more things, at my discretion. We'll return here tomorrow to discuss our plans going forward in depth. For now, this meeting is adjourned."