Chapter 33: Masterminds

Sarudei

I watched as Hiesno locked up Ret... as.

"You okay?" Hiesno asked as he walked over to me. "You should go to sleep. You had a very long night. Your brother is already at your new place, I heard. If you keep him up for too long, he'll worry."

I smiled weakly. "Thanks, Hiesno."

He sighed. "Don't let this get to you. That guy, he's dangerous. If you remain emotionally attached, he'll use that to his advantage. I could see it in his eyes. That man and I... we think similarly."

"So, you're saying you're manipulative too?"

"When I need to be. Not that I like it. That's why I can sort of understand him, even if he is the enemy. He plans to use us to exact his revenge on Commander Yusan. After that... he probably will return home but not before making sure we don't hurt his precious empire."

I bit my lip. So, Retas planned to use us to help him fight his power struggle. Figures. We've been puppets dancing to his tune. Or we would've been if we hadn't discovered him this early on.

I sighed as I entered one of the houses the rebels had prepared for us. To think that Ret was actually a commander for Titanos... I clenched my hands into fists. We hadn't spent much time together, but it still hurt. All of us had opened up to him. Elder Machiko had even entrusted him with the weapon of her late husband...

When Ret lost it, it seemed like it impacted him, but I wonder if that was all a lie too. Maybe he was a good actor on top of being a good warrior.

"Hey, Sis," Night said, yawning. He had taken off his armor for the first time in a long time. Instead, he wore a black bear-skin shirt and pants. "This place sure is nice!"

I sighed, barely noticing the cozy ambiance of the dwelling. My mind was still preoccupied with thoughts of Ret and his betrayal. 

"You okay?" Night asked, noticing my distant expression. He tilted his head, studying me with concern. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

I managed to muster a weak smile. "Just tired, I guess."

Night wasn't convinced. He crossed his arms, his gaze never leaving my face. "You're a terrible liar, Sarudei," he said. "What's going on?"

I hesitated, unsure of how to tell him about Ret. But Night deserved to know. We all did. 

Taking a deep breath, I finally spoke. "Ret... He's not who we thought he was."

Night's eyes widened, his stance stiffening. "What do you mean?"

"He's... He's a Titanos. A commander, like Yusan," I said, the words leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.

Night was silent for a moment, his face a mask of shock. "But... How? He was with us. He fought with us."

I nodded, feeling a lump form in my throat. "He did. And all this time, he kept his true identity a secret. He lied to us, Night."

The room fell silent, the only sound was the crackling of the fire in the hearth. Night ran a hand through his hair, his expression one of disbelief. 

"But why?" he finally asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"My guess is he used us to recover his strength. Hiesno thinks he wants to use us to fight his war Yusan," I said, as I sat down by the hearth.

"Yusan? Why would they fight? Aren't they both commanders of Titanos?"

"I am unsure, but clearly, Yusan did something to ruffle his feathers." My eyes widened as I recalled the mecha I'd found in the forest. It had crashed into this planet. And it was around the part where the beasts were. Ret mentioned encountering them before...

Was that Mecha the one Retas had come to our planet on? If so, and based on its state, then perhaps Yusan had been the one behind its crash. But why would Yusan want Retas dead? Maybe keeping Ret alive was the best option. He was clearly a wrench in whatever greater plans that murderer had.

Night sat next to me, his face pale in the flickering firelight. He chewed on his lower lip, a sure sign he was deep in thought. I could almost hear the gears in his head turning, processing the information I'd just given him.

"But... why would Yusan want Ret dead?" Night asked, echoing my thoughts. "They're on the same side."

"Apparently not," I said, shaking my head. "Ret says Yusan betrayed their queen, and he wants to take him down."

Night frowned. "Do you believe him?"

I paused, considering his question. Did I believe Ret? The man had lied to us, had deceived us from the moment he stumbled into our camp. But there was a sincerity in his eyes when he spoke of his hatred for Yusan, a rawness that felt too real to be faked. 

"I... I don't know," I admitted, a heavy sigh escaping my lips. "Part of me wants to believe him. But another part, the one that remembers all the lies he's told us, is skeptical."

Night nodded, his eyes full of understanding. "It's a tough spot, Sis. But we've got to remember, we're in the middle of a war. And in war, trust is... hard to come by."

I leaned back, staring at the dancing flames in the hearth. Night was right. We were in a war, pawns in a game of power and politics that spanned not only this planet, but countless stars. And in this game, the enemy was not just those who stood against us, but also those who claimed to be on our side.

For all we knew, Arisa herself might've had plans for our region, if not the world, for after the war ended. Or her brother, for that matter. Hiesno did mention being manipulative.

"Maybe we're overthinking this," Night said after a moment of silence. "Maybe Ret is just a soldier. Used by his superiors, discarded when he's no longer useful."

"Or maybe he's a master manipulator, playing us for fools," I countered, feeling a surge of anger. "We can't afford to let our guard down, Night. Not now, not ever."

Night was silent for a moment, his gaze focused on the fire. "You're right," he finally said, his voice soft. "We need to stay vigilant. For us, for our people."

I nodded, feeling a sense of resolve settle in. I would not let Ret's betrayal break me. Night and the others needed me. I had to stay strong, and vigilant.

---

Yusan PoV

I watched as one of the two soldiers I sent out chipped away at the ice covered limbs of his fallen comrade.

"There's still some ki left. Maybe I can fix Marko."

I chuckled as I stepped out of the woods. "Allow me to help. But in exchange, tell me what you saw."

Deaniz gasped. "Commander?"

I knelt down and began melting the ice with heat ki. "Speak."

He cleared his throat. "The two of us were on patrol and we encountered some refugees from this world. There were rebels amongst them, in addition to Ret."

I smirked. "Ret, huh? Working with the rebels?"

He nodded. "Yeah, he destroyed my mech with his gun.

My tongue licked the corners of my mouth upon hearing such news. I was almost tempted to tell Lady Xilonem of his betrayal. However, knowing her, she would probably send someone over to investigate. Then I would be the one in trouble."

"So, the one who did this Marko, who was it?"

"It was a rebel. I think Ret called him, Hiesno."

My eyes widened. "Hiesno? One of the so called Four Warriors?"

"You heard of him?"

I began to piece Marko's body together. "Indeed. The Four Warriors are rebels from various parts of this planet. Powerful rebels who overcame the odds and defeated our mechs with their ancient arts. If you saw him, then the Grand Rebel Coalition must be nearby." I chuckled. "Knowing Ret, he probably will try aiding the rebels to get back at me for trying to kill him."

Deaniz frowned. "Shouldn't we... I don't know... try to warn Lady Xilonem about Ret?"

I smirked, continuing my work on Marko's battered body. "And why should we? This is exactly the opportunity we've been waiting for."

Confusion flitted across the soldier's face. "I don't understand, Sir."

I finished healing Marko and straightened up, dusting off my hands.

"Think of it this way, Deaniz. If we tell Lady Xilonem now, she'll send in troops, maybe even another commander. They'll investigate what truly happened to Retas when he came to this planet. And if Retas were to talk to them, they would learn we are the true traitors.

"But if we let things play out, if we allow Ret to ally himself with the rebels and fight against us, well..." I trailed off, a wicked grin spreading across my face. "We can step in at the right moment, take down Ret, crush the rebel forces, and secure this planet for the empire. Lady Xilonem would have no choice but to reward us, to promote us. We'll become heroes of Titanos, and we'll finally have the power we deserve."

Deaniz was silent for a moment, mulling over my words. I could see the realization slowly dawning on his face. "I see... We let Ret use the rebels and have him bring them to the surface for us."

"Exactly," I said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Let the traitor dig his own grave. All we have to do is wait, and watch."

As I left Deaniz to tend to Marko, I couldn't help but feel a sense of elation. Things were finally falling into place. Ret's betrayal, his alliance with the rebels, it was all playing right into my hands. Soon, I would rise to power, and no one, not even Lady Xilonem, would be able to stop me.

'Ret, you traitorous fool,' I thought with a smirk. 'You're playing right into my hands.'