Crystalline Universe: Team Fortress 2 Overwatch - Volume 3: Crystalline Universe: Bloodline's Curse Chapter 66 Next Step On The Staircase
*NOTE: The event of the current story takes place 1 year and 2 months after the late chapter: [Passion warriors] Current date: April 4th, 2077, around 1 year and 7 months after Kadyn’s capture under Sniper’s order.
Iron spikes flew out of the wall while massive pieces of metal platforms fell from the ceiling toward Azur. In a swift move, Azur organized her sapphires around her and deflected all the incoming projectiles. As the falling platform came closer toward her, she formed a drill head with her gems on top of her head and pierced through the platform with ease. Suddenly, the wall around her exposed a set of small tubes that spat a wave of tiny needles.
In reaction, as her eyes glowed in a fiery blue and calculated the needles’ trajectory, she backflipped with the help of her crystals, thus dodging the first wave coming from her right. Without losing a second, she rolled parallelly to the second wave of needles coming from her left.
Finally, she bent backward to avoid the wave from her front and jumped high up into the sky to evade the ones coming toward her back.
When she landed on the floor, five of her sapphires hastily formed a spinning rectangle while the last one flew toward the space inside it. The gems spun while trying to archive the golden ration in the artificial rectangular form.
As Dane and the rest of the scientific group observed in intrigue from the observation tower beyond, Paxton also glanced anxiously behind the training room’s door window. The crystal spun inside the rectangle and exited through the other end without any result by smashing itself against the wall.
As Azur watched in disappointment at her failure in the ration’s execution, her other sapphires soon lost control and the immense energy stored inside them blasted her against the wall. As Azur collided with the metallic surface, she spat a mouth full of blood while screaming in pain.
Paxton quickly opened the chamber door and rushed toward Azur who laid agonizingly on the ground. He rapidly checked her body for potential severe injuries before attending to her less serious wounds.
[Azur, while coughing] – “I’m alright, it’s fine, just give me a moment, Paxton. ”
[Paxton] (in a worried voice) – “Freaking mad lad, why did you let your charged crystals go? ”
[Azur] – “I don’t know… I’m just useless as heck. ”
[Paxton] – “At least you tried, you were pretty close I suppose. ”
Paxton reached his fist out to Azur, who smiled back and gave him a fist-bumped.
*Later that day
Azur and Paxton walked through an empty hallway after their exit from the medical center.
[Azur] (in frustration) – “I just don’t know where I got it wrong! Dane put the right coordinates inside my eyes, my sapphires should have executed the perfect rotation and access other dimensions like he said. ”
[Paxton] – “As little I know about those “experiments” you were doing, I still bet that those “accessing other dimensions craps” are all false. ”
[Azur] – “Agh… Maybe you’re right… It’s been a f.u.c.k.i.n.g year already. ”
[Paxton] – “Wanna go to that restaurant we went last time for this midday? ”
[Azur] – “Can’t… I have to attend my friend’s marriage this afternoon. ”
[Paxton] – “Who? ”
[Azur] – “Oh, you know, Kady and Krafton, they are getting married. As one of her best friends, I have to be her maid of honour. ”
[Paxton] – “Krafton? Oooh, that guy though, I f.u.c.k.i.n.g hate him. He acts like a douche and jerk just because he’s a high ranking member of Talon. ”
[Azur] – “I don’t know him but from what you told me, I hope at least that Kady is happy with him. ”
[Paxton] (in a frustrated tone) – “That asshole, I helped him so many times in the past and he didn’t even invite me to his marriage. ”
[Divine Maiden] – “Psst! Hey! ”
The pair looked beside them inside a janitor closet where Divine Maiden sat with a slim cigar in her mouth. She was dressed in a formal white gown and her hair was tainted blonde in contrast to her usual dark pink.
[Azur] (surprised) – “Dyvi, what are you doing here? ” (Azur and Kady call her nickname Dyvi)
[DM] – “Kady’s marriage, I’m here to pick you up. ”
[Azur] – “Can we bring him with us then? ”
Divine Maiden observed Paxton with an unimpressed expression on her face.
[DM] – “This guy? ”
[Paxton] – “I have a name you know! ”
[Azur] – “He’s my friend, we have a place for one more at our table, right? ”
Divine Maiden sighed, clearly annoyed by the suggestion but seeing Azur’s enthusiasm, she ended up accepting her proposal. She stood up and put her hands on each of the pair’s shoulders before the Chronos accelerator on her chest started glowing.
[DM] – “And… ”
Instantly, the three of them were already standing amid the crown of guests that are attending the marriage ceremony.
[DM] – “… we are here. ”
[Paxton] (in confusion) – “What the der Teufel… ”
[Azur] – “It’s the effect of Chronos acceleration, it teleports us through time and space, nothing to be surprised, mister heil doctor. ”
[DM] – “You tell this to anyone, I will make sure your head falls faster than you could speak. ”
Paxton, still in a state of stress and confusion, nodded his head to show his promise.
Time still remains before the main event, so Azur wandered off on her own to eat some pastries on the dessert table. As she drank a small cup of punch, a middle-aged man walked and stood beside her. Slowly, he approached her but she rapidly moved away and stared menacingly at the man in the eyes.
The man discreetly revealed under his skin Mike’s signature hairstyle before pulling his disguise back down.
[Azur] – “Mike? ”
[Mike] – “Let’s not get too excited and don’t say it out loud. ”
[Azur] – “Where have you been? I couldn’t find you anywhere. ”
[Mike] – “On a business trip and now attending parties. ”
[Azur] – “What do you want me to do? I’m all at ears. ”
[Mike] – “Not much, stand by and wait for my orders, I may need you later. ”
Mike immediately marched toward a group of Talon’s high ranking members with, amongst them, admiral Valentine, The Judge, mafia boss Giorgio and more…
[Judge] – “Aaaah! Mister Segreto, what a nice surprise to meet you here. ”
[Segreto] – “Me too, mister Judge, a very pleasant surprise to see you here too. ”
[Judge] – “My friends, allow me to introduce you, mister Segreto, a great supporter of Talon, strong believer in Sniper’s ideologies and saviour to my son from a car crash accident. ”
Segreto bent down with his hand on his chest in a gesture of respect toward the many nobles in front of him.
[Segreto] – “Enchanted to get to know you gentlemen in such an occasion. ”
Throughout the last year, Mike made remarkable progress in establishing solid relationsh.i.p.s with the Talon high rankers. Every single one of his actions was done with a bigger goal in mind. He’s no longer the scared, weak and cowardice man he was, under Rick’s guidance, he managed to secure many deals and relations with men who held great power in the Talon’s hierarchy. But on top of all, it was his cold and calm personality that did the magic in his pathway to power.
Now known as Sir Segreto Imperatore, he holds the position of wealthy merchant that unconditionally support Talon with founds and military product.
The main event was about to start, everyone took their respective seat in front of the wedding altar. Mike sat on the second lane of spectators beside The Judge and Boss Giorgio. Soon, Kady walked up toward the platform where Krafton was standing with a joyful smile along with Azur on the side.
Kady looked extremely similar to Kadyn since, for the humiliation purpose, Divine Maiden ordered that she be kept with no disguise or makeup so this would hurt Mike even more if he sees this girl who unknowingly was, in reality, his wife.
But what she didn’t realize is that Mike was watching but with not even a single ounce of emotion. The young man stared stiffly at the girl and despite the memories that are trying to haunt him, showed little to none concern. He was no longer who he was, the day his emotions died, also died his love for Kadyn along with it.
In his livid eyes and thoughts, the only thing that could come in mind is that this beautiful and unfortunate girl will suffer as her husband, Krafton is on his target list after his claim to the throne. In his personality, Mike could only inflict cold-hearted justice and pain as his icy-frozen heart will never ever show a single spark of warmth.
The wedding went smoothly as planned with both the bride and the groom sharing their eternal happiness in front of the guests. As the cheerful crowd clapped their hands, Kadyn looked emotionally at the spectators but suddenly, she noticed Mike under his disguise since her eyes could see through materialistic projection.
She immediately recognized him as the sharp dress shop’s owner but something about him was off since the last time she met him. His eyes were piercing her heart like the sharpest knife that could ever exist in this world, so much that she instantly felt an uneasy feeling illness. She didn’t understand why she was feeling sick but she knew there must be something more to that.
[Krafton] (in a worried voice) – “Are you alright, my love? You look pale, what happened? ”
[Kady, with a gentle smile] – “No, I’m fine… I’m maybe just too excited. ”
Azur, who stood beside her also noticed the sudden change in her behaviour when she saw Mike amid the guests.
*Somewhere in Roumania
Inside an abandoned empty warehouse, Mergiann and Karson jumped around the team’s aircraft while trying to clean up the dirt and repair the bruises it sustained throughout their countless missions. The two were mostly left alone on their own while Darlynn is away gathering information on the Tsas XX’s atrocities.
Joyful and careless, the two friends did light-heartedly their job while they played pranks on each other.
In front of the warehouse’s door stood I.D.D., filled with envy and excitement.
[IDD] – “Finally, after all this time, I found a clue! Lapidazione will soon be avenged! ”
To be continued… Next Chapter: [I.D.D. (Impiccato, disegnato, diviso in quattro)]
