Chapter Text
Dripping blood across the cold floors of rocky gravel as the soft sound of a tattered cloak dragged, picking up dust and spreading soot around, there dragged forward themselves with a large stance as whispers began to ring out in their head.
Around this figure— Stalactites dripped cold and sinful water, allowing noise to counter the exterior silence along with the bubbling from nearby Brewing Stands, and the small creaking of the wooden table that held said Brewing Stands so easily, these helped ease the whispers as something began to scratch away at their ears, removing away from the taunting and chanting.
“Sir—” Managed out a skittish redhead before being gripped by the throat, her voice struggling out as she kept going, “Sir, it’s… It’s just me, please let go…”
Letting go with a slight shove, the figure scoffed and loomed over the woman, watching as she backed away and rubbed at her neck, “What is it now, Paige?” Their eyes narrowed, still gifting that red and piercing bright hue behind the now dirtied Hog skull, “Pray tell on what deems your appearance before me. And it better be worthy of your life.”
Gulping back a heavy set of saliva, the redhead stammered as she readjusted her glasses, “W-Well, I made your potions more potent… A-And even figured out how to reinforce the Wither’s bones so they’ll last longer in battle!”
Softly humming, the figure’s eyes seemed to soften as they walked past the woman, amusement dancing in their voice, “Good. Though, scrap the Wither’s, we won’t need such measly and mediocre mobs to do our work.” The figure removed their cloak, throwing it aside with ease as the redhead watched the dress shirt— Once a pearl-like color was now drenched and stained by their own blood. “Do bring me some golden apples, I can feel the effects of those arrows and my left lung filling up with blood.”
“Right away, sir.” Responded the woman as she quickly retrieved some golden apples, each pace quicker than the other as she felt the burning stare from their boss.
“Don’t call me Sir, carrot head.” Sneered the figure as they took off the skull mask and tossed it onto the wooden table, annoyance now clear on their face, “I am not my brother, I do not need to use such tools or reuse old tactics of his.” Snatching an apple drenched in what looked to be a golden liquid from Paige’s arm, the figure groaned as their empty hand gripped away at the table as they also used it to lean against for stability.
The figure continued to groan in mild discomfort as the wounds on them began to heal slowly, bits of shattered wood and flint pushing out as the figure lunged forward and gritted their teeth. Slamming their hand against the table, the figure leaned back and took a deep inhale, one of swallowing pain and discomfort before dropping their head and exhaling calmly.
“Fucking hate healing quickly.” Huffed out the figure as they finished the apple and slicked back their hair, attempting to calm some wild strands, “Now, Paige, where the hell is my brother?”
“B-Brother…?” Questioned the woman as she looked around before setting her sights back to the figure, noting how their eyes seemed more angry and sunken in from tiredness, eyelashes a bit more thick, and even the eyebrows seeming less bushy, “Oh, I thought… My apologies, I thought you were Apollo, Ma’am.”
“The unfortunate mistake when you have twins doing the work of a fallen brother.” Huffed the figure, now revealed to be a twin of this Apollo man, “Either way, you at least keep track of every experiment you run to help the syndicate.”
“About the Syndicate, ma’am…” Quickened the redhead, adjusting her glasses once more— Almost like an annoying give away of her ridiculous need to feel secure and ease her fears, “They began to question yours and Apollo’s methods of taking down The Legion Empire. Down to even… If it is worth it to be this extreme.”
Piercing eyes of red roared as the redhead found herself being gripped roughly by the chin and dragged closer as she sneered out, “Need I remind you of what occurred when those bastards discarded my brother’s loyalty for a country they did a coup for!? Need I give you the fresh reminder that the man who willingly helped these friends also spawned ancient creatures and ripped into each one of them!?”
Shaking from fear, the redhead attempted to escape the grasp as tears began to well in her eyes, eyes that shone a small forest green hue. She reached up to her boss’s wrists and gave a small tug as she begged and stammered out, “No! I know what Technoblade did to L’Manberg! Stop, you’re hurting me!”
“Enough, Artemis.” Hummed a masculine voice, sharp yet gentle, “Let’s not abuse our strength, we don’t wish to be seen as rulers. Now do we?”
Roughly pushing away the pale woman, the boss— Sister now revealed as Artemis, merely scoffed and chuckled, “Look who finally shows up. Where the hell were you?”
“I was busy.” Sterned out the man as he caught a stumbling Paige, gently walking her towards a seat before returning his attention to his sister, “And before you ask with what, it was to see how large the island actually is and what style of army this ruler has.” Setting down his hog skull mask onto the table, his skin now in view as his eyes shined with that oh so clear red hue. Apollo seemed to also look rather stoic as his jaw clenched while he stepped to his sister's side, “This Legionary is quite versed in how to run an army, we must calculate this properly.”
“Why don’t we just kill the bastard so easily?” Hummed the sister, her voice calling for rush and quick effect, “It’s not that hard when he openly walks around the streets.”
Pushing himself off the table, he turned on his heels and called out, “Ah yes! Why don’t we kill this leader in broad daylight after your stunt?” Tilting his head a bit as he waved his hand towards the emptiness of the cavern turned temporary home, annoyance clear on his face as he stepped forward, “Your stunt cost us a major victory and a very big deal of a crown, Artemis!”
“Oh, so because I take a better approach, we are failing? We have him and his army shaken! We have them cornered on their own island, so tell me, dear brother, what good would stealth and silent attacks do for us?”
“It would have kept us in secret and allowed us proper timing with a proper plan to strike in a flashy way like you want whilst getting the Legionary’s head and crown. A restless army will lead to failure for us! All warfare is based on deception!” Shouted the man, his arms being hidden by his maroon cloak.
“Yet in the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.” Ruffed out the woman as she rolled her eyes and stood up, “We shouldn’t worry when we have the enemy restless and he won’t be able to sleep.”
“That is not how Techno worked, Artemis.” Sterned out Apollo as he narrowed his eyes.
“Well he isn’t here, now is he?” Cocked out the twin, “He would be fine with either approach! Especially when the crown we are after is a fucking Roman man!”
Raising her hand timidly, the redhead offered to speak and was met with an immediate and irritated “What?!” from the female twin.
“I just…” Began the pale woman, “Apollo is right about the tactic of being stealthy, especially since word got back that Craftee made it onto the island and will in fact ruin any plans.”
Sighing as he pinched the bridge of his nose, Apollo scoffed, “Of course you attacked when Craftee set foot on this island… Artemis, now we do have to act fast. With or without the help of the syndicate.” Quickly walking away, he gave a final warning, “We need to disarm the diamond man, he poses too much of a threat to our goal and tactics.”
“The hell do you want me to do!?” Cried out the twin as she stood onto her feet, “Apollo! Answer, you stoic pig!” Giving a groan and irritated squeal, she kicked the leg of a nearby chair and looked at the still seated Paige, their eyes meeting but with one looking more timid and afraid. “Get the Wither’s ready, and make sure to get me another set of clothes.”
Rising to her feet, Paige nodded as she began to walk past the other, “Right away, ma’am. Should I ask your brother if we should initiate the Ghostbur plan? Or should we wait a bit longer?”
“No.” Sneered out Artemis, fists clenching at her sides as blood still dripped from the cuffs of her shirt down her pale and scar filled knuckles, “Tell him that it’s best if we initiate the Bell Plan for this one. We have to win and I will take that God damn laurel crown from this disgusting Kingdom.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll let him know of the Bell plan.” As she continued her steps, the redhead stopped before slightly turning to see the state of Artemis. Their stand was cold, hateful, and ready to give in to the voices that her late brother refused to give into. “Ma’am. You don’t have to listen to the voices, even if they ask for blood.”
“Silence, Khan.” Cold out the pink haired woman, her red eyes piercing a bit into the redhead’s soul, “Do not try to talk as if you have any morality when Apollo and I are the only ones who know what you did in Atala under freewill and command of that government.”
Giving a nod and tightening her lips, the redhead gave a simple, “Fine. Just don’t mix your grief with violence.” Turning back on her heels, the redhead left. Her steps fading into the temporary base.
“The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.” Muttered out the twin as she leaned against the table once more, “Know yourself and you will win all battles… Techno really had a brain for understanding Sun Tzu. How funny.”
The silence was new, there were no voices calling for bloodshed, yet one seemed to mutter away, mumbling and rambling but stopped to give one final tune.
“Revolution waits for no man.”