SHADOWS OF TAYO

The sound of footsteps approached Oliver.

"Ovi, is everything alright?" Oliver heard his trainer's voice.

"Yes, I was just washing my face."

Oliver bent over the faucet and cupped some water in his hands.

"Did you have nightmares after our fight, Ovi?" he asked.

With startled eyes, Oliver looked into the mirror and saw his trainer's reflection. A smile spread across his face as he held a glass of some drink.

"Am I right, Ovi?"

His smile grew brighter, as if he were proud—as if he'd uncovered a secret no one should have revealed.

*"Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to present His Lordship Leonidas Foss, head of the Foss family and the foremost branch of the Agnes family, one of the Three Great Houses..."*

Oliver flinched at the jarring sound of the speech introducing the city's leader.

"Did you know? This ceremony's broadcast is being transmitted to nearly all Evernight Domes using soundwave tech. It proves the Foss family's dominance—and the House that controls them."

"Anyway, let's talk about you."

*"Ahem. Ladies and gentlemen, I am Leonidas Foss, head of the Foss family under the Agnes family—the Sword of the Kingdom. Today, it is my honor to stand before you in the city of Bath, the fortress nurtured by the sky. Today, it shall become the heart of this kingdom—perhaps the entire world."*

____________

At the same time, beneath a colossal metallic island floating in the sky—connected by massive metal pipes—

The island cast shadows over the city below, while its metallic noises drowned in the clamor beneath. It was **Taio**.

Beneath it lay a city resting under a beautiful aurora. This city needed no dome to shield it from winter's cold; the island had taken care of that. This was **Eden**, the capital—**Eden**.

A city glittering with lights, its people living oblivious to the threat approaching them.

"Why has Lord Leonidas chosen Bath this time?"

Under one of the pipes linked to the island, two guards stood watch.

"Because his family rules this city, of course."

"The cold here—why must we guard this? No lunatic would storm **the Taio**, right?"

The guard smiled. "Trust me, there are plenty of lunatics in this world."

Then the other guard lost consciousness.

The man removed his hat—part of the uniform he'd disguised himself in—

Revealing lustrous red hair beneath. A man in his forties, his face shadowed, a scar splitting his eye.

He moved toward the pipes, climbed like a shadow, and headed for the entrance of the metallic island.