Year's End Masquerade

The winds coalesce, swirling about beneath a shining blue sky, but the deeper into the city you go, the more you will see the swirling smog that swallows it whole. As the sun hovered above the great city of New Olympos, reveling in its colors and lights so full of vibrancy, it could not escape the scent of undeterred industrialism riddling its atmosphere with filth.

No matter where you go in the city, you will see the Tower of Babel piercing through the clouds—a massive pillar resting at the very center of all five districts. It is the base of operation for the Athenian division, and at the very top, however high it reaches, sits the god-arbiter, the Queen.

Within its massive halls lies a room built in marble and outlined in gold, the chamber of the Queen. It is a place of architectural grandeur, made in such a unique and practical way to honor Her Majesty. At the center rested a long war table, and at the far end was a shining throne. Above it, a massive golden pendulum swung left and right, a symbol of the everlasting rule of the Queen. However, it had been long since she last appeared from her chambers to engage in troublesome congregation.

And at the other end of the table stood a man, tall and bulky. His head of white hair was slicked back. Old as he may seem, his body was fully augmented. Multiple energy lines ran through the entire left side of his face.

His entire body—the perfect image of what an augmented human can achieve—was covered by a thick white coat, and sown onto the back was the marking, "I."

General Theo "Mars" De Leux, the first Arbiter.

"One falls... Another rises," he spoke in a very deep tone. "The calm before the storm is the world's last chance to choose peace, but it is the stillness that makes the thunder inevitable. And still, the Queen believes her name to hold wisdom and authority, yet the throne remains vacated in the presence of that very storm."

Captivating his scornful blue eyes was a tablet displaying information regarding one 'Solas De Leux.'

"My own kin..." he growled. "Fallen... once more."

As he rested his finger upon the tablet merely with the intent of picking it up, it shattered beneath the might of his touch.

"Do be cautious with your words, General Mars." The elegant voice of a man mocked him as he laughed. "Any more than that, and one could assume you are defying the absolute rule of the Queen. We wouldn't have the first Arbiter himself being marked as a defect, now would we? Or perhaps, we would? What an interesting show that would be."

Mars turned his head to meet the man's bright smile, though he would not give him the same treatment. While he sat there like a god on his throne, it was as though a shining ray of light was following his every movement. Adorning his head were wavy golden locks that fell to his shoulder while smaller strands on the side of his head stretched to his chest. As he continued to smile, his sharp, hazel eyes glistened like a topaz gemstone. An energy line ran past his right eye, a small line curving into a crescent right below his eyelid.

His bare chest was left visible beneath his robe. A white, short-sleeved coat covered it all, and sown onto the back were the markings, 'IV.'

General Ramses "Ra" Zakaria, the fourth Arbiter.

"Absolute rule can only be maintained when the ruler is present to assert it," Mars muttered threateningly. "However, I see no such person here who is either sagacious or worthy enough to fulfill that role. Such is the reason we Arbiters must now step in. Such is our purpose."

"Oh dear..." Ra scoffed. "And here I was thinking you called us all here simply to catch up with old friends and drink. It appears we've walked into quite the headache. A sudden meeting over what is already obvious seems quite... unreasonable. What say you, General Skadi?"

Leaning against a marble column was a young woman with eyes closed and arms crossed. Everything about her emitted an air of coldness, especially her long, straight hair of the palest blue and straight bangs. Just then, she lifted her head, revealing a pair of sharp, icy-blue eyes. In their wake, the chilling sensation worsened.

She wore a loose tailcoat jacket. Wrapping around it was a white coat outlined with fur, and sown onto the back were the markings, "II."

General Senya "Skadi" Mirae, the second Arbiter.

"I have nothing to say to you," she spoke harshly, as if even her words exuded frost. "This meeting was called with a purpose, and if you are not here to fulfill it, then go—and leave your severed head while you're at it."

"Oho~ my. What burning hatred for someone so cold."

Suddenly, the noticeable, almost exaggerated, clacking of high heels filled the silence of the empty halls. Making her way down the red carpet was a woman in black. Her short hair of the darkest night fell to her shoulders, and a single strand of magenta whisked down her forehead.

A white coat hung from her shoulders, and sown into the back of the coat were the markings, "III." A true beauty in the eyes of many, though terrifying at the same time.

The doors to the chamber slammed wide open. All eyes turned to revel in her arrival, though they were not equally as welcoming.

"Hello, my wonderful darlings!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. "Your resident beauty queen is here to spice up the evening!"

General Keira "Hela" Van Lachlein, the third Arbiter.

"Truly as beautiful as ever, General Hela," Ra smiled endearingly. "To not only show up late but to give us a magnificent performance on your way in... You really know how to liven the atmosphere, don't you?"

"Unfortunately, I can't say the same about you, darling," Hela winked. "Maybe if you chop off those long locks and get rid of that fake smile, you'd be a lot more attractive. Maybe."

"Ah, but you are mistaken. This smile of mine tells no lie. I am very enamored to see you after so long. You, on the other hand... I would wager your whole face speaks of a lifetime's worth of lies."

"Careful, darling. If lies are kind, then the truth must hurt. Keep running your mouth at me, and you'll find out exactly what that means."

"General Hela..." Mars said. "I am well aware of your desire to actively involve yourself in menial affairs. However, tardiness will not be tolerated."

Hela brushed her fingers through her hair, holding it back, while giving her colleagues a clear display of her menacing smile.

"Oh, relax, old man. It's only been—what, twenty minutes? I'm sure none of you had anything better to do anyway."

"You would do well to respect other people's time, General Hela," Skadi said. "Not all of us are willing to test our patience with your petty antics."

"Aw~ Good to see you too, darling!"

Hela approached Skadi with her hand raised, ready to pat her on the head. But Skadi quickly unsheathed a thin dagger almost like a needle, holding it firm at Hela's neck.

"Do. Not. Touch me," Skadi muttered, her eyes gleaming with calm animosity.

"Oh?"

Hela stepped forward, allowing the blade to narrowly cut into her neck, until her face was no more than a mere inch from Skadi's face.

"And what do you plan to do if I happen to brush into you, darling?"

The two locked eyes, seemingly ready to clash.

"Now, now, ladies," Ra chuckled. "Like you said, General Skadi, we were called here for a purpose. Have you forgotten so quickly? I expected better, especially since you yourself were the one who said it."

Skadi hesitated to move her blade, but she finally pulled it back. A small splash of blood squirted out of Hela's neck, yet she seemed completely unaffected and uninterested.

"Do not mock me when you are no less guilty than I am, General Ra," Skadi said. "Calypso once set fire to the Spire. That day, thousands of lives were lost, and many more were left to suffer. And yet, you, a man who was chosen to act upon the cause with effect, decided to fill every waking hour with a drink in one hand and a woman's bosom in the other, so do us all a favor and silence yourself. Otherwise, the people will start to defect upon seeing your... inadequacy."

Ra's smile disappeared, replaced by a harrowing calmness that betrayed his usual carefree nature.

"Be mindful of your words, General Skadi. There have been many instances of those who flew too close to the sun. You wouldn't want to know what happened to them."

"You know, I've always been curious. Will your shining sun be able to touch me before the winter cover this world in ice? Just say the word. I'm dying to find out."

At that moment, a thunderous boom echoed in the chambers, echoing along its walls until it faded into complete silence. Their eyes simultaneously turned to stare at the war table, which was now shattered in half beneath Mars's fist.

"Here stands the Arbiters, those who wield the most powerful codes and possess the highest authority, yet you have allowed your tendencies for hollowed defiance to roam free. That ends here and now."

From the golden pendulum, a shining ray pierced through the glass, casting its pale light upon the first Arbiter. Skadi pushed herself off the wall and stared, awed by his grandeur. Ra gracefully flew to one knee, as if bowing to his godlike presence. And Hela crossed her arms with a wide smirk, eager to witness what lies beyond the coming long nights.

Mars stood atop the staircase where the throne sat. He turned around, but all that could be seen was the silhouette of a monstrous man with a pair of raging blue eyes.

"Calypso advances, but we will be the blade that carves through them with ruthless precision. Beneath the unblinking gaze of Her Majesty, the Queen, we will ensure that the order of New Olympos remains unshaken. This city will not fall—not while we stand as its executioners."

Code: Zero Defect, Act: I
End