Chapter 394: Cornered Mouse
"Planet Tithia? What do you mean we will land on Tithia? I was told I’m being carried to Vorthas..." Leo snapped, rising from his bed with furrowed brows as his gaze locked onto Landen.
"I—I... um, I don’t know why you’d think we were headed to Vorthas, my Lord, but I’ll fetch the Captain right away. He might know more about this than I do," Landen stammered, bowing quickly before dashing off without waiting for permission.
Moments later, he returned with the ship’s Captain in tow, both of them slightly breathless from their hurried pace.
"My Lord," the Captain began respectfully, "our orders were always to transport you to Planet Tithia. Lord Twelfth will personally receive you once we arrive."
He paused, as if carefully choosing his next words.
"I’m not sure why you’re under the impression that Vorthas was your destination, but I’ve double-checked the written orders we received myself. Everything we’ve received from Command has consistently stated ’Tithia’ as the end-point."
Leo stared at him silently, his jaw tightening as he processed the explanation.
"Please, I ask for your patience," the Captain added, bowing slightly. "I’m sure Lord Twelfth will clear up any confusion the moment you arrive."
Leo let out a long sigh, lifting a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose as a dull headache formed behind his eyes. Part of him wanted to lash out, but the other part knew it would accomplish nothing.
He was tired of the Cult.
Tired of their manipulative half-truths and their constant shifting of the goalpost.
But shouting at a low-level crewman or a flight Captain wouldn’t solve anything.
’Maybe my family will be waiting when I land...’ Leo thought, choosing optimism in spite of everything. ’Maybe they were brought to Tithia to greet me.’
Giving the two men a restrained nod, Leo stepped back, folding his arms as he waited for the ship to descend.
For now, he decided to hold his patience.
—-----------
(A few minutes later, Planet Tithia, The Hangar Bay)
The massive Cult ship touched down with a low rumble, steam hissing from its sides as the exit doors opened wide, releasing a wave of pressure that gently swept across the hangar bay.
Leo walked to the exit with a composed stride and found a line of attendants waiting to formally receive him on the other side.
They were all dressed in light-colored robes, their heads bowed respectfully, forming a symmetrical path of deference and ceremony.
At the center of it all, draped in elaborate ceremonial garb and surrounded by his personal entourage, stood the Twelfth Elder himself.
His face was concealed behind a smooth, expressionless mask, and his arms were spread wide as he stepped forward, the gesture clearly intending to welcome the guest of honor.
"Dragon Candidate Leo... we have been eagerly awaiting your arrival here at the Cult Of Ascension," the Twelfth Elder greeted warmly, his voice carrying a calm, practiced resonance as he extended the invitation for an embrace.
But Leo didn’t move.
"Where’s my family?" he asked coldly, his eyes sweeping the bay in a single sharp glance as he hoped to catch a glimpse of a familiar face amongst the crowd.
But there was no one.
The hangar, though full of faces, felt completely empty, as no-one from his family seemed to be present here.
"I will answer all questions in due time. For now, be patient," the Twelfth Elder replied, his voice steady and unmoved.
Leo’s patience, however, had long since worn thin. Without a flicker of hesitation, he drew his weapon and leveled it at the Elder’s chest, the polished blade gleaming beneath the natural sunlight of Tithia.
"I was promised a meeting with my family once I completed the mission," he said, his voice tight with anger and conviction.
"My brother appears to be severely injured, and I demand to see him immediately. Either honor our agreement or I will hijack this ship myself and fly it straight to Vorthas." Leo threatened, as the mood in the hangar bay shifted instantly.
Gasps rang out among the attendants. The guards flanking the Twelfth Elder stiffened as unease passed between them like a wave.
Even the flight crew at the ship’s ramp froze, looking stunned at the sight of a Dragon Candidate drawing his weapon on a sitting Elder.
Only Mu Fan, positioned behind the Twelfth Elder, remained composed. She exhaled quietly, as though this confrontation had already played out in her mind a hundred times already.
However, despite the rising tension, the Twelfth Elder showed no fear.
He didn’t flinch at the sight of Leo’s dagger and instead let out a low chuckle before speaking again.
"Child, I am a Transcendent-tier warrior. Even if I stood alone, you would not be able to lay a scratch on me..... So I do not fear the dagger you aim at my chest," he said plainly, his tone firm and measured.
"And even if, by some miracle, you managed to slip past me and hijack a ship to Vorthas, what exactly would you achieve? You would still be denied access to your family. Because whether you accept it or not, I oversee Vorthas. It is under my jurisdiction."
He took a step closer, his voice gaining weight with every word.
"You are now within the Cult’s fold. This is my domain. And if you believe that you can do as you please here, I will be more than happy to strip away that illusion.
Should you act out, I will not hesitate to put you in chains.....
Make no mistake, Leo, you hold no cards in this game.
You will follow orders and you will do exactly as I say, and only then will you meet your family."
His words rang with authority, heavy enough to crush any thoughts of rebellion in a normal person, however, Leo’s grip on his blade only tightened in response to his threats.
’Can I take him on?’ he wondered, as his eyes flicked toward the figures surrounding the Elder.
However, to his dismay, each of them emanated a quiet, dangerous pressure, as they all seemed to be transcendent tier warriors at the least.
’Fuck!’ Leo thought, as at that moment, the harsh truth finally settled.
He could not win here.
Nothing he could do would change the outcome.
And even if he somehow managed to escape, he would still not be able to reunite with his family, which made even attempting the hijack meaningless.
The Cult held all the leverage here....
They had his family, his home under surveillance, and the planet’s entire security force at their command.
While he had nothing!
He was simply a cornered mouse.
’Damn it. The bastard played me,’ Leo thought, his jaw tightening as he slowly lowered his weapon. The gesture was deliberate and calm, though each inch of descent felt like a submission he loathed to offer.
The Twelfth Elder gave a satisfied nod, his mask tilting ever so slightly.
"Don’t overthink it. I don’t plan to keep you here long. I gave my word that you would meet your family, and I fully intend to keep that promise," he said, turning away with a graceful sweep of his robe.
"But before that happens, there are a few scheduled meetings you must attend here on Tithia. They will not take more than four hours. And the sooner we begin, the sooner we can conclude them. So I advise you not to waste any more time."
Leo exhaled through his nose and followed, his steps slow, steady, and filled with quiet contempt, as the hangar doors behind him slowly began to close.