ZacksQuest
Indiscriminate Quest Taker
The Director's face was blanched white in the moments following his transmission with a small convening of council members. Perhaps, he thought, the number seven was not quite so lucky. He fought to swallow air, and took some time to reign in the control of his shaking hands. The sombre faces of the convened councilmen, whose numbers included the likes of the archangel Sandalphon, the Immortal Zhang Guo Lao, and Apollo, the acting leader of the Olympians. All were among the most experienced, capable, level-headed leaders the Titan had met in a long time, and even his normally controlled contemporaries could not find the proper words or make any promises that the organization would continue to be fine.
He heard the door open and close again at some point after the transmission had stopped and he was left alone to his own personal thoughts, and instead of the hesitant enthusiasm he held prior, he only felt a sinking weight that his years as a battle-hardened general had never caused him to feel. It was the softness he had acquired in his age, and the close ties he formed with each member of each team, that caused his heart to swell to bursting and then finally burst.
He took a look at his watch and saw the time was 2:51. He didn't realize that much time had passed since he left the sitting room. How long was it since the council members had called him? Ten minutes? Twenty? Carried away by his own thoughts, he had lost all sense of time.
He composed himself until he was satisfied that none of the arrivals would be able to see the concern in his eyes or the worry that tightened his lips. After making some final calls to make sure all the remaining teammates were en route and fishing out their case files as well, he headed out of the briefing room, through the hallway, and into the sitting room.
He saw that the arrivals had all assembled and were in the midst of conversation, with many of the team members who had already situated themselves introducing themselves to the young woman who, according to his case files, was the woman known as Anastasia Vembo recommended to join the team by the Olympians, and he noted he needed to formally introduce himself to both her and the young woman who he could identify as Kalliope. Seeing the majority of them assembled together and, just as the Chief had said, beginning to bond with each other pained him.
"Everybody, as soon as you're unpacked feel free to head to the briefing room. I'm going to wait out here for the last few people who are supposed to arrive. Anyone who hasn't seen me yet and has questions about anything, please talk to me." He set the packets he carried into the room down on the table and, with a stony exterior, set himself down into a chair to watch for the rest of the team.
He heard the door open and close again at some point after the transmission had stopped and he was left alone to his own personal thoughts, and instead of the hesitant enthusiasm he held prior, he only felt a sinking weight that his years as a battle-hardened general had never caused him to feel. It was the softness he had acquired in his age, and the close ties he formed with each member of each team, that caused his heart to swell to bursting and then finally burst.
He took a look at his watch and saw the time was 2:51. He didn't realize that much time had passed since he left the sitting room. How long was it since the council members had called him? Ten minutes? Twenty? Carried away by his own thoughts, he had lost all sense of time.
He composed himself until he was satisfied that none of the arrivals would be able to see the concern in his eyes or the worry that tightened his lips. After making some final calls to make sure all the remaining teammates were en route and fishing out their case files as well, he headed out of the briefing room, through the hallway, and into the sitting room.
He saw that the arrivals had all assembled and were in the midst of conversation, with many of the team members who had already situated themselves introducing themselves to the young woman who, according to his case files, was the woman known as Anastasia Vembo recommended to join the team by the Olympians, and he noted he needed to formally introduce himself to both her and the young woman who he could identify as Kalliope. Seeing the majority of them assembled together and, just as the Chief had said, beginning to bond with each other pained him.
"Everybody, as soon as you're unpacked feel free to head to the briefing room. I'm going to wait out here for the last few people who are supposed to arrive. Anyone who hasn't seen me yet and has questions about anything, please talk to me." He set the packets he carried into the room down on the table and, with a stony exterior, set himself down into a chair to watch for the rest of the team.
