Chapter 73: Secret Society
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen. Please take your seats around the table."
In a room barely lit with anything other than a few flying orbs of magic, a feminine voice spoke from upstairs addressing a group of men and women standing in the great hall of a grand mansion.
While it was still day outside as the light came in from the far-off gate, shedding its luminance along the old dusty carpet that still retained some of its ancient crimson colors, the feeling inside the mansion was dark, humid, and ancient as if it was a closed tomb that remained that way for many long years.
That, however, was in line with what most of the people gathered here would remember as no matter how many times they gather in this place, it is always this dark and humid. Still, this peculiar group of individuals were all dressed in exquisite attire, giving off a hint of their class and nobility. They were both men and women, they varied across all ages as some seemed old and hunched while others were young and lean, some carried weapons and others wore magic rings.
So if there is anything these people have in common, it is status and power. Two things that shouldn’t be confused with each other in this sort of atmosphere.
Each of these individuals was unique not just in their characteristics but also in their choice of masks. Some would speculate that a group of people in cahoots with each other in such a dark and secret place would at least maintain some level of anonymity by maintaining some dress code or keeping their masks unique in order to keep their identities secret even within their ranks. Still, it seemed like something they cared less for and preferred to focus on uniqueness instead.
After reaching a certain rank, this peculiar group of people would actually drop all the secretiveness and anonymity that is common among the lower ranks of the order, and focus on managing their underlings who are the main foundation of the order’s operation. For that, this group gathers in the place now and then to discuss the latest happenings in the world and how to benefit their organization from them.
And so as the group stood around the table which had 13 seats, the man who stood next to the largest chair spoke first.
"Thank you all for coming, please take your seats."
Each seat had its own symbol and from there, each of the masked individuals took to their seats and waited for the man who addressed them to do so as well. However, rather than sitting in the large seat himself, he sat on the one on its right.
He was a man dressed in a long brown coat and had a tricorne and a wooden mask that was carved beautifully under the right eye. His eye color was easily seen despite the faint light in this dim place but everyone could easily tell he was one of the most important people here.