"Livia!" Serdna yelled as he walked into the lobby.

"Finally decided to show up, did you?" Livia teased with a soft smile playing on her lips. "S'pose it's about time you showed up, Serdna," Livia replied

"Ah, Livia, I am glad to see you too," Serdna chuckled. "I see your penchant for punctuality hasn't waned," he said while his hand moved to the back of his neck. "Sorry I am late."

Shaking her head, Livia gestured to a chair. "It's not about punctuality. Serdna, It's about... respect. If you want people to take you seriously, you have to respect them and their time. I only want the deciamtors to be respected around here."

"Is that Liaison Livia talking or my old friend?" Serdna gave a little chuckle, then sat down on the chair next to Livia. "I know, Liv. It’s just… I want to be on time, but my mind gets easily distracted."

"Can't it be both?" Livia replied, while organizing and piling up assignment papers. "As a Decimator, you’re what protects us, ‘in here’, against the monsters out there. And some individuals, ‘in here’, don’t understand how important that is."

“I understand, so what’s the mission?”

"Your upcoming mission" - she bit her lip - "I haven't seen the brief, it's classified. But please" - her eyes pleaded with him - "be careful. I don't want to lose another friend.” Livia’s eyes became teary. “There was a casualty at Serpent’s Pools."

“Thanks for your concern. You know, I’ve lost people too." - Serdna met her gaze, his heart swelling with gratitude - "But I promise! I don’t want to lose me either. Besides" - he added with a wink - "I've got my trusty lyre by my side."

"And Serd," Livia started, then frowned, "Whatever this mission is, please be careful. Too many decimators have died recently."

Serdna nodded, his smile genuine. "I know, Liv. I know."

"Just remember" - her voice was soft and comforting - "come to me whenever you need help. I may be a low ranking government official, but I am a government official."

Serdna nodded firmly, offering her a genuine grin. "Thanks, Livia" - he murmured, warmth flooding his chest - "that means a lot."

The door to Elira's office swung open. A slender woman with chestnut hair and brown eyes peeked out of the office. Her uniform fashioned a deep green stripe.

"Serdna," Elira called out, adjusting her glasses with an air of decisiveness.

Before Serdna could respond, Livia had stepped in. "Good luck," she whispered, her fingers giving his arm a friendly squeeze.

He nodded in response and with a deep breath, entered Elira's office.

His gaze had been immediately drawn to a silver globe suspended from the ceiling, a miniature replica of their galaxy with points of light spinning gently. It was captivating, much like the minister herself.

“Serdna, please come in." Elira Novalis gestured for him to sit. She adjusted her glasses before returning her attention to a stack of papers spread across her polished mahogany desk.

Serdna cleared his throat. "Thank you, Minister," he said while sinking into the plush chair opposite her. He fidgeted, fingers drumming against his knees, still unsettled by the suspense.

"Let's get straight to the point," Elira said, her voice clipped. "The Sonikraith's disruptive frequencies are spreading. They now threaten Havenstone Outpost."

“Harmonic Lake?” Panic raised like bile in his throat. He was never one for thrill and the prospect of going there... he could already feel one of those headaches. "Please don't tell me we have to go there.”

Elira raised a hand to ease his fears. "You won't be going to Harmonic Lake. But we need you to retrieve an artifact that might be amplifying the Sonikraith's frequencies."

"Alright," Serdna breathed out, feeling marginally calmer. "What do I need to do?"

Elira reached into a drawer and pulled out a small, worn, leather case. She opened it with reverence, revealing the Auditory Core nestled within. It pulsed with a faint, mesmerizing glow. "The R&D department wrote a report and well, they believe that you're the best person for this mission, given your equilibrium manifestation," she explained. "But you'll need to use this."

Serdna equipped his Spectrasight V-Scanners.

‘BEEP’ Acquiring information…

[Auditory Core] - This core amplifies the wielder's auditory capabilities, enabling them to perceive the faintest oscillations of valtite in the atmosphere. They can not only detect the existence of valtite but can also discern its unique resonances and vibrations, like a symphony of energies.

She handed the Auditory Core to Serdna, who cradled it in his palms as if it were made of glass. He could feel its power thrumming through him, resonating with something deep within his very being.

"This is...," Elira leaned in and lowered her voice, "top secret, Serdna. Disclose it, and you're in for a long stay in lockup. I’m not trying to scare you. I’m only saying this because it's crucial you understand how important this mission is."

With a shaky hand, Serdna laid the core down on Elira's desk. Serdna's throat went dry, when he attempted to speak. He swallowed hard. "What makes you so sure I can?"

“The report was thorough. You are the best decimator for this assignment.”

"Long ago," Elira continued, "the government discovered a secret chamber beneath Havenstone. That's why we built the outpost there. We believe this artifact is hidden within that chamber." She paused, her gaze pinning Serdna in place. "Your mission is to go to Havenstone Outpost, find the secret chamber, retrieve the artifact, and bring it back to the Directorate's headquarters. Do you understand?"

"I won't let you down, Minister," he vowed, determination coursing through him like an electric current. Entering a secret chamber under the outpost didn't seem like a dangerous mission, especially since it didn't entail entering monster territory.

Serdna picked up the core from the desk. “I accept the mission," he said, his voice steady and resolute. His fingers tightened around the Auditory Core, the firm feel of it providing a strange sense of reassurance.

Elira gave him a curt nod. "Thank you, Serdna," She adjusted her glasses, a silent dismissal as she added, "Arcasium is counting on you."

After being dismissed by the Minister of Resources Elira Novalis, Serdna stashed the Auditory Core in his bag, and left her office.

Stepping out of the government building, Serdna moved onto the sleek, luminous valtite-infused walkway. There were aestari walking up and down the busy street.

"There you are! Thought you'd been abducted by those suits," a boisterous voice broke through the hum of the crowd, followed by a hearty laugh that could only belong to one person - Mandrix.

Serdna turned to see his friend leaning against a street lamp with his usual wide grin plastered across his face. "Mandrix, what are you doing here?"

"I came to rescue you from the clutches of the evil government, of course!" Mandrix straightened up and crossed his arms. “I would have looked better with my cape, but I couldn’t get Zarkon’s purple blood out of it.”

Mandrix smile faded into a more serious expression. "You still mad at me for that little slip about your girlfriend?"

Serdna sighed, his mind briefly drifted back to Xezia’s death. "No, I'm not mad, Mandrix," he replied, stretching his limbs “We’ve known each other for a long time... I know you, and know you mean well, but sometimes it feels like you don’t care about how anyone feels."

"Alright, alright," Mandrix grumbled, scratching the back of his neck. "I'm sorry, mate. I know I can be a real ass sometimes."

"Sometimes?" Serdna raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He enjoyed the rare moments when Mandrix swallowed his pride.

"Sure, sure, most of the time," Mandrix responded, rolling his eyes dramatically before grinning. “I'll work on my people skills. Happy now?”

"Ecstatic," Serdna deadpanned, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Anyways, back to the suits, when the aliens come to take us, don't say I didn't warn you!" He leaned in closer and placed his arm around Serdna’s shoulders. "I'm close, Serdna. Real close to what the government is planning. The Farnedy incident, The Kellnedy coup, it’s all connected. But I need your help.” His hands moved restlessly as he spoke, tracing patterns in the air.

Serdna stiffened, avoiding eye contact. "It's confidential, Mandrix. I can't discuss it."

"Aw, come on! You know I'm onto something with this government secret," he insisted, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. "I need your help, Serdna."

"Damn it, Mandrix!" Serdna snapped, his patience wearing thin. "I said it's confidential! I can't help you right now."

"Shit, Serdna. You've got the intel, I've got the theories. Two halves of a secret pie." Mandrix didn’t flinch, undeterred by Serdna's annoyance. “Alright, alright. No need to get all huffy. Just thought you might want to let your best friend in on the action, that's all.”

“No, Mandrix. This isn't about your wild goose chases. I can't talk about my meeting, okay?" Shaking his head, Serdna held up a hand. “Goodbye Mandrix. And, try to relax.” Serdna moved past Mandrix, quickening his pace.

"Fuck-" Mandrix started. “Don't come crying to me when you figure out I was right all along!"

"I've got to go, Mandrix," Serdna barked, not looking back. He felt a pang of guilt, but he was more concerned about the urgency of his assignment.

Mandrix watched him go, then called after him. "When you're done with your 'assignment', find me. We've got a government to expose!" His words hung in the air, mingling with the hum of the bustling city street.

***

Serdna kicked purple sand as he made his way toward Havenstone Outpost, his mind began to wander. He found himself recalling his conversation with Livia. Her infectious laugh was still present in his mind. An image of her warm smile, momentarily dispelled the harshness of his surroundings.

"Damn it, Livia," he murmured under his breath. "I'm no hero."

But then, his thoughts shifted, landing on Elira. The mental load made his feet drag, Serdna wasn’t one to handle this much responsibility. What if he couldn’t enter the chamber? What if he entered the chamber, but died in there? No one would even know he was missing.

 

He kicked the sand again, It swirled around him, a fleeting reflection of the chaos in his thoughts.

Finally, his mind started replaying his conversation with Mandrix. Serdna shook his head as he considered the conspiracy theories surrounding the Farnedy-Kellnedy Tragedy. Some people in this world, he mused, were just as eager to spin wild tales as the most imaginative of storytellers. They'd weave elaborate theories from the barest threads of truth, wrapping them around their minds like valtite-touched headgear. And these tales, no matter how absurd, always seemed to find a willing audience.

"Maybe we're just pawns in some twisted game," he mused, his eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of danger. "But if so, who are the players?"

But there, all alone in the middle of a sea of purple sand, Serdna found himself wondering. Mandrix was a goofy character, sure, but the guy stuck to his guns. Plus, even a broken clock is right twice a day.

His boots cut through the sand, leaving a lonely trail behind. The quiet was sort of peaceful, giving him room to think and sift through his thoughts. His mind kept circling back to Mandrix's latest "big reveal". He found himself interested, and why not? In the wild, wacky world of Valteria, all bets were off.