Infinity in the Void – Freedom in the Abyss

The Grey House, Novah, Capital of Mu

Athen was not having it, today is the worst day of her life. She never was the type to sit down and have a cup of tea, talking things in a civil manner, even if she tried to.

The cyborg Prime Minister of Mu, Lewis Armstrong, is talking to Neoth, debating the ethics of the shield.

"Are you certain that you can handle taking care of the Aegis?", Neoth smiles, leaning back on the chair.

Athen knows Neoth was playing mind games, she hates mind games.

"Our Research Division is on par with America, we certainly can gain insight with our technology.", Lewis stated, crossing his mechanical arms.

"Still, can you understand an object made from the gods? And the claim of being on par with America is a bit... far fetch, don't you think?", the red-haired man tilted his head.

"Are you saying that we are not capable of knowing what the shield can do, or we cannot know?", he inquired.

Athen let out a sigh as Neoth look at her, this is her time to shine. Even if she does not want to.

"My name is Deliah Spartois.", she stood up, "I am an Archivist of the Hellenic Republic National Museum, I did some research on the Aegis back in the day. I can provide much more help with my knowledge alone."

"Then show it.", a scientist smirked, he wanted to see what Athen was capable of.

"First, I demand the Aegis to be brought here. Then we can do some testing, worst case scenario is the Aegis explode.", Athen demanded, her tone was harsh and made everyone feels uncomfortable.

"Why would a shield explode?", the scientist asked, frowning in confusion.

"The Aegis originally belonged to Goddess Athena, even before the head of the Medusa was put on, its original purpose was to reflect any attack. You can shoot a rocket at it and see the result for yourself.", she smiles, acting cocky.

"Bring it in.", Lewis requested.

The doors opened, and three people carrying a large box stepped inside the meeting room. Before they can place it down on the table, Athen stopped them.

"Excuse me, please leave it on the ground. I want to test something.", she got off her chair and walk towards the box.

She kicked the lid open, very violently too. Everyone, with the exception of Neoth, was stunned at her display of force. Inside was a glowing pure white shield, with the image of a face on it. 

But Athen frowned, she see no snake hair attributed to the Medusa. The aura of the shield certainly was similar to the Aegis, but there is something else she can't quite put her finger on.

"One way to test it out.", she grin, raising her fist— and punched the shield!

BANG!

After glowing brightly by being hit, forcing everyone to shield their eyes... once the shield stopped glowing, everyone turn to look at Athen... with horror.

"Heha! I can't believe this, it really is Aegis! Though someone modified it, it is the true shield of Zeus!!", she raised her hand up, showing the burned arm by the reflected attack.

"Neoth, you figure what the fuck was done to the Aegis!", she continue to laugh in madness, "I'll go have my rest and treat this wound."

Her azure gaze fell on Lewis.

"Can I excuse myself, Mister Prime Minister?", she grinned madly.

"...Of course.", the Prime Minister nodded.

Fucking finally, I am out of this tension-filled room!

She kept on a creepy expression, one she learned from Charlotte, "Very well, I hope everything goes well~"

She left the room, leaving everyone stunned in silence.

"You have to reign your girlfriend in a bit.", Lewis unintentionally spoke out loud.

"She isn't my girlfriend, just a co-worker.", Neoth laughed, "Now, about the Aegis, since we have confirmed it is the real deal, can I have a look over it?"

"Feel free to, now that it is here."

Neoth approached the shield, he immediately frowned after just one look at it. Kneeling down to pick up the shield, wearing it for some testing.

"Things... just got more complicated.", his voice was grave, "This is indeed the Aegis, but it is actually more than that."

He placed the shield on the table, with its underside facing up, showing the black inside. He showed Lewis and everyone in the room what he found - the Trinity Knot, commonly found on Celtic ruins and weapons.

"This here... is the Trinity Knot... something only the Irish would know. The only thing I can think of is... the Shield of Lugh."

Then a hand raised up from one of the seats, it was the black hair woman with purple eyes, Joowun.

"A student of ours called it Pridwen, from what I know... that name belonged to Arthur Pendragon's Shield.", she spoke her piece and put her hand back down.

"Pridwen, Shield of Lugh, and... Aegis. This is concerning...", Neoth pondered.

"Could someone combine Divine Relics?", a scientist asked, combing his hair back with his hand, looking frustrated.

Neoth wears an uneasy expression, "Theoretically, yes. But the problem here is the system used."

"Could you explain more?", Lewis inquired.

He nodded, "Pridwen and the Shield of Lugh both use the Earthly Edict method - carving Runes to grant it the blessings of the World - so in practice, you can combine them. The problem lies in the Aegis, which uses the Heavenly Edict - to convey intentions through voices to request magic. These two systems are incompatible together..."

His sun-like eyes glowed brighter, as if he saw something, "Unless..."

"Unless what?", Lewis urged him.

"Unless... there is a third system, linking the Earthly Edict and Heavenly Edict together. A third Edict..."

"That sounds... too far fetch.", Joowun spoke her mind up.

"Yes, extremely far fetch.", Neoth agreed, "But not impossible."

Then he turned to the Prime Minister, "Sir, the situation has changed— This concerns not just Mu or Greece, but may also concern the entire world. Someone who can combine different Relics belonging to different Edicts, potentially created a whole new Edict, is on the loose."

He slammed his palm on the table, staring at everyone in the room, "I request a joint operation between Mu, the E.U., and the U.S. to look into the person who created this... thing."

Lewis pondered for a while, closing his bionic eyes, "Miss Li Joowun, what is the culprit's description."

Joowun took in a deep breath, reminding herself of the overwhelming individual who could have destroyed her.

"That person was a woman, tall - close to two meters in height - a lean build, she had silver hair with streaks of red and yellow mixed in between. Oh, and her eyes a literally on fire. She wears what looks like to be the early Great War period French army uniform, red uniform, and white pants. What struck me the most was a scarf made of fire. She was so sexy—", she stopped herself from speaking further with her hand, blushing a bit.

"And what about her combat abilities?", Neoth asked.

"Ehem... she showed four of her weapons, the first one she brought out was a sphere that spawns blue abominations on par with my Legion. Then a burning black sword that can create a massive pillar of fire... Orin was unable to keep her arm... and that shield completely blocked Alucard's power to nullify Magic. And finally... what she called Excalibur."

Everyone widens their eyes at the last part. Excalibur, the Sword of Victory, one that turns the darkest of nights to the brightest of days. Amongst all mythical weapons, nothing is more well-known than the sword of Sir Arthur Pendragon.

"It wasn't a sword.", another bombshell was dropped, "What she called Excalibur was a pair of black wings that emits a golden thrust... now that I think about it, they look like jet fighter's thrusters or an ICBM."

"Let me get this straight.", Lewis spoke up, "A sphere that creates horrors beyond human comprehension, a sword so destructive it leaves a massive pillar of fire all the way up to orbit, a shield bypasses any unnatural ailments that also can reflect attacks. And rocket-powered dragon wings. Am I hearing it right?"

"Essentially... yes.", Joowun nodded.

"A burning black sword...", Neoth mulled over it for a while, "Elderstahl, the Blade of Destruction... this woman is more dangerous than I thought..."

"We need the U.N to get on this case too, especially the Global Orenda Coalition.", he looks at all of the people in the room, "And perhaps... them."

He look up to the ceiling, shuddering just for a moment as he saw something blocking his vision. A purple smoke screen, from an entity beyond this world...

"Deliah...", he muttered.

 

=0=0=

 

"Asclepius.", Athen summoned a potion in her hand, which she drank right away.

Her burned hand was healed instantly. Then she threw the bottle away with a sigh.

"Aegis.", she called out the name of the shield, summoning it on her arm. The pure silver shield with the face of the Medusa, with the snake hair, one that can deflect anything and turn people to stone.

"That shield feels like the Aegis, but at the same time, not the Aegis.", she frowned, thinking of someone, "Charlotte..."

She took out her phone, calling Charlotte.

Once the girl picked up the call, Athen immediately interrogate, "Charlotte, what did you do to the shield?"

[Shield? Ah, right. I didn't do anything, I just picked it up and called dibs.]

"So did you see the attacker?"

[No? I just came to loot stuff after everything was over.]

"I didn't take you for someone who scavenge for this.", Athen chuckled.

[It was a cool shield, and it totally fits me. How can I not pick it up and declare it mine?]

"Hah... look, I want more information about the attacker. Do you have any?"

[I think she was my Aunt.]

Those words made Athen suffer a violent series of coughs.

[Athen, are you alright?]

"Y-Yeah just choked on my water. So, about this Aunt of yours, why did you say the terrorist was her?", she asked, not minding that her nails are digging into her thigh.

[She looks like Deliah, but crazier. I would imagine my Aunt to be a total psycho who would mess with everyone she meet, abusive and like to do villain monologues.]

Who the fuck do you think I am?!

Athen wanted to scream, but she barely kept it in.

"Th-thank you, Charlotte. I'll end the call now—"

[Oh, and I met my sister. We had fun.]

"O-Oh... that's good to hear...", Athen let out a sigh before ending the call.

She laid back on the floor, looking at the gray ceiling.

"So they've met...", she closed her eyes.

"I just hope that... everything will be okay. Big Sis... what would you do in this situation?"