"Both of you playing dead, get up," Aron commanded, addressing the generals who were attempting to feign death, despite being wounded only in non-critical areas such as their hands and other parts of their bodies.
"If you don't wake up by the count of three, I'm going to kill you for real," Aron threatened, his voice carrying a sense of discontent.
He began the countdown, "One... Two..." However, before he could reach the count of three, the generals abruptly rose from their positions where they had been pretending to be lifeless, instantly snapping back to alertness.
"Since you tried to deceive me, each of you will suffer the punishment of a broken bone," Aron declared, causing John, Walter, Nathan, Ethan, and Christopher to freeze in their places.
John and Walter stood motionless, their disbelief evident on their faces, as they had never witnessed this sadistic side of Aron before.
Up until this point, they had only experienced his more benevolent nature.
While they knew Aron was capable of causing significant harm, they hadn't anticipated his brutality to this extent.
As for the generals, Nathan silently thanked his lucky stars that he hadn't attempted to play dead, while the others trembled with fear at the prospect of the impending pain.
Aron intentionally utilized this moment as a form of psychological torture, fully aware that the anticipation of pain can often be more agonizing than the pain itself.
He understood that the fear and anxiety one experiences while awaiting a known painful event can be far more distressing than the actual physical suffering.
...
A few minutes later.
"Sir, we have finished," John reported to Aron, that all the injured soldiers were collected at his specified location.
"Alright, good. You two, come here," Aron said, gesturing for the two immobilized generals to approach him. He intended to fulfill his promise by breaking their bones before healing them.
The two generals approached hesitantly, their steps slow and filled with prayers of hope that Aron might have a change of heart before they reached him.
Aron maintained silence, saying nothing as the two generals reached him.
"Let's get this over with," Aron said, gripping their arms firmly. He focused his strength, exerting pressure with his hands until a distinct snapping sound filled the air. Only Aron and John, with their enhanced senses, could hear the audible snap, as the generals had already begun screaming in agony a few seconds earlier.
"Alright, take a seat. We have something important to discuss," Aron instructed, pointing towards the chairs for them to sit. He intended to commence the conversation about his proposition.
"You, too, take a seat," Aron turned to Nathan, who had been attempting to blend into the background while his fellow generals endured the pain of their bones being broken.
Nathan hurriedly walked, trying to reach the chair as fast as possible, and took a seat near his fellow generals.
"I will heal you all shortly, but before that, I need each of you to sign a contract," Aron stated, making it clear that he had no intention of explaining the contract's contents to them directly.
He expected that they would read and comprehend its terms once he had departed. "If anyone has any objections, now is the time to raise your hand," he added, leaving the opportunity for dissent or concerns to be voiced so that he can deal with them before they cause trouble later.
Although Aron had given them the opportunity to raise their hands if they had any questions or objections, not a single general dared to do so. The foremost thought in their minds was Aron's assurance of healing.
In this moment, they held complete faith in Aron's capabilities, as they had some time to comprehend the extraordinary events of the past hour.
From his sudden appearance, effortlessly subduing their soldiers, to his raw strength demonstrated by breaking their bones, they either genuinely believed or desperately hoped that he possessed the power to heal them.
"Since there are no questions, let's proceed to sign the contract as quickly as possible," Aron stated, while he presented the generals with contracts the size of small books, each containing nearly four hundred pages.
The contract encompassed every aspect of what Aron required from the generals, outlining both their obligations and restrictions. Crafted by Nova, it had been meticulously designed to close any potential loopholes that might inadvertently expose Aron or his plans. Every detail had been addressed to ensure that the generals would comply without compromise.
"Sign them now, you can read them later," Aron commanded, observing the generals who attempted to read through the contracts to understand their contents. His watchful gaze prompted the generals to swiftly flip to the final pages of the contract, where they discovered their designated spots for signing alongside Aron's already affixed signature.
Without wasting any time, the generals quickly signed their names, their minds preoccupied with the belief that whatever the contract entailed, it could not be worse than enduring the excruciating pain of having their bones broken while feeling utterly powerless.
As soon as they finished signing their signatures, witnessed only by Aron, the contracts emitted a radiant golden glow. Within moments, both Aron and the generals were enveloped in a shimmering golden light that permeated their bodies.
A sensation akin to a knot being tightly tied within their beings briefly surged through them, though only Aron possessed the sensitivity to perceive it. For the others, it was merely a fleeting discomfort, triggered by their existing wounds.
"Good," Aron acknowledged, retrieving the contracts from the generals without any intention of leaving them with physical copies with his signatures. "I have sent the digital version of the contract to your phones and computers. Once our discussions are over, you can start reading them," he explained, carefully placing the contracts back into the bag from which they had emerged.
"Now, let's begin the healing process," Aron announced, proceeding to activate a large number of healing runes on each soldier, who lay down awaiting treatment. The number of runes applied to each soldier varied according to the severity of their injuries.
As the runes took effect and visible signs of healing manifested, Aron shifted his attention to the generals. Though their injuries were comparatively minor in comparison to the soldiers, he still applied a smaller number of healing runes on their bodies to facilitate their recovery.
3 hours later.
Both the soldiers and the generals were astounded by what their eyes beheld. Every trace of their wounds had vanished, leaving no lingering pain behind. The only remnants of their previous injuries were the residual bloodstains, traces of urine, or the torn remnants of their clothing.
"I trust that you possess the intelligence not to talk about what had happened here," Aron asked the now healed soldiers, who were seated on the ground. Their heads nodded in agreement with a sense of urgency, as if their lives depended on it.
"Very well. You may leave," Aron instructed, prompting the soldiers to hastily leave the room as if fleeing from a monstrous presence.
"I will give each of you a period of two days to thoroughly read and comprehend the contract before you initiate contact with him," Aron stated, extending his hand to point at Walter as he addressed the generals. "His name is Walter, and he will be responsible for facilitating communication between myself and all of you. Is that clear?"
"Yes," the generals responded in unison
"As for him, his name is John, and his orders carry the same weight as my own. So, whatever he commands you, it is to be treated as if it were coming directly from me. Is that clear?"
"Yes," they answered once more, nodding their heads in unison, their eyes locked onto John and Walter, their faces imprinted in their memories, afraid of letting even the smallest detail slip away.
"And with that, my job here is done. I'll see you in 2 days. Let's go," Aron said, rising from his seat. The generals promptly stood up, and John and Walter followed him towards the door. Before reaching the door, the three vanished in the same mysterious manner they had arrived, leaving the generals behind in shock, frozen for the fourth time that day.
...….
After they departed the building without drawing any attention, John took the opportunity during their ride back home to turn to Aron and address him with a respectful tone, saying, "Sir, may I ask you a question?"
"Go ahead," Aron said, shifting his attention towards John.
"What are your intentions for them now that they have signed the contracts?" John inquired, as he could at least speculate on the contents of the contracts. He was aware that whatever provisions were stated in the contracts were binding, as Aron had thoroughly explained how the contracts given by him worked in the documents given to him on the day ARES was established.
"After we return to the hotel, I will provide you with a document containing the comprehensive details of my intended utilization of the Edens army and instructions on how you can effectively employ them for your upcoming missions. In essence, we now possess complete control over the Edens army through the generals." Aron gave John a short answer and promised to provide him with a dossier containing all the necessary information regarding his strategic plans for utilizing Eden's army.
Since they all are in the same field of work and as a part of his strategy to reduce his workload and rely on trusted individuals, Aron intended to delegate the responsibility of utilizing the generals to John.
"Understood," John replied, and he remained quiet for the rest of the journey, deferring his curiosity until he received the document that held all the answers he sought.
