"This is interesting…" Reed leaned back in his chair, gripping his chin as he observed the sheet of paper.
The twenty-one representatives watched in anticipation. Reed gripped the paper, swung it, and sent it flying onto the middle of the table, where it landed straight in front of them.
The representatives all looked at it and recognized it right away. "Can't be…", a few said as the rest covered their mouths in shock.
A sketch of a dagger with a blade curved to the left. Its hilt features a cylindrical pommel capped with a circle, and one side of a crossguard that curves inward, opposing the blade.
"It is, sadly. This object has been seen inside the prison ritual pentagram, as well as in the old slums'."
"It's most likely a ritual dagger, but nothing is proven."
Reed looked straight at them, and they looked away from the dagger. "We immediately have to notify the royal family."
With a deep inhale and exhale, he continued, "The cult is a danger to us and now we have proof of that. Then, if that's all, everyone, the meeting is dismissed! You all go back to work, gather as much information, and bring it to me. And with that, we'll notify the capital!"
"Yes!" chorused half the representatives, while the rest nodded in agreement.
…
Two days later, inside the garden, sun spilling down from the sky as Aria sat under the old oak, smiling from ear to ear and cheering on, "You can do it! Two more rounds!"
She cheered on Luna, who, in her training clothing drenched in sweat, her face beet red and gasping for air, cast a weak glance at Aria. She gritted her teeth, picked up the pace, and with all her strength plunged her boots onto the ground, pushing out one after another as she ran, to the amusement of Aria.
Aria slowly turned her chair around, observing Luna intensely. "Worth every minute spent here!"
"Is this a good improvement? Yes it is!" Aisha exclaimed, her eyes narrowing as she added while looking at Luna, who kept gasping for air desperately, "Although two days ago she could only run three rounds, now she already ran twelve rounds…"
"I mean, that's what training is for… but the rate of improvement is extraordinary…"
"Well…" With a smile, she said, "That's part of her charm!"
As she said that, a gloom washed over her face. A sharp pain spiked behind her eyes, a flash of memory: Great fire over the mansion, the scent of blood and charcoal, and Luna's still, standing over Aisha, Luna watched from above with a smile. "No," she whispered, gripping the arms of her chair. "It will never happen again..." A cold shiver ran down her spine. "Scary."
…
Five days later, alone, Luna ran down the gravel path, roses swinging past on a wind as if they were greeting her. Her breath was steady compared to days before, yet her sweat dripped down her face in a rapid manner.
Deep inhale and exhale, a calming scent of lily pads and old wood flooded her nostrils. Finally! Twenty-fifth round! With a grin of excitement, her blush and her eyes reflected the accomplishment. I can do far more! Let's go for forty!
With a chuckle, she picked up the pace. Running around the lake, she narrowed her eyesight onto the path ahead, ignoring every outside input to effectively maximize her training.
"That's good!" she shouted as she ran. Her muscles developed alongside her running, her calves and quadriceps developed far greater than her skinny self who was only skin and bones.
Her mussels ached with each movement, which somehow brought her joy, unknowingly to why that is.
But with a smile she kept at it. Let's run till exhaustion! Haha! She laughed as she gave in all into her training, as to not disappoint her brother.