Chapter 24: Headquarters

Finn climbed out of bed and headed for the men’s bathroom to get ready for the day. It was still very early, approximately 6 AM, according to the counting he did inside his head while in the reality rift. Despite this hour, however, Archon was already up as well.

Finn heard his voice coming from the bathroom and instinctively prepared to say good morning, but what Finn never would have expected when he heard his voice, was the contents of his sentences.

“Please… just give me a little bit more time… I can do it, I promise…”

A muffled voice came over on the other side of his phone, but Finn couldn’t make out what they were saying — only the distressed tone of Archon afterwards.

“I-I know, you’ve already given me plenty of time, but these guys, they’re still young and inexperienced… they can’t-

“Three days,” the voice on the other side said, this time clear enough for Finn to hear from outside the door. “You have three days to bring me what I want — the head of Alpha Lupi’s leader. Or else… it’ll be HER head that I take. Choose wisely… Bakris.”

As the other end hung up, Archon — or rather, Bakris — cursed loudly.

“SHIT!”

Finn heard the sound of something glass being broken — most likely the mirrors. Before he could digest all the information he just got and analyze their conversation, however, Archon walked out of the bathroom… and ended up running straight into him.

“Ah… Ace.”

“… Good morning,” Finn replied stoically, unsure of what else to say. His head was still jumbled with the thoughts of that conversation he overheard just now, so he wasn’t exactly ready for a conversation.

“Did you… hear everything?”

“Only the end,” Finn replied truthfully. He saw no reason to lie, especially since Archon appeared convinced he overheard the conversation anyway.

“I see…” the middle-aged man sighed, his aged face appearing even more wrinkled under the veil of darkness. “Well… can I ask you not to tell anything you heard to anyone else?”

“But… you only have three days left, from what I heard.”

“I know, I know…” Archon clenched his fists tightly. “I’m just… so lost. What should I do? Value this family I’ve built up here… or protect the past ties I just can’t seem to break?”

Seeing an opportunity, Finn stepped closer to Archon and placed a hand on his shoulders.

“It may not be my place to say this as someone who’s only been here for a few days, but… if you think of us as your family, then you should know we’re ready to go through hell with you. You’re the leader of this Squadron, Archon. You decide what we do. Even if we died following your orders… I’m certain none of us will utter a single word of complaint or blame.”

“Ace…”

“I could tell from your voice just now. Whoever that ‘her’ is… she must be extremely important to you. And your friends, are our friends, Archon. I don’t know the context of what happened, but… I’m guessing she’s being held hostage by some person, and said person wants you to do a dangerous job for them… which, by the way, can be good training for our upcoming fight against a Baron-level Ghost.”

At this, Archon smiled slightly. “Didn’t know you could crack a joke too.”

“I’m not joking. How am I supposed to get stronger without any danger, the best motivation?”

“… Heh. Thanks, kid.”

And as Archon’s eyelids suddenly began to feel heavy, Finn let go of his shoulder at last and stopped his heroic facade, allowing the man to collapse onto his shoulder.

“No… thank you, Archon… for the Blacksmith Angelica.”

Since according to Iris, he couldn’t use the Oculus Angelica until his eyes were cured, this was the only way. He couldn’t keep just using his bladed gloves forever, after all.

*****

Later that day, Archon woke up in his office’s seat, confused and groggy.

“This… did I pass out last night…? No, but that bastard called me again this morning, I remember that very clearly… but what happened after?”

He racked his brains out to try and remember, but in the end, could not. Instead, he just sighed and shook his head, giving up.

“Agh, whatever… I still have three days… and I promised Ace I would show him the Phantom Slayers Headquarters today…”

Slowly getting up from the chair, he headed out of his office and into the living room, where everyone else was already waiting.

“Finally up, Archon?” Octane laughed as he stuffed a spoonful of soup into his mouth. “Mm, Shtorm, thish ish delishous!”

“Shut up and eat,” Storm muttered irritatedly, glaring at his friend in disgust.

“Well, I was up a couple hours ago, but then I passed out…” Archon sighed, careful not to let his distress from the call earlier this morning show. “Anyway, it seems you all already took care of breakfast, so everything’s fine. Ace and Ivis, you two ready to visit the Phantom Slayers Headquarters today?”

Finn and Iris both nodded, having finished their food already.

“Great. I’ll just grab a bite of this real quick…” Archon picked up the spoon in the bowl left for him and placed it into his mouth, savoring the soup. “Ooh, Octane’s right on this one. Storm, you’re improvin’.”

“Still can’t compete with you, Archon,” Storm replied, folding his arms.

“Haha, you’ll get there,” he laughed, then turned to Finn and Iris once more. “Alright, follow me, you two.”

“H-Huh? You only took one sip!” Octane complained.

“It’s fine, it’s fine. I’m not hungry anyway,” Archon replied, waving his concerns off with ease, before leaving the living room. “I leave the house to you, Storm. Be sure to receive Ivis’s wheelchair that should be coming in sometime today.”

“Understood.”

As Archon left, Iris instinctively climbed onto Finn’s back, who then stood up as well and followed after the leader of the 154th Squadron of the Phantom Slayer Corps.

They were soon led into a room they’ve never been before in the house, hidden within a wall. Inside was a teleporter, the exact same model as the one they had used before at Kas’s place.

“The only way to reach the Phantom Slayers HQ is through a teleporter,” Archon explained. “Normal people would never be able to find it.”

Saying this, he stepped onto the plate right as the wall snapped close once again. Iris and Finn followed.

“Alright… now, prepare to feast your eyes.”

*****

A white light enveloped and blinded the three of them, and before they knew it, they were staring at a bright blue sky, with white clouds hovering here and there.

The was just one thing ‘off’ about the whole situation:

The clouds were directly in front of them rather than above.

It was then that they noticed they weren’t standing on solid ground but instead some kind of puffy, comfortable material — the very same clouds they had just been admiring.

“H-Hey, Finn…”

“What?” Finn asked, still oblivious to the situation.

“Uh… I think we’re… on a cloud right now.”

“Indeed we are!” Archon laughed from behind the two, causing them to turn around.

But the first thing Iris saw was not Archon’s face, but a massive, tall white tower, with rotating platforms floating around the main building and an enormous white orb located at the very top of the tower, floating between four arches. On the orb was the silhouette of a wolf’s head, with a sword slicing through its neck diagonally.

“That, my friends, is the insignia of the Phantom Slayers. The wolf represents wildness and loyalty, while the sword represents killing. And as for the white orb around it… that symbolizes the moon to which the wolves howl.”

“Wow…” Iris gasped in awe, different colored eyes sparkling in wonder. “An enormous tower built in the sky, coated with invisibility from radars and the public… I’ve heard the Phantom Slayers have the least impressive temple, but even this is…”

“It’s true, we don’t put that much effort into lookin’ good,” Archon chuckled. “The other guilds’ headquarters are even bigger and better than this one. But what’s looking good going to do for you? Keep you alive? Ha!”

With this hearty laughter, Archon strode on into the tower, his frustration and despair from earlier nowhere to be seen. Iris and Finn followed, still having no idea just what this place held in store for them.