Bonus: For The Future

Where do you hide something in plain sight, where no one would think to look? Where do you put something you need to keep away from other people, but close enough to keep an eye on them? An interesting predicament, one that was made especially difficult when you're stuck in a sprawling city like Mistral.

The marker took its time sliding along the numbers, the elevator rising floor by floor.

Humanity is unequal: that's a common fact. Another fact, one that the majority of people are unaware of, is that the lower classes don't know what the majority of those in the upper class do. Ever. They are never seen, never heard, never a concern. Thanks to this undeniable truth of society, the issue almost solved itself.

Bright lights of the temple to a false god flashed through the window on the two figures ascending the building. One, a young woman, bounced on the spot to the rhythm of the music playing through her headphones. A lollipop stick sat between her lips, candy almost a pink as her bubblegum hair – two twirls hopping in time to the rest of her body. The other person was a man, standing almost twice as tall as she. His eyes were closed, blocking out the lights and incessant humming from beside him.

The elevator halted to the sound of a pleasant ding and the girl gasped, catching the lollipop as it fell from her mouth. She sprang through the doors as they opened, giggling like someone half her age.

''Calm yourself.''

She twirled on the spot, a look of unabashed glee on her face. ''Aye Sir!'' He found her attitude deplorable, but her abilities were all that truly mattered. So long as she was competent, he didn't care how chirpy her tone or how exuberant her behaviour was. As he strode into the penthouse she fell in behind, skipping on light feet. There was little in the way of decoration, or even practical items. The rooms were filled with stacks of books, papers new with freshly died ink and others yellowed and crackled with age.

They found him sitting out on the balcony, gazing up at the crescent moon. His arms rested on a table, bony fingers laced together. His well kept hair was a tone of ash that matched his skin, crinkled with the many years of a life lived. At a distance one might have mistaken him for a statue – the effigy of a man who once was.

''Welcome, my friend.'' His head turned as though pushed by a gentle breeze, and smiled at the girl as she waved in a way that was more akin to jumping jacks. ''Hello to you too, Coral.''

''Hiya old timer! How's the retirement?'' she asked, plopping her bottom on the table and swinging her legs back and forth. She grinned down at the aged man, her toothy expression full of innocence and mockery.

''I am making do, thank you. I can see you are as full of life as ever.''

''You know it!'' She leapt up and clapped her hands to make a sharp crack that split the air. ''A star's gotta be en-er-gized!'' She emphasised the last word by striking dramatic poses. ''Totes hope I get a crib like this when I retire!''

''Work hard and you can achieve anything, Coral,'' he said, still persistent in dispensing his words of wisdom.

''That's enough Coral, leave us,'' the man she had arrived with ordered.

She nodded and gave a playful salute as she strutted past ''Gotcha boss!'' Returning to the elevator she hit the button and struck one last pose. ''Laters!'' she called as the doors shut, leaving the two men alone.

''She appears to be doing well.'' A genuine smile spread across his thin lips as his guest sat down. ''Still, I am rather surprised. Since when did you need an Executive to escort you to a meeting, Commandant?''

The Commandant frowned at the jab. ''I don't. She insisted on accompanying me.''

''I understand, you have to keep the talent happy.'' He let out something between a scoff and chuckle.

The two men locked eyes across the table, readying themselves for the same battle of wills that had raged between them for decades. The Commandant set a device on the table and activated it, the hologram of a fresh chess board appearing, ready for play. ''You have the first move, Vergil.''

''You are most generous, Cassius.''

They played in silence, directing their pieces through the opening stages of the game, neither one looking to attack.

''So tell me, how does the king fare?''

''The same as ever: he sits on the throne and his kingdom continues on its noble path.''

''And I have no doubt of the extent to which that irks you.'' A glare was all Vergil received, calling him out on his hypocrisy. From the balcony they had a clear view of the palace, sitting the centre of the city where tens of thousands of people went on with their daily lives, unaware of what went on within those golden gates that fenced off their monarch.

The game went on, pawns meeting on the front lines as other pieces weaved through, picking at any opening they could find. Turn by turn the board gradually began to depopulate, and tensions rose a notch.

''I remember when we would play this, before the Agency was formed even. You certainly have improved since then.''

''Experience hones one's abilities. It was only to be expected.'' Cassius reached out and swept his queen forward. ''Check.''

Vergil nodded his approval at the move, taking a deep breath as he contemplated his next move. Not looking up, he asked, ''Why did you really come her?''

Cassius looked at the elder man. Even while focused on the game, it was obvious he was aware of everything, keeping his senses peeled for any information he could gather. ''Several weeks ago there were a number of raids on facilities across the continent.''

''Oh?'' Vergil's ears perked up, the statement managing to draw his attention from the game. ''Which ones would that be?''

''A large number of minor locations, but also our south and west bases of operation. In addition, there was a small raid on a mountain facility under Flay's command.''

''Flay?'' A certain sadness crossed over Vergil's face as he thought of the man, and the boy he had once been. He sighed. ''Is he okay?''

''He came out unharmed.''

''That is... good. What was the raid's target?''

''A young agent by the name of Pyrrha Nikos, who had turned traitor.'' A flash of surprise struck his opponent's face, most likely at the thought of learning she had been under his command, but Cassius pressed on. ''That's unimportant. The surveillance footage of one of the skirmishes that occurred is what matters.'' He pressed a button on the device and the game disappeared, replaced by a screen. It showed the recording of two teenage boys in battle – one with dark hair who held a lance and dominated the battle against another. This one wielded a simple sword and shield. He fought hard, but his inexperience was evident from just a few seconds.

But that wasn't the interesting part. It was his blonde hair. It was the sigil that decorated his shield.

As the battle went on the lancer took the advantage, striking a mortal wound that tore a chunk out of the blonde's side. Just as he was about to land the final blow, two others joined the scene, drawing his attention. They were quickly defeated, which was when something miraculous happened.

The blonde stood, a white light beginning to engulf him, coating his weapon. It was so brilliant that it almost threatened to blind the camera, leaving only silhouettes visible.

The fight was decided in one exchange, with the blonde emerging victorious. That was where the recording ended.

''Has he inherited the Covenant?''

''That's a possibility.'' Cassius rewound the video to the moment at which the white made its appearance and played the recording frame by frame. ''Notice how it begins in the hilt of the blade?''

Upon closer inspection, that appeared to be the case. Vergil sat back and hummed, his eyes sliding shut as he covered his mouth. His mind raced at the reveal, excited in a way it hadn't been for so many years. ''If I had to hypothesise... I would say he has not inherited it – yet. Right now it looks like the weapon has been... enchanted with the Covenant.''

''Is that even possible?''

Vergil shrugged. ''That's impossible to know. I've only ever seen it once with my own eyes. As I said, it is only a hypothesis.''

''I see...'' Cassius stood and gazed over the balcony railing into the horizon. His eyes narrowed, as though troubled but at the same time a sense of anticipation peered through.

''You're still after it. Arc's Covenant.''

''Yes. It is necessary if we are ever going to restore this country to its original state.'' All Vergil could manage was a sad sigh at Cassius' logic. ''I do what I do for the future... this world will not last the way it is going. We need the strength of the Covenant if we're ever going to achieve this.''

''That may be... but there is a better way to do it.''

Cassius' next words came in a low tone, barely a whisper. ''You've already lost. Your way died the day I became Commandant.'' He grabbed the device from the table and switched it off, striding inside and towards the elevator.

Finally, Vergil stood up, limping after the younger man. ''Cassius, I implore you, do not harm that boy. He does not have to get involved. There is still time to reconsider your approach.''

Cassius received Vergil's pleas with cold silence, staring from within the elevator, hand poised to press a button.

Virgil stopped and frowned. ''There is no convincing you... even if you do not follow my advice, promise me you will remember it.''

The silence that followed said it all. They regarded each other with a mixture of all the emotions that had been experienced over years of cooperation and conflict.

The doors shut. The small display on the wall beside it lit up with a small red light and Vergil returned to his balcony, looking out upon the world below, his thoughts occupied with events that were forever beyond him now. All he could do was sit, and observe.

It has now been a year to the day that I uploaded the first chapter of this story, so I figured ''What the hell, let's make it special!''

Basically... uhh... writing for the sequel is underway. Yeah, that's pretty much it.

I mean, I know that Qrossing Field is halfway through and all, but I find myself getting a bit bored. It's just so much more fun to write for the regular characters as opposed to original ones. That's not to say that I'm giving up on it. I'm going to be working on both of them at the same time. Sure, this might mean that uploads might be a bit slower but hopefully my work won't suffer from disinterest. So yeah, simultaneous prequel and sequel releases. Fun fun fun!

So keep your eyes out; sometime over the next few weeks the first chapter of Pyrrha And The Idiot will be uploaded! Still not sure on a name for it yet but meh, I'll figure that out later.

I hope you all enjoyed this little bonus-epilogue thing and I hope you will all join me for the next exciting installment!

- Vex