The Shadowgrave Clan had a hierarchical structure that consisted of six positions.
The demon who was at the top of the Shadowgrave Clan was called The Night Sovereign.
After the Night Sovereign, the Six Pallbearers had the highest level of authority.
The Night Sovereign was usually referred to as Master by every single member of the Clan, and the Six Pallbearers were referred to as Grave Lords by the lower members of the clan.
After the Six Pallbearers, the next group of people in the structure of the clan were the Veilmasters.
And after the Veilmasters, the Shadow blades were next. Which is then followed by the Whisperers, and last and lowest position in the clan were the Initiates.
The Night Sovereign is an elusive figure in the Shadowgrave Clan, and even some members of the clan believed that the Night Sovereign was just a myth and was not real.
Some believed that the true leaders of the clan were the Six Pallbearers of the Clan who everybody had seen at least once and everybody could recognize.
No member of the Shadowgrave Clan had ever seen the Night Sovereign, and the Night Sovereign had never addressed them physically.
Whenever an order was passed from the Night Sovereign, it was often given to the remaining members of the clan by a Pallbearer, so a lot of people believed that the Night Sovereign was actually not real.
And they could not be blamed, even with something that was extremely important as the Devourer’s blood essence, the Night Sovereign was absent as Simon knelt at the center of a roundtable in the Hall of Pallbearers.
Around him were the six Pallbearers, with each wearing a tall crown-like black mask.
On the masks of the Pallbearers were crimson dots, and the number of crimson dots on a Pallbearer’s mask represented their position and power.
Six crimson dots meant the Pallbearer was the weakest Pallbearer, while a Pallbearer with a single dot on their mask meant the Pallbearer was the strongest Pallbearer.
Each Pallbearer had their title based on their strength.
First Dusk represented the weakest Pallbearer with six crimson dots.
Second Dusk represented the second weakest Pallbearer with five crimson dots.
Which was then followed by Deep Dusk, Black Midnight, Still Midnight, and...
True Night which represented the strongest Pallbearer.
Simon took subtle glances at the Pallbearers as he knelt. He was extremely exhausted and just wanted to sleep for a year and more, but the Shadowgrave Clan just would not allow him.
He looked down with the gears of his mind turning rapidly.
’Do they believe me now? Have I been tortured enough in their eyes.’
Simon closed his eyes as he could feel his mind wanting to just sleep, but he forced himself not to.
He obviously needed to be awake while in the presence of the six Pallbearers.
Meanwhile, the six Pallbearers all stared at Simon with hidden emotions behind their masks.
Simon could not see their expressions or gaze, and neither could he sense their intents, but he hoped that at least one or two of the demons would show sympathy because of his terrible condition.
"Blackmoon of the Duskfang Tribe."
Simon looked up and saw that the demon that called him had a single crimson dot on their mask.
The voice was like that of a male, but it sounded off and fake to Simon.
’A single crimson dot. Does that mean he’s the weakest compared to others that have more crimson dots?’
’No. I doubt they’d allow the weakest to speak first, so he must be the strongest if I’m right about the crimson dots signifying their strengths.’
’And the demon with six crimson dots must be the weakest.’
The True Night of the Shadowgrave Clan observed Simon for a moment, and although he was quiet, he noticed when Simon glanced at the crimson dot on his mask with a thoughtful expression on his swollen and battered face.
He was slightly impressed.
"We have decided to give you an opportunity to live. Are you interested?"
Simon raised a brow, then he nodded. "I am."
Though, he had the urge to make a sarcastic remark, he didn’t have the strength to do so and neither did he want to gamble or play with his life in such a dangerous situation.
One might think that no harm would come upon him because he was in the presence of six Demon Lords, but to him, his life was in even more danger.
Pellin could not kill him because these six demons did not want him dead, but if any one of these demons killed him, he doubted the demon would be held accountable or be severely punished with death or crippling, unlike Pellin.
He had to be careful, especially because of how much the demon world hated him, because of how bad his luck was.
"Good. Your coming of age rite is in three days, and we believe you can be used. After you awaken your demonic heart, you’ll undergo a test with other demons."
"Depending on your performance, we might decide to turn you into an initiate and train you. But if you perform below expectations, you’ll become a servant of the clan. You’ll be amongst the bottom rung of the Whisperers."
’Whisperers?’ Simon frowned.
"Do you understand all I’ve said, Blackmoon?"
Simon nodded, then he asked a question. "Can I request to be healed of my injuries? I would definitely fail with these injuries."
The True Night nodded. "Definitely. You’ll be taken to a place where your injuries would be treated in time for your coming of age."
Simon bowed slightly. "Thank you."
The True Night nodded, then he pointed at Simon’s chest.
"I’m sure you’ve noticed, but I’ve sealed the soul-eating centipede in your heart. It would serve as a warning to you."
Simon frowned and looked at his heart. "A warning?"
"Yes. A warning." The True Night lowered his hand. "Your purpose from now on is to serve the clan. No matter what we ask for, you’ll give it to us. If you ever betray the clan or attempt to betray the clan, the soul-eating centipede would kill you and cause you a more unimaginable pain than what you experienced."
"Unlike before where it ate other parts of your body, this time, you’ll experience the pain of it devouring your heart, and I promise you, it’s worse than all the pain you’ve felt combined together."
Simon stared at his heart for a few seconds before he calmly shifted his gaze to the True Night.
"Understood."
The True Night nodded, then he gestured at the door.
"That’s all. You may leave."
Simon nodded, then he stood while clenching his teeth in pain. He walked toward the door, but before he could reach it, the voice of the True Night drifted into his ears.
"By the way, just because we believe you don’t know where the Devourer’s blood essence is, does not mean we’ve given up on it. If it’s ever found out that you’re actually in its possession, we’ll make you beg for death, then we’ll grant it to you, drag you back from its embrace, and make you beg for it once more... Do you understand me?"
Simon paused and his body trembled slightly as he felt the auras of not only the True Night but of the five other Pallbearers.
He glanced at them from his shoulder, and his eyes landed on the Pallbearer with three crimson dots on his mask.
’It’s him.’
Simon showed no change in his expression despite this realization. He calmly nodded at the True Night and answered with a calm tone.
"I understand."
There was silence for a few seconds before the Pallbearers retrieved their auras.
The True Night nodded. "Good. Now leave."
Simon said nothing, and with calm steps but an hunched back filled with pain, he walked out of the Hall of the Pallbearers.
’I guess I’m now a slave of the Shadowgrave Clan.’ Simon thought with a cold expression.