Ascenders: Rising From Zero 31 Conference Room

Under the leading of Guardian Enamore, the newly arrived dragon scouts walked past and through series of pa.s.sageways, stairways and the likes. Soon they arrived at the end of the pa.s.sage that they were, double huge archway doors greeting them. One door was slightly ajar signifying that someone had being there recently.

Guardian Enamore stopped just aside, smoothening her face and her hair while also packing and shaping her b.r.e.a.s.t.s mounds and b.u.t.tocks too, earning some luscious l.u.s.tful mouth licking from Aeneas and Denre. Seeing them, she fumed but held back from doing or saying anything.

She had always been hotheaded and as result, she wasn't exactly the favorite guardian of all times.

But what did that matter? As a guardian, she was in charge of the vast operations of the entirety of CFR, it's branch quarters, field operations, findings and research as well as other technical whatnot that she rarely had time to refelect on what anyone thought of her.

If for anything, her hotheadedness and seriousness was what had brought great advancements to the CFR in recent times.

After her 're-adjustments', she walked in, flanked by the squad. Inside the room, were several inscriptions on the platinum coated ceiling that provided, together with the coating, soundproofed, heated and reflected light inside as confidential meetings were held in there. For now, the Lightning was dim reflecting the dusk outside, allowing not so clear visage on the elaborately carved wooden high-backed conference chairs that settled around a long rectangular mahogany table.

At the far end, at the edge was a lean and very slim figure wearing a bowler hat and long grey coat, giving a dark impression to his persona.

"d.a.m.n you. That seat is for me!" Enamore muttered under her breath.

"Greetings, Guardian." Verasin spoke, showing off a white set of sharpened teeth.

"Greetings!" The Guardian replied, taking a seat closest to Verasin by his left.

After exchanging pleasantries, the squad sat down, Aeneas beside Enamore, Ronke and Denre at Verasin's right, the closest being Ronke.

For minutes, they sat there, the air getting tense with many unspoken words. Enamore kept on fuming internally about her chair while Verasin looked unsure of how to start with the squad mates exchanging glances occasionally.

After what seemed like an eternity, Enamore spoke. "Why exactly does the Adze Circle seek after the Rare Type Lightning Fist Chimp? Is there something that s being researched?" She asked, trying to fish out information about the bizarre demand.

Agreed, the Chimp has wrecked havoc in one of their outposts, almost destroying it all before it got poisoned and escaped, only for information to reach them that the beast had gotten into Drago Forest Reserve.

But as to why they still sought after it, even after its apparent demise was perplexing.

Verasin looked thoughtfully at Enamore and then, threw his face away towards Ronke, ignoring her.

"I hear that you are the squad leader that was drafted to investigate the chimp's location. What did you find?" He asked, still ignoring the squirming and fuming Guardian.

Minutes pa.s.sed once more again, the air becoming even more hostile.

"I'm talking to you squad captain!" Verasin pointed at Ronke rather impatiently.

Still Ronke kept silent, stealing glances at the Guardian's face.

"Miss?" It was Verasin's turn to fume now, his polished dark skin seeming to exhale death aura about.

Seeing this, Enamore m.u.f.fled a laugh, satisfied at the lack of composure of Verasin.

Annoyed, Verasin turned to her. "Just why are you laughing? Did I come here to be mocked?"

"Oh, please!" Enamore raised a hand to silence him. "Under the hierarchical leaders.h.i.+p of I, The Guardian Of the CFR Quarters, it is forbidden for my subordinates to speak when I have given them no go ahead. I asked you a question, Asoju Verasin. You ignored and want to take fury on my squad? Just how rude can you get?"

"Fine! Apologies." Verasin sighed deeply.

"The Chimp investigation is purely borne out of research purpose alone. Nothing more." Verasin said.

The guardian shrugged, not willing to buy the story but she nodded at Ronke, signifying her permission to speak.

"Do enlighten our visitor about your findings, Squad Captain. And please, this is a meeting, a diplomatic one at that. Releasing your death aura in here will be taken as a show of force and a threat to the Drakonian Confederacy. And we do not take lightly to threats, Asoju." Enamore warned.

Verasin sighed, dispelling his aura.

This Guardian Lady was really just one tough being to deal with.

"Well, about our findings..." Ronke started after some seconds, getting attention of everyone.

"We went deep into the forest, to the mountain itself. Got up the cliff but we didn't exactly find the Chimp. Instead we found a d-do-dog... sorry... I meant, dragon." Ronke stammered.

"Dragon?" Enamore frowned slightly.

"Yes, a black Rage Dragon." Ronke said, rubbing her forehead. "It was very unlikely for it to be there but it intercepted us and we had to escape." She lied, looking at Aeneas for morale support.

"I don't understand. Is the CFR not secretly a.s.signed to deal with dragons? How come you fled? This is unbelievable. You lie." Verasin charged up.

If he had to believe them, that meant they were implying that they found nothing relating to the Chimp.

And he wasn't going to believe that. Not when he had equipped them with a death imbued soul sensor. The sensor had been imbued with Agbara of the Death Orisha, Iku which allowed the sensor track down the faintest essence of even a deceased being.

It was impossible that they couldn't find nothing!

"Excuse sir... you obviously have never seen a Black Rage Dragon before. If not, you would know that a team of mere Elite Cla.s.sed beings barely suffice." Ronke replied, trying to hold her ground even as she started sweating.

She just wasn't good at telling lies.

"You LIE! You had a death imbued soul sensor and yet you couldn't even track the location of the Chimp death? And you were telling me about a dragon?" Verasin retorted, his eyes gleaming red.

"Why are you perspiring, Ronke?" Enamore asked.

"Uh..." Ronke froze.

"WELL, our squad captain feels so much uncomfortable under the soul pressure Asoju Verasin is putting. Please tell him to lay down, GUARDIAN." Denre blurted out a lie,saving Ronke.

"Soul pressure? Is that true?" Enamore flared up, staring daggers at Verasin.

"It's not true!"

"It's true. Maybe you did it unconsciously but I can feel the pressure you are exerting on her soul." Aeneas added, backing up Denre.

"Asoju Verasin?" Enamore shot up from the chair, all mad. "You are threatening..."

"I'm sorry. Can we continue." Verasin cut in, obviously despairing as Enamore's Alpha cla.s.sed aura exploded, dwarfing him entirely.

Even though he knew this was all lies but he just had to lay low. After all, he was in drakonian confedreacy lands.

"I deduce that you were unable to find anything because of the interference of the dragon, right?" Verasin asked after Enamore had calmed off.

"Yes!" Ronke has regained much of her composure already.

"May I have the soul sensor that was leased out to your squad? At the present I need to report back so we can do our own findings." Just then, Aeneas tossed the sensor across the table over to the him.

"Guardian Enamore, you would have to lower the restrictions on the Forest to allow us pa.s.sage for our own investigation." He turned to Enamore after shoving the sensor away.

"No!"

"Would you want the AdzeHigh Circle to send a pet.i.tion to Lord Meados against your rash threat against my life over a claim that you hadn't bothered to investigate?"

"Uh..." Enamore's eyes widened. The vampire had a point. She should have at least soul gazed Ronke before flaring up and now he was going to use it against her.

Already she had had some charges on her hot headeness asking her to be removed, if a new charge from a foreign world power got in, then she would no doubt lose her position and affluence.

"Okay! The restrictions will be lowered." She sighed.

"If there is nothing more to say, I will be taking my leave while it's still dusk to the Adze Realms." Verasin said, standing up.

He stretched, his lean frame standing at a height of 7.5feet. And then, he walked out biding his farewell.

After some time had pa.s.sed, Enamore stood, slamming her fists into the table.

"Now WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT? You were lying through your teeth. How can you be lying and stammering at same time? Now how do I save my face?"

"Uh... we actually wanted to the..."

"Shut up!" Enamore pointed a finger at Aeneas.

Seeing that, Ronke fumed now, standing.

"Exactly! We've been wanting to tell you since but you have refused us audience for some time now. Guardian, we found the chimp's essence."

And so, Ronke briefed the guardian the entire campaign, skipping the Abiola part. After she was done, the guardian heaved, smoothening her skirt.

"Lord Meados must hear." Enamore said, slumping back into her chair.