After the attack on Dante Vasquez's property, he wakes up tied up with chains in a dark, cold room, blindfolded, breathing heavily, trying to orient himself. He feels a presence around him, but doesn't know who the shadowy figures surrounding him are. Still trying to understand what was happening, he asks the presences who he was feeling. "Who... who are you?"
Suddenly, a dim light reveals the figures before him. Elysian, with an impassive look, is the first to step forward. Beside him, Hana and Nikolai remain silent, watching. Dante feels the weight of their presence. Elysian cuts the silence with a calm, direct voice. "You know exactly who we are, Dante. And I have no patience for games. Speak up, or your last moments will be more painful than you can imagine."
Dante swallows hard, trying to keep himself steady, but his breathing begins to fail as the psychological pressure increases. Hana begins to manipulate his perception with a wave of illusions, distorting the space around Dante, making him feel as if space were compressing. "You are in our hands now. You will not escape. What do you know about the Horsemen of the Apocalypse? Speak, Dante. Now." Dante feels a wave of panic, but tries to resist, knowing that he has no escape. So, he begins to speak, unsure if this will be his last chance to live. "The... Horsemen... they are... an organization unknown to many... They are infiltrating the government, the heroes, the system. But there is... there is more. There is something bigger going on behind this..." Elysian, listening intently, steps forward and touches Dante's face with a disturbing coldness. "We are listening, Dante. Tell us about this 'something bigger'." Dante hesitates, but with the pressure, he begins to speak faster, delivering crucial information. "There is an organization... very old. They call themselves... the Order of Erebus. They control everything from the shadows... Even the heroes are not free from their influence... They are watching the Knights. Watching you." Nikolai, who was manipulating the networks around him, opens his eyes and approaches Elysian. "I found something. He is telling the truth. This Order of Erebus seems to be behind many events, manipulating every part of the game." Elysian looks at the others with a calculating gaze, calmly absorbing the information. "This changes several things. We cannot trust that we are ahead in terms of information anymore. If this Order is involved... it is a different enemy, the cautious and troublesome type. We need more answers." Dante begins to sweat coldly, realizing that death is near. Hana uses her ability to distort his perception even more, making him see the surroundings becoming increasingly tighter, smiling coldly as she speaks to him. "And if you tell us more, Dante, maybe death won't be so painful."
Dante looks at her, his eyes now hopeless. He had already said too much and knew that nothing could change his fate. "The Order... they... They have agents infiltrated among the heroes... in politics... everywhere. They know about you... But I can't anymore..."
Before he can finish, Elysian puts her hand on his neck, interrupting him. "I don't like lies, Dante. And we don't have time for this anymore."
She squeezes lightly, leaving Dante breathless. The man begins to writhe, trying to fight against the imminent death. Then, Elysian releases him and gives him one last cold look. "Rest. You've done your part as an informant for us." Dante falls, dead.
Right after Dante's death, a strange sound fills the room, a buzzing that seems to come from everywhere at once. Nikolai, with his sharp eyes, notices something unusual in the tracking systems and warns Elysian. "Something is wrong, Mr. Elysian. We are being tracked."
Before they can react, a shadow moves quickly, a hooded figure appears in the corner of the room. He is so silent that only Elysian notices his arrival. The figure nods calmly, almost disinterested in the three. "You are on a dangerous path, Horsemen of the Apocalypse."
Elysian looks at him, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Who are you?"
The man does not respond immediately. He just observes, assessing the situation before speaking. "I am just an emissary. But you can call me Herodotus. The Order of Erebus is watching your every move. And make no mistake, you are not the only ones playing this game."
Hana approaches, preparing an attack using ethereal energy, but the man has already disappeared without a trace, leaving only a feeling of discomfort in the air. Nikolai, disconcerted, tries to understand the situation. "Impossible... He disappeared without a trace."
Elysian calmly, but with an alert voice, nodded. "That wasn't a warning. It was a threat."
After that, they headed to the base, where the Heralds were gathered to discuss the next steps. Elysian, Hana and Nikolai arrived, bringing the information from the interrogation and the warning from the Order of Erebus. Avelar, who had been listening to everything in silence, added, "The Order of Erebus... isn't just another group of corrupt individuals. They have the ability to infiltrate one of our bases, even if not physically, it's still a problem. We need to understand what they really want."
Nyx, always suspicious, crossed her arms, her eyes shining with interest. "Are they just watching us, or do they have something in mind for the Knights?"
Vespera, with a sarcastic look, speaks in a relaxed manner. "Who knows, maybe Seraphina can seduce one of their members and get more information. You never know what that charming girl can get, right?"
Seraphina blushes deeply, her eyes wide as she tries to compose herself. "Vespera!... I don't know what you're talking about... but if I were you I would stop with that joke"
Elysian looks at her, a smile frozen on her lips. "It doesn't make sense. The Order of Erebus won't fall for cheap tricks. We need to be more strategic."
Vespera chuckles, but knows Elysian is right. "Well, we can at least hope that you find some member of the Order. I think the interaction will be... interesting."
Elysian stands up, looking at the group with a calculating expression. "Now that we know about the Order of Erebus, we must proceed with caution. We cannot be predictable. We must first understand the magnitude of the threat before moving forward. Let's go after this information. The game has just gotten more complex." The Heralds nodded in agreement, ready to face the challenges ahead.
The Horsemen of the Apocalypse's underground base was in a moment of relative tranquility. After the discoveries about the Order of Erebus, the Heralds of the End discussed their next steps. Elysian, sitting at the table, analyzed data on the hologram in front of him. The atmosphere was serious until he looked up and spoke calmly. "I need Seraphina's help for the next mission."
The silence was immediate. The eyes of the other Heralds turned to him. Of all of them, Echo was the first to react, arching an eyebrow in surprise. "Wait, wait... Elysian asking for help from someone other than his inseparable arms? What's going on here?"
Nyx, ever observant, crossed her arms and gave him a curious look. "That's really unusual. You've never agreed to work with anyone other than Hana and Nikolai." Seraphina, who had been calmly sipping her tea, almost choked upon hearing her name mentioned. Her eyes widened slightly before she regained her composure. Her heart, however, raced with surprise. She glanced at Elysian, searching his face for some clue, but he remained impassive. "Do you want me to help you?" Elysian nodded without hesitation. "Yes. You're the best at tracking among the Heralds. We don't know if the Order of Erebus has a base, much less where it might be. We need someone with your expertise to find hidden trails." The other Heralds exchanged glances. It was a logical justification, but it was still strange. And Echo decided to try to dig deeper. "Hmm... and that's all? No other reason? No special interest, perhaps?"
Seraphina blushed slightly and shot a sharp look at Echo, who only laughed in response. Elysian, on the other hand, didn't even blink. "If there was another reason, I wouldn't mind saying it. But there isn't."
Avelar, who had been silently observing the scene, chuckled softly and shook his head as he spoke. "It seems this mission is going to be more interesting than usual."
Seraphina took a deep breath and, even without fully understanding why he chose her, nodded. "Understood. I'll get ready."
Days later, Elysian had already assumed his public identity as Seo Min-kyu, the genius and reserved scientist. He followed his meticulous routine in the laboratory, making sure no one suspected his true identity. Now, everything was ready for the meeting with his partner in the mission.
But there was one catch: for the disguise to work, they needed a plausible reason to meet in public. So he arranged a "chance meeting" in a well-known park, where he could be seen with Choi Eun-kyung, Seraphina's secret identity.
Seo Min-kyu was sitting on a wooden bench, dressed simply, rectangular glasses fitted to his face. Beside him, a book on genetic engineering was casually leafing through, waiting for the right moment.
Then she appeared. Choi Eun-kyung was walking towards him with firm, confident steps. Her hair, normally loose, was tied back in a disciplined ponytail. She wore a black military overcoat over a gray shirt and dark pants, maintaining the erect and imposing posture one would expect from a former army marshal.
She stopped in front of him and glanced at the book he was holding. "Science even in a park? You really don't take a break, Dr. Seo."
Seo Min-kyu looked up, her expression neutral. The way she held herself in character impeccably, like a former military officer living her peaceful life after the war. "It's a habit. What about you, Ex-Marshal Choi? Still getting used to civilian life?"
Seraphina, or rather Choi Eun-kyung, let out a small laugh. If anyone were watching, it would seem like a natural conversation between old acquaintances. "Still adjusting. After spending two years on the front lines of the war in Ukraine, peace feels… strange."
It was a true fact. Seraphina had actually fought in the war, and the way she said it made it sound like it was just another life-changing experience, when in reality, it had been hell. Seo Min-kyu naturally nodded along with Choi Eun-kyung. "It's only natural. When you've lived in war for so long, the absence of it becomes the real challenge."
She watched him for a moment, realizing that his words carried more weight than they seemed. He knew exactly what he was saying.
To anyone watching, it was just a harmless conversation between a renowned scientist and a decorated ex-military woman. But in reality, it was the beginning of something much bigger.
The conversation continued naturally. Unhurriedly, without pressure. Just as Elysian had planned. They needed to act like two ordinary people, interacting completely casually. Without arousing suspicion.
However, as they talked, Choi Eun-kyung's eyes discreetly scanned the surroundings. Normal people passed by the park, some jogging, others walking their dogs. But then, her gaze fell on a specific group.
Three men dressed in a discreet manner, but they didn't fit in with the surroundings. Their postures were rigid, and the way their eyes scanned the people indicated that they weren't just there for a walk.
She returned her gaze to Seo Min-kyu and spoke casually, but her tone carried a hidden warning. "Interesting how some people seem out of place, don't you think?"
Seo Min-kyu understood immediately. Her gaze didn't waver from the book, but a small interest appeared in her eyes. "It seems we've found our first trail."
Seraphina felt a small shiver run down her spine. The mission had begun in earnest. And from that moment on, nothing would be casual anymore.