"Yes. We have a plan."
As soon as the elevator stopped at the bottom floor, a voice came.
Just as Aaryan heard it, he looked toward the one who spoke.
And the one who said that... wasn't human. It was an A.I.
Although it was mechanical, the voice strangely felt familiar to Aaryan. His eyes widened for an instant, but as soon as he saw it was just a mere robot, he quickly regained his composure.
"What's the plan?" Aaryan asked, his eyes still burning with the anger from earlier.
"Can you please come inside first, sir?" the robot said politely, gesturing toward the entrance.
Aaryan and the other seatholders entered.
The room was massive, its centerpiece a colossal holographic screen. But that wasn't what made it unsettling. The air was cold—not because of temperature, but because of something unseen that sent a subtle shiver down Aaryan's spine.
"Hey, you all?!" Aaryan shouted. "Just how many things are you hiding from me?"
Even though he was one of the seatholders, he barely knew anything—and this secret facility was proof enough.
"More things than your brain could imagine," Kai said mockingly, his arms crossed, eyes closed.
"You seriously enrage me. I think I'd rather go deaf than hear your shitty voice." Aaryan rubbed his temples in irritation.
"I merely answered your question," Kai replied coolly. "But yes, going deaf sounds like a great idea too. The choice is yours."
"Can you just shut the fuck up?"
"No. I guess not."
"It's a waste of time to argue with you." Aaryan sighed and turned away. "Hey, you—robot. Tell me what this plan of yours actually is."
"Understood, sir." The bot's metallic fingers danced across a holographic keyboard.
As Aaryan waited, he glanced at the others. They were unusually quiet. He knew some of them weren't talkative, but Aureya's silence—it was different. It bothered him.
He tried to steal a glance at her, but the bot interrupted.
"Here's the plan," the bot said, projecting a large hologram. "But before that, please review the current situation."
"Fine," Aaryan replied suspiciously.
The bot opened a folder, displaying the latest reports.
As Aaryan read, his nerves tightened, his blood boiled, and the aura around him changed entirely.
"What the hell were you guys thinking?! Am I just a seatholder in name?!" he shouted, clenching his fists so hard his knuckles turned white.
"C-C-Can you calm down? We're really s-sorry for not informing you earlier," a trembling voice said.
It was Krul Katarzyna, shaking like a leaf.
Aaryan sneered. "Oh, so that's why there was guilt flickering in your eyes... except for that shitty emperor over there."
"As I told you, we're sorry for thi—" Aureya began.
"Just shut the hell up!" Aaryan barked. "I don't want to hear your bitchy cries right now!"
He rubbed his temples again. "Hey, robot! Open the damn plan folder already."
The bot obeyed, opening the hologram and handing Aaryan a personal interface.
While reading, Aaryan's eyes stayed fixed on the glowing screen, but his mind was spiraling. How could they hide this from me?
Rajya—the city under attack—wasn't just any place. It was a perfect fusion of technology, tradition, and culture.
More than a city—it was a nation in itself.
There were seven continents in this world, called Nations. Each was watched over by a seatholder.
But with only six seatholders, one nation—Rajya—was governed collectively by all six.
The Academy of Truth was here as well.
Divided into six districts, each ruled by a seatholder.
And the district now under attack... belonged to Aureya.
"Hmm... I think I get why Aureya was acting strange," Aaryan thought.
He waved his hand, turning off the hologram. "Is this really your plan?" he asked coldly, scanning their faces.
"It's too shallow."
"Eh? Is that so?" Kai said, walking toward him. "If you have a better one, then be my guest."
He paused, smirking at Aaryan's troubled expression.
"Judging by that look, you don't have one. So kindly—shut. Your. Mouth."
"But it's wrong to kill all the people!" Aaryan argued, fury flashing again. "They believed in us—they trusted us to protect them, their children! And now you want me to kill them all?!"
"There isn't any other option left," Aureya said, her voice hoarse, cracking under pressure.
"There has to be a way! And why the hell didn't you keep things in check in the first place?" he yelled. "None of this would've happened if you'd done your job properly!"
"Shut up," Aureya muttered.
But Aaryan ignored her and kept pressing.
Finally, something in Aureya snapped. She glared at him—and an invisible force flung Aaryan across the room.
"I know it's my fault!" she screamed, tears spilling down. "I tried to fix it, but nothing worked! You don't know how much I care about my people. You don't have any idea—yet you talk as if I don't care!"
She fell to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Anyway," Kai interrupted coldly. "I don't care about your people or emotions. What I do care about is my time. So, if you're done crying, I'll take my leave."
He walked away. No one stopped him.
Aaryan stood up, brushing the dust from his clothes. His earlier anger had faded. "I think I went too far," he muttered. "So to make up for it... I'll handle this mission alone."
"Are you insane?!" Aureya's eyes widened. "Even for a seatholder, that's suicide!"
"Hey—just who do you think I am?" Aaryan said, a tense smile forming. "I'm Aaryan. The one and only. The best there ever was. Did you forget that?"
Aureya felt a strange warmth at his words. That reckless confidence of his—it was maddening yet reassuring.
"But—"
"No buts," Aaryan cut her off again. "This isn't a request. It's my statement."
He walked up to her, kneeling slightly. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I know it hurt. So, can you forgive me? Crying doesn't suit a face like yours."
Aureya blinked, wiping her tears silently.
Aaryan offered his hand.
"No thanks," she whispered.
But he still grabbed her hand, gently forcing her to stand. "Even if you say no, you need it. And I don't turn my back on those in need."
He released her hand and walked away.
"Be careful," Mr. Keesing called, smiling faintly.
"I know," Aaryan replied, stepping into the elevator.
Aureya opened her mouth as if to say something—but closed it. "Never mind," she murmured.
Inside the elevator, Aaryan smirked to himself. "Guess it's finally time to use it."
The corner of his lips curved upward into a confident grin.
"Be ready, monsters. You're about to face your end."