Michael didn't really feel like the Berserkers Chieftain thought about what he was doing when he killed Elder Xerx. It would have been much better to interrogate the decaying old man until he died due to unbearable pain.
Not only would that have been a better punishment, but Michael was certain that Elder Xerx had more useful information to share than the prisoner, Mihal.
Unfortunately, he would never find out.
"Don't think too much about it. Berserkers are a very emotional race. Emotions control and strengthen them…or weaken them in certain situations. It is how it is," Kraft Viton tried to reassure Michael as they walked through a long hallway.
After the incident with Elder Xerx and more potential enemies, the emergency meeting had been postponed until Michael had collected more information. Michael found out about Elder Xerx's betrayal quickly enough to convince everyone present that he was capable of collecting all further information. Therefore, the prisoner was transported to a secret place that only the Berserker Chieftain, the War Priestess, and two more people got to know. Both of these people were human; Michael and Kraft Viton to be precise.
It was a secret prison located deep underground.
If not for the attack on Piloq and the unknown identities of the suicide squad's remaining members, neither Michael nor Kraft Viton would have been led to the underground prison. No human would have ever found out about it.
But since Kraft Viton had to keep using Psyche Obliteration on Mihal while Michael read the prisoner's mind, both received a glimpse into the secrets of the Berserkers and Warlock Centaurs.
After using ten different elevators and walking through a myriad of various pathways, Michael and Kraft Viton reached the secret prison at last.
Its appearance created a stark contrast to the outside world. It was isolated and harbored a sense of loneliness. The prison's walls were constructed from cold, unyielding material that looked just like obsidian, giving it an oppressive and unwelcoming atmosphere. Harsh, artificial lighting cast long shadows, amplifying the feeling of despair all around – and within – the underground prison.
Narrow, dimly lit corridors wound through the underground labyrinth, creating an eerie path that was nearly too narrow for the Chieftain Berserker to pass through. Silver metal bars and heavy, pitch-black doors secured the prison cells – hundreds of them – with minimal furnishing. There was no mattress, or blanket, forcing the inmates to sleep on the cold and unforgiving ground.
As Michael and Kraft Viton entered the prison, heavy and musty air penetrated their nostrils. Echoes of distant footsteps and hushed conversations filled with a tinge of insanity and despair bounced off the obsidian walls, creating an unsettling feeling in Michael's heart.
The worst punishment for the prisoners in the underground prison was the utter state of solitude. They were cut off from the world above had no sense of time and were oftentimes forced to confront their own thoughts in the ever-lasting silence.
It was a place of punishment and isolation, a place that served as a constant and harsh reminder of the consequences that followed every action.
'I would rather die than end up in this shitty hole…' He thought as he made his way to the Berserker Chieftain and the War Priestess, who were already waiting for them to arrive.
Michael had to suppress a shudder due to the gloominess of the surroundings as he reached the Chieftain Berserker.
"We don't know how much time we are left with before the remaining members of the suicide squad jump into action. Figure out their numbers first and their names second. Once you get more information, inform us immediately. We need to clear this as quickly as possible!" Palika Mavenham announced.
Michael could only nod before he was forced to enter one of the underground cells where Mihal was already waiting for him, chained to a chair, gagged and his eyes blindfolded.
The appearance of the prisoner was miserable, but Michael didn't feel even an ounce of pity. The prisoner aided the attack on Piloq, which resulted in the death of hundreds of youthful prodigies, and more than 200,000 citizens. Why would Michael feel pity for someone like him?
"I will start now," Michael said after clearing his throat and stepping forward to use Mind Reader. His palm pressed firmly against the prisoner's forehead and the second mind reading session began.
Several hours passed in the blink of an eye before Michael stopped reading the man's thoughts. By now, he had forwarded various pieces of information about the Dark Heavens' plans, their secret spies and other tidbits.
However, what he found out just now was the most shocking.
"Dark Heavens sent out people to the Sacred Desert and the Barren Lands to destroy the Desert Mines, obliterate the Ten Ethereal Oases, and the farms all over the Barren Lands. Apparently, Dark Heavens obtained Seeds of Demonic Breed from the Hyumans. They seem to have created a trading hub in the Origin Expanse. The Seeds of Demonic breed drain the resources in the surroundings – including nutrition and origin energy – to create an Infernal Nest. The Seeds of Demonic Breed are only of a lower level but the Infernal Nests can give birth to Tier-3 Demons once they've collected enough energy."
"The Hyumans want to show our people that they're serious with their threats. The Seeds of Demonic Breed are their final warning and a message- Get rid of your allies and return to your roots, or we will consider you as enemies of the Supreme Human Alliance."
Michael forwarded the new information without looking at Kraft Viton, the Berserker Chieftain, or the War Priestess. His eyes were locked on Mihal, a weird feeling passing through his body. Something was off.
"I also know where the Tritaenus is located right now, and where they'll go next. But I am not sure how reliable the information is. Maybe the other members of the suicide squad told their superiors about the incident with Elder Xerx already? It could be a trap as well. They might have told the suicide squad that their mission is to kill as many enemies as possible via self-destruction, but the real task might be to reveal all those pieces of information…" He told the three powerhouses staring grimly at Mihal.
"Why do you think so? I don't doubt that the Supreme Human Alliance, or the higher ups of Dark Heavens, would kill their pawns for a multi-layered plan with several outcomes, but if you're just saying that this might be a trap because of your gut feeling you might as well not say it at all," The War Priestess remarked.
The remaining members of the suicide squad had been caught thanks to Michael's help. That improved his image significantly among the higher ups. However, that did not mean they would trust everything Michael said. It was good that he could give them a helping hand, but that didn't mean Michael turned into a master strategist with decades of experience in a matter of hours.
Michael understood their point of view, but he still had a nagging feeling that something was off. He just could not quite put a finger on it yet.
"You might consider it a gut feeling…but don't you think that it was way too easy for me to procure all those 'crucial' pieces of information? Why would a member of the suicide squad know this much? If it was Elder Xerx, I would consider that fine, but this guy doesn't strike me as an important and high-ranked member of Dark Heavens. His word choice and mental fortitude are not really great. He feels like an idiot with an exceptional Soultrait. A pawn rather than a leader."
Kraft Viton glanced at Michael and nodded in agreement. "We're dealing with humans here. They won't fight as straightforwardly as Berserkers and Warlock Centaurs. If anything, Dark Heavens would set up a multitude of traps to ensure that they can kill as many enemies as possible before it comes to a melee fight. That is also why they retreated after bombarding Piloq. They're probably waiting for our response…and they know that we need the Tritaenus. If Dark Heavens came up with a multi-layered plan that means the information about the Seeds of Demonic Breed was supposed to reach us, either way. That also means they told the suicide squad about it to inform us indirectly, and that these bastards are already several steps ahead of us!"
Palika looked at Kraft Viton with sharp eyes. "So what do you want us to do? Sit back and let them leave with the Tritaenus and not retaliate against their sickening hidden attack? Do you think that the Old Ones of my kind will accept that? They will rip me apart alive, replace me and then it's over with the Tritan Alliance."
"Maybe that's exactly what Dark Heavens wants." Michael murmured to himself. Since most of his comments were ignored either way, Michael did not expect that the three powerhouses would listen to him now.
"What did you say?" Kraft Viton asked.
"I…I just said that they might have been expecting that very outcome. All they care about is 'bringing mankind back to their roots' or something along those lines. The biggest problem they have with us is the alliance between humans and other races – races they deem inferior. The Superior Human Alliance wants to get rid of all inferior races and rule across the universe…so wouldn't it be the most logical to sow the seeds of enmity in the Tritan Alliance and then 'reform' the human race to bring them back to the 'right' path?" Michael explained himself slowly as the cogs of his mind spun.
He had a lot more to say but he was certain that one of the three powerhouses would kick his ass if he dared to continue speaking like that.
Michael would have loved to rephrase his explanation to convey his message clearly, but it was not exactly easy to make sure that Palika and Silvana understood him properly. They shouldn't think that he was part of the Supreme Human Alliance, or that he agreed with their ideologies.
He was not like some idiotic Descendants.
Michael froze in his tracks thinking about some Descendants and how they reacted after the Colosseum had been attacked.
'It did not feel like they're members of Dark Heavens…but why does it feel like some families and their Descendants have a mindset that fits way accurately to that of the Supreme Human Alliance?'
