They Who Hide Under Top Hats [Original]

[thearchmanofgreenfield]

Edmond had no idea what he'd gotten himself into. His superior—who was a Boroughman—had told him to go with a small troop to Avarier Theater, one of the largest theaters in Everton Borough. He had been told that there had been an incident. An incident regarding the Everton Family - the Great House that ran Everton Borough. Edmond didn't think much of the Great Houses outside of the fact that they were all posh imbeciles who let innocent Circulions die for their politics. So naturally, he assumed it was some minor issue, but once he got to the theater, what he saw shocked him to his very core.

It was a bloodbath.

Everyone who had attended the opera that day was lying dead on the floor in puddles of blood. Some seats had holes in them from gunfire, bodies were left hanging from the upper balconies, and even the actors on stage were not spared from the brutality.

"Why did they kill the actors? They were human," Edmond asked himself. The murder of humans wasn't rare in Hatlynshire. The Circle itself was no stranger to having its hands covered in the blood of innocent casualties both human and Circulion; Edmund knew that from experience. But there was no question about who had committed this particular atrocity, for the grisly nature in which the victims had perished was the signature style of the Order of Man and their vicious Hunters. And while Edmond wasn't the biggest supporter of the Great Houses, he still wouldn't wish such a gruesome fate onto anyone.

"Look, the swine even hung the bodies on stage!" shouted Jack, one of the other soldiers. Edmond looked towards the stage. He saw seven bodies hanging just above the stage floor with nooses around their necks. There were two men, two women, and three children. It was the sight of the children hanging from the ceiling that disgusted Edmund the most.

"I never thought the Order of Man would be so brazen," said Jack, morbidly observing the hanging bodies.

"The Circle will get their revenge. I suspect it was a trap, a sabotage. The Order of Man isn't supposed to know where members of the Great Houses are at any given time," Edmond muttered.

"Right you are. I hear it was an intentional betrayal. I've heard rumors that it was a Guildsman in the Actor's Guild. Some say they were threatened or bribed. Rumor has it that the poor fool handed himself over to one of the companies at Brunsfort when he heard about what happened here, so I imagine they must have tricked him somehow."

"Maybe, but how?" Edmond thought as he inspected the bodies strewn around the stage. How had the Order of Man gotten to a Guildsman? It should have been impossible. If what Jack said was true, then that Guildsman would be tried and most likely executed. An incident like this could even spark a war between the Circle and the Order of Man.

"I still can't believe a Great House has been extinguished! This is more certainly the doing of that Montgomery fella. He must have been planning this for years! This is the most damage the Order has done to the Circle in centuries! Curse that entire dynasty is what I say! His forefathers must be singing in their graves over what he has done here!" Jack cursed.

Edmond went silent. He walked along the corpses, covering his boots in blood. He didn't know what he was supposed to do, since it wasn't like any of them were alive. Just as he was about to turn around and leave, a faint voice echoed from somewhere in the theater.

"Help..." it said. "Help…"

Edmond immediately rushed to where he thought he had heard the voice. It sounded like a little boy. He began to move the bodies around him, suspecting that maybe he was trapped beneath the bodies. He pushed aside all the old and bloody corpses until he spotted a small hand sticking out from under a large man. The fingers of the hand twitched and moved.

"Help me…"

"Hey! I think I have someone here!" he shouted desperately.

Edmond began to lift the body on top of the boy as Jack and some other soldiers came rushing to his aid. Once Jack reached him, he and Edmond pulled away the body of a man. Still lifting the body, Edmond spotted the boy lying on the floor, completely covered in blood. His eyes were closed at first, but as they watched, he let out a large gasp as though he had been choking on the blood coming out of the man. Edmond immediately grabbed the child and hoisted him up to a sitting position. The boy started to breathe rapidly as though he were in a panic, but Edmond tried his best to calm him down.

While comforting the boy, he took some time to examine him. He looked about twelve years old, and was neatly dressed in a three-piece suit. Edmond noticed the Circulion pin he had, so he knew the boy was a member of the Circle.

"You, boy. Are you alright?"

"The men with… the-the angel faces. They killed… they killed everyone!" The boy gasped. Edmond held his hand and instructed him to take deep breaths. The boy obliged.

"Do you have a name?" he asked. The boy turned his head towards him and gave a scared stare as tears rolled down his cheeks.

"My name is… is… Uly-Ulysses. Ulysses… Everton."

The moment the boy said that name, a wide stare enveloped Edmond's face. The shock nearly overwhelmed him, and by their faces, all the other soldiers too. He saw Jack's mouth drop.

"Impossible…" he told himself while in his surprised state. A state that Jack brought him out of by coming close to him and whispering into his ear.

"Edmond, take this boy out of this theater. We'll have to burn it to the ground to avoid suspicion."

Edmond simply nodded and lifted the boy up into his arms, ready to carry him out of the theater as the soldiers set fire to the place.

"The Order's plan had failed." He thought to himself. "The House of Everton lives on."

 

[thearchmanofgreenfield]

Night fell on the City of Hatlynshire. Just as the moon rose above the skyline and Bellmont, the city clock tower chimed at the strike of nine, and Anna found herself feeling quite bored. She was but thirteen years old, yet sitting in a bar having a chat with the bartender, whose name was Brutus, but everyone just called him Bon.

"Do you seriously believe she's coming, Anna?" asked Bon as he served a regular customer.

"I do believe so, my sister doesn't break promises." Anna paused. "At least, not that much"

"Well I hardly doubt some of the patrons here would find it fitting that a young lass is sitting in a bar alone, and I'm sure calling you my daughter would be too far a stretch."

Anna knew what he said was true. Bon was a tall and fit man with black hair, a thin mustache, a wide chest and strong arms. Meanwhile, Anna's ginger hair and rounded face was nothing like his, and she was awfully thin for someone her age. She wore a red dress underneath a brown coat, topped with a small, red sunhat with a purple cloth rose, which was an odd thing to wear at night, but she only did it because she despised bonnets with a passion.

"You know I have every right to be here. Who cares what you human customers say. Besides, even if you told me to leave, I would just give a complaint to Mr. Howards," she said while toying with an empty glass. Bon gave a smile and a small chuckle at her passive threat.

"Like Howards would care if you filed a complaint. He's too busy being a posh snob to care what we mere peasants say."

"Well maybe I have more influence on him than you think. After all, my sister works with him. Dispatches the nuisances on the street so he doesn't have to waste his own Circulion soldiers."

Anna circled her finger along the rim of the glass. She watched as it began to move, and soon it lifted itself off the ground to hover about an inch from the surface of the counter. Since he was serving customers, it took Bon a moment to notice, but once he did his eyes immediately widened from sudden panic. He swiftly reached over and grabbed the glass before pulling the glass behind the counter before anyone else could see it seemingly defying the laws of nature. His eyes narrowed and swung from side to side before coming to a stop facing Anna, at whom he frowned disapprovingly.

"What have you been told about using your abilities in public, huh?" he whispered.

"Oh, don't worry, it was just an inch! Nobody noticed. And besides, I have to keep practicing every once in a while, or I'd lose my focus."

"Well I suggest you do your practicing in the Hamlet. Not here," Bon whispered back. He gestured towards the hallway behind the bar which led to the backdoor. A door that acted as a secret side entrance to the Hamlet. "And about your sister, you don't think she can go on forever do you? Howards knows aiding rogues is against the rules. And when your sister becomes less useful or dead? He'll just pretend like he never knew her or her band of vigilantes."

Speech done, he then straightened himself and went back to serving patrons, talking casually as though nothing had happened.

Anna went silent. She knew what Bon said was right. Caroline was a rogue. She was not a regular Circulion soldier, nor did she ever want to be. She had found that her favored brand of justice came by hunting down the Hunters herself, with no rules to hold her back. She had assembled a small band of rebellious people like her, and they ran missions hunting down those who sought to kill Circulions. Mr. Howards, the Lesser Noble in charge of Anna's home, Anatoli Hamlet, had originally tried to stop her, but her actions had protected the Hamlet while costing Howards no expense. Eventually, he'd agreed to turn a blind-eye every time she did something questionable. Anna wished she could join the Nighttime Crows, but Caroline had forbidden her from doing so, even though she knew Anna's thirst for revenge was just as strong as hers.

But more than wanting to join her sister, part of Anna wanted her to come home and be safe in the Hamlet, but she knew convincing Caroline was a fruitless argument. Anna knew she would rather die than cower under the sheets as Hunters tore apart her family again.

Just as Anna was pondering those feelings, she heard the bell above the door ring. Instead of her sister, in walked a man wearing a dark coat and a bowler hat. Anna looked closer and realized she recognized the him. He was one of the Nighttime Crows.

"They're here. That means Caroline must be nearby."

She was about to approach when she saw a second man coming into the bar behind the first. She couldn't see the second his face, for it was obscured by a hood and top hat. All she saw was a glimpse of the man's cheek. It was pale white and looked cold as stone. The man quickly draped his hood above his head and took a seat facing the table where the Nighttime Crow sat.

"That's an Angel-face," thought Anna, knowing that no human had skin that pale. She watched cautiously as the two men stood on either side of the bar. The Nighttime Crow didn't even order anything, and neither did the Hunter. Anna gestured towards Bon, and when he came, she pointed to the man with the hood. Bon's eyes widened when he realized who the man truly was.

"Is that?" he whispered to Anna's ear.

"Yes, and that one is with my sister. I think they're in the middle of a job."

Bon reached down from the counter to grab the revolver he kept there, but he didn't pull it on the Hunter just yet. Instead, both he and Anna observed tensely as the two men did nothing.

"Why is he waiting?" Anna wondered.

Just then, the Nighttime Crow raised his hand and gestured towards the bartender. Bon immediately went to him to take his order. He then came back to the counter and immediately began preparing a drink.

"It's best you leave, this might get ugly," he said quietly to Anna as he squeezed lemon into a glass of gin.

"No, I want to see where this goes. I want to know if Caroline's here."

Realizing arguing with her was useless, he instead took his glass of gin and served it to the Nighttime Crow. The Hunter didn't order anything, instead waiting silently.

The Crow finished his drink quickly. Anna heard the rattle of coins as he dropped money on the table and stood up. The Hunter stood up at the same time. The Crow swiftly walked through the door and disappeared into the streets. The Hunter quietly walked along and followed him.

Anna quickly leapt from her chair, walking to the door to hopefully follow the men.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" Bon hissed.

"I'm following them. Don't worry, I'll be sure to keep my distance."

Bon didn't seem to appreciate the casual nature of her tone. "No! You could get yourself killed. And I don't want to have to deal with your sister's wrath."

"You're right," Anna said. Going in defenseless wasn't a good idea. "Give me your gun."

"What? NO!" Bon exclaimed, outraged. The volume of his voice made several of the other patrons all stare at him with confused and worried looks. In response, Bon gave them all harsh glares, but at the same time he also took a few deep breaths and calmed himself.

"What? Don't worry, old friend. I'll bring it back, I promise," Anna said, taking advantage of the fact that Bon couldn't scold her in public. "Unless of course you want me to go without it, of course."

Bon must have realized he was in no winning situation, so he took his revolver and slid it silently across the counter, where Anna quickly took it and shoved it into her coat.

"Thanks a lot, old chap!"

She gave Bon a wink, before bolting from the door and leaving him behind, watching from the counter, perhaps wondering why he let her stay in the bar to begin with.

Outside, Anna entered onto the stone sidewalk next to the street. Above her was a sign that read The Anatoli Café. She had seen the man turn right before the door had closed, so that was the direction she took.

She walked quietly along the near-empty streets, aside from the occasional stray cat. The houses on either side of the road were packed together like a wall. Some still had light spilling from the windows. It was around this time of night that the Hunters roamed. She could remember hearing gunshots in the distance every few nights from her room in the Hamlet, and every day the newspapers simply reported it as 'gang violence'. It was oh-so convenient that there were never any living witnesses to these crimes that could prove them wrong.

She walked along the streets, looking for any alleyways or small lanes. She kept looking until she heard a voice somewhere in front of her. The closer she came, the more it sounded like a discussion.

"Don't bother fighting. You are alone, Angel–face." said a voice in an enraged and judgmental tone. "Now I heard a group of you burned down a Circulion orphanage a few days ago…"

"Tell me, were you one of them?"

Anna knew that voice. It was her sister's. She quickened her pace and turned towards the nearest alleyway to her. And there she saw it.

Six people each holding either a revolver or a rifle. All pointing at the Hunter, who was surrounded on all sides in the middle of the alleyway.

Caroline stood in front of the Hunter. She too had ginger hair and a round face like Anna, but wore an all-black coat with a bowler hat and black gloves. She was telling the Hunter something, but immediately stopped as Anna's shadow appeared behind the Hunter. She turned her head and her eyes widened with shock when she saw Anna standing there.

"Anna, what are you doing here?" she asked while still pointing a revolver at the Hunter. All the other Nighttime crows diverted their attention to her, and she froze, realizing that she hadn't thought this through.

"I… well… I came…" she mumbled, but before she could say anything, the Hunter had realized that the attention of the Crows was elsewhere, so he took his chance and bolted towards the street and Anna. He pointed his rifle at her, but Anna felt like she couldn't move. The Hunter's mask looked like an angel, but its hollow eyes and hollow mouth filled her with fear. She tried to reach for the revolver in her coat but her hands fell numb.

The Hunter pointed his rifle directly at Anna's head, but before he could shoot, a bullet struck him in the back and he tumbled over with a howl of pain. Anna looked and saw that it was Caroline. She walked closer to the Hunter, her palm hovering over her revolver's barrel, a technique that decreased the sound of the gunshots. The Hunter turned and tried to reach for his fallen rifle, but Caroline shot him again in various parts of his body, her face stricken with a deadly rage. She emptied her entire barrel on the Hunter, not a hint of remorse on her face.

She then turned to Anna, and her anger somewhat subsided. She gave her a tight hug and examined her body to see if she was injured. When she realized Anna was fine, her rage came back at full force.

"Oh Anna, what were you thinking, coming out here past dusk?!! You know the rules!"

"Not like you ever followed them," Anna thought, remembering that it was Caroline who had taught her how to sneak past the rules.

Anna tried to come up with an excuse. "I was waiting for you in Bon's place, and I saw your mark. I thought you might need my help!" She saw Caroline exhale deeply in disappointment.

"And what were you doing in Bon's place?" she asked. Her clueless expression enraged Anna.

"I was there because you said you would meet me there, remember? You said you wanted to talk!" she said while taking a step back from Caroline. Caroline's confusion did not seem to cease. A moment later, she let out a gasp as the memory came back to her. She then sighed again, this time out of guilt, whilst placing her palm over her face.

"Damn it, you're right. I did forget, and I apologize for it. But you have to go home now."

"But can't we do it now? I haven't seen you in weeks!"

Caroline shook her head. "I'm sorry my little Anne, but I can't right now…" she gestured to the dead body behind her. But then she grabbed Anna's cheek and grinned.

"How about tomorrow? I'll come by the Hamlet. We can talk as much as we want then. I promise." she said in a hopeful voice.

Anna felt like she couldn't trust her anymore, but she nodded anyway. Caroline grinned and patted her on the shoulder.

"Good, now go home," she said softly, and Anna reluctantly obliged. She turned away from her sister and started the long walk back to the Anatoli Café. By the time she reached and walked inside, most of the patrons had left, and Bon was pretty much the only one there.

"Oh Anna, you're back!" Bon said in relief as he polished another glass.

Anna said nothing. She just felt disappointed. Caroline had broken so many promises. So many. Anna didn't feel like talking to anyone at that moment, even to Bon. She took the revolver out of her coat and placed it on the counter, then slowly made her way to the back door while avoiding Bon's concerned look. She sulked her way behind the counter and disappeared behind the back door of the Café.

 

[thearchmanofgreenfield]

The sun rose past the horizon, looming over the skyline of the great City of Hatlynshire, towards which Henry found himself to be dazed but also in awe. He had been called to accompany one of the other members of the Great Houses on a 'diplomatic' trip to Great Borough. Henry himself hadn't been too enthusiastic about it. He was dazed due to not being able to get enough sleep, a fact he hid quite well on the outside, but felt quite deeply on the inside. Whatever part of him that was not stuck in this drowsy state was currently preoccupied with thoughts of his own Borough.

"I should be sending letters to my Nobles, not taking a joyride! We should start fortifying the Hamlets immediately," he thought as his driver drove him straight to Hatlynshire City Hall. Henry, like most Great House members, drove in a black car with a silver grill that had two large, bulbous lights on either side. His car's license plate read 'TRIDENT-001', which corresponded with the symbol of his house. However, Henry himself didn't seem like much of a regal figure at first glance. He was in his early forties, with black hair and brown eyes. He was clean shaven, and wore a black suit with an overlapping collar. Underneath was a white and grey checkered waistcoat. He placed his hand inside one of his coat pockets, for in it, he carried a golden pocket watch which connected to his coat via a golden chain. He glanced at the watch face, its edges engraved with the initial 'M'. On his finger lay a ring studded with diamonds and, on his head, he wore a black top hat. But perhaps, most important of all, hidden under his coat, he wore a golden pin with his family's crest etched on the front. The pin was the only thing that gave him away as a Circulion, though aside from that, he looked perfectly human.

The car drove past the empty streets of the waking city. Henry knew it was best to travel early in the mornings, when there were less people about. It was less suspicious, and granted less attention. Still, as Henry looked out the window, he saw a few people walking about their day. Most were working men on their way to their occupations.

"Well, there is a certain innocence to humans. They are, of course, just like us. At least, when they're not committing heinous sins," Henry thought, and with that, he let out a shudder. He remembered a recent incident that had occurred just a few days ago, an incident which was part of the reason they were headed to Great Borough in the first place. It had happened in Bernstein Borough–a group of Hunters had discovered how to access one of the Hamlets through a secret door. They had snuck in and tried to set the complex aflame at night. Luckily, they were caught and killed before they could set the entire place alight. However, before they were killed, they had succeeded in lighting the Hamlet's orphanage on fire. Whether they had known it was an orphanage or not, Henry didn't know. All he knew was that none could put out the fire in time, and from the stories he had heard, almost a hundred residents had burned to their deaths. Henry still vividly remembered the descriptions his men had given him, and the sheer grotesque detail had made him want to hurl.

After some time, the car finally reached a stop outside the entrance of the building. The valet left the car, and opened the back door so Henry could step out. Henry gave a nod to the driver, and the driver nodded back before returning to his seat. He looked up at the building in front of him. It was a massive, three-story tall structure that stretched nearly a hundred meters in both directions. The entrance was grand, with a large staircase leading up to an overhanging roof, upheld by five pillars topped with angels, and adorned with banners bearing the Hatlynshire flag. The roof face itself was decorated with sculptures of men, with the symbol of the Order of Man carved in the center. Yet, despite its grandeur, its sheer height meant that Henry had to squint his eyes in order to read the engravings. The building was mostly white and grey, with hints of gold embossed into the sculptures, and a massive domed roof that reached high into the skyline. In front of the building, across the road, was a massive flat field surrounded by a brick and iron bar fence and covered with trees. It was known as Hatlynshire City Park, the largest park in all of Hatlynshire.

Henry was standing in front of the only piece of the Order of Man that the public knew about. At least, what they thought they knew. He was standing in front of Hatlynshire City Hall.

As Henry gazed up in awe at the massive, monolithic headquarters of the Circle's greatest foe, another car pulled up behind his. Its driver then also got out and opened the backdoor, from which an older gentleman in his sixties stepped forth. He had a white beard, and wore the same top hat he did. Once he was on his feet, the man straightened out his light grey overcoat which he wore over a similarly colored coat. He then reached into his pocket, took out his own pocket watch, and read the time as he slowly walked over to Henry. Unlike him, he had no ring on his finger, for he was a widower. He then gazed at the massive structure alongside him, though he appeared less impressed and more repulsed at the sight of the building. "Well Ulysses, looks like we've arrived," Henry spoke somberly.

"Yes, I can see that, Henry. It looks just as atrocious as it did the last time I was here," Henry grinned, and together he and Ulysses ascended the steps.

When they reached the top, they were greeted by a very old copper statue of the city's 'founder', a man who went by the name of George Montgomery. Henry had always wanted to spit on that statue every time he saw it. He knew that, unlike the revisionist story of how he'd built this city from nothing, Montgomery had in fact built it from atop the dead corpses of thousands of Circulions.

"Perhaps this statue is the greatest insult the Order ever did to us," Ulysses mused as they passed the statue and went towards the front door. "They keep him in front of their building as a glorified hero, while lying to the public about his deeds."

"Well, on the day we finally bring these wretches down, I'll be sure to leave a rope for you, so we can pull down that statue together," Henry smiled, and Ulysses grinned back at him. For all their talk, they both knew that it was very unlikely that the Order would be brought down in either of their lifetimes.

Walking through the front door of the hall, no guards accosted them, a fact that Henry always thought was an oversight by the Order. He assumed the reason was that the Order never thought the Circle would dare attack them in broad daylight, or perhaps they simply wished to retain their image of being open to the public. Either way, Henry did not complain.

As they entered the lobby, a wave of caution washed over Henry. It was an instinctive response, for now that they were inside, they were at mercy of the dangers that lurked within every corner of this forsaken place. The lobby was a large room, intricately decorated with lavish designs. It was a whitish grey, but the walls were adorned with portraits and paintings, the real meanings of which only certain people knew. There were people hurrying about, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. But Henry knew. He could see the gazes that followed them around. He could feel the touch of unwelcoming stares all over his body. He knew that Hunters roamed this building in disguise, but nonetheless, he and Ulysses pressed on forward and blended into the crowd so as not to arouse suspicion.

Henry followed Ulysses past the lobby, they took a left turn through a hallway and then down a corridor to the door at the very end. Ulysses followed these steps precisely with only a single second guess, which confirmed to Henry that Ulysses had been to this place often.

Finally, through the door at the end of the corridor, they entered a spacious room with walls made of polished wood. The room was decorated with portraits on every wall, and was lit by a large and lavish chandelier which hung directly in the middle of the domed ceiling.

Inside the room was a waiting area, next to which was a table with a lamp, a stack of papers, and a typewriter. In the chair behind this table sat a lady in a thin suit, typing something on a typewriter. Her hands moved along its keyboard like lightning as she gave it her absolute focus. A focus that was only interrupted when she heard the sound of the door open. She lifted her head over the typewriter and sharply turned to the two men.

"Well, uh, do you have an appointment, Sir?" She asked with a soft tone and a smile.

Ulysses walked up to the lady while Henry stayed back. He leaned over to her desk and reached into his overcoat.

"Why yes we do, miss." he opened part of his overcoat, which revealed the golden pin he kept underneath. "Is the Mayor occupied?"

The lady blinked, pausing for a moment as though in shock. "Uh… no! You may go in," she stuttered. Ulysses nodded, gave her a smile, and tipped his hat. He and Henry then made their way past the lady and through the door that laid next to her.

This time, they entered a somewhat smaller room. Smaller, but much more grand. The ceiling was about two stories tall, and had yet another golden chandelier over it. One of the walls had a large window that overlooked the part in front of City Hall, while another wall was completely taken by a massive bookcase. In the middle of the room was a large semicircular table with a chair on either side. There was a red carpet on the floor, and a fireplace too. The walls looked brand new, and there was even a hunting rifle mounted on the mantle under a large portrait of the first mayor of Hatlynshire.

On the other side of the table was the a man who was both slightly fatter and older than Henry. He wore an open black coat over a silvery waistcoat, alongside a golden monocle on his left eye which complimented his straight black and grey moustache and sharp eyes. He had been preoccupied with a task as they'd walked in, but had dropped it immediately to stare directly at Henry and Ulysses as they entered. A grin then plastered itself onto his face.

"Well, well, well. What a pleasant surprise! Two Circulion industrialist swine walk right into my office! A rare sight indeed!" he said in a cheerful tone. It was a tone that neither Henry nor Ulysses found amusing. Ulysses then took the seat on the other side of the table, while Henry stood by the door. Henry kept one arm close to the gun he hid under his waistcoat. Just in case.

The Mayor leaned towards Ulysses. "So, for what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting, Mr. Everton?"

"I think you know why, Victor," Ulysses said calmly.

Victor Del Mir reclined in his chair, his grin still present on his face. "This isn't about that fire now, is it? Your men killed my men. Your revenge is served. You have no business coming to me!"

Ulysses gave a light chuckle. Something in its tone made Victor flinch. "You flatter yourself, Victor. I think you know why we're really here."

Victor's grin disappeared. He leaned over to Ulysses once more, and spoke in a darker voice. "Well Mr. Everton, it appears that I don't. Care to enlighten me?"

Ulysses nodded. Henry had been told why they had come here, but this was not how he expected things to have happened. But then again, he knew not to keep assumptions of the future, unless he was a Morrow, of course.

"While the fire is one reason, our real reason is something much larger," said Ulysses.

"And that real reason is…?"

Ulysses' expression blackened. "The real reason is that ever since your 'election', you've plunged your Hunters deep within our territory. You've intentionally started a minor conflict on the streets, and we want it to end."

Victor raised his eyebrows, as though Ulysses had told him some shocking revelation, before laughing heartily while he leaned on his chair. Ulysses looked at him with disgust and Henry shared the sentiment. After Victor was done, he looked at Ulysses as though he had said some marvelous joke.

"You cannot be serious! I take it that you didn't consult with your dear friends the Morrows about this, because if you did, those foreseeing wretches would have told you that you can't waltz into my office, and expect me to bend the knee to you Circulion swine!" He ended his sentence in a bout of rage, yet Ulysses still remained calm.

"We aren't asking you to bend the knee. We know you are too prideful for that."

"Oh good! So then what makes you think I'll comply with your 'request'?"

This was a reply to which Ulysses grinned.

"I doubt your superiors would want to have an all-out conflict with the Circle. I doubt even the Grand Overseer himself would want that, seeing as it would cripple the city with an already overwhelming population."

Victor raised his eyebrow in disbelief. "You wouldn't! The Circle would not just go to war again over such a minor issue as some street aggression!"

"Well…" said Ulysses. "War is only a last resort, since we know that if we allow you to continue in your activities, they will only get worse. However, as a means of ending this before it escalates to major conflict, we offer you a deal."

"A deal?" asked the now intrigued Victor.

"One million Sorasy. In cash," Ulysses said. "We pay you to pull back your troops. If you agree, you walk away with a hefty fortune. If you don't? Well, you know what happens to a Mayor in a conflict."

Ulysses reached into his coat and pulled out a set of old newspaper articles from the city newspaper, The Hatlynshire Herald. He then put them on the table for Victor to see. Henry could read some of the headlines. In large, bold letters, one read: 'MAYOR KILLED IN CAR ACCIDENT!' another said: 'CITY MAYOR DIES IN HOUSE FIRE! ARE GANGS TO BLAME?' while yet another read: 'OLD MAYOR MURDERED IN STREET SHOOTING! PERPETRATORS STILL ON THE LOOSE!'

Victor scanned through every headline, then looked at Ulysses with a furious glare. His cheeks turned a shade of red, looking like a volcano that was about to erupt.

"You dare threaten me? In my own office?!"

"I was merely alerting you to the consequences. So what will it be, Mr. Del Mir?" asked Ulysses.

Victor relaxed down a little. He then brought his hands together and smiled at Ulysses. Henry was not expecting that.

"One million Sorasy… a year," he said confidently.

"Excuse me?"

"You hear me, Mr. Everton. If you wish for me to comply, I would need one million Sorasy every single year. Those are my terms, and they are non-negotiable," said Victor. He then stood up from his chair and gave a grim glare to both Ulysses and Henry. Henry then tightened his grip on his gun. "Because if you think you can buy me with a pathetic sum like the one you offer, then you are MISTAKEN, you wretched scum! You think you can enter my office and threaten me? You'll soon find that I'm much more capable than my predecessors, I promise you that!"

Gathering himself, Victor sat back in his chair before giving Ulysses and Henry a grin. "So yes, those are my demands. If you cannot meet them, I quite happily ask you to withdraw from my office and the City Hall. And I have a feeling that the Grand Overseer Montgomery will want to hear of this conversation."

Ulysses stood up and stared at Victor blankly. "I think we are done here. I thank you for your time… Mr. Mayor." Ulysses then tipped his hat, to which Victor nodded agreeably. Ulysses swiftly turned, then he and Henry promptly left the office, shutting the door behind them. Henry then followed Ulysses as they made their way out of the building.

"Well, it appears that the Mayor is unwilling to work with us," said Henry. He had come here knowing that the likelihood of a peaceful solution was unimaginably slim given how brazen and determined Victor's actions were. But still, part of him had hoped not to turn to conflict, for it was taxing on their people and their funds.

"Well, I expected as much. I told the Morrows that a peaceful resolution was futile, yet they still convinced me to try it anyway. Well, now there is no resolving this peacefully, Henry."

They made their way down the steps and past the statue. By the time they had exited the building, the sun had well passed the city's skyline, and was slowly inching its way to the center of the sky. Henry's driver was waiting for him and opened his car door respectfully. Henry nodded at the driver before turning to Ulysses before he had a chance to leave.

"Are you sure this will work, Ulysses? Are you certain that your plans can succeed?"

"Not to worry, my dear Henry. I know by the end of all this, the city will be a safer and cleaner place. And If I am to die, I will die while getting my long awaited vengeance upon those who massacred my family."

Henry went silent, only waving Ulysses goodbye as both men entered their cars. His mind was full of doubts as they drove out of Great Borough, but he had known Ulysses his whole life, and he was a sort of mentor figure to both him and some of the other Great House members. Henry understood his pain, and he was confident in his plans. But still…

"But what if it all fails?" he couldn't help but wonder. What if Ulysses had underestimated the Mayor and Montgomery?

"Then we'll all be in danger."

 

[thearchmanofgreenfield]

As the sun peeked its head from above the skyline of the city, its rays slowly began to fall upon the streets of Hatlynshire. They spread far and wide as they slowly enveloped the city in warmth.

Lucian felt that warmth as the rays reached his window and fell onto his face, the intensity of the morning sun forcing his eyes open. He tried to resist, but for all his power, even he couldn't refuse the sun. Reluctantly unravelling his sheets, he got up from his bed. Just as he did, he heard a sound coming from outside his room.

"Lu! Wake up! Please!" the muffled voice yelled.

Lucian yawned, smiling. He knew exactly where that was coming from. He quickly put on his house shoes before turning his attention to the mahogany wardrobe he kept on the other side of the maroon-colored room with trimmed walls and a hardwood floor. Lucian flicked his wrist, and the wardrobe's doors flew open. From within came a brown coat, which floated its way into Lucian's hand. Lucian quickly threw it on, yawning again before swiftly making his way out of the room.

"I'm awake!" he shouted so that the voice might shut up. Instead, it was replaced by a faint sound of joy.

Outside his room was a hallway with white walls and black flowers painted onto them. All the hallways in the house were wide enough to fit five adults' shoulder to shoulder, with pillars jutting out of the walls on either side whilst being illuminated by candle-lit chandeliers in the ceiling. He made his way down until it opened up into a lobby area with a large staircase that stretched through all seven floors of the house. Lucian would've gone down the stairs normally, but the morning had him feeling energetic. So, instead of walking, he sat found it much more fun to just sit on the banister and slide down all the way to the ground floor.

The first thing he heard when he arrived at the base of the staircase was a faint clanging sound, which came from the kitchen down the hall. He suspected his mother, Janice, was making breakfast. He the walked through another hallway decorated with portraits of his ancestors before reaching the living room.

"I just couldn't resist the alluring sound of that sweet voice, so here I a— AH!"

As he turned the corner into the lavishly decorated room, he was confronted by something large and black silently waiting for him as he entered.

The raven on the desk tilted its head and let out a loud and annoying screech. Lucian glanced at it in confusion while it stared blankly back at him. Bewildered, he then turned and faced the rest of the room. The living room had sand-green walls and a polished wooden floor with various pieces of furniture scattered throughout. A large fireplace sat at the front. One wall had more portraits, while another was completely taken by a bookcase full of both books and other trinkets. In the room were two people. One was Lucian's younger sister Lily, who sat in the corner reading a storybook in her peach colored dress. The other was Lucian's younger brother, a dashing nine year old who went by the name of Lidian. Lidian stood in the middle of the room, watching Lucian with a cheerful smile. Combined with his green eyes, it made him look absolutely adorable, in Lucian's opinion.

"YES! You made it! I told you he can hear me!" Lidian exclaimed, turning to Lily who grinned with amusement whilst she read her book.

"He wanted to wake you up so he can tell you about the raven. I told him it would be better if he just shouted you awake. He's been trying for the past half an hour. It's been driving Mother insane." she chuckled. "I actually thought he might faint before you decided to get your lazy rear out of bed. You'd think someone who's about to be initiated into the grand ranks of the Circle would wake up earlier."

"Well perhaps I'm not a judgmental posh twit who doesn't know how to live," Lucian thought to himself, angered by his sister's condescending tone.

"I would rather if you had woken me up the regular way," Lucian muttered, straightening himself after recovering from his initial shock, "because I would very much like to know why there's a random RAVEN in the house! Does Father know about this?"

Lily put down her book and looked at Lucian with apparent annoyance. "Yes, father indeed knows about the random raven in the house. He left for some business and told us not to hurt it or let it out until he returns. I suggest you don't complain unless you want to endure Mother's wrath. Besides, do you not recognize it?"

Lucian turned to the raven. He didn't know why, but they'd always unnerved him. It was something about their still, beady eyes and sharp talons. He tended to avoid going near them as much as possible. He certainly didn't find it comforting that one was standing freely in the living room.

"No, I do not see anything familiar about this… vermin" he said while giving the raven a disgusted look. Lily sighed in disappointment, before Lidian chimed in with his exuberantly high pitched voice.

"Don't you see? It's one of the Bernstein ravens!" he said enthusiastically. Lucian glanced at Lily to see her amused smile and side-eye. The action made him even less amused, but the name 'Bernstein' did make him look back at the raven. Its behavior had been peculiar, as it'd barely moved from where it had stood before Lucian had entered the room. It hadn't flown around or attacked him, yet also didn't seem frightened or intimidated by his presence. Looking even closer, the raven was also large and healthy, with little to no sign of injury. Its feathers were well kept and, most telling of all, Lucian noticed a small golden strap on its right leg. However, even knowing where the raven came from still didn't make Lucian detest it any less.

"Why is it here? Don't they usually carry messages and whatnot?" he asked. Lily raised one of her eyebrows, making it clear that she wasn't at all impressed that Lucian had stated the obvious. Lidian then chimed in once more.

"It did have a message! It's right there!" He pointed to a nearby table with a lamp on it. Besides the lamp was a piece of paper that was slightly torn around the edges.

"It's a letter to Father. Lily said I shouldn't read it, and that I should stop Lucy from reading it too," Lidian said in a gloomier tone. Lucian looked at Lily, but she didn't look up from her book. Lucian then glanced at Lidian who, erratic and simple-minded in his young age, was still undoubtedly obedient to the whims of his older siblings. Lucian attributed his behaviour to all the stories their mother had told him about the Hunters, the massacre of Avarier Theater, and why even Great Houses aren't safe. Lucian himself tended to enjoy his little brother's obedience and respect, even though he knew it might fade as he got older.

"Well, 'seems to me that I can read it." Lucian took the paper, smiling at Lidian while once more glancing briefly at Lily. The raven let out an infuriated screech as Lucian took the paper into his hand. Lucian ignored the vermin and read the paper:

To Baron Henry Demon, from Baron Leonard Bernstein. Issued on the 161th Day of the year 634 AF and protected under decree of Great House Confidentiality in accordance with the Circulion Code of Law.

Dear Henry,

I hope dearly that my raven finds you in good health. Knowing what we prepare for. I write this note to announce my family's arrival in Demonum Borough to attend your son's Initiation Ceremony, in accordance with our pre-arranged plans. I suspect other Houses may also be in attendance, as it's a very special occasion for your family. I would also like to bid you my utmost congratulations on our son's incorporation into your fine ranks. If everything goes as planned, then I expect that we'll have a very joyous celebration to look forward to. I thank you once more and I sincerely hope to see you soon.

-Leonard

Lucian placed the letter back on the desk while Lidian looked at him blankly. "Well what does it say? Can I see?"

Lucian paused for a moment as a few words caught his attention. I write this note to announce my family's arrival in Demonum Borough…

They're coming here.

While he was pondering, Lidian continued to pester him."Well? Can I see, Lu?"

Lucian snapped out of his state of thought and looked at Lidian who gazed at him restlessly. Waiting for an answer. Lucian managed a smile.

"Why don't you go play with your sister?" he asked softly.

"But—" before Lucian could say anything, Lily put down her book and walked up to Lidian, grabbing his shoulder.

"Now that's enough of you, little man," she said playfully. "Like Lu said, go find your sister. I saw Lucy in hall planning decorations. Why don't you go help her? And more importantly, keep her there. Lu and I have something to talk about. Privately."

Lidian opened his mouth to object, but Lily's commanding stare forced the ever-loyal Lidian to relent. He nodded and left the room, exiting into the hall. Lily then closed the door and turned to Lucian.

"You seem nervous," she said. Lucian stared at her as though she had insulted him. Lily had told Lidian to leave because she didn't want him to hear discussion of one of things Lucian feared most. His upcoming Initiation Ceremony. Even Lucian understood that, because he knew that Lidian worried too much about the people around him whom he respected.

"Yes, I am nervous. That letter says that all the Bernsteins, and possibly more houses, will be attending my Initiation Ceremony!"

"So? It's not as though it makes you any less of a coward about it."

"Father promised it was only going to be our family attending. Just you, the twins, Uncle David, and his family."

"Well, you can say that all the other Great Houses are our family. At least, in a technical sense," Lily argued.

"But…" Lucian muttered. He didn't usually whine about many things. He was fifteen, after all. However, this was different. Both he and Lily knew that. Lily let out an amused snigger, as though her brother's pleas were just a joke. Lucian frowned.

"Well I would tell you not to worry. But that would be futile. I don't think I've seen anyone so worried about a mere initiation."

"It is not a mere initiation. They call it a 'Trial by Blood' for a reason! It's the biggest test I could ever take!"

"Well, if you're so scared of little bleeding, then perhaps you're not ready to become a High Circulion Statesman!"

Just then, the raven on the desk decided to let out a high-pitched screech that made both Lucian and Lily react in annoyance. Lucian had completely forgotten the raven was there due to its strange silence. The reminder made him jolt and hold his arms out, as though evading an enemy. Noticing, Lily gave him a sardonic glare.

"Yes, quite the statesman you are."

Lucian was about to respond when the living room door opened to reveal Lucy, Lidian's twin sister, followed shortly by Lidian himself.

"Are both of you finished with your petty arguments yet? Because I have to feed the bird!"

Lucian looked at Lidian, who gave a defeated expression as he scratched the back of his head in shame. "I tried to stop her from getting in, but she insisted on feeding the raven."

Lucian gave him a sympathetic look, for he knew exactly how Lucy was different from her brother. While Lidian was excitable and loyal, Lucy was excitable and less loyal. It was a trait which Lucian both appreciated and found annoying at the same time. He watched Lucy as she held the raven's head, feeding it something from her hand. Lucian didn't know what she fed it, but whatever it was, the raven ate it joyfully. After she was done, Lucian realized that he was tired of having to look at that raven, a bird that he partially blamed for all the bad things that had happened to him today. He looked around for something he could use, finding an ornately decorated wooden box which laid unused in the bookcase. Lucian walked over and grabbed the box, bringing it over to the table where the raven was.

"I feel like our guest needs a proper place to stay," he said in a cheerful voice. Lily realized what he was about to do. She did not approve.

"No! Father said not to hurt it!" she protested, but Lucian ignored her. He took the box and placed it on the table. He then took his hand and waved it in the air above the box.

"I'm not hurting it, just confining it," he said. The box then began to move. The wood started to chip and tear itself apart. Within seconds, the box had turned into nothing more than a mass of swirling fluid. Lucian then brought his hand down onto the swirling mass and, with his hand movements and concentration, made the mass rearrange itself. The wood behaved as though it was water as it straightened itself and put itself back together in any shape Lucian desired, for unlike regular Circulions, who could only move and break objects, the members of the Demon Family could mold and reshape them. In this case, within minutes, the once wooden box turned itself into a fully intact bird cage.

The raven stood still alongside the twins, who looked on in amazement. The raven then started to move when it saw the shape of a birdcage appear. Lucian could tell it would try and fly away, so he extended his other hand and focused on its golden strap, which he pulled towards the ground so that raven could not move. Once the cage was finished, Lucian moved his hand, and with it, so did the raven. The raven struggled as it gently glided above the surface of the desk, directly into the cage without lifting a wing. Once it was in, Lucian let it go and closed the door before it could get out. Lucy tried to stop in a swift motion, but stopped midway when she realized she couldn't. Lucian locked the cage and looked at the now-trapped raven with satisfaction.

"You're finally trapped, you feathered pest!"

Lucian then looked at his three siblings. Lily was frowning, Lucy was assessing whether the raven was fine, and Lidian was looking at Lucian in amazement.

"Oh Lu, you have to teach me how you do that!" he exclaimed. Lucian merely smiled and patted him on the head. "All in good time."

"The bird doesn't like being put in a cage!" Lucy protested. "Look at it!" she said as the raven tried to move the heavy cage while giving desperate screeches.

"And Mother won't be very happy once she sees that you've turned one of the living room ornaments into a makeshift prison," Lily added.

"We'll release it when it's time for it to leave, and I'll revert the cage to its original form. I swear," Lucian said. Lily didn't seem at all confident in his promises, but Lucian didn't care. He cared more about calming down Lucy. She was giving him a saddened expression that Lucian always hated to see. He realized he needed a way to put this whole affair behind him. Getting a wonderful idea, he smiled at both Lidian and Lucy.

"Why don't we all go frolic outside, hm? I've heard the first winds of autumn are going to arrive soon. I suggest we make the best of these last summer days."

Lidian nodded immediately. Lucy, while still sad about the raven, also nodded. Lucian then led them both towards the front door before he headed back to the living room where Lily was still waiting with her arms crossed.

"I'll be along shortly!" he shouted to the twins as he turned to Lily.

"So, are you coming as well?"

Lily smiled. She flicked her wrist and the wooden cage shook loudly next to Lucian. The action made him recoil in shock, which only made Lily's smile widen.

"You know, if you wish to be the next head of the illustrious Demon family, then I suggest you first remove your fear of little birds."

Lucian straightened himself again. He was annoyed, but also knew Lily was right, no matter how much he didn't want her to know that. "Well, until then, I'll be happy to see these foul beasts in cages," he said while avoiding her gaze. "Besides, unlike you, I don't dream of being a public figure."

"How bold of you to assume what I dream," Lily sniped. Lucian knew that Lily, unlike him, was more adept with social life. Even though they rarely left the house for safety reasons. Lucian only ever felt comfortable around his family, and Lily knew that. Even though they often argued, Lucian knew that both Lily and the twins would always be there for him. Lucian then smiled at Lily while still avoiding her gaze.

"Well, as of now you have two options, dear sister. Either you accompany me outside to sunny bliss, or you go to the library and give Grandfather Wren some company. I suspect Luin is already there."

Lucian saw Lily contemplate his words. He knew she found the first option better than spending time with their bookish cousin and their ancient grandfather. Both shared the same interest of staying in the library on the second floor in utter silence. Lily then smiled, and he already knew her response.

"Well then, I suggest you wait for me while I get my hat." she said. Lucian smiled back before she swiftly turned around, leaving for her room. Returning to the front door, he stepped outside No 13, Allison Street and embraced the sunny bliss of morning. From the outside it looked like a regular three story house packed together with the rest of the neighborhood, with its brown walls and quaint arched windows. He watched as Lucy and Luin played with little sticks on the sidewalk from up on the stoop. He was nervous about many things, particularly his Initiation and why his father wanted other houses to come considering it was considered risky and unsafe. But at that moment, he tried to forget and just enjoy the warmth of a sweet summer morning before he had to go back inside for breakfast, for he knew soon autumn, and then winter, would come.

 

[thearchmanofgreenfield]

As late evening fell upon Hatlynshire, Henry found himself both annoyed and exhausted. He hadn't gone home since their 'meeting' with Mayor Del Mir. Instead, he'd gone to his workplace, The Hatlynshire Steel Company. There he had spent hours in his office writing what seemed like endless letters and notes to every Circulion official under him while his brother David ran around the factory, only ever visiting him in order to enquire about things that Henry didn't know. He often found these visits from his younger brother more annoying than genuinely helpful.

"It's fine, it will all be over soon," Henry told himself as he sat in the backseat of his car with his brother beside. "Just one more meeting. Then off to home."

The car sped through the now-busy streets of Hatlynshire as people flocked to the roads in order to get home. Henry envied these ordinary people as he stared out the window, watching as various men and women ran around them like scurrying mice. The air was filled with obnoxious noises like the horns of the few cars that were on the road and the combined force of the chattering people. Henry was quite bored since his destination was still far away. He could tell his brother David, a well-made man with a short beard and brown suit, felt the same.

"It appears that we'll be trapped here for quite a while, no?" David asked while looking out the window.

"It appears so, but the driver will find a way." At Henry's statement, David then turned to look at him.

"So, now that we're moving at a snail's pace, would you please tell me why we're going to this gathering? You've ignored my questions thus far."

"Yes, brother. And I will continue to ignore them."

Ulysses had told him not to tell more than a few people about what they knew until the gathering, but David was his brother. He could trust him, right?

David grabbed Henry's shoulder and gave him the guilt-inducing gaze that he had perfected in their childhood. "Why are you hiding this from me? I know you went to Great Borough this morning to talk to that pile of rotting scum they call their mayor. Did he say something to you? Are we in any sort of danger? Because if so, I think I should know about such things!"

Henry tried to look away but he had never quite mastered the ability to ignore his younger brother. "I— The— There is no danger, David. Our… uh… interaction with the Mayor just went um… poorly."

David took his hand off of his shoulder, his gaze replaced by a suspicious stare. Henry knew that he didn't believe him in the slightest.

"Oh don't worry brother!" Henry said enthusiastically, "All will be revealed when we get to the gathering."

"Hopefully."

The car drove further and further away from the center of the city. Henry could already see the frequency of structures diminish the further they went. They had long agreed that it was best to hold official Circulion Gatherings as far away from Great Borough as possible. It was safer that way.

After another fifteen minutes, they finally arrived at a four-way roundabout. On the other end of this roundabout, between two roads, was a large stone building shaped like a rhombus. Its architectural style, for confidentiality purposes, was very similar to City Hall, but it was smaller and more… ordinary. No banners hung from its walls, no familiar statues guarded its door, and there were no recognizable symbols carved into it. It had a large flat entrance with the familiar staircase leading up to a large, almost medieval-looking double door under a triangular overhanging roof held by four pillars. The roof was a reddish orange, and it too had a domed roof, one made of glass accented by gold. It was only three stories tall on the outside, but Henry knew not to judge it by outward appearances. He knew he was about to step into his people's sanctuary, their seat of power, their pantheon of might from which they held their part of this grim city.

He was about to enter the Great Hall of the Circle.

The car came and parked directly in front of the stairs in the designated lane. Henry immediately noticed that several other cars similar to him had already arrived. He and David didn't wait for the diver to open their door for them. They instead got out themselves and made their way up the regal stairs. Henry managed to catch a glimpse of some of the license plates of the cars as they walked up the stairs. One read 'STAR-001', while another read 'CROSS-001'. Henry and David walked up to the pillars, where he and David were immediately met with a small crowd of people, all neatly dressed and regal. Each wore a top hat with a small golden, feather-like pin sticking out of them. Henry immediately spotted Ulysses amongst the crowd due to his age. The others were all in their thirties or forties. Henry smiled as he and David walked into the crowd in order to meet their peers.

"I see that we are the last to arrive." He tipped his hat to the crowd, and they responded in kind. Then, a lady wearing a red dress over a black coat stepped forward from the crowd. Henry recognized her to be Mrs. Meredith Morning. She approached Henry and David with a smile.

"Well we can't have a gathering without all our members, now, can we?"

Henry then smiled and nodded politely alongside David, before another voice called out. "Morrow said you'd be late, Demon, and she insisted we wait out here in this damned wind!"

Henry looked past Meredith and saw the man who'd shouted. He was thin but tall, dressed in a navy blue suit. His name was Harold Venshire. Henry smiled at Harold and he smiled back at the joke.

"Well, Harold. The Ironworks is quite a distance from Hatles Borough!" He said cheerfully.

Another lady came forward and pointed to the door, apparently impatient and fed up with how much time they had spent outside.

"I suggest we go in now. We have matters to discuss."

Henry recognized that lady, who wore a crimson dress over a black coat, as Marilyn Morrow. With her was a man wearing similar colors. He was her brother, Eustace Morrow. Henry knew that no one here was more eager to know what had happened between them and the Mayor more than the Morrows. Of course, that was only assuming that they hadn't already foreseen the results beforehand as they often did.

Eustace pushed open the big wooden doors of the Great Hall and Henry followed the group as they walked inside. Inside the hall was quite the sight, something Henry never got tired of seeing. The Hall expanded beyond the walls of its exterior to form a space so large that it was impossible to capture it all from a single viewpoint. The exterior building was a mere shell, a façade to hide the true proportions of the Circle. That door was a portal, an old portal that led to a place far different from reality.

The first area of this near infinite expanse was the main square, where the floor was decorated with an intricate mosaic of the Circle's symbol. To his left laid the Court of Nobles, a large circular room where all the leaders of the Hamlets met. To his right was the Order of the Intellegencia, a rectangular room which housed the most complete collection of books and records in Hatlynshire. All was studied by the most elite of the Scribes who then passed their knowledge off to the public in the form of the College, the institution of learning. Next to the door that led to the Intellegencia was the Court of Justice, the Institution of Law, while next to that was another door, and another, and another. Henry often got confused at the sheer number of Orders and Councils there were, but what he knew was that it didn't concern him all that much. He had but one council to answer to, and that council was called the Table of Great Houses.

Marilyn led the group to the end of Great Hall, to a door even bigger than the entrance. Adorned with gold accents, the door was also engraved with various scenes from the Circle's history. One engraving at the bottom of the door showed their ancient ancestors fleeing from the humans. Above, another engraving showed them hiding among their enemies. Yet another showed a few Circulions rising above the others and another showed them creating the Circle as they knew it. The door also had eight flat, empty circular areas. Henry approached the Circle in the corner while Eustace, Ulysses, Harold and all the other heads of the houses approached their own respective Circles. Henry always felt nervous during this part. He reached into his head and took off his hat before he grabbed the golden pin that was an inch-long needle. The others did the same with their pins. Henry then took the needle and pricked his thumb with it before letting it bleed. Using the bleeding finger, he painted the symbol of the House of Demon on the flat circular area. It was a slightly painful process, but Henry had learned not to mind it. After he painted their symbol of a trident surrounded by an eight-toothed circle, he tapped the door with his bloody hand. The blood on the wood then erupted into bright blue fire before disappearing completely. One by one the others tapped their circles and their symbols too disappeared. Eustace, who was in the center, then pushed open the door which had been closed earlier.

Henry put his hat back on. He and the rest of the group then walked into what he considered the most beautiful room in Hatlynshire. It was a massive circular room with a roof that went on to what looked like infinity. It was lit by floating chandeliers and decorated with Circulion banners and various other artworks that flew around, floating listlessly. The floor too was made up of floating pieces, and below it was an endless abyss. The only still part of the room was a rectangular table that floated in the middle of the room like an island. Marilyn extended her hand out, but before she could do anything, David made it to the front of the group and similarly held out his hand. He gestured to Marilyn and she willingly stepped aside as David waved his hands and flicked his wrist. All at once, hundreds of floating pieces came together in front of him to form the floor of the room. He waved his hands again and a large carpet also descended from the sky, falling onto the floor in front of them. David then gestured to Marilyn again, and with a smile she, followed by the rest of the group, made it across the floor and to the table. Henry raised his eyebrow at David before he crossed and got a smug grin in return.

The group each took their seats around the table. They were embroidered with gold and silver, and even the cushions were of the highest quality. Henry sat next to David. In front of all their chairs were white wooden masks with a completely smooth face and only two black holes to represent the eye sockets. They each had a set of branch-like antlers. Henry knew this was a reference to the old ways of their woodland ancestors who, according to the Scribes, had worn the faces of the mystic creatures of the old Arylmoor. Henry and the rest of the members put on their masks. He always thought of how odd the Great House meetings looked, with all the members in their masks while sitting in this room. It almost felt surreal, but he'd been coming to these meetings for years. After some time, the initial wonder tended to fade away a bit.

Ulysses then stood up from his place at the front of the table. He raised his hand and opened his palm. Henry saw a book float into his grip from a bookcase floating above them. With the book came a quill. Ulysses then let go of the book and made it float a foot away from him while the quill automatically wrote down everything he said. A feat Henry considered impressive.

"I must ask him how he concentrates like that," he told himself. He then sat straight and faced the table as Ulysses started the gathering.

"I, Baron Ulysses Everton, hereby proclaim that here, on the 162nd Day of the year 634 in the After Flight Era, in the presence of all the Barons of the Circle, the meeting of the Great Houses has officially commenced."

The quill moved swiftly on the page as Ulysses spoke clearly out of his mask. He then placed both of his hands on the table and looked at all the members with stern glare.

"As you all know, Henry and I went to meet our old friend the Mayor earlier this morning. We tried our original plan of bribing that wretch," he stared at Henry, and he wasn't sure what Ulysses was feeling through the mask. "It failed," he said seriously.

The sound of chatter spread across the table along with a sense of tension. "What do you mean failed? That fool didn't take the money?" asked Harold.

"We offered him one million Sorasy as planned, but Mr. Del Mir thought he was more valuable than that. He said that he would require one million a year to keep his ravenous hunters where they belong."

"Well then, what do you propose we do?" asked a man in the corner of the table. Henry knew him to be Leonard Bernstein. "Do we default to your original plan?"

"It appears so. I do not think that swine would take ten million even if we offered it to him. It seems that Morrow's earlier prediction was… misjudged. But now that peace is no longer an option, we can move onto our original course of action."

"The original plan carries far too much risk," argued David, and Henry agreed with him. "If it were to fail, we could lose everything!"

"But if it were to succeed, we could be rid of both the Mayor and Montgomery," Leonard shot back. David looked towards Leonard, seemingly not appreciating his stance on the matter. Then, Meredith chimed in.

"If we do not do something, the Mayor's actions will only get more brazen. He will start torching entire Hamlets if we do not stop him!"

Henry sensed a whisper going around the room. "True… Yes indeed…"

The tension in the room continued. It was clear that the table was divided on which course of action they should take. Even Ulysses went silent in thought. Suddenly, the man sitting next to David, Carlyle Hatly, stood up from his chair.

"Well, I do not understand why we're bickering over this. We have a surefire way of knowing the outcome of our plan. Just ask the Morrows here!" he pointed at Eustace and Marilyn. Ulysses gestured to Eustace who then stood up and took a deep breath.

"Both Marilyn and I have seen the same thing. If we were to continue with our original course of action, we have a good chance of succeeding. Del Mir will be dead and Montgomery along with him. But like Mr. Demon said, if we were to fail, it would lead to great destruction. The certainty of this cannot be stated at this point as it is still too early for that."

Ulysses gestured at Eustace. "See, my fellow barons? This plan can succeed if we play our cards right. By the end of it, we will be rid of our most annoying enemies!"

Henry frowned under his mask. He knew what Ulysses' plan entailed, and he for one wasn't very enthusiastic about it. He could tell that some of the other members of the Circle felt the same. He watched as the others glanced at each other.

"What do you think? Has old Uly finally gone daft?" David whispered to Henry.

"I don't know. Besides, you know we cannot object if the table votes in favor of him," he whispered back.

"I do know that. Hence why I suggest we have a safety precaution in case this plan goes off the rails."

"We already do. All the houses do. It was one of the first things we thought about."

Just then, Harold turned to Ulysses, apparently with doubts in his mind. "And what about the casualties? We cannot expect the common people to endure this much suffering. If the Hunters get the upper hand, they will commit atrocities! Genocide! Is your revenge worth that much to you, Ulysses?"

Ulysses paused for a moment. It was clear that he didn't like being confronted about his need for revenge, but still he remained firm. "If all goes well, most of the suffering will be contained in my own Borough. We have already dispatched letters to the Nobles instructing them to prepare from what's coming."

"What about the costs then?" asked Carlyle, who Henry knew to be the man who ran the Hatlynshire Bank. "Can the Circulion Treasury sustain this conflict with the finances it already has?"

"Finance is not a problem. If need be, we can always dip into our private coffers, but I know the Treasurer Caleb. He's a smart one, hence why he was elected. You should know that, since he, like most Treasurers, is from the Bankers' Guild."

Carlyle stayed silent, and the rest of Circle started nodding in agreement, but Henry knew there were still some doubts in the minds of the members. He also knew Ulysses knew that.

"It is futile to worry, my dear barons. For by the time this conflict begins, your families will be safe and secure. The Mornings and I have arranged that, so do not worry."

The table went silent. Even Henry dared not speak. Then suddenly Marilyn stood up from her chair and all eyes turned to her.

"So, should we vote?" she asked. Ulysses nodded. "All in favor?"

Everyone at the table raised their hand. Including Henry and David. Henry still trusted Ulysses. He knew he was older and wiser than any other member of the Circle. If Ulysses was confident, then it was bound to succeed. At least, that's what he told himself.

"It is unanimous!" Ulysses said cheerfully. "And so, with that decision, I call this meeting adjourned!"

The book and quill next to him disappeared back into the floating bookcase. Ulysses then made a bottle of wine and over a dozen glasses float down from above. Henry and David both filled their glasses before joining in the toast.

"To the Circle!" Ulysses shouted.

"To the Circle!" Everyone repeated as they brought their glasses forward to meet his.

After that, the group slowly made their way out of the room and out of the building. Henry felt the cold air on his face as he walked through the door of the building and appeared once again in reality under their overhanging roof.

"Well, it appears that this will be the most dangerous ploy we've devised in some time," David said, but Henry wasn't listening intently. Rather, he was looking at the Morrows, wondering whether they were hiding something. He had long since known that they were often not completely honest with their foresight. He saw Eustace talking to Marilyn but he didn't hear what they were saying. He then saw them turn back and go back into the Great Hall. Henry tried to stay optimistic. Maybe they were informing the Nobles, or the Boroughman. Maybe they were appealing to the Treasury about something. While he was thinking both Meredith and Leonard came over to him.

"I see that you're lost in thought," said Leonard. Henry took his attention away from the Morrows and turned to him.

"What? No! I was merely thinking about our safety precautions. The nervousness is getting to me!" He smiled.

"Well not to worry. Our trains will be at the station ready to leave at a moment's notice," Meredith added before changing the subject. "And let me take this moment to congratulate you on your son's initiation! Considering that I may not have the time to tell you there."

Her words seemed to wake what seemed like a distant memory in Henry's mind. He realized he hadn't had time to think about his son Lucian's initiation ceremony. As he was thinking, his gaze was taken away again as he saw Ulysses, who was the last one to exit the building, walk down the steps to his car while waving at the rest of the members.

"Well… I hope to see you there," he told Meredith while fixating on Ulysses. David apparently sensed that his attention was drifting, and took over the conversation.

"We shall definitely see you there, considering it would be near suicidal not to. I'm sure Lucian would love to see little Evelyn and Arthur again. It has been an awfully long time. Same goes for your children, Leonard."

Both Leonard and Meredith laughed. Henry paid them no attention while he watched Ulysses get in his car. Something wasn't right. He could feel it.

Just then, as Meredith and Leonard were about to say something they were completely taken aback by the sound of a sudden explosion. Ulysses' car blew up just as he closed his car door. The explosion happened so fast that Henry didn't have time to react. The light of the flames blinded him temporarily while the sound made his ears ring. The force of the blast pushed him and the others down onto the ground as he was engulfed in smoke.

Henry opened his eyes with difficulty. He tried to stand up but couldn't. All the other members of the Circle were scattered around, all alive but on the floor. Henry's breath was filled with thick and foul smoke. All he could see were the destroyed remains of the cars at the bottom of the stairs as a bright fire roared out of the car Ulysses had been in. Henry's mind was racing. He was in shock as tears rolled down his cheeks. He couldn't believe his eyes.

Ulysses Everton was… dead.