Pov Taiwo (A-B)

  Taiwo rises from her hospital bed, shaken from a bad dream. She had recently attended a medical appointment to address her physical health, as she had been feeling unusually fatigued for several weeks, with a sense that something was amiss. It has been three years since she was re-elected as Prime Minister of the Kingdom.

  The Kingdom of Okarie is a vast realm located in the southern part of the continent of Sano. Sano itself is a rge ndmass, serving as the central continent of the world. It is also home to the Republic and the Confederation. The Kingdom stretches entirely across the savanna and is predominantly inhabited by semi-human savanna creatures: lions, zebras, antelopes, meerkats, and rhinoceroses.

  In the past, these various races lived in cns until one day, the Lion cn succeeded in uniting all the cns to fight against the Empire located to the north of the Kingdom of Okarie. From that time, the city of Nkiruka was founded and became the capital. The city is situated on a rge fortified isnd.

  The monarchy had endured but had transitioned into more of a constitutional monarchy than an absolute one. Taiwo was a member of the Kingdom's Progressive Party and had significantly advanced the realm's technological capabilities.

  The day before, Taiwo had gone to the hospital for an examination, benefiting, of course, from access to a highly reputable and advanced medical facility. She got up from her bed after spending the night at the hospital, but as she began to get dressed, she noticed something strange on her arm—a phoenix-shaped tattoo had appeared. She repyed her dream in her mind but couldn’t make sense of what it all meant, except for a foreboding sense that a coup d’état might be on the horizon. She had no concrete ideas yet, but for now, she decided not to tell anyone about the tattoo, keeping it a secret and investigating the identities of those who appeared in her dream.

  About half an hour ter, the doctor arrived to share some information with the lioness. However, his tone was far from cheerful; he seemed uncomfortable delivering the results.

  “Madam Prime Minister, I have the results, but they’re not good. You have Elbi’s disease... Would you like an expnation?”

  The Prime Minister’s hopes were instantly shattered. She had thought it would be nothing serious, just stress from her demanding role. Elbi’s disease causes severe fatigue, and as days and months progress, the afflicted individual becomes increasingly exhausted. It is a chronic illness that remains incurable and is considered fatal. Over time, her sleep would grow longer and longer until, one day, she would no longer wake up.

  After speaking at length with the doctor about the disease, she left the room with a heavy sigh. In the waiting area, her chief advisor was waiting for her, resolutely.

  She had tan skin, short bck hair, a bck suit jacket, a green ribbon, and a white shirt. She was a zebra woman in her twenties.

  “The doctor shared the results with me. This is awful! It’s a very serious illness, Taiwo… I’ve already put a million measures in pce to ensure the information doesn’t spread across the Kingdom, and—”

  Taiwo observed her advisor closely. Ladi was exceptionally competent for her age, having inherited the position from her father, who had served as the chief advisor to Taiwo’s predecessor.

  “Ladi, I know what you’re thinking, but we absolutely cannot keep this a secret.”

  “But Taiwo! If the conservatives hear about this, they’ll use it against you.”

  “I don’t care, Ladi. Hiding the truth from the people is the quickest way to lose their trust. It might work in the short term, but it’s impossible to maintain in the long term. Secrets are always uncovered quickly and spread like wildfire.”

  Ladi let out a sigh, gnced at her notebook, and began jotting down several ways to announce the news to the public, along with the potential repercussions it might have on the people. Taiwo interrupted her mid-note.

  “I’ll make a public announcement at noon. Please prepare it for me.”

  The advisor closed her notebook, turned on her heels, and headed toward the exit of the hospital, ready to organize this crucial announcement

  At 11:55, Taiwo was fully prepared for her announcement. She had reviewed her advisor’s notes and crafted a concise speech to deliver to the nation. Though she anticipated the difficulty of the moment, she knew it was something she had to do. Dressed in one of her finest suits and meticulously styled by her makeup artists, she left the Prime Minister’s residence and approached the podium. Before her y a vast crowd of citizens, journalists with cameras capturing every angle for live broadcasts, and an audience of millions awaiting her words.

  After eight years in power and numerous speeches to her people, Taiwo no longer felt stage fright or anxiety about speaking publicly. She scanned the diverse faces in front of her—semi-humans of all kinds alongside humans who had migrated from the Empire or the desert cities. Then, with a steady voice, she began her address.

  “Dear citizens, it has been eight years since I assumed this office and led our nation in this technological struggle against the Empire. Unfortunately, today I must share a personal matter. I have been diagnosed with Elbi’s disease. Research into this illness began decades ago, and we are making progress toward finding a treatment. However—”

  Her speech was abruptly interrupted. A young lion-man stepped forward, his golden hair catching the light. He wore an open bck shirt and baggy bck trousers, exuding confidence as he raised his voice with vigor.

  “Do you hear that? Our Kingdom isn’t just led by a mentally unfit Prime Minister, but now by one with health issues as well! We’ve had many strong leaders, but Prime Minister Taiwo is one of the weak ones—a false lioness without the prestige needed to guide our nation!”

  Taiwo expected this. The young man was Ihejirika, a populist and her political rival, whose popurity had surged during the st election. The conservatives, once a forgotten faction, had reawakened with determination to recim power.

  The conservatives, deeply rooted in the Kingdom’s traditions, longed to revert to the old cn system. They also opposed scientific advancements and the modernization Taiwo had championed.

  Taiwo maintained her composure. “I will not dignify Mr. Ihejirika’s nonsense with a detailed response. If I were truly incompetent, the people would not have reelected me.”

  The crowd erupted as citizens from both sides—conservative and progressive—began exchanging heated arguments. The tension between the two leaders spread like wildfire, igniting a fierce public debate as their ideological csh pyed out in real time.

  Pov Mikki (A)

  Mikki woke up with a start, much ter than usual. She had slept for such a long time that she couldn’t even remember the st time she had woken up this te. If it hadn’t been one of her days off, someone would have surely dumped a bucket of cold water on her to get her out of bed.

  That dream had been incredibly strange, and she had shared it with her sister and a few others. By reflex, she brushed her right arm with her hand, then gnced down at it. That’s when she realized the dream was real. A fiery phoenix tattoo now adorned her arm. Armed, she quickly changed clothes and rushed to Sarah’s room, knocking hurriedly and without warning. She expected Sarah to already be awake, but she wasn’t—her sister was curled up and fast asleep.

  Mikki gently shook Sarah’s shoulder to wake her. Sarah stirred, groaning softly as her eyes fluttered open. Realizing her sister was standing over her, she suddenly bolted upright.

  “Mikki! I told you to knock before coming into my room...”

  The mercenary’s daughter let out a quick sigh, grabbed Sarah’s hand, and used her free hand to roll up the sleeve of Sarah’s long pajama shirt, causing her sister’s cheeks to flush with embarrassment.

  “W-wait a second!”

  As Mikki rolled up the sleeve, Sarah’s eyes widened when she saw the same fiery phoenix tattoo on her arm. Without saying a word, Mikki revealed her own matching tattoo.

  “So the dream was real... This is troubling.”

  Sarah sat back on her bed, stunned by the revetion. Mikki sat down beside her, and the two sisters began exchanging details about their dreams.

  Upon hearing Sarah’s account, Mikki blinked several times, her eyes wide with shock.

  “What do you mean Zye was kidnapped in your dream?!”

  Sarah nodded quickly, her face pale as she vividly recalled the nightmare where she had seen Zye—whom she thought of as her little sister—being abducted by semi-human lions.

  Mikki suddenly grew anxious, the thought crossing her mind that perhaps Zye had actually been kidnapped. She shared her concerns with Sarah, who responded in a reassuring tone.

  “Don’t worry, Mikki… We’re in the most secure asylum in the world. There’s no way Zye could have been kidnapped… The… uhhh… goddess, Lupa, she mentioned a prophecy. Maybe it’s just metaphorical.”

  “I know, Sarah, there’s no way Zy could’ve been taken, but it won’t hurt to make sure.”

  Sarah nodded slightly. She had to admit that checking on Zye wouldn’t cost them anything, and besides, Zye would probably appreciate a visit.

  The sisters changed into simple, casual clothing before heading down a few floors toward Zye’s cell. Mikki pulled out her keys and unlocked the door, but when they stepped inside, Zye wasn’t there. Her belongings were still scattered around the room, and her favorite toy, a pstic fish, y untouched on the floor.

  “...Where’s Zy?” Sarah asked, her voice trembling as her legs began to feel weak.

  Mikki tried to rationalize, suggesting that maybe Zye had gone to see Dena for treatment. Both clung to the hope that this was the case.

  With this thought in mind, they nervously made their way to the cafeteria, their imaginations racing with countless scenarios of what could have happened. When they arrived, there was no sign of Zye—just a handful of patients and nurses eating their lunch.

  Dena was behind the kitchen counter, busy washing dishes from her earlier meal prep. Sarah wandered toward the television, while Mikki’s eyes were drawn to it as well, catching the sound of a broadcast.

  It was a live address from the Kingdom’s Prime Minister, engaged in a heated argument with a political opponent.

  As Mikki focused more intently on the Prime Minister’s face on the television, her eyes widened. It hit her—this was one of the people she had seen in her dream. Without hesitation, she grabbed Sarah’s arm, pointing at the screen.

  “It’s her!” Mikki said with urgency.

  Sarah’s eyes snapped to the screen, and after a moment, she nodded in recognition. “Yes… It’s her!” she excimed, her voice louder than intended.

  Her outburst drew gnces from patients and nurses nearby, their curious eyes briefly fixed on Sarah. Embarrassed, she ughed nervously and muttered, “Sorry…”

  Mikki gave her sister a reassuring pat on the head, but the realization had momentarily distracted her from why they were searching for Dena. Snapping back to the matter at hand, she approached Dena at the kitchen counter, speaking in a hushed but serious tone.

  “Zye has disappeared.”

  Dena froze, her hands pausing mid-motion. Without saying a word, she turned off the faucet, her expression unreadable. She gnced briefly at the nurses and then at the two sisters, motioning silently with her hand for them to follow her.

  They left the cafeteria, heading toward the library. The room was quiet and dimly lit, a stark contrast to the bustling atmosphere they had just left. Dena remained silent, her demeanor calm but heavy with unspoken intensity.

  Sarah and Mikki exchanged uneasy gnces. They were familiar with the director’s habit of prolonged silence, but it didn’t make it any less uncomfortable. Finally, Dena broke the silence.

  “Expin,” she said firmly. “I already know that Zye is no longer in the asylum.”

  The sisters were stunned. How could Dena have known this? A whirlwind of questions flooded Mikki’s mind, but she managed to settle on one as she locked eyes with the director.

  “How… how do you know?”

  "How? We just found out this morning!"

  Dena responded with a slight smirk.

  "This is my asylum—I know everything. Zye is indeed no longer here. She’s… vanished."

  Mikki clenched her fists, irritated by the scientist’s tone, which made it seem like she didn’t care about Zye at all.

  “I’ve already contacted the police about her disappearance, but no one has seen her. And I’ve even used all of my contacts in the city.”

  Mikki began to calm down as she felt Sarah gently take her hand—a silent gesture, urging her not to lose her temper.

  “You both seem… off today. Has something happened?”

  Denasaia had seen through their act with ease. She was excellent at reading people, one of the reasons she ran the asylum so effectively. Reluctantly, the sisters shared their dream with her, and she nodded thoughtfully.

  "Show me your tattoos."

  Mikki shrugged off her leather jacket, and Sarah pulled off her sweater, revealing the fiery bird tattoos etched into their skin.

  “A prophecy… A goddess… A tattoo…” Dena murmured, deep in thought. “Have you ever heard of the Great Prophecies?”

  The sisters shook their heads. They rarely dared to speak when Dena addressed them about serious matters.

  “Each god in this world has the ability to see the future, but they cannot directly interfere in our world. If they foresee an impending apocalypse, one of them will gather a group and give them prophecies to guide them in preventing the disaster. The st prophecy was two centuries ago… A massive virus spread across the globe, ciming millions of lives. The world was saved by a trio of heroes who discovered a cure for the virus. ‘Beauty will save the world.’ That phrase was inscribed in rge letters on their arms. I can confirm that what you bear is indeed a prophecy of the same kind.”

  Mikki had heard of the Red Virus history lessons, but she’d never heard of a trio of heroes saving the world. Still, she didn’t question Dena’s words. After years of being under her care, Mikki trusted her completely.

  Sarah spoke up eagerly. “We have to save Zye!”

  Mikki hesitated, unsure. “We have no idea where she could be… The continent is massive.”

  “She’s in the Kingdom of Okarie—I’m sure of it! In my dream, I saw her being taken by lions, and… we just saw the Prime Minister of Okarie on TV. There has to be a connection!”

  Dena intervened, pcing a calming hand on Sarah’s shoulder.

  “Don’t rush into this. The Kingdom of Okarie is far away. You need to prepare for this journey.”

  Mikki was taken aback. It wasn’t just the advice to not rush—it was the fact that Dena wasn’t trying to stop them from going.

  “You’re really going to let us go?”

  Denasaia nodded and answered simply.

  "Yes, it’s your destiny. You’ve been chosen, and I cannot alter the course of fate… But I won’t let the two of you go alone," Denasaia said firmly.

  Mikki understood Denasaia’s position but gnced at Sarah with concern. She knew she could handle a journey like this, but she wasn’t as certain about her younger sister.

  "Are you sure you want to go, Sarah?"

  Without hesitation, Sarah nodded quickly. Mikki sighed softly, her fingers instinctively brushing the holster of her revolver.

  "Alright. Who are we taking with us?" Mikki asked, already running through various possibilities in her mind.

  Denasaia, however, didn’t leave the decision up to Mikki.

  "You’ll be traveling with my daughter!"

  Sarah and Mikki exchanged a gnce, their expressions a mix of understanding and mild surprise. Of course, it would be Sara. As Denasaia’s daughter, Sara knew all the asylum’s secrets and was highly skilled despite being only a few years younger than Mikki.

  The sisters nodded in agreement.

  They immediately began to discuss and pn their route to the Kingdom of Okarie.

  Sarah and Mikki stood at the port of Neko City, their hiking backpacks ready, waiting for Denasaia and her daughter, who had prepared a special device for the journey.

  The doctor’s car pulled up, and Sara emerged. She was slender and about the same height as Sarah. Her white hair, tinged with purple ends, cascaded down her back. She wore a sports bra and bck leggings, carrying a backpack of her own.

  The two approached the sisters. Denasaia stepped out of the car, holding a small device, which she handed to Mikki, Sarah, and Sara. It contained a set of small controls.

  "Press the red button if you're in danger. I’ll have your location at all times if anything goes wrong, and if I need to retrieve your bodies... There's also a tracker for Zye. I wasn’t able to locate her, but if you're close enough, this will help you find her position," Denasaia expined.

  The three girls nodded silently before turning to head toward the ship, their destination now set for the Kingdom of Okarie.

  Pov Ali (B)

  In a car, Eliana and Ali were listening to the radio. They had been on the road for several days, on a mission to meet with their employer, who was going to provide them with more information.

  It had been three years since they had deserted the war between the Republic and the Confederation. They had headed south into the Republic, hiding out in the various independent countries between the Empire and the Republic. They had become mercenaries after joining one of the guilds of the Empire. Over these three years, Eliana and Ali had completed various missions, some more dangerous than others.

  Earlier in the car, after waking up in a motel, they had shared the details of their strange dream. It was all very odd for both of them, but they hadn’t focused too long on the meaning of their dream, as they couldn’t afford to be te for the rendezvous. Ali tilted her head when she heard something interesting on the radio.

  “The Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Okarie has revealed that she is suffering from a serious illness, tensions between progressives and conservatives have increased—”

  Ali turned off the radio as they approached their meeting spot. It was an old trucker restaurant for people passing through. They parked in the back lot and entered the restaurant. Eliana scanned the tables to see if she recognized their client. Ali opened her phone to reread the message: a man with white hair wearing a bck suit.

  However, while she was looking at her phone, she felt a hand touch her shoulder. She turned suddenly and saw a red-haired cat maid, who bowed slightly.

  “You must be Eliana and Ali, please follow me, my master is waiting for you upstairs.”

  Without suspicion, the two women followed the red-haired maid. They eventually entered a rge room upstairs, where a bar was stocked with alcohol and luxurious red armchairs. In one of the chairs, sitting, was a man with white hair, a cigarette in his mouth and a drink in the other hand. Behind him were two bodyguards.

  The two protagonists felt a bit uneasy upon seeing the man; something didn’t seem quite right about him. The maid positioned herself to the right of the man.

  “So, these are the two mercenaries who accepted this task. Very well, I’ve heard much about you both, you’re competent.”

  Eliana blushed quickly; she liked receiving compliments about her accomplishments. Ali then spoke, crossing her arms.

  “To whom do we owe the honor?”

  “It’s true that you don’t know me. I’m Anselmo Baylor. You may not recognize my face, but I’m sure you’ve heard of my name.”

  The two girls exchanged a gnce and nodded in unison. This man was a very important figure in the business world. He was the Minister of Commerce of the Empire.

  “What is our mission? How much will we be paid?”

  The man smiled, enjoying how quickly things were unfolding and how reactive the mercenaries he hired were.

  “You need to eliminate the leader of the Martyrs.”

  The name "Martyrs" was unknown to the two women. Eliana spoke up, simply asking:

  “Excuse me, but what is the Martyrs group? This is the first time we’ve heard of them.”

  “Obviously, if you had already heard of them, that would surprise me, and I would have already eliminated you… The Martyrs are a secret group operating in the shadows… Sources have informed me that they pn to create chaos in the Kingdom of Okarie. Naturally, the Empire would be extremely troubled economically if we lose the Kingdom’s resources due to this chaos.”

  The girls exchanged looks; it seemed like a joke, but just by looking at their client, they knew it wasn’t. The two started making the connection with their dream. Ali remembered the lion gang that came into her dreams to chase her. This mission must be their fate.

  “Your reward, if you succeed, will be 5 million Meyer.”

  Eliana coughed when she heard the amount of money they could make. It was more than all the rewards they had received after completing their previous missions. They both nodded, accepting the price offered by the Minister of Commerce.

  “And how can you be sure that we’ll succeed?” Ali asked curiously.

  The man gestured to the maid behind him, who stepped closer to Eliana and Ali, bowed to her master, and then smiled at the two women.

  “My servant, Kaia, will be with you and keep me informed of what’s going on… You don’t have time to waste, take your car and head toward the capital of the Kingdom.”

  “Yes, we will go to the Kingdom as quickly as possible, sir,” Eliana said quickly, turning to Ali. The maid would follow them to the car. Kaia sat in the backseat as Ali began driving. They set off. After they had left, Eliana asked Kaia some questions about the Martyrs.

  “My master has informed me that the Martyrs believe in an ancient God who ruled the world with an iron fist… They call him the ‘Saint’... They use ancient powers that were given to them by their old God… I’ve heard they have the ability to charm people…”

  “Great… So we’re going to be fighting a cult, that’s a first,” Ali said with a sigh as it started to rain outside.

  Pov Taiwo (A-B)

  It was a terrible day for Taiwo. She perhaps should have listened to her advisor a little earlier. People were even more divided, and her political opponent had seized the opportunity of this announcement to discredit her.

  She made her way to the hospital. She had pnned to spend the morning visiting someone dear to her who was currently in the hospital. Walking through the most secure wing, she entered a room. A rge tinted window allowed her to observe the patients inside. On the hospital bed, she saw a young lioness, still a teenager.

  It was her daughter, who had tragically suffered a very serious accident that resulted in the amputation of most of her limbs. She had been pced in an artificial coma at her mother's request. Since taking power, Taiwo had directed research toward technology and, secretly, diverted funds to speed up the research into bionic body parts.

  She looked sadly at her daughter, making a silent promise to herself that she would never give up power as long as her daughter was still undergoing treatment.