[Cycle: 5x; Year: 451089 ALV; October 28th]
William von Sanderson held his chin high, chest puffed out. Who wouldnt be? He has always made sure that each meeting that the Hidden Church has ever had since its founding, matched that of other, more official organizations. Today was no different. No. That's not right. Today, their Blesser is on "his" way.
Under no circumstances, shall this event be anything less than perfect. Allegro[1] by John Sebastian Bach was the perfect choice for this fine occasion. The composers of the Beta Cycle where truly masters of the craft.
Thirteen, fourteen... Fifteen members, all present and accounted for. Marvelous! "He" shall be pleased tonight! A pride filled grin grows on his face. He knows he shouldn't, but for crying out loud, he couldn't hold back the excitement. Few get the privilege of hosting a man who's a step away from Godhood.
A gentle hand patted his shoulder snaps him back to reality. "My, excited are we?" Seventh Pillar, Liáng Lí. God this woman. Her presence always manages to send jolts of chills and shocks down his spine. How on Terra was she ten thousand years-old?. Getting lost in those moss green eyes. . . Oh how he wished to marry her. But alas, the one he married held his heart. "My, today seems like you are destined to be in your own head."
Years of strict noble etiquette took the regins. The response has to be perfect. "Lady Liáng, I can assure your that I am still very much present at the moment." His eyes darted down to Liáng's golden qipao. Nicely form-fitting. Leaves en—. No. Behave.You're a married man, William.
Liáng giggled, shaking her head. "Then why not greet your guests? Unless your having doubts about using one of your "many" secret chambers? On that note, who have you hired for the architecture?" She manifested a gold and pink long stem pipe, huffing before exhaling salmon pink smoke. An odd Sarced Relic, William at first thought during their first encounter. But does it add to her mature allure.
William sighed. Right, here comes the lesson. "Has the architect or the masons he has brought along to build this fine establishment, failed to capture the accuracy of the grand style of the 3x Cycle mountain side manors?"
"No. They are accurate." phew. Passed the historian test of accuracy. "You must introduce me to them. Next time when you have obtained my payment~" Ah right. She asked for "Historical Archive". What on Terra would she want such an ancient book for? No one can even read it. Trying to decipher it?
William wanted to ask more, but by the time he snapped back to reality, she had already engaged in conversation with someone else. Hm. I suppose that I should attend to th—
"Good evening, Pillars of this Fellowship." William spun around at the sound of the voice. "He's" here early?
Upon "his" arrival, everyone in the ballroom took a knee and silence themselves. Even the music came to a halt. None dare not look up and gaze upon the divine figure who came down from the high kingdom to grace them with "his" presence.
Only after an acceptable moment of silence had passed, the host of this grant event spoke up.
"Greetings Archbishop Samael," His voice was hoarse, firm but equally bathe in reverence. "I hope everything is to your tastes. I, Baron William von Sanderson IV, had cut no corners, to see that thou is well received by your sheep." William had cherry picked his words. For one does not place out their hubris in front of a "man" such as the one standing before him.
Archbishop Samael appeared no older than being in "his" fifties. But even under "his" white and gold clergyman attire, "his" build radiated monstrous strength. William couldn't place his finger on it, but something about his guest — that he was willing to drop his ambitions of going to Ascension 6 to ensure this event went smoothly — that terrified him.
It was as if a great serpent, or serpentine like creature, coiled around him. Slowly squeezing, crushing his being. An embrace as deadly as it was uncomfortable. The "man's" irises being snake like, made this connection, far more worse.
Archbishop Samael smiled a firm, benevolent smile. "Show no fear, child of God." Archbishop Samael voice was deep and firm, slightly rough. "I believe you have informed your fellowship of what a glorious sight that they are bearing witness to?"
William nodded. Archbishop Samaael smiled. "He" turned to the crowd, arms spread open. "Rise, and gather around. For the way to godhood has appeared."
At the snap of "his" fingers, brown earth shifted, rose from the ground, cylindrical in shape. A blink and now it stood as a pristine white pedestal, adorned with diamonds of various cuts and sizes. Another snap. Floating mid-air, slight above the pedestal, glowing in every color under the sun, was a solid metal(?) stele.
Even if this small crowd amounted to no more than fifteen individuals, even if all kept up their proud, elegant façade of a demeanor expected of nobility, all could not help but let out audible gasps and cries of shock. Even the most stoic of individuals in the room had look in awe of the item that they share the honor of being in. Let alone gaze upon it.
"My my. . ." Pillar Liáng broke out of her stupor first. Her moss green eyes studied the rare, no. Mythical artifact before her. So even she doesn't know what this is. Could be like the Hollowed Knight that the Twilight Dawn Group has in their possession?
Before anymore guess were made, the Archbishop spoke. "This is the Rainbow Stele." Said Archbishop Samaael. "You could call it the Cheat-Code Stele, Console Command Stele, Exploit Stele. The one to one copy of the original, BlackWhite Stele, originating from the Alpha Cycle." Alpha Cycle. . . Alpha Cycle. . . William knew his education in history was spotty at best. But he knew enough to—
Alpha Cycle!? Is he hearing this right?! That would make this thing would be hundreds of trillions years old.
Cheat-Code? Console Command!? This is world is like a game! Aaron knew he had to write this down in his dairy. Or record a tape. Something. Anything. Maybe the stele has clues on how he and Julia could go back home.
Julia had a different idea. "Archbishop Samael, your lordship, if I may speak my mind. How is this, supposed to help us?" While she was voted most likely to antagonize higher beings with her assertiveness, they had to applaud her. For she was the only one brave enough to question.
And it would seem Archbishop Samael took no offense. Truly a patient "man". Picking up the stele from the pedestal, Archbishop Samael spoke. Reading off the stele. "The ascension materials that you desire — the night-day wolf cicada and golden centurion chain-mail for your upgraded Job of Gladiator, can be found near the southern end of Britannia; Cornwell and Devon." He turned the stele to show Julia(and others by proxy) what the stele was providing. He turned it and continued to read. "What Mobs would you'd need to hunt and kill for? For the former, whitewashed bark frogflies. A drop rate of 4.5% normally. With the Passive Program of Lucky Lucky, 15% drop rate. With the Lucky Charm, 12.2% drop rate. Need I say anything more, 8th Pillar Julia?"
None dared speak up. But you could see the gears of their minds moving. The train of thoughts leaving and entering different stations. How did the stele know what materials Julia needed? And what's of this term, "drop rate"? Is that why some people had more luck in finding rarer items that came from Mobs?
"It would seem that your skepticism has yet to be sated. Well then," Archbishop Samael waved "his" hand over the stele. "Hidden in the ruins of Burgundy Desert, in the basement floor seven, in the priest's altar, lies the Vitality Disc. I don't have to tell you what that means."
Oh my God! It knows the location of that thing!? I thought that Held Item was lost to time! And why is it in the desert? The people of Nareal were a island people. . . William sometimes had doubts about joining this organization. It didn't have the terror of the Heavenly Demon Sect or the Children of the Night. Nor the history of the Twilight Dawn Group.
But, it did have access to forbidden knowledge. Knowledge so forbidden and forgotten that even the older organizations appeared no more than infants compared to the age of the knowledge they had.
Hence why our highest ranking members are all Ascension 5 or 6 respectively. We even have quite the number of Ascension 3 and 4 among us. Most don't even have more than three even being the former. William thought. "Lady Liáng, the Vitality Disc. . ."
"According to legends, it allows for an increase in attack power in exchange for taking 1/8th HP worth of damage to themselves." She took a pull from her long stem pipe. Exhaling cherry pink smoke. "No. I no have knowledge of what the term "HP" translates too. Such knowledge would been known if I had access to the third or even fourth cycle texts."
That means, I must hurry up with my payment. . .
"Forgive me for my doubts, Archbishop Samael!" Julia bowed. Lifting her head only when the Archbishop motioned.
"It is only natural to suspect all that appears too good for it to be logical. But, remember this; the stele does not follow lower realm logic." He placed the stele back on the pedestal. Turning back to face the starry-eyed crowd, the Archbishop clapped his hands. Seemingly cut by the finest of jewelers, thirteen, post card sized slabs made from diamond, manifested floating around him. Slowly, one by one, floated into the open palms of each member present. "I did not just summon you all here today to marvel at the stele, but to use it's power to aid you all in your Ascension. For that, each one of you will be allowed a single copy of a few lines from this stele. Guard those copies with your liv—" The Archbishop started looking around the room. Eyes darted around the room. Knife-shapped ears twitching. Staring at corners before turning to face the north wall.
Huh? Why would he? There's nothing? William tried searching via Vis Existentiae, but turned up nothing.
The archbishop's lips curved into an amused smile. "It would seem that we have an intruder." He said calmly — much to the shock of everyone. "Second-in-command to the Cantis family fourth heiress? Annabelle Cantis I presume. Sharon Goldlintch." What the!? What is she doing here!?
"You said no-one would find us here!?" Julia motioned to materialize her Sacred Relic, only being stopped by Aaron.
"She might recognize you by your Sacred Relic." Might is downplaying the issue. It's more so a certainty. Julia couldn't help but click her tongue. Knowledge of what Sacred Relic or Sacred Mark you have, becomes public knowledge once you reach high enough in society's pecking order. It's inevitable. Of course, one could corrupt such knowledge, allowing for all sorts of curses and ill fates to befall those who dare obtain such information.
That fact, however, did little to ease William's frustrations and worries. "Calm your horses. She can't tell who any of us is. Neither from our Vis Existentiae, voices or faces." William said with the serene calmness of a true blue-blood. Even if things aren't under control, one must that everything is, in fact, under control. "Forgive me, your lordship. This is an oversight of mine—"
"Thou has been forgiven. Such a mistake would happen when your opponent is using the Mystic Tool; Cloak of Consealment." So that's what she was using. She actually got permission from the family backing her to use it. "The Cantis family desires something. Or rather, the Children of the Night? Are we such a threat that they've sent you to scout? Believe me when I say this; we wish not to interfere with any and all matters concerning you, or your backers. In fact, tell your superiors that we will be done with the tasks your groups have failed to see to fruition." So "he" is capable of mockery. What does "he" gain from telling her this?
No response. Has she fled? Or is she still watching? William tried to read the Archbishop's face. That amused smile is still there. Had "he" foresaw this? What is "he" thinking?
Damn wretch. Loitering around where she has no business in. Could the whole family know? No. That's not her style. She and the Children of the Night prefer the darkness of shadows. Damn it all. This is only possible if there is a leak within my systems. . . He wanted to click his tounge. But he needs to show that he has it all under control. May be it was for the best that I had abandoned my Ascension 6 preparation ritual. Who could known what will happen then. . . William shuddered at the thought. The Royal family would finally found a good reason to have his assets, family and his life taken. "My Lordship—"
"Allow her to be an audience to this. For soon, the Hidden Church Order will need to expand operations." The Archbishop "his" attention back to the crowd. Chin high and voice loud, clear and firm, "he" addressed them. "We shall move forward with Operation Twilight Death and Colpus eversio reipublicae against the Roman Imperium. It is time that we scale-up operations, and bring about a new order."
The diamond slabs began to glow. Matching the odd yet brilliant light that the Rainbow Stele gave off. "Now, what Exploit or Command would you desire?"
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Next Chapter; Chp 0: The Fool
[1] Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F Major BWV 1046.