54 World Council (1/2)
The Holy City is located in the state of Avalon. Serving as the capital to the world government, the holy city lived up to its reputation in terms of grandeur. The city wasn't crowded nor did it has any skyscrapers but yet its magnificence wasn't something other cities could compare. One might even mistake the city as a capital of a royal kingdom with all the palaces and mansions in the city.
At the center of the city was a palace which looked more like a citadel from outside. It was heavily fortified by human guards and droids who were on constant vigilance, not like anyone would dare attack this place for it belonged to the president of world government.
President! The strongest man in the free world!
The people of the world took pride in having a say in the election of the president! After all, it was people who elect senators who in turn select the president.
The current president of world government is Mason Maxwell. He was a middle-aged man with brown hairs and a small beard.
Currently, Mason was sitting alone in a spacious room. The room consisted of a round table surrounded by sixteen chairs.
Mason's attention was on a virtual screen in front of him. During his youth, he was reckless and unafraid of the world because he was born into a powerful family and blessed with a powerful mutant ability.
As he grew older and more powerful, he realized that he was nothing but an insignificant dust in the world. The freedom and power he was proud of was all an illusion created by the world government. So bit by bit he climbed to the top leadership of the government but then reality struck him again.
The president shared his powers with the world council! The general populace believed world council, consisting of representatives from nine aristocratic families and the royal family of Atlantis, only played an advisory role; but being a part of the system, Mason knew the world council has their claws in every decision-making. There were more members of the council then what the people believed and their role was different from what the people perceived.
Everything was about perception.
Learning from the struggles of royal dynasties of the previous era, the world government's founders knew they have to create a near-perfect system if they have to rule without worrying about getting dethroned.
So they created a 'democratic' government where people decided their president every five years indirectly. It made people feel they have a say in choosing their ruler unlike the royal empires of before.
Relying on the subtle brainwashing in the form of patriotism, sacrifice, and racial supremacy; the forefathers established council consisting of those who have 'sacrificed' so much for the world. They let the world believe the council served no role other than being an advisory board.
Mason rather admired the schemes of the forefathers. What he truly admired was how the council made the political officers a scapegoat for failed policies. If people are dissatisfied with the governing then they can simply change the senators and president without realizing that this was a part of the scheme to make the world government last forever.
”In the end, the schemes of forefathers were just petty schemes no matter how wonderful. if one has the absolute strength then they don't need to fear anything including the world government or nation of terror. Originally there were only 9 members of council but now 15. It just shows how strength can change what others perceive as impossible,” Mason muttered.
”But in the end, strength alone also proves useless. As one grows older, strength dwindles. A man works for decades to achieve his position and power but death takes it all away. Death is the greatest enemy.”
”But the current era has given us an opportunity...a hope for eternal life.”
Mason's eyes burned with desire as his thought process reached here. He looked at the report on the screen and muttered, ”delta city...the hope of eternal life lies there. ”
*beep* *beep*
[[The council will be online in few seconds. ]]] A mechanical voice brought Mason back from his thoughts.
Suddenly, ten of the fifteen chairs were engulfed in green light. A moment later, ten people's projection entered the room.
”My greetings to the council,” Mason stood up and gave the council members a bow. He was surprised to see some council members not showing up, but he didn't mention it.
”Mason, you can sit,” an elderly man with a large white beard said.
”Thank you, Lord Elliot,” Mason sat down.
Lord Elliot gave a glance to his fellow council members before saying, ”Mason, I am sure you know why we summoned you.”
”For details regarding the recent golden lightning phenomenon in Delta city,” Mason knew it very well.
”Good. You can start with the report on your findings,” lord Elliot signaled him to start.
Mason clicked a panel on the table screen and a holographic projector was activated. The holographic projection showed the images of the wasteland before the golden lightning phenomenon and after the phenomenon.
Before, the wasteland was full of barren mountains and plateaus. Now it was just a giant crater.
”The golden lightning phenomenon occurred during midnight for some ten minutes,” Mason clicked another panel and the projection showed the visuals of the phenomenon as seen from Delta city.
Entire wasteland seemed to be covered by dark clouds full of golden lightning. The lightning seemed to be shackled as if to prevent the world from destruction. The visuals also showed how large debris was floating in the air and then dissipating into nothingness.
”As the satellites were not able to collect any information, the chief officer of Delta city -Sylvan- sent a team of forty mutants in the vicinity to collect data. Most of the team died, within minutes, Just due to the pressure from the golden lightning.”
The screen showed the stats of forty members who entered the wasteland along with their vehicles.
”Most of them died? You mean there are survivors?” an elderly man with emaciated appearance asked.
Mason got chills when he heard the voice of the mummy-like man. He didn't let his emotions show and respectfully answered, ”Lord Harley, some of them escaped quickly, but they died as well since the pressure from before has ravaged their bodies. Their abilities were erased and no medical treatment worked.”
The council members were shocked by mason's words.
Abilities erased? How is that possible?
”Are you sure in your claims?” Lord Elliot asked.
”Yes,” Mason nodded his head. He didn't mention that some survivors were killed by Sylvan in anger but that wasn't important since they would have died anyway.
”Abilities erased? Very interesting. I will love to perform an autopsy on their bodies,” lord Harley could barely control his emotions.
Mason controlled his disgust and said,” Lord Harley, apologies but the survivors turned into nothingness after their death. The same happened with those who died inside the wasteland.”
The holographic projection showed the recordings of a survivor turning into nothingness.
The council members were shocked by the information. It took them minutes before they completed contemplating the discoveries.
”Mason, I have a question if you don't mind,” a Buddhist monk asked.
”Lord Kakusandha, it will be my honor to answer you,” Mason said in a voice full of reverence. He knew just how powerful this Buddhist monk was.
”What is the probability of this incident being related to the event from four years ago?” Lord Kakusandha politely asked.
The other council members looked at Mason for his answer. They have their own guesses, but they wanted to know Mason's opinion.
Four years ago, Castor Damon – level IX scientist-went to Delta city for a secret project. A week after his arrival, he suddenly disappeared and all his life signals were lost. It took place moments after a similar golden lightning phenomenon started in the mining area.
The mining area was one of the meteorites which have fallen on Earth's surface when the age of evolution begun. Most meteorites were still in their original positions either due to their weight or dangers involved.
The government and other factions have extracted the minerals and other important elements from most meteorites. But there still remain meteorites which are yet to be explored for not even the best scientists can find a way to get close to them much less extract.
Originally, the resources from the meteorite in Delta City were already extracted years ago. The minefield was just a remnant of past and nothing more.
Yet Castor Damon gathered a team to explore this meteorite.It was obvious whatever Castor Damon was seeking for is responsible for his sudden disappearance and the golden lightning phenomenon from your years ago.
Perhaps Castor Damon was in hiding, or he was really dead like the loss of his life signals denoted.
Mason knew the council members were testing him instead of really wanting to know the answer. The information they knew was enough for them to know whether it was related to that event or not.
”I believe both the events are connected,” Mason said in a deep voice, ”Back then the lightning phenomenon took place for approx. five minutes and the latest one took place for a little over ten minutes. Back then there were no survivors and the same is true for now. The location has changed from the mining area to wasteland but it is still within the vicinity of the same city.”
”There is one thing different though,” Lord Elliot injected in between,” The radius of the phenomenon back then was far too low but this time...the area has tripled.”
The council members nodded their head in agreement. Whatever or whoever responsible for this incident has gotten stronger.
”Castor Damon was a disgrace to our noble cause,” Lord Kakusandha said with a deep sigh,” He kept his project secret from everyone including the council who trusted him so deeply. ”
”Indeed,” a disfigured woman agreed, ”It took us three years to know what he was seeking for. He thought he could hide it from us forever.”
”He even took help from revolutionaries while he used our resources for his own benefit,” another council member added.
Mason didn't say anything but secretly scoffed at the hypocrisy of council members.Would they have shared the treasure if they got the treasure Castor Damon sought for? Mason knew the answer for he was aware of how great the treasure was.
Before disappearance, Castor Damon has studied records of the strange writings and engravings as well as the alien technology from the meteorites to seek something special.
After three years of investigation and research, the government was able to pick clues on what he was truly seeking for.
A shard of Cosmic Spark!
The government also has a shard of Cosmic Spark which was being researched to find a practical way to extract its unimaginable powers.
After decades of study, the scientists came to the conclusion that the cosmic spark was the power source of the supreme world from where the meteorites originated.