08-15-2016, 08:43 PM
Ascendancy turned on him in anger and Malik froze the expression on his face. A rage churned beneath the surface and for a moment, he again felt that hunger to tap into that power, the crowds below, to feel the sea of people as if they coarsed through his veins, flowed out his fingertips. The man was weak. So.Very.Weak.
But Marcus breathed and let the rage at being confronted dissipate. Not time. Not yet. He had so very much to learn. But he would keep himself sharp, soak in everything he could. He thought about those crowds, the chants up at Ascendancy, the fact that the man was known- and now worshiped. Marcus was not known, not by the people, not yet. It would take time for that to change.
And, now that anger no longer crowded his vision, he could admit, the man was right. Bringing Oakland was a very real risk, especially now. But so was leaving him to go free. Vellas- the man would never be his ally- had understood that point instinctively. The secrecy was too too telling, the man's motives unknown. So he would do as Ascendancy asked and get the man.
And he would be sure that the Ascendancy betrayed not a whisper of his fatigue. The Dominion needed to be strong. It needed to be- always and forever- perceived as undeniable. A force of nature.
Marcus nodded at Ascendancy and went to the anteroom where Oakland and Vellas and the others were waiting. "The Ascendancy will see you now in Andreyevsky Hall,"
and then led them there. To see the head of the Dominion.
Once they arrived, large doors opening, Marcus stood and presented their "guest". His eyes glittered hungrily as they ascended the stairs and rested on the man that sat on the throne.
But Marcus breathed and let the rage at being confronted dissipate. Not time. Not yet. He had so very much to learn. But he would keep himself sharp, soak in everything he could. He thought about those crowds, the chants up at Ascendancy, the fact that the man was known- and now worshiped. Marcus was not known, not by the people, not yet. It would take time for that to change.
And, now that anger no longer crowded his vision, he could admit, the man was right. Bringing Oakland was a very real risk, especially now. But so was leaving him to go free. Vellas- the man would never be his ally- had understood that point instinctively. The secrecy was too too telling, the man's motives unknown. So he would do as Ascendancy asked and get the man.
And he would be sure that the Ascendancy betrayed not a whisper of his fatigue. The Dominion needed to be strong. It needed to be- always and forever- perceived as undeniable. A force of nature.
Marcus nodded at Ascendancy and went to the anteroom where Oakland and Vellas and the others were waiting. "The Ascendancy will see you now in Andreyevsky Hall,"
and then led them there. To see the head of the Dominion.
Once they arrived, large doors opening, Marcus stood and presented their "guest". His eyes glittered hungrily as they ascended the stairs and rested on the man that sat on the throne.