Apostle Athena

One week has passed since that fatal day. Silvana was promoted from Senior Guardian to Grand Priestess making her the commander of the Imperial Guardians. Lucien remained Vice Priest as he saw it more fit for Silvana to lead thus rejecting his promotion out of respect for her abilities.

Silvana along with the rest of the Guardians are now kneeled in front of their Apostles throne as they discuss a decision the Apostle had made that Silvana is not exactly fond of.

"Apostle Athena your majesty, as much as I respect you this is utterly outrageous" Silvana was trying her best to hide her rage.

"You can't just replace Grand Priest Draken with some pathetic bottom feeder low rank knight!"

The Apostle looked at her Guardian in disgust.

"I will ignore the tone you address me in for the sake of keeping this conversation civil. This knight is not meant to replace anyone the numbers among the Guardians have lessened to a mere four and I believe a new member is necessary"

"I understand your majesty but she has no combat experience, no impressive attributes to speak of and she hasn't even completed her academy training!"

Silvana gets up from her kneeling position.

"Silvana what the hell are you doing, get back on your knee!"

"It's okay Hunter let her proceed" replied the Apostle

All the Guardians were now looking at their Grand Priestess in shock as she continued to dispute.

"You can't throw a bandage onto a broken bone and expect it to heal! Let her at least go through proper training. The kind of missions we do will get her killed immediately!"

"Then I suggest you train her well"

Apostle Athena looked at Silvana and smirked

"No! No! I don't have time to babysit children!"

"Not babysit, mentor"

"You mean she's-"

"Yes she will be assigned as your apprentice"

Silvana is in shock, her face becomes visibly more irritated

"Your majesty you're giving this girl a death sentence, is this how little you thought of Grand Priest Draken? So much so that you take up an absolute nobody to take his place? ITS AN INSULT TO ME, TO DRAKEN, TO MY FELLOW GUARDIANS AND TO ALL THE CITIZENS OF ELYSIUM. EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM WENT THROUGH HELL AND BACK TO PROVE THEMSELVES THAT THEY DESERVE TO BE CALLED A GUARDIAN, THEY'VE BROKEN BONES, LOST COMRADES AND WE CLINCH ONTO WHAT LITTLE SANITY WE HAVE LEFT SO THAT THE SCARS FROM OUR BATTLES DO NOT TAKE US HOSTAGE AND YOU ARE SIMPLY GIVING THIS HONOR TO A LITERAL NOBODY! DO YOU REALLY EXPECT US TO BE PERFECTLY FINE WITH TH-"

"SILENCE SILVANA!!"

Apostle Athena becomes visibly more irritated, her voice silenced Silvana instantaneously her usual gentle and calming voice turned to an extremely intimating and violent tone. Nobody has ever heard the Apostle speak in that way before.

"She'll be officially part of your squad within the next week and I EXPECT YOU TO TREAT HER FAIRLY AND JUST!"

"But your majesty-"

"If you continue to go against my word I will personally have you thrown in jail for insubordination"

Silvana kneels back onto her knee

"Forgive me your majesty...I will take your word as it is.

The way Silvana replied was incredibly unconvincing that it was almost insulting.

"I just need you to trust me, there is no decision I've made thus far that hasn't been to the benefit of the people of Elysium"

The Apostle lets out a sigh of relief as the dispute finally calms down.

"You are dismissed Grand Priestess, that will be all"

Silvana gets up and storms out of the throne room leaving a clear trail of frustration behind her.

"Senior Guardian Zaranah Astraia"

"Guardian First Class Hunter Himura"

"Yes your majesty?" replied Zaranah and Hunter in unison.

"You may take your leave, I'd like to have a word with your Vice Priest in private"

Both Zaranah and Hunter take their leave and close the chamber doors behind them

Lucien became visibly nervous, in his years of service he had never had a one on one conversation like this with the Apostle