"Astaroth killed me," Ashton revealed, his gaze shifting between the faces of those gathered.
The revelation sent a shiver through the room, and Anna's grip on his hand tightened. Ava's eyes widened in disbelief, and Mazton's stoic expression wavered for a moment.
Astaroth and Ashton were like each others' shadows, so no one could believe what Ashton said. But his frail state was an alibi for his story.
While the revelation dumbfounded everyone, Ashton knew he had to keep pushing and tell everyone about Rood and probably a Xyran invasion of Earth.
Although Ashton wasn't sure about it, Astaroth could easily manipulate the Xyrans to turn the tables on him and say it was Ashton who had betrayed them and not the other way around.
Unfortunately, Ashton didn't know what Astaroth was capable of anymore, so he had to consider every scenario before acting on his emotions.
But more than everything, the part that scared him most was his emotionlessness. He had been betrayed and killed, yet, for some reason, he couldn't get angry at Astaroth anymore. It almost felt like his body knew something that he didn't.
'Ignore the itch to piece everything together,' Ashton reminded himself. 'There's more important things to take care of...'
"So, I'm here to finish what Astaroth started, to protect Earth from Kro'Han and to ensure that no one else falls victim to their treachery," Ashton declared with a determined glint in his eyes.
"I find these claims utterly preposterous," suddenly, a voice rose from the far corner of the room. "Lord Rood would never betray his allies. Your claims are baseless, and I find it hard to believe that our esteemed leader would resort to such treachery."
Ashton turned to face the owner of the voice, and sure enough, it was the Xyran Ambassador, Rea. Adorned in intricate robes symbolising her status, Rea stared at Ashton with scepticism and disdain.
Like everyone, she had been worried about Ashton when he arrived, but upon hearing what he had to say, she no longer had the warmth in her eyes anymore.
'Gotcha,' Ashton smiled inwardly, realising the bait he had thrown was working.
But Ashton couldn't show his genuine emotions in front of Rea and maintained a calm demeanour. He knew that the Xyrans valued loyalty above all else, and Astaroth's and Rood's betrayal went against the very core of their principles.
Ashton also knew his words could have sparked outrage amongst the Xyrans. That's why Ashton had taken precautions before revealing the truth to everyone. His trusted allies had rounded up the Xyrans in the room, discreetly disarming them to avoid confrontations.
"So, you have nothing to say for yourself?" Rea asked him once more.
The Xyran ambassador's words echoed in the room, challenging Ashton's credibility. But instead of directly rebuking her claims, Ashton smiled, an expression that hinted at both amusement and indifference.
"I couldn't care less about what a Xyran thinks about me," Ashton replied, his voice carrying a subtle confidence. "But if you find my words hard to believe, Ambassador, I'm more than willing to undergo a lie detector test."
He continued, "In fact, I propose that the Xyrans conduct the test themselves. That way, we can put this matter to rest."
The ambassador's stern facade wavered, caught off guard by Ashton's unexpected counteroffer. She hesitated, unable to meet the eyes of those gathered in the room, expecting an answer from her.
Ashton's suggestion shifted the dynamics of the confrontation, challenging the principles the Xyrans held dear without showing hostility.
Finally, the ambassador, unable to maintain eye contact with those in the room, spoke with a strained resolve, "I will personally conduct the test to get to the truth. I will not let baseless accusations tarnish Lord Rood's name."
"You're more than welcome to do so, Ambassador," Ashton, still wearing a subtle smile, nodded in agreement. "As I have nothing to hide."
With that, the Xyran ambassador stormed out of the room, her robes billowing behind her in frustration. The Xyrans, who had been disarmed, cast glances at each other, unsure of how to react. But soon followed suit and left the room.
As the door closed behind the departing ambassador, Anna turned to Ashton, her eyes filled with curiosity and concern.
"Why go to such lengths to prove your words, Ashton?" she asked. "Everyone here trusted your words, and as for them, you don't need to prove shit to them."
"Woah, my lady," Ashton laughed. "As much as I love seeing you shed your cover of nobility before me, you should still have some restraint."
"Really? You're lecturing me in this situation?" Anna rolled her eyes but smiled the next second. "I know there's something else going inside your head, and we all want to know about it."
Ashton's smile held a touch of cunning as he explained, "Because, Anna, it's not just about proving myself. It's about sowing the seed of mistrust among the Xyrans."
"I don't get it..." Ava mumbled.
"Let me explain it this way. The Xyrans have been conditioned to trust their leaders unquestionably. A seed of doubt, even a tiny one, will cause internal strife among them."
He continued, "That way, the Xyran upper echelon will have their hands full dealing with internal troubles, and they won't be thinking about attacking Earth anytime soon."
"So, you're playing the long game," Anna, though initially taken aback, nodded in understanding. "Making sure they have their own problems to deal with."
"Weakening their unity will buy us time," Mazton added, his gaze focused on the closed door through which the Xyran ambassador had exited. "And time is something we need in abundance. Time to prepare, time to ensure Earth's safety, time to... Gosh, there's so many things we need to do."
"This is just the beginning of the game, and we need every advantage we can get." Ashton chimed in. "No matter the method. After all, everything is fair in love and war."
"Still, we will need a lot more than mere words to keep the Xyrans occupied," Mazton commented.
"And that's where the pirates come in," Ashton replied, staring out the window. "Astaroth knows me like the back of his hand, so it's time to do things differently."