The council hall situated in the center of the upper districts of Sklaviunt was rife with activity as all council members were gathered.
Everyone seemed to be speaking at the same time, as they sought to make sense of what was happening outside while waiting for the person that had called the meeting.
As their voices reached the ceiling and tension grew, the one they’d been waiting for revealed herself, her presence putting an end to the rowdiness within the hall.
Silence followed as everyone stared at her, some entranced, others terrified and some others caught in between.
Thera ignored the looks sent her way as she made her way to her seat.
Only when she was seated did other council members finally speak up, as must directed questions at her.
"Thera, what’s going on?"
"Indeed. We just received word that not only has the Bookkeeper’s manor been destroyed, but yours has also suffered a similar fate. Just what is happening out there?"
"We aren’t supposed to make this much noise until after the ritual is completed, yet so much has happened in the space of one day. There’s no way we would be able to hide things from the Bookkeeper once he arrives!"
"I vote that we stop this before things get out of hand. It’s clear that we have made a terrible mistake!"
"I vote for such a notion as well!... It is best to not make things worse."
From questioning Thera, the situation quickly devolved into a full-blown argument as the council was divided into two parties.
One wished to put an end to the schemes while the other wished to see things to the end.
With Scholastica looming over their heads, it was understandable the reason for the divide, but at the current rate, it became clear that there was no way an agreement would be reached.
And so, for that reason, Thera decided to take action.
She pulled out a card and instantly, everyone was frozen in place, frozen in time.
Ensuring that they could still hear and see her, Thera got to her feet and began. "I can understand your worries, but despite that, I cannot, in good faith, put an end to the ritual."
Taking a deep breath, she continued. "I know, Scholastica is close by, but you must understand that stopping now dooms us all to an irreversible fate. Only by completing the ritual and gaining unprecedented power can we stand a chance of ensuring Scholastica never gets to determine the fate of Sklaviunt.
"Also, I hope you haven’t forgotten the main reason why we started all this."
She looked around, taking in the scared expressions of the council members.
"Immortality." She breathed out, a smile playing at the corners of her lips. "This ritual will ensure that we not only get the power that we seek, but we also get to enjoy it for a very, very long time. So, gentlemen, I hope with these few words of mine, I have been able to convince you and not confuse you, for if it so happens to be the latter, then I would be forced to take drastic measures."
With that, she undid the time freeze, and the council members collapsed onto their seats, most gasping for air while feeling terror.
None dared to say anything as it was easy to guess what would happen to the unfortunate individual.
And so, apart from the heaving of old and middle-aged men, there were no other sounds in the council hall.
Thera returned to her seat and only then did a council member, a relatively young one dare to speak up.
"What do we do then, Councilwoman Thera?... I am led to believe that the buildings that were destroyed tonight were not due to natural causes."
"You are right, Councilman Adrastus. But buildings fell as a result of a troublesome fellow who I have dealt with so there’s no need to worry. However, his actions caused us to lose the sacrifices needed for the ritual tomorrow."
"What do we do, Councilwoman?"
Thera smiled as she replied. "Do not worry, I already foresaw this happening and have made preparations to remedy the situation. All you have to do is to prepare for the ritual tomorrow and leave the rest to me."
"Understood Councilwoman."
Despite being a council that practiced democracy, it was easy to tell who held the most power and with her decision made, no one dared to go against it.
All council members rose to their feet and, together, bowed to the Councilwoman.
In turn, Thera took her leave.
The next morning, the situation in the lower districts devolved into chaos as task force officers marched in in their numbers, wielding muskets, and prepared to gun down anyone who stood in their way.
For those who asked why they were being arrested, they received a simple answer: a terror attack had been carried out in the upper districts, and to find the culprit, they had to be brought in for questioning.
By the time the task force officers left, which was late into the afternoon, the lower districts were missing four hundred of its denizens, with the rest left to wonder about their fates.
Meanwhile, in the middle districts, a group of task force officers made their way to the home of Sir John Smith to arrest him only to find out that no one was home.
"What now, captain?" The officer asked his superior on the scene.
The captain in question was the same one who had made trouble for Melita and Alex the other day and was naturally looking to teach both a lesson, especially Alex.
Unfortunately, Alex wasn’t home, leaving him greatly disappointed.
"Tch, break the door down and take out any valuables. As for everything else, burn it down!"
With the order given, the officers did not hesitate to break down the door and charge in.
As they scattered to do as they were ordered, the captain, whose name was Temenos, walked in with his hands behind his back.
Just then, he heard a pair of footsteps behind him, prompting him to look back only for his gaze to fall on Arwen’s petite figure.