Alliances?

[Aria]

Aria wanted to laugh at his insanity accusation. If he only knew what went on in her head. If he were not who he was, it would be very easy to kill him. She probably could now if she dared, but he was far more powerful than she wanted to risk using her own on him. It was not fast, it was slow and painful and... Aria had to push the thoughts away. It was not the topic, it was not for now.

"I don't believe you are a god. I do not believe the men and women of legend were gods. They were men, who used their power to cow and coral the lesser beings. No different from the Atharim. The potential for both to be cruel is born in all of us, by the nature of human kind - gifted or not!"


"I can arrange for you to meet one person, whom will not kill you nor will kill me for even the slightest mention of it. You proposal is just as dangerous. But if you want I can arrange something with her. But little good it will do, she is like you. She doesn't need convincing, but you can work with her to whatever means necessary. However you connection to Apolyon is going to damper the situation."


Aria knew he'd not know what she meant. "The prophecy I spoke of that indicated Ascendacy as a herald to the apocalypse, he is called Apolyon - Destroyer. He is who the Atharim wish to stop. War is coming with or with out his survival. Honestly I don't care if he lives or dies."



Aria sighed, what she was about to say could end her life the moment it left her mouth, but she was going to tell him anyway. If only to prove she meant what she said. "There was little choice in the matter. Die now, or Die later. Next time you see Ascendancy you can tell him you know the name of the Atharim who's to be sent after him next. I don't intend to do it anytime soon. I only took the job so I could find a way out of the situation. But eventually the Regus will force my hand. Coming here, just another illusion that I'm actually trying."

[Michael Vellas]

Nikolai Brandon, the Destroyer. The thought amused him far too much considering the gravity of what Aria had revealed. No wonder he wanted the Atharim bent to his will.

That aside, the prospect was difficult to swallow. He had no belief in prophecy or predicting the future, but he could not deny the Atharim had ancient knowledge, and if he could do whatever it was he did, why not see the future? It was equally absurd and perhaps very real.

Whatever the truth might be, he had already decided his course. "I won't help you kill him,"
he said bluntly before continuing in a softer voice. "But I am sorry. I see why you came here now."


He stopped to think a moment. So much to process. There was a woman with his powers? He had not met one. Tony did not say much, Michael had never really asked, but he had suspected it was possible. Women were also dying of the Sickness. Perhaps a meeting would be worth the danger.

And what of her plan to kill Nikolai? Killing her would be foolish. At best, he knew who they would send. Or were there others? So many damn questions!

"So this Regus fellow sent you to kill the most powerful man on earth? How does he expect you to do what the Atharim have not been able to for half a century?"
He frowned. "It sounds like suicide."


He could have let her die, but he would be damned if he'd let the Atharim ruin another life. Even its own members weren't safe from their zealous malice.

"Set up a meeting with this woman, it is the least I can do. As for your...assignment. How long do you have? And is there anything else I should know? Any more prophecies? I don't suppose they mention me?"
The humour was black. They certainly seemed to want him dead badly enough. The thought was sobered by Aria's mission. He did not really know what others faced, did he? The people he had faced could have been little more than raw recruits. He certainly did not warrant his own Sentient assassin like Nikolai.

Ideas whirred through his head. He needed time. In a few months, he would have a force strong enough to hold their own against the Atharim. Sooner if others that had experience like him were found. He would need to be careful, but it was a lead he could use. Aria needed help, she had friends who did not agree with their superiors. In time, they could use that to splinter the Atharim and put the rest in their debt. Above all, it was a step closer to ending the attacks that plagued him and the rest of his kind.

[Aria]

Aria didn't expect him to help. She'd eventually have to go up against him, but she was going to risk anyone else's life in doing so, not unless there was a way to survive. And right now it was just that a suicide mission.

"He specifically told me if I fail, it's my own fault. Plenty of data he said. "
Aria laughed, but it wasn't funny. "He sent me on the mission only moments after finding out my handler had kept secrets from him - about what I was. Things even I didn't know. I would have died that day if the Regus hadn't been there showing a video of Ascendancy killing a man with a ball of fire and proclaiming his monstrosity to the Atharim as warning. This way he can send someone disposable after Ascendancy."


Aria would set up a meeting with Tehya. "I'll set up a meeting. How do you want me to get in touch with you again."
Aria smiled and sat back against the couch. "I doubt you want me stopping by again unannounced."


Time? She hadn't been given time. Aria shook her head. "I was given no deadline. I'm sure he'll either take my lack of initiative out of my hide, or I'll be dead either way, I've no way of knowing. I've not seen, nor spoken to him since the day he gave me the mission".


There were lots of prophecies. And Aria really had no clue about any other than the manuscript she'd touched. Aria shrugged. "There are many prophecies, there could be some about you, but prophecies aren't typical knowledge of a common field hunter. I am only so lucky to know of this one because the Regus specifically asked for my so-called talents with emotions to see if I could feel anything from it."
Aria didn't mention that her life had probably been at stake there. Rumors of the Regus killing their own over not wanting to research anymore didn't need to be out anymore than her own mission. She had already painted him a bad man.

Aria looked around and was sure he wasn't planning on going anywhere. "Since you don't look like you are going anywhere. I'll update your very detailed file that premises was unoccupied. I'd suggest changing living arrangements or the name on the lease/ownership papers. If they want you dead, they'll keep coming. And this address is current. I'd hate to see you dead."
The last was said with concern. She really didn't want to see him dead. None of them.

[Michael Vellas]

Regus.

The name had come up quite a few times now. He was obviously a man of great influence among the Atharim, perhaps their leader. By what Aria told him, this Regus was also a cunning creature, much more calculated than the usual Atharim dedicated. Had he sent Michael all the dregs of the cult to die, just as he sent Aria now?

It made him all the more determined to see that the man would not be granted his wish. "Hmm, for a time, I'm afraid you will have to take the chance and hope you don't get killed. If I am going to help, it will take some time."


Nikolai would definitely want to take a hold of this chance. If he could gain the man's support, they could make it appear as if Aria was making progress while strengthening his own position. Eventually, he would have the power to withstand the Atharim and protect its outcasts.

When Aria told him about the link to his house, it gave him another idea. "I'm glad that at least someone doesn't want to kill me,"
he said with a small smile. "However, you've given me a very dangerous thought. I think it is best to stay here for the time being. I would not want them to think you leaked any information. But more importantly, I have realised something."


Aria could not know, so he explained. "It occurs to me that each time the Atharim send it's hunters, either one or the other dies. Hatred breeds hatred, violence be-gets violence, as they say."
It was extremely dangerous, and he hoped his confidence was not arrogance in disguise. "You people are very good at finding me, and it will only get easier in the coming days. I will stay here, and if hunters come after me, I will let them live. Send them back to your masters defenceless. Remind them I could have killed them, but I chose mercy."


Speaking the idea out loud made it seem even worse, but he knew he would not let the challenge pass him by. It was not in his nature to hide, even if he had wanted to, but he had grown tired of hiding well and truly.

"As for arranging a meeting, I suggest you do exactly that. However, if it becomes a problem you can use this."
'This' was his private phone number, provided by Tony when he had finally stopped drinking. He was not sure of the details, but the man said it could not be traced to him. Something about his old friends he always went on about. Whatever the case was, he trusted Tony still, even if he had not been in contact for some time. Michael explained that it was relatively 'safe' without going into too much detail.

Depsite his initial irritation, he found that the meeting had been quite interesting. It had brightened his otherwise dull day. Dealing with crazy Atharim assassins was irritating, but the thought of an end to the constant attacks was quite the opposite.

"I don't get many visitors, but I don't kill the ones who knock first."

[Aria]

Aria wasn't worried about the Regus. He would do what he had always done. And she prayed that as long as she looked like she was doing something then that is what mattered. But you never knew what he was going to do, he was constantly defying everything she'd evern heard about him.

Michael's plan would probably not play out like he had hoped. "I hope you can send them home as you planned. But we are trained to die fighting.
Aria smiled, "The only way you can send them home alive, is if they are not consciously aware they are being sent away. They will not stop until the last breath from their bodies is gone."


Aria took the number and put in her pocket. She would memorize it later, it was far better than leaving in the Atharim issued wallet, or leaving it lying around for someone else to find. "I don't expect there to be a problem setting up a meeting with her. More than her, will be difficult at this time as there are not many I'd trust to even consider asking, if the reborn god survives, the hunters are usually dead."
Aria was going to have to go through the database to find surviving Atharim and reborn gods. Perhaps there were some, most likely not. They were either like her, and avoiding the situation behind mounds of research, or they had gone in and either failed or succeeded.

Aria smiled genuinel at Michael. "That is good to know."
Aria stood up and offered her gloved hand. "Until next time."

[Michael Vellas]

Michael stood with Aria and shook her gloved hand. "Don't do anything reckless,"
he said with a straight face. The one who said he was going to not only beat his assassins, but send them back to their owners as good as new. "Our time will come."
He thought about saying more. Aria was desperate, coming here proved it, but he decided it was better left unsaid. He believed her story, but he did not trust her that far.

He opened the door, the cold biting at the edges of power. "Try not to get yourself killed."


As she left, Michael thought about all that had been discussed. The hunters might cause problems as she had said. Some barely held a trace of humanity in spite of their devotion to it. They wouldn't leave because he asked nicely, they would die before returning.

Besides the fact that he did not know where to send them back to, although that was a lesser problem than convincing them not to try again.

He let out a soft sigh and sat back down. It was probably better he didn't know where they were located in any case. It would have to start simply. Knock them out, take their weapons and leave them to wake up on the side of the road - as far away from his house as possible.

He would also have to prepare himself for the meeting. He wondered if he could design a warding capable of detecting an ouroboros tattoo. Unlikely. A simple ward for human life would have to suffice. Even in the unlikely event these renegade Atharim decided to meet in the middle of the Markets, he could detect a pattern of a trap in the way a team would move.

Added was the problem of Nikolai himself. How much to tell him, and when? Would he have Aria executed if he told him? Michael doubted Nikolai was that stupid, but if he caught him in a bad mood, things could become complicated fast. That look in his eye when he had spoken of the war to come was one of death.

So much, so little time. His day off was not one of relaxation.