09-14-2018, 11:36 PM
Evelyn spoke with a wisdom that belied her youth.
In all of his own wisdom, he knew her to be right. He was making grand assumptions about the current leader of the Atharim, but he knew next to nothing about the man who wore the mantle of Regus. What motivated him? Was he pre-destined to the role as Nikolai once was? Until now, details were irrelevant. The Atharim wielded weapons that could inflict actual harm unlike never before.
Attack where he is unprepared. Nikolai thought for a moment. Regus’ true name was known to him by virtue of his position as the head of the Vatican Historical Society, but the knowledge held little currency. The man that walked the streets would adopt false identities and blend invisible. There was nothing to track him by conventional means. To attack where one is unprepared implies knowledge of preparation. Every day of his life has guided Regus to the confrontation soon to erupt between them. Meanwhile, Nikolai devoted little mental energy to the encounter. He underestimated his enemy greatly. Regus had the capacity to discovery and control something that no man should be able to harness. That implied great resources, devotion and intelligence.
Move when he does not expect you. Thus far, Regus chased Nikolai, whom proudly planted his flag of dominion in the heart of Moscow. He surrounded himself with layers of shields – people and walls alike. Often, Nikolai summoned the bonds of his own divine power and crafted a literal shining shield when confronting the public. Regus was utilizing all the great strategies of war to attack his enemy; meanwhile, Nikolai utilized none of them. The Ijiraq left Nik panicked and exhausted. Another could rise from the floors at any moment. The anticipation would prey on his own mind, drain his mental and physical endurance, and outright irritate him to the point of restless hastening. Regus’ strategy, therefore, was to bring Nikolai stressed to the point of defeating himself, then strike. The lack of control would bring himself down. The moment he sank to his knees, the executioner would strike.
“No wonder he has been able to reach me. I have not even attempted to stop him.”
The meandering gaze of his thoughts finally settled on Evelyn, the inspiration of these epiphanies. Nikolai’s great strategies arose from the depths of his own genius but also nursed by competent advisors.
It turned out that one of them came from one of the most surprising sources.
He looked at the way she sat so calm and serene. She was a magnificent creature for someone so young. More eyes bore witness to their amorous interactions. Twenty-five years of precedent made no room for a single whisper of secrets escaping; such betrayals were met with swift, crushing penance. Nik did not worry about loose lips, but he was not ignorant of the flaws within humankind. The more people who knew his sentiment toward Evelyn, the more risk.
But that wasn’t such a bad thing. He knew what he needed to do. If he isn’t too cowardly to face me. A relatively simple arrangement logistically. The difficulty lie with injecting the communique into the Atharim's system such that it traversed the best paths to Regus' attention.
He reached for her hand as she had reached for his. Her warmth blossomed through the chill like a flower braving an early spring. “Evelyn?” He searched her name like it was a sacred invocation of something forbidden.
She already proclaimed boundaries that Nikolai was unwilling to cross or so he thought. Something changed tonight. Something to her lingered upon him like an enchantment he was willing to live.
He held her eyes as he lifted that slender hand and kissed the knuckles he so gently held.
In all of his own wisdom, he knew her to be right. He was making grand assumptions about the current leader of the Atharim, but he knew next to nothing about the man who wore the mantle of Regus. What motivated him? Was he pre-destined to the role as Nikolai once was? Until now, details were irrelevant. The Atharim wielded weapons that could inflict actual harm unlike never before.
Attack where he is unprepared. Nikolai thought for a moment. Regus’ true name was known to him by virtue of his position as the head of the Vatican Historical Society, but the knowledge held little currency. The man that walked the streets would adopt false identities and blend invisible. There was nothing to track him by conventional means. To attack where one is unprepared implies knowledge of preparation. Every day of his life has guided Regus to the confrontation soon to erupt between them. Meanwhile, Nikolai devoted little mental energy to the encounter. He underestimated his enemy greatly. Regus had the capacity to discovery and control something that no man should be able to harness. That implied great resources, devotion and intelligence.
Move when he does not expect you. Thus far, Regus chased Nikolai, whom proudly planted his flag of dominion in the heart of Moscow. He surrounded himself with layers of shields – people and walls alike. Often, Nikolai summoned the bonds of his own divine power and crafted a literal shining shield when confronting the public. Regus was utilizing all the great strategies of war to attack his enemy; meanwhile, Nikolai utilized none of them. The Ijiraq left Nik panicked and exhausted. Another could rise from the floors at any moment. The anticipation would prey on his own mind, drain his mental and physical endurance, and outright irritate him to the point of restless hastening. Regus’ strategy, therefore, was to bring Nikolai stressed to the point of defeating himself, then strike. The lack of control would bring himself down. The moment he sank to his knees, the executioner would strike.
“No wonder he has been able to reach me. I have not even attempted to stop him.”
The meandering gaze of his thoughts finally settled on Evelyn, the inspiration of these epiphanies. Nikolai’s great strategies arose from the depths of his own genius but also nursed by competent advisors.
It turned out that one of them came from one of the most surprising sources.
He looked at the way she sat so calm and serene. She was a magnificent creature for someone so young. More eyes bore witness to their amorous interactions. Twenty-five years of precedent made no room for a single whisper of secrets escaping; such betrayals were met with swift, crushing penance. Nik did not worry about loose lips, but he was not ignorant of the flaws within humankind. The more people who knew his sentiment toward Evelyn, the more risk.
But that wasn’t such a bad thing. He knew what he needed to do. If he isn’t too cowardly to face me. A relatively simple arrangement logistically. The difficulty lie with injecting the communique into the Atharim's system such that it traversed the best paths to Regus' attention.
He reached for her hand as she had reached for his. Her warmth blossomed through the chill like a flower braving an early spring. “Evelyn?” He searched her name like it was a sacred invocation of something forbidden.
She already proclaimed boundaries that Nikolai was unwilling to cross or so he thought. Something changed tonight. Something to her lingered upon him like an enchantment he was willing to live.
He held her eyes as he lifted that slender hand and kissed the knuckles he so gently held.