MEMELAND

The explosion illuminated the horizon.

A second sun.

A brief one.

Violent.

Beautiful.

Terrifying.

Far away from the destruction—

Two hooded figures stood atop a ruined structure.

Watching.

Neither spoke for a while.

The shockwave eventually reached them.

Their cloaks fluttered.

One of them chuckled.

The other remained silent.

Then both turned away.

As if the destruction of an entire district was nothing more than another completed task.

And disappeared into the night.

Nobody knew how to find it.

Nobody knew if it even existed.

Yet it did.

A massive chamber hidden somewhere beyond maps.

Beyond kingdoms.

Beyond ordinary reach.

A long black table stretched through the center.

Large enough for eight seats.

Most of the seats were occupied.

Three remained empty.

Waiting.

The first person casually sitting near the left side of the table was a slender man with blonde hair reaching his neck.

Colorful formal attire.

Too many necklaces.

Fishnet beneath his suit.

Blue eyes.

Perfectly maintained nails.

Currently filing those nails with extreme concentration.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Across from him sat a tiny girl.

White hair.

Maid outfit.

Fishnet stockings.

Pearl-like skin.

A large scythe leaned against her chair.

She hadn't moved once since entering.

Not a blink.

Not a twitch.

Like a doll waiting for instructions.

Beside her sat a man wearing a stained doctor's coat.

The bloodstains looked old.

Very old.

Glasses rested on his face.

Not because he needed them.

Because he liked them.

The smile on his face never looked sane.

Across from him sat a long-haired aristocratic-looking man.

Red hair.

Elegant clothing.

Sharp fingernails.

One strange wing protruding from his shoulder.

His fingers repeatedly tapped against the table.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

The blonde man finally sighed.

"Can you stop that?"

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

"I mean seriously."

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

The tapping continued.

A vein appeared on the blonde man's forehead.

"You know what? Keep going. Maybe I'll lose my hearing."

The aristocrat kept tapping.

The doctor laughed.

The maid remained motionless.

Then—

Everyone stopped.

At the head of the table sat a figure cloaked in darkness.

The hood concealed most features.

Only fragments could be seen.

A metallic mask covering the lower face.

Red glowing eyes.

Strange skeletal hands resting upon the table.

Red symbols illuminated across the cloak like circuitry.

No one had noticed him arrive.

No one ever did.

The tapping stopped immediately.

The room fell silent.

Then the door opened.

Two more people entered.

One bald.

One very much not dead.

Fais sat down without a word.

Jack followed shortly after.

The blonde man looked up.

"Oh."

He blinked.

"You're alive."

Jack sat down.

"Disappointing?"

"A little."

The blonde man smiled.

Jack smiled back.

Neither smile looked friendly.

The empty seat remained empty.

Nobody commented on it.

They didn't need to.

The absence spoke for itself.

The hooded figure at the head of the table folded his hands.

The meeting began.

"Reports."

Simple.

Direct.

The first speaker was Jack.

"Yggdrasil operation successful."

Several eyes turned toward him.

Jack continued.

"The kingdom remains unstable."

"The king gained influence."

"The cult gained influence."

"The citizens remain divided."

"The demon incident accelerated our timetable."

The hooded figure nodded.

"Acceptable."

Jack leaned back.

His report was done.

Next came Fais.

The bald man crossed his arms.

"Asphyxia operation partially successful."

"Partially?"

The blonde man raised an eyebrow.

Fais ignored him.

"The robot activated."

"The city sustained major damage."

"The objective was completed."

A pause.

Then:

"Udit is dead."

Silence.

Not sadness.

Just acknowledgement.

The hooded figure nodded.

"Continue."

"The queen remains a problem."

"The commander remains a problem."

"The drifter remains a problem."

"The thief remains annoying."

A small smile appeared beneath Jack's expression.

Fais noticed.

And looked irritated.

The report ended there.

The blonde man spoke next.

He leaned forward.

"The Order of Karma is becoming active."

That got attention.

Even the doctor stopped smiling.

"Their movements have increased."

"Their investigations have increased."

"Their interest in our activities has increased."

The blonde man clicked his tongue.

"They're annoyingly competent."

The hooded figure remained silent.

The information was noted.

Across the table—

The doctor stood.

Grinning.

"My turn?"

Nobody answered.

He took that as permission.

"Experiments progressing wonderfully."

"Failures remain high."

"Successes remain low."

"But progress is progress."

His grin widened.

"I believe I can begin field testing soon."

The room became noticeably quieter.

Nobody liked asking what he meant by field testing.

The hooded figure nodded.

"Continue."

The doctor sat down.

Still smiling.

The maid finally moved.

Just slightly.

Enough to speak.

Her voice was soft.

Almost emotionless.

"Muscle City."

Everyone looked at her.

She continued.

"Investigators eliminated."

A pause.

"Three nobles."

Pause.

"Two military officers."

Pause.

"One merchant."

Pause.

"One dog."

Silence.

The blonde man blinked.

"The dog?"

The maid tilted her head.

"It saw me."

Nobody questioned it further.

The report was accepted.

The aristocrat spoke next.

His voice sounded calm.

Elegant.

Almost pleasant.

"Recruitment continues."

"New subjects acquired."

"Brainwashing successful."

"Conversion rate acceptable."

His fingers tapped the table once.

"Supply remains steady."

The hooded figure nodded again.

Then—

Everyone looked toward the head of the table.

Waiting.

The leader finally spoke.

"The death of Udit was acceptable."

No emotion.

No hesitation.

No regret.

Just fact.

"He completed his purpose."

Several members nodded.

"The world continues moving toward our desired outcome."

The glowing eyes narrowed.

"The Cult of Azathoth remains useful."

Interesting.

The blonde man smiled.

The doctor smiled wider.

Jack remained silent.

The hooded figure continued.

"They seek destruction."

"We seek freedom."

"We are not the same."

The room remained silent.

"The Cult worships monsters."

"We do not."

"The Cult worships chaos."

"We do not."

The glowing eyes brightened.

"We seek to destroy this false eternity."

Several members lowered their heads.

Almost reverently.

The hooded figure continued.

"We were trapped in this world."

"We were denied proper death."

"We were denied proper endings."

The skeletal fingers slowly tapped the table.

"Therefore."

"We will create one."

Silence followed.

Heavy silence.

Then the hooded figure stood.

The meeting was ending.

"We gather again next full moon."

Nobody objected.

Nobody asked questions.

The lights suddenly shut off.

Complete darkness.

One by one—

The members vanished.

Like ghosts.

Gone.

Until the chamber became empty.

Or at least—

It seemed empty.

Several moments passed.

Then more moments.

Then even more moments.

Nothing happened.

Silence.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

A voice finally whispered.

"...are they gone?"

Another voice replied.

"I think so."

Silence.

Then:

"Let's go."

A chair moved.

Footsteps followed.

Then—

THUD.

"SHIT!"

A loud crash echoed through the darkness.

The voice immediately cursed.

"WHY WOULD THEY TURN OFF THE LIGHTS?!"

Another crash.

"OW!"

"You stubbed your toe?"

"YES!"

A pause.

Then:

"Skill issue."

"FUCK YOU."

And somewhere in the darkness—

Someone stubbed their toe again.