Part XXI: The Gambler

Darkness descended on the Great City of Hatlynshire as the burning golden sun vanished beneath the horizon and was replaced by the serene silver glow of the moon. Down in the empty streets of Amenberg, the light sound of fiddles, trumpets, pianos and a myriad of other instruments could be heard as a great celebration unfolded within the brick and iron fences of a great estate. There, in the center of a web of fields, gardens, stone roads and pathways, stood a great palace named Williamsburg, where the wealthy and powerful had gathered.

It was here amongst these opulent individuals that Jasper Wolt found himself, for he was the honored guest of this grand gathering. He took a wine glass from a nearby server’s tray as he hastily moved through the crowd, yet he was unable to drink from it even once, for every time he held the glass up to his lips, someone he had previously never seen before would approach him and eagerly introduce themselves. The event had been open invitation, so every minor industrialist and every mid-level official in all of Hatlynshire was in attendance, and their approaches led him to always reply out of politeness despite the fact that he did not have time for such frivolous things, for he had a far more important matter to attend to. A matter that had been brought to his attention at perhaps the most inconvenient time possible with him not being afforded the choice to postpone, lest he wished to suffer grave consequences.

He made his way close to a group of people who stood near one of the twenty-foot windows of the ballroom, which itself was nearly three hundred feet long and lit by several hundred candle chandeliers, its walls made of marble and gold and it’s ceiling covered in epic paintings. In the middle of this elegantly dressed bunch was a man in a black suit and gem studded ruffled collar. He was much older than Jasper, who himself was well into his thirties. He had a short beard, partially gray hair, and wore round glasses. However, despite his senior age, he smiled and moved about with the vigor of a young man as he rattled off what Jasper assumed was some incredibly exaggerated story.

“…and so, my father had me watch over him all day and instruct him on the proper way to keep a ledger. Frankly, if it were not for my tutelage, he’d wouldn’t have amounted to what he is now, for I was the only one able, and willing, to handle someone so rambunctious!” he exclaimed whilst the men and women around him chuckled. Jasper could not help but roll his eyes, yet still he smiled and laughed alongside them as walked directly towards the old man.

“Now, now cousin, you best not be sullying my image for a few laughs now!” he warned lightheartedly as he placed his arm around his shoulders.

“Well, well, well! If it isn’t the man himself!” Jasper’s cousin rejoiced with pride. “I suppose it’s true what they say, ‘invoke restless spirits and they shall appear!’”

“Why, of course! As a servant of the people, it is my duty to defend the truth! Especially from no-good scoundrels like you!” Jasper proclaimed as he pointed his finger at his cousin’s chest.

Jasper’s cousins put on a wide grin and an embarrassed expression as he rubbed the back of his head with his hand. “Alright, I admit, I may have exercised some creative liberty for the sake of a good story. But can you blame me? It is quite difficult to not be overshadowed when you’re related to the newly anointed most influential man in Hatlynshire!”

Jasper nodded in agreement; however, his cousin was quick to change the subject. “Say, I don’t suppose you already met these lovely people, have you?”

“No but I’m afraid there isn’t much time for introductions because I need to …” Jasper began, desperately not wanting to get trapped in another round of pointless conversation. However, before he could even finish his cousin cut him off.

“Oh, come now, Jas, what nonsense is that? Of course you have time! We are in a party, not your stodgy tax office!” he exclaimed before directing his attention towards a black-haired lady in an orange dress with an extravagant pearl necklace around her neck. “You must get acquainted with these fine people! Now this one here is Miss Susan Hemmings.” 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.” Susan expressed graciously as she held her hand out towards Jasper, which meant that he could no longer refuse lest he wished to look rude, so he too reluctantly held out his own hand and shook hers with as much enthusiasm as he could muster.

“The pleasure is all mine.” He replied half-heartedly.

“Now then, onto the next one!” his cousin exclaimed, though his expression appeared to not be impressed by Jasper’s demeanor. Yet, he still directed him to the next person, a man in black suit with a white necktie.

“This young man here is…” his cousin began only for him to pause immediately as he stared at the man with a look of confusion. “Actually, I don’t think I quite got your name.”

It was at that moment that Jasper interrupted him as his nerves compelled him to intervene. “Alright I think that’s quite enough for now!” he uttered, nudging his cousin’s hand off his shoulder before whispering into his ear.

“What?” he gasped, finally realizing the severity of the situation. Jasper gestured with his head and urged him to quickly conclude their conversation and follow him, to which he obliged by turning to his new acquaintances with his head held low in embarrassment and disappointment.

“My apologies, but it appears I must take my leave. For it appears that something urgent requires my immediate attention. But don’t worry! I swear I shall catch up with all of you shortly, good day!” he said before bowing awkwardly to the crowd and following Jasper as they walked to the grand double door that led out of the hall.

“What is the meaning of this, Jas? You told me that this meeting was to be held tomorrow, and that your superior wasn’t planning on showing his face out in public!” he huffed angrily.

“It was, and he wasn’t. But alas, something changed, and now he insists that we do it now. Believe me, Winny, I tried my best to object, but he simply wouldn’t hear it, he wouldn’t even give me a reason!” Jasper explained in an equally stressed and frustrated tone.

 “Well, I say, now isn’t that complete and utter hogwash!” Winny agreed. “I mean look at me! He must know that I am in no way prepared for this! And what’s more, why tonight of all nights? This event was supposed to be our family’s night of glory, your night of glory, and he wants us to waste it away on some last-minute appointment?”

“Such impropriety stuns me indeed.” Jasper nodded, but though he found complaining with his cousin to be a fun and relieving experience, he knew that carrying such unsavory views into where they were going would be unwise. He took a deep breath and sighed, reverting his demeanor back to that of a composed statesman.

 “But unfortunately, we don’t have a choice now, Winny. Things have changed for us now that I’m the new face of the government.” He shrugged as two servants in gray uniform who stood on either side of the door opened it for them as they walked towards it. “We are now deeper into the machine than we have ever been, and if we wish to stay in its good graces, sacrifices must be made.”

Beyond the door was a wide hallway adorned with gold and ancient portraits. They walked a few dozen feet until they reached an equally grand yet much smaller door, guarded by a servant wearing a pin in the shape of a sun with an eye in the center. Winny knew exactly who these men were, and seeing them made him gulp almost instinctively. His night had so far been free of the Order’s presence, yet that was all about to change.

Before they both entered, they both stood in front of the door and adjusted their attire to appear as respectable as humanly possible, and Jasper looked at his cousin once more. He knew him well enough to see the anger and hurt pride bubbling beneath his refined formal façade, and though he did not show it, it worried him.

“I think Mr. Harny was the one who said it best when he told me that the highest echelons of power are like a knife laden path leading to endless treasure.” He uttered. “Great fortune befalls only to those who tread carefully.”

“Well, clearly old Maxwell was not one to follow his own wisdom.” Winny scoffed. Jasper replied with a sigh, realizing that he did not have enough time to subdue his cousin’s ego. Reluctantly, he nodded at the servant standing next to the door, which made the servant bow his head before opening it for them. Both men stepped inside, only to be greeted by a large square room similar in design to the hall, with white walls covered in gold ornaments and floors covered in a magnificent red rug. There, off to the side, next to a lit fireplace, was Victor Del Mir, sitting comfortable behind a table on a cushioned sofa, flanked by a man in a black uniform who stood with his arms behind his back.

“Ah welcome back, Jasper, took you long enough!” he shouted with a misleading grin. “I was just talking with my subordinate about how I thought the festivities had made you forget about us. Come and have a seat, both of you!”

The sight of the mayor in good health and flanked by an intimidating guard, whose eyes were obscured by pitch black shadow cast by his cap, did not surprise Winny, for though the newspapers had repeatedly stated that he was gravely injured and on death’s door due to being shot by an unknown gunman, those on the inside were quick to find out that such stories were a mere ruse constructed in order to deter more threats. Seeing him also seemed to remind Winny that they had just come face to face with the eye of the beast, and that they were merely subordinates subject to the whims of something much larger and much more dangerous. His posture stiffened, for this realization seemed to extinguish whatever desire he had to make his grievances known, which made Jasper feel relieved as they both sat down and faced Victor.

“So, you’re Winston Wolt, head of Roychester & Wolt Arms Makers, correct?” he asked as he leaned forward towards them.

“Indeed, I am!” Winny answered proudly before extending his hand towards Victor. “It is an honor to finally meet you, Mr. Mayor.”

“The pleasure’s all mine.” Victor replied, shaking Winny’s hand. “I assume you didn’t expect our first meeting to take place under such rushed circumstances, yes?”

Winny looked off to the side and smiled nervously, his previous anger now buried under a mountain of proper, well-rehearsed decorum. “I will admit this is quite sudden, but who am I deny the beckoning of a great man such as you.”

“I see your cousin was right to call you a charmer!” Victor chuckled. “But in all seriousness, I apologize for this inconvenient change in schedule, for you see, some rather pressing matters came to my attention that requires me to leave for St George’s Hall as soon as possible. Surely you understand how unpredictable these things can be.”

“Well, seeing as we are all here now, it is safe to say that I understand perfectly!” Winny exclaimed, which prompted all three of them to laugh. Though Jasper could see an undertone of unaddressed curiosity lingering beneath his otherwise unsuspicious expression.

“Now, onto business then!” Victor uttered as he reached into his coat and took out a rolled-up document. “I shall be sure to make this swift, as I imagine you both have a night of elbow rubbing to return to. It’s not every day that one gets to be the relative of the man who’s both the Treasurer and acting Mayor of our great city!”

“Yes, indeed! We’re all so very proud of this acclaimed troublemaker!” Winny exclaimed, patting Jasper on the back before swiftly shifting to a more sympathetic and sincere tone. “And I must express my condolences for all the agony you must have endured because of that wretched gunman!”

“Much appreciated.” Victor replied with a nod as he glanced at his walking stick, which he kept next to him. “But worry not, for I have no doubt that it won’t be long before the burning blade of justice falls onto that vile swine and his gaggle of co-conspirators.”

“Well, I hope your words ring true, may they rot in filth!” Winny nodded, to which Victor let out another amused chuckle. So far, this scene had left Jasper feeling both relieved and even somewhat impressed. But even then, he still did not feel entirely comfortable, for he knew that the most difficult part of the night was still yet to come.

“Now I will admit, I am not as well versed in all this contract business as Harny was, but from what I understand you and your family’s company have been supplying the state with arms and munitions for nearly forty years, yes? And now that your cousin occupies the big seat, you feel that you deserve a go at renegotiation?”

“Yes indeed!” Winny stated passionately. “Our house has worked with the government with the utmost diligence ever since my father was awarded our contract, which was signed by Mayor Thomas Montgomery himself!”

He leaned forward assertively. “We have kept every oath and served every demand without fail for two entire generations! Our older competitors seem to receive far better treatment for products that I believe are far inferior to ours, so I feel as though we deserve something…more.”

Victor’s eyes widened, seemingly surprised by Winny’s directness, an approach Jasper had not anticipated. For a moment, he thought his cousin might have gone too far, but, to his surprise. Victor did not appear insulted or irritated, instead he simply nodded.

“I couldn’t agree more.”

Winny leaned back on his chair, his expression showing disbelief and confusion. Both he and Jasper had expected some form of resistance or counter, perhaps even a few threats. And neither of them knew what to say now that the opposite party had folded immediately.

“Pardon?” Winny asked. Victor, noticing their looks of bewilderment, put on a wide, amused smile and shrugged.

“Well, you’re right! You and your house have indeed served the government well!” he explained glancing at both Jasper and Winny. “And with that taken into consideration, your contract does appear to be rather unjust. Even the Grand-Prince thinks as such! Hence, I agree that you are owed more, in fact, both the Grand-Prince and I think you deserve the most.”

He handed the rolled-up document to Winny, who eagerly took it into his hands and unraveled it. Jasper looked over his shoulder and read some of its contents.

“This is an amended agreement approved by the Grand-Prince and signed by me. It will make you and your company the primary arms supplier to the state.” Victor continued before reaching into his coat and taking out a black and gold fountain pen. “Given your family’s newfound prominence, consider this an invitation to a seat at the highest of high tables.”

Winny stared at the contract in silence as he gently placed it on the table. Victor held up the fountain pen in his direction, and he took it into his hand.

“I… I don’t know what to say.” He stuttered softly. “Words cannot describe the gratitude I feel towards you and the Grand-Prince. I... I have been rendered speechless!”

A giddy smile appeared on his face as he turned to Jasper and proudly shook his shoulder. “And all of this is thanks to you, my most mischievous little cousin! Oh, I just knew you would lift us up to greatness one day!”

However, whilst Winny appeared engulfed in joy and Victor celebrated alongside him. Jasper could not help but feel frightened. He had not expected something like this, and it worried him. He could tell that both of them were about to be thrown deep into the road of knives, and Jasper needed him to know just how sharp these knives were.

“This is truly wonderful, sir.” He expressed cautiously. “But if I may, I cannot help but feel as though there’s something else at play here.”

“What in saint’s name are you talking about, Jas?” Winny asked, sounding somewhat taken aback. “This is about our family’s contract and us getting what we deserve! Do you not think we are owed this?”

“What? No, of course I do! I would not have pushed for this if I thought you didn’t! But surely, you must realize that a blessing like this does not befall people like us without a reason! Trust me, dear cousin, I have toiled within the inner workings of the machine long enough to know that there is always a hidden price!”

Winny stared at Jasper for a few second before looking down at the contract again, this time with a more wary expression. He had been blinded by excitement, and Jasper’s words had brought him back down to the realm of reality. He and Jasper both looked towards Victor, whose smile hadn’t faded one bit.

“Bravo, Jasper!” he congratulated. “I see you’ve learned quite a lot from your time under Harny. Now I see why he saw such potential in you! For I have seen only a scant few who would so readily question the glimmer of prosperity.”

“So, he’s right then? You do have some other motive!” Winny accused, as he placed the fountain pen on the desk next to the contract, his demeanor now appearing far more hostile. “If that is the case, then I would respectfully request that you reveal it to us, because I do not do business with the sly and dishonest.”

“Well, then it is a good thing that I am neither of those things.” Victor answered calmly. “As for my ‘ulterior motive’, I assure there is none. The offer you have been given is genuine, and it has been given to you because you represent the most benefit to the government. However, Jasper is right about one thing, this contract comes with a price.”

Winny raised his eyebrow. “Really now? And what sort of price is this?”

“Bullets, Mr. Wolt.” Victor answered sternly. “About four hundred thousand of your best rounds to be specific, packaged and delivered to us as soon as humanly possible.”

“Four hundred thousand rounds?” Winny gasped. “Are you planning on executing every man in Great Borough?”

“That is none of your concern.” Victor replied. “This entire transaction must be done off the books, not a single piece of written evidence can be allowed to exist. And of course, as part of the agreement, you will not be receiving a single penny for it.”

Winny gazed at Victor with a wide-eyed frown, seeming at awe at the sheer audacity of such a request, yet when he spoke his voice remained low and restrained. “I’m sorry, are you asking me to steal? From my own company?”

“I assure you, in the grand scheme such a sacrifice will prove to be of little importance. Nothing but a speck, crushed under the foot of all the wealth you will be bestowed.”

Victor reached out and grabbed the fountain pen before holding it up towards Winny once more. “Now you are well within your rights to refuse, I won’t stop you, for there are always others who will gladly take your place.”

Winny stared back and forth between the pen and the contract, appearing thoroughly conflicted. He turned to Jasper, who had a horrified look on his face. Hearing Victor’s price had made him realize the true nature of the government’s scheme. Never had he thought he would be in this position, watching his cousin face an inescapable trap with no way out. He wanted to warn him about what he was about to do, but at that moment, he saw the guard who stood beside Victor reach his hand towards the back of his uniform’s belt whilst staring directly at him. He knew that openly expressing his objections would not end well. So, he simply looked down at his lap and avoided facing his cousin all together, for he realized that he had walked into their current situation, and there was no use fighting it. All he could hope for was for Winny to refuse on his own.

“Do not let an opportunity such as this slip away, Mr. Wolt.” Victor reminded. “For this may be the last time you shall be presented with the choice to pull your family away from the cliff overlooking the cold depths of ruin.”

Winny looked up at Victor coldly, to which Victor simply smiled back. Finally, he seemed to realize that he had no other choice. He grabbed the pen out Victor’s hand before placing the tip on the dotted line at the bottom of the contract and signing his name.

“Well done, good sir!” Victor said with an overjoyed expression as he reached his hand out towards Winny. “Welcome, Mr. Wolt, to the ranks of the great!”

“Thank you.” Winny replied half-heartedly.

Victor took the contract whilst Winny sat there, looking as though he wanted to leave this room as soon as possible. But whilst he prepared to make his departure, Jasper sat frozen in his place. For he knew with utmost certainty what was about to happen next.

“I suppose now that our business has concluded, I shall take my leave.” Winny uttered, sounding gloomy and hasteful. “May you have a pleasant evening, sir.”

“Oh no, you can’t leave now, we still have one more thing to discuss now that you are one of the state’s most vital partners.” Victor stated. To which Winny paused, let out a deep, irritated sigh and returned to his original position.

“What more is there to discuss?” he asked with an uninterested expression, his polite tone now severely fragmented.

“Nothing too cumbersome, all we need is one more signature.” Victor assured as he reached into his coat and took another rolled-up document and handed it to Winny. Jasper glanced at the contents of this new document and saw what he feared the most, for at the top of his document was the symbol of shield with a crossed rifle and sword, topped with a crown and decorated with a ribbon that read ‘The Chamber of Law Enforcement’.

The mere sight of that symbol was enough to make Winny’s body tense. Victor and Jasper waited as he slowly read through the entire document. Only to put it down and stare at Victor with an expression of fear and outrage.

“This… this is a confession! This has me admitting to illegally distributing arms to thugs and gang members, it paints me as an accomplice to violence and a ringleader of conspiracy!”

“Indeed.” Victor nodded. “According to that, you had a direct hand in the assassination of Maxwell Harny, the man who shot both of us was working under your direction, and he did it with the use of your own guns and bullets. All so you could seize the opportunity and have your cousin ascend to the highest seats in the land.”

“What? That is utter nonsense! Lies I say!” Winny yelled, breathing rapidly. “Why in the name of the saints do you want me to sign something like this? And what make you think I’ll do it, hmm? Do you take me for an imbecile?”

“Of course not!” Victor exclaimed in a tone that sounded oddly demeaning. “I assure you; this document is nothing but a formality. For you see, your new position will result in you being privy to certain… information that must never reach the ears of the masses. And so, to make sure you can be trusted which such vital knowledge we the government require collateral, proof of your absolute loyalty.”

“This is madness!” Winny rambled loudly, angrily standing up. “First you ask me to steal from my own company, and now you want me to plead to crimes I did not commit! I shall not stand for this insanity! I…”

“Stop it, Winny!” Jasper chimed in, which made Winny pause on the spot. He took a deep breath before continuing to speak. “There’s no use in objecting now, and there is no use trying to leave. I doubt the mayor Del Mir will allow you to leave without signing your signature.”

Winny looked down at his cousin with a look of confusion, though Jasper still did not look him in the eye. “What? Jas, what are you talking about? You know I cannot sign this! This will ruin you!”

“That is exactly the point, Winny.” Jasper uttered. “This why the Grand-Prince was so willing to bestow upon us such a generous contract. For once all is said and done, we will forever be under their thumb.”

“He’s right.” Victor interjected. “And I’m afraid you don’t have a choice in this matter.”

The guard who stood next to Victor reached his hand towards the back of his uniform once more and pulled out a small black long barreled revolver before returning to his previous still posture. Seeing the gun made Winny gulp and go completely quiet as he once again sat back on his seat, swiftly putting on a brave face as he turned back towards Victor.

“This is not a difficult choice.” Victor encouraged. “It’s not a choice at all, it an order. And if those who work with the state cannot follow the orders of the state, then they have proven themselves traitors, and they do not deserve to share in our prosperity.”

“How dare you, this…this isn’t loyalty!” Winny protested. “This is coercion! You think you can scare me, a arms merchant, with some two-bit firearm, try and force me to ruin myself and then call my refusal treason? This isn’t just! This is not how loyalty is gained!”

“Oh, but it can, can it not?” Victor objected as he grabbed his walking stick, stood up from his seat and walked over to the guard. “Listen here you ignorant little runt, there is always a gun in the hand of the state and it is pointed at everyone, from the lowest official to the highest halls of nobility. The sinners know very well the wrath of the angels, and that is how their loyalty is ensured, that is how the machine is maintained!”

“For saint’s sake, Winny, just sign the paper already!” Jasper pleaded. “This is not the time to play games!”

The room went silent as both Jasper and Victor kept their eyes fixed on Winny as he glared at the document in his hand. Jasper was beginning to find it difficult to even breath as he waited restlessly for Winny to pick up the pen and sign the document. However, even after a full minute, he still did not move an inch.

“What is it going to be, Mr. Wolt?” Victor asked once more, seemingly getting impatient.

More seconds passed, until finally Winny shook his head and placed the document back on the table, which made Jasper’s heart sink. He turned towards Victor and stood up from his seat.

“My apologies, sir. But my family’s dignity is priceless. Hence, I cannot sell it and have it sullied by the likes of you!” He uttered as he straightened his coat. Victor frown and gave Winny a disappointed look. Though his expression didn’t appear particularly devastated. He turned towards the guard and held out his hand towards him, which made the guard hand his gun over to him, which made Jasper nearly gasp. He eyed the gun with a look of dread and terror, though Winny still somehow managed to keep his chest forward and his composure steady even in the face of imminent death.

“Do to me what you wish, but you and I both know that you need Jas. After all, he is the state’s new smiling façade, and he’s more than willing to pledge his loyalty to you.” He stated as he gave Jasper a glance and took a deep breath in preparation for the inevitable.

Victor chuckled. “You know, I agree Jasper is far more reasonable than you. After all, he was all but begging you to make the right decision and join us. No doubt, he knows where to put his loyalty.”

He closed one of his eyes and looked into the hollow gun barrel, his mind seemingly pondering something. His eyes turned to Jasper as he stared at him in a manner so malevolent that it made Jasper’s bones shiver.

“In fact, these circumstances present him with the perfect opportunity to display to us how loyal he truly is.”

Winny’s expression changed to one of confusion as he appeared to once again be caught off guard. Meanwhile, Jasper’s expression went almost completely pale, for while he too was uncertain about what Victor meant, he knew that it wasn’t going to be anything good. He noticed Victor look down at his gun, and it was at that moment he realized what was about to happen.

 “No.” he murmured as Victor held the gun by the barrel and held out its grip towards him.

“Take it.” Victor demanded. “Take it and shoot this man in the name of Halynshire.”

Jasper froze whilst Winny appeared completely baffled. At first, Jasper thought he was imagining things, but no matter how many times he closed and opened his eyes or pressed his nails against his palm, the scene in front of him stayed the same.

“I won’t say it again, Jasper.” Victor urged, shaking the gun. “Take it or neither of you leave this room. That’s an order!”

At that moment, Jasper was too panicked to think clearly, so in an instinctual, split-second decision he quickly reached out and reached out his hand before his mind could even register his own actions. By the time he realized what he had done, the gun was already in his hands, and it shocked him to such a degree that he nearly dropped it on the ground.

“Good, now get on with it.” Victor commanded as he sat back down on his seat and watched them both like spectator in the theatre show. “And don’t even think you can turn that barrel on me.” He warned as he gestured towards the guard, who hadn’t even reacted when he had given the gun to Jasper. 

Jasper gulped, he did have an overwhelming desire to turn on Victor, however the more he looked at his confident and unafraid expression, the more he was convinced that doing so would do him no good. Hence, with great reluctance, he slowly pointed the gun at Winny.

“Jas… what are you doing?” Winny whimpered.

“I don’t have a choice, Winny!” Jasper gasped. “You should’ve listened to me and signed the damn paper!”

Winny paused and let out a deep breath as he tried to remain calm. “You cannot do this, Jas. You know you don’t have the heart to do something so heinous.”

“That doesn’t matter! It’s not up to me!” Jasper exclaimed as his hand began to shiver. “You were willing to steal from your own company, and now you won’t write a simple signature? I told you to tread carefully, and you didn’t, and now I am forced to push you into the knives.”

Then, with great hesitation, he pulled back the hammer of the revolver, which made a click sound that lightly echoed throughout the room. Fortunately, that sound seemed to be what finally got Winny to break.

“Alright!” he shouted with a look of utter defeat, his tone shifting from desperation to a mild sob. “I’ll do it! I’ll sign the paper!”

Jasper looked over to Victor as he stared at Winny, seemingly pondering as to whether he should accept Winny’s pitiful surrender. Fortunately, a few moments later, he turned towards Jasper and gave him a nod, which immediately filled him relief as he pointed the gun away from his cousin and sighed.

“Who says guns don’t buy loyalty?” Victor uttered sarcastically as he gestured Winny to sit down yet again. Jasper hastily handed the gun back to Victor as he watched his cousin take the fountain pen and sign the document with a trembling hand. Once he was done, both he and Victor stood up as he handed the document over to Victor, who rolled it up and placed it inside his coat.

“Well then, I suppose that concludes our business for now!” he sighed with a satisfied grin as he patted down his clothes with his free hand. “I will say these contract affairs are so tiresome. Frankly, I didn’t give Harny enough credit for dealing with all of it up until now.”

He turned to Winny one last time with a wide smile on his face. “So, Mr. Wolt, it is time for me to bid you farewell, and may you and Jasper a very pleasant evening.” He said with seemingly genuine sincerity. However, at that point, the only response Winny could muster was a piercing glare at oozed hate from within his calm demeanor.

“Farewell, Mr. Mayor.” He finally uttered whilst nodding his head, though his tone was audibly poisoned with disgust and contempt. However, Victor simply ignored his obvious anger and replied with a nod of his own before he turned to Jasper and exchanged nods with him as well. Jasper accompanied Winny as they made their way to the door, their shame ringing loud and clear with every step they took. Neither of them said a word to each other until the door was closed behind them and they were both outside in the hallway.

“It’s over, Jas. We’re finished. Finished, I tell you!” Winny shouted as he leaned on his younger cousin’s shoulder out of exhaustion. “We just handed those wretches the keys to our undoing!”

“Worry not, Winny. I am sure it’ll be alright.” Jasper muttered gently in an attempt to cheer him up, for he did not want Winny to be a distraught mood when they returned to the party. “Listen, you heard what he said, there is not a single high noble or industrialist who does not have a gun to their head, and yet they all survive, and so will we.”

Winny sighed, seemingly not convinced. “Do you really think so? You think there’s a chance we might not end up rotting in some dingy ditch or prison cell when all is said and done?”

“Indeed.” Jasper replied confidently, trying his best to maintain an optimistic façade even though he himself was only a few steps away from falling into complete despair. “Remember, we are now on top! Our house is yet to reach the height of its greatness, and with some luck, we will stay that way. We just need to tread carefully for now on and we’ll be just fine.”

Fortunately, his words finally seemed to get to Winny, for his sullen expression brightened slightly as they neared the entrance to the ballroom.

Meanwhile, inside the meeting room, Victor let out an exhausted sigh the moment he heard the door close. The night had not been kind towards him; indeed, he had originally gone about his day with the expectation that he would be allowed to sleep soundly at night, yet the world had refused him such a luxury. For at dusk, his secretary’s desk had received a troubling message that had compelled him to retreat from the city post haste, yet he had been sent on business, he had to conclude that business lest he wished to be turned away from the gates of St George’s Hall upon his arrival. The Order of Man was gathering its forces, and what good were gunmen without ammunition, and so, here he was.

He looked down at the gun in his hand before swiftly handing it back over to the guard. He grabbed his walking stick, stood up on his feet, and stretched his back a bit before letting out a deep, relieved breath.

“You, fetch me something to drink.” He commanded to the guard. “Preferably from the Grand-Prince’s private collection. I want to enjoy myself a little before my departure.”

The soldier gave him a silent nod before he turned and walked out of the room and into the hallway, leaving Victor alone in the room. Victor hobbled his way over to the fireplace and let its warmth wash over him as the silence of the room finally allowed him to clear his mind, but even then, all of his thoughts were haunted by hate and resentment. Images kept flashing before him, for while he had spent his days lazily lounging about St George’s Hall, all he ever thought about was the day Ulysses Everton and Henry Demon had walked into his office, he remembered with vivid detail the faces of those two wretches, and he had remembered the way they had spoken to him. He remembered the late evening of that very same day, when Harny came into his office carrying shocking news.

“A bombing, you say?” he had asked with baffled eyes.

“Indeed.” Harny had nodded. “In the heart of Hatles Borough, at the steps of the Great Hall of the Circle! According to my tipoff, among the dead is the Baron Ulysses Everton!”

“Everton, that scum?” Victor had gasped, initially overwhelmed with a feeling of surprise and disbelief, feelings that were soon overtaken by utterly unfathomable waves of joy and relief. “That dirty swine and his wretched little assistant were in my office earlier this morning threatening me, and now you’re telling me he’s dead?”

“I’m sorry, you mean to tell me they were here, in your office, in broad daylight?” Harny had asked with a frightened look on his face. “Oh saints, it all makes sense now.” Victor heard him mutter under his breath.

“Indeed, they were.” Victor had replied he leaned back on his chair, his expression had been one of satisfaction, and if his memory served right, he had even smiled. “Good riddance, I say! Those wretches think they can come in here and threaten me when they can’t even walk out of their own front door without being blown smithereens! Do we know is responsible for this? Because I think I ought to give them a handshake!”

“Unfortunately, sir, that is the most concerning part of all of this. Because it appears that no one knows the culprit behind this strike.” Harny had explained. “Moreover, according to my tipoff, the barons intend on placing all the blame onto you, sir, and they plan on exacting their vengeance accordingly.”

“What?” Victor had asked, stopping his celebrating as he swiftly stood up from his desk. “Are they daft? Do they think I’m some war-hungry lunatic who waves his gun without aim?” He protested as he walked back and forth between the two ends of his desk.

Harny gulped. “Whether or not they think that is of little consequence, sir. Because to me, the damning factor appears to be the timing of this whole affair, seeing as you were the last adversary the Baron Everton had met prior to his death, it stands to reason that, to them, you are the only likely perpetrator.”

“And you come to all these conclusions based on an unmarked letter? Exactly how reliable is this tipoff of yours? Do we know who sent it or why?” Victor questioned. “If you ask me, only someone from within that accursed entity could possibly know something like this, so for all we know, this may be part of some trick, a part of some nefarious scheme to throw me into despair and paranoia!”

“That is indeed possible.” Harny admitted. “But I do not believe that is the case.”

Victor stopped walking and stared at Harny. “And why is that?”

“Because this would not be the first time!” Harny explained. “Decades ago, at the height of Grand-Prince Terrance’s war, one of my predecessors received a tipoff similar to this, but the Order did not heed it properly and it led to one of our greatest losses at the hands of these barbarians! Whoever sent us that information had been telling the truth! And I believe so is this one!”

He stood up and leaned toward Victor as he stood in place and pondered. “Think about it, sir! Why would the barons do this? Surely the strategic risk of alerting you of a coming strike far outweighs any benefit they may gain through your mental anguish! Thus, this could only be the work of traitors seeking to undermine their arrogant superiors, just like before!”

Victor closed his eyes as tightly as he could, for the more he thought about it, the more he leaned towards the notion that Harny was right. He had been in the government long enough to know that the people within it would risk being hanged for treason if it meant victory over their rival colleagues. Perhaps the Circle was the same.

“This is preposterous! Absurd, I say!” Victor bellowed, shaking his fist in the air. “To think they’d take me for an imbecile, when it is clearly, they who seem to be unable of keep their own house in order, seeing as their own men are seemingly sending us information without even charging us!”

“Well, be that as it may, I think we now have quite an opportunity on our hands.” Harny had stated in a calm manner. Which immediately silenced Victor as he raised his eyebrow, his interest now piqued.

“You see, sir. Now that we know what the Circle is planning, the cards now rest in our hands. We are ahead of them! And we can make sure they dance to our terms.”

“I see, right you are, Harny.” Victor had sighed before sitting back on his desk. “I know you are a quick mind, so I assume you’ve already devised some sort of scheme in order to ensure we have the upper hand.”

“Indeed, I have, though I will admit it is still but a vague idea at the moment.”

“Oh, do share, old friend.”

Harny proceeded to place both of his elbows on Victor’s desk and stare at Victor with a proud grin. “Well sir, if the Barons wish to put to on spectacle, then perhaps we should make them a stage.”

And so, he and Victor proceeded to concoct the fair, and when the faithful day came, their scheme had worked as planned. However, unfortunately, Harny had failed to account for a scenario where the gunman would point his barrel at him, and that fatal flaw had cost him his life.

Victor took another deep breath as he lamented the loss of his most trusted subordinate, for he was already deeply unsatisfied by his replacement.  He wondered why the drink he had asked for was taking so long to arrive. Finally, after a few more minutes of staring at the fire, he heard the doorknob turn. He turned to the door with a smile, expecting to see a man holding a masterfully crafted glass of wine, however what he actually saw made his smile crumble in an instant. For, instead of a single man caring a single glass, he saw both his guard and the guard who stood by the door walk inside with their hands raised in the air, with guns pointed at the back of their heads, with one gun being held by a man in a black suit and the being held by woman in an orange dress. With them was yet another young man in a black suit and a brown and gold waistcoat with a thin moustache above his lips, and in his hands, he carried both the wine glass and a small briefcase.

“What in saint’s name is going on here?” Victor demanded as he stood his ground and glared at the strangers. “Who are you? And why have you come here?”

“Oh, don’t worry yourself, Mr. Mayor, we have not come here seeking violence.” The man with the briefcase replied casually. He turned to both his associates and gave them a single nod, which prompted them both to pull back their guns and strike both guards in the back of their heads, which made them lose consciousness and fall to the ground with two simultaneous thuds.

“Really now? Well, judging from what I see, I don’t think I believe you.” Victor mocked, to which the man simply smiled.

“And I don’t blame you for thinking that Mr. Mayor.” The man agreed as he sat down on the same seat that the Wolts had sat on less than an hour ago and placed both the glass and the briefcase on the table. “But, in our defense, your kind often does not even need provocation to commit violence against us. Hence, I’d argue these measures are warranted.”

He turned to Victor before grabbing the left side of his coat and pulling it away, revealing a pin attached to his waistcoat that he had concealed beneath it. The pin was gold, and it was in the shape of a circle with eight teeth jutting out on all directions.

“Just be thankful we decided to be cordial and leave Grand-Overseer’s fine carpet unstained.” He added nonchalantly as he positioned himself in a way that ensured that Victor could clearly see the pin. And moment Victor laid eyes on it; his entire body tense and his heart erupted feelings of overwhelming rage.

“How dare you!” he spat. “You, you Circulion scum! You dare show your faces here? Here, in the house of the Grand-Prince and sully its grounds with your foul presence! You dare face me with such brazen arrogance! Listen here, you putrid dogs, you mongrel scum, you won’t get out of here alive, you will all be ashes before sunrise!”

“Now, now, Mr. Mayor, there’s no need to be so vulgar.” The man replied calmly as he concealed his pin once again, his expression barely flinching despite Victor’s barrage of threats and insults. A barrage that Victor swiftly resumed as he cut the man off before he could finish what he was saying. “After all, this is no way to talk to whom you owe your life.”

Victor paused and his eyed widened as he was overwhelmed by the sheer audacity of such a claim. “What are you talking about, you swine? What sort of ridiculous statement is that? That is nothing more than a vile lie! A fabrication! I owe my life to no one living!”

The man raised his eyebrow at Victor, almost as though he was judging an imbecile. Victor paused and took a deep breath in order to calm himself, and once he did, he remembered his conversation with Harny, and it was at that moment that the truth finally revealed itself to him and he realized just who was sitting in front of him.

“It was you, you’re the one who gave Harny the tipoff. You are the dirty snake slithering under the floors of barons’ house and whispering their secrets to the enemy.” He uttered whilst looking down at the man with am intrigued expression. For he realized now that he was staring directly at what he considered to be a living enigma, a rogue pawn whose true nature he had yet to fully grasp.

“Indeed, I am, and now if only you could come and...” The man requested as he gestured to the empty seat on the other side of the table. However, Victor cut him off before he could even finish talking.

“How did you find me, hmm?” he asked. “Who told swine like you that I would be here? Was it that imbecile Wolt? Answer me! I demand to know!”

Both the man’s associates chortled, which only annoyed Victor even more. “Worry not, sir, none of your underlings have betrayed you, they did not need to.” The man answered with a prideful grin, he placed his elbow on his knee.

“Then how did you know where I was?”

 “I didn’t, it was a mere guess.” the man answered. “You see, think of myself as an astute gambler, though unlike my peers, I wager on people. And for this occasion, I took a gamble on you.”

“A gamble, you say? Based on what?” Victor pried further. “Surely I am not that predictable.”

“Oh, but you are!” the man replied swiftly, he took a deep breath before continuing. “For one thing, the papers made it abundantly clear that your… bold strategy when it came to countering the Circle’s retribution left you quite damaged. So, it wouldn’t far-fetched to assume that, if you were informed of more oncoming troubles, you wouldn’t hesitate to run this time. Yet, despite your wounds, you’re still the Grand-Prince’s housekeeper, and you cannot leave the house unprepped. So, if you had to depart most hurriedly, where else but this great gathering of chores can you tend to those duties in such a short time?” he explained with a delighted shrug. “Thus, I wagered that this was where you’d come, and all it took for me to win was a menacing letter.”

Victor couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Part of him felt somewhat insulted at being compared to a lowly housekeeper, but more than that he realized he had been deceived, hoodwinked, controlled like a puppet by a nameless Circulion and his gang of ruffians, something that he could not let stand. And yet still, another small part of his could not help but admit the brilliance of such a gamble, an admission that only fueled his anger even more. However, he resolved never to appear shocked or taken aback. Instead, he held up his fierce demeanor.

“So, that message was a trick, eh? A hollow ruse concocted by you, a sly tongued deceiver! All so that you can lure me out of City Hall?” he asked further, his fury building with every word.

“Yes, but I think you…” the man began. However, Victor responded to the man’s professional tone by spitting on the floor in front of the fire and once again cutting him off before he could finish.

“And now here you are, yes?” he uttered whilst stretching his free arm out into the air. “You’re wager paid off and now you stand before me! Why? Is it because you’re on the run? I bet your barons found out about your disobedience and now you think you can use my debt to you in order to gain protection, yes? Perhaps you even brought something with you that you wish to trade your life.” He added as he glanced at the suitcase.

“Oh, you misunderstand, Mr. Del Mir! Now if you would just listen…” the man replied calmly, only to be cut off yet again.

“No, you listen! You pompous scoundrel!” Victor shouted, his hate bursting from his mouth like a fountain. Such a harsh response appeared to finally put a crack in the man’s clam demeanor as the man looked off into the distance whilst Victor continued his barrage. “You say that I am indebted to you, yes?  Well, consider this is as the repayment for my debt and leave this place at once! Return to whatever rotten hole you crawled out of before I have you burned! That is the only deal you will ever get from me you…!

“Enough!” the man finally bellowed, his voice ringing so loudly that it echoed off the wall and made Victor pause as he watched the man bang his fist on the desk and stand up from his seat. Seeing his fit of rage, his associates immediately turned their guns on Victor, which made him flinch. He and the man glared at each other for a few seconds, only for the man to sigh, look away and return to his seat.

“I feel as though you are misunderstanding the situation you’re in, Mr. Del Mir.” He uttered whilst staring down at the table, his voice sounding orders of magnitude more threating. “You command no one here, and you cannot imagine the restraint that my colleagues are employing at this very moment. Believe me, they would like nothing more than to beat you to a pulp and paint this room with your innards and avenge so many of our fallen. Yet out of respect for me, they choose not to do so. I am what is keeping you alive!”

He turned to his associates and shrugged in a dramatic manner. “But, at the end of the day, we are all free people, no? Hence, I cannot guarantee that their loyalty to me will continue to outweigh their own desires. So, for your sake, I kindly ask that you extend us a bit of courtesy and sit down!”

Victor could not help but scoff at the man’s words, part of him also felt somewhat amused by the irony of the situation, given what he himself had done to the Wolts less than an hour before. He glanced at the faces of the man’s two colleagues, and sure enough, he could see that they would take another but enjoyment in his demise. Finally, he relented and made his way over to the chair, for he wasn’t foolish enough to test the man’s bluff. The man’s smile returned as he saw Victor sit down in front of him, he placed his fingers on the base of the wineglass and slid it towards him.

“I assume this was meant for you.”

“Take it.” Victor insisted with a look of disgust. “I do not touch what has been in the hands of filth.”

“Well, now that is unfortunate, seeing as I don’t partake in the bottle myself. It would be a shame to let something so fine go to waste, eh?”

He looked over to the man standing next to him. “Francis, would you mind?”

“Not at all.” Francis replied before lowering his gun and taking the glass into his own hand.

“Good, now, onto the important things!” he said as he turned his attention to the briefcase he was carrying. “Just so we’re clear, Mr. Mayor, I am not running away from anything. As a matter of fact, I am running towards something, something truly magnificent. And I have with me something that I wish to trade with you, so that I may get a little bit closer to it!” He continued as he snapped his fingers, which made the latches on either end of the case undo themselves and made it’s lid open. He turned back to Victor and looked him dead in the eyes as he extended his hand towards him.

“But first, allow me to make up for our unpleasant first impressions by introducing myself. My name is Caleb Cunnington, Treasurer of the Circle, and my colleagues and I represent a cause that seeks freedom and justice.”

Victor’s eyebrow rose up when he heard the man’s title. Despite their centuries of conflict, the Order of Man had very little knowledge regarding the Circle’s inner mechanisms. Yet one of the few valuable gears whose existence they did know about was the Treasurer, though they had never identified a face to go along with the title. Yet now, Victor was not surprised to see the face of such an elusive figure, he was perhaps even more surprised to know that such a figure was a traitor. As for his supposed cause, Victor had seen enough empty slogans lining the floor of Great Borough’s own political landscape to know that such words were to be taken with a grain of salt.

Caleb kept his hand held out towards Victor for more than a minute, only to retract it when it became clear that Victor would not return the gesture. “So, what is this ‘thing’ you’ve brought to me?” Victor asked, dismissing Caleb’s entire introduction. For he knew that, while they had him at gun point, they would not execute him unless they had to, hence as long as he cooperated, he could let his attitude and pettiness run wild.

Caleb let out a sigh before reaching into his suitcase and taking out what appeared to be a small stack of papers tucked inside a single file.

“Behold!” he exclaimed gleefully as he reached over and dumped the papers on the table, directly in front of Victor, who stared down at the documents with a confused expression, for he did not know what he had expected, but it certainly wasn’t this.

“What…what is all this?” he asked angrily, as he opened the file and saw that it was filled with walls of typewriter text and illustrations of city maps and diagrams. “These looks like they belong in Public Affairs, is this what you came all this way to give me? Permit paperwork?”

Caleb chuckled and shook his head. “O how quick you are to underestimate us, Mr. Mayor. Do not be so hasty! Do not be chained to assumptions before you’ve even properly grasped what we have before us.”

Victor growled at Caleb’s condescending tone, but still he continued to look through the documents. Suddenly, he came upon a folded diagram that took up the space of two whole pages. The words on the corner made him realize it was a diagram of a place located somewhere in Everton Borough. It was a large place, a complex that took up the space of entire neighborhoods, its borders were completely enclosed by walls and buildings with only a handful of entrances, like a fortress. It was at that moment that he began to realize what he was looking at, and it made his hands shiver and his mouth open. He noticed more words written below the diagram. And, sure enough, as he read it with great restlessness, he saw a word that made him freeze in place.

Hamlet.

Caleb’s grinned widened as he saw Victor’s expression shift from enraged and disgusted to a look of utter disbelief. “Now you see, my good man, what you have before you are nothing short of the keys to a piece the kingdom, an unbending piece of the late Baron Everton’s kingdom to be precise! And they along with a temporary alliance with our cause, are yours! Assuming, of course, you agree to our terms.”

Victor took a deep breath, whilst the emotions that coursed through body at that very moment were unlike anything he had experienced previously, he made sure to suppress them as much as possible so that Caleb could not take advantage of them. However, as he kept staring at the pages, the roadmap to the hidden places that the Order of Man could never find, his rational mind began to spark a feeling of doubt within him. And as that doubt spread, his anger returned.

“Is this some kind of joke?” he asked. To which Caleb raised his eyebrow.

“Pardon?” he retorted with an oblivious expression, which annoyed Victor.

“Oh please, don’t play games with me! You really think I’m foolish enough believe these are real? They cannot be! This is all a trick! A joke at my expense!” Victor exclaimed as he slammed the papers on the desk with frustration.

“I assure you, Mr. Mayor, this is no trick. Frankly, I don’t know why you would ever assume that.” Caleb replied calmly.

“Because you are a Circulion!” Victor spat. He slammed the papers on the desk and pointed his finger at Caleb. “I know you people, and not even your traitors would ever offer us something like this, let alone wish to be allies!”

He saw both of Caleb’s associates exchange glances, which, in his mind, further confirmed the truth of his assumptions. However, Caleb appeared unphased by his accusations as he stared at Victor with a look of disappointment.

“I thought we had already established that I am not like the rest of my people. After all, I am in your own words, a dirty snake and a sly-tongued deceiver.”

“You are indeed those things!” Victor replied. “But now I believe that you are also yet another puppet of the barons, sent here to deceive me.”

“But I defied the barons and saved you, and now I’ve come to you willing to offer up the lives of thousands!”

“Exactly! And that is where your pathetic charade fails!” Victor exclaimed, pointing his finger at Caleb as though he were an accuser pointing at a criminal. “You can undermine the barons for a great many reasons, jealousy, envy, petty vengeance, those are the flaws of all servants! But I know you people! Nothing is more scared to you than your fellow kin and enduring of your kind! It is your most predictable quality! You people would rather suffer till the end of time rather than give up even a tiny morsel of what you handed to me! Therefore, this whole thing must be an elaborate scheme!”

Victor fell back on his chair, feeling incredibly confident that he had outdone his adversary. “So, tell me, what is the true purpose of all this? Did you strike a deal with the barons? I have no doubt they saw you as an opportunity. What was it? Exploit your connection to us, provide us with distractions so that we are led astray in return for forgiveness for the sin of breaking secrecy? Am I close?”

Caleb fell silent, though it appeared not be out of fear or guilt. He let out a sigh and smiled once more as reached into his coat and took out something that, which, at first, was completely obscured by the back of his hand. However, he reached his arm forward and placed the object directly on top of the paper, revealing it to be a golden Circulion pin similar to the one he himself wore. However, unlike his pin, this one’s shape was warped and its surface was partially black from burns. Though despite these deformities, Victor could still see a symbol etched into its center, a symbol of a star, the symbol of the House of Everton.

“I am no puppet.” Caleb uttered. “And my sins are far more heinous than a few spilled secrets.”

He placed his elbows on his knees and brought his hands together as he leaned closer to Victor. “I am but one man in a movement of equals, Mr. Mayor. And we seek nothing more than an end to the old order of things, something you humans know a lot about, seeing as your own quest for liberty brought your Crown to its knees centuries ago!”

He leaned forward even more before reaching out his arm and grabbing Victor’s shoulder before staring directly into eyes with a piercing, dead serious, gaze. “We are the inheritors of that legacy, Mr. Mayor, except unlike your forefathers, we will not compromise, we will feed our own to the dogs if we have to and even collude with those who wish to annihilate us! Whatever is necessary to bring about a reckoning absolute.”

He let go of Victor and pushed him back as he leaned back on his chair once more, his stare persisting. “Now do you still doubt me, sir?”

Victor gulped as he looked down at the deformed pin. Its symbol, the damage it had sustained and the fact that Caleb had it in his possession all pointed him towards the same conclusion. He realized his contempt had led him to make a grave miscalculation. He realized what he was dealing with was more than a rogue pawn, but rather an invading prince. And it was at that moment he felt something he had very rarely felt before, fear. He was afraid of the Circulion sitting in front of him.

“I do not…no.” he replied somewhat awkwardly whilst still maintaining his enraged and unbent exterior.

Caleb nodded. “Though I will admit, you were right about one thing. There are some things that we hold scared as scions of our people. Hence, the terms you must agree to in order for this exchange to go through.”

“Which are?” Victor asked with a raised eyebrow.

“First,” Caleb began, raising one finger into the air. “You will spare all the children in all the Hamlets you seize, and you shall return them all to us.”

Victor nearly choked on his own spit as he was once again blindsided by Caleb’s nonchalant demeanor and the audacity of his words. “Pardon?” he gasped with an open look of disbelief.

“And, second.” Caleb continued, completely ignoring Victor’s reaction and raising a second finger. “You will share this with no one but those who will make use of it. Of course, I imagine you already understand this, seeing as I have no doubt that this level of trust and cooperation with the enemy will surely be seen by your peers as questionable.”

Victor took a deep breath, calmed himself and nodded along reluctantly whilst frowning at Caleb, though he could not bring himself to agree with him verbally. “You demand quite a lot of me, what makes you think I will stay true to these conditions of yours?”

“Simple, for it is your people’s most predictable quality, self-interest!” Caleb proclaimed. “It is in your best interest to do as I ask, because we seek the same goal, the death of the Great Houses! And so that is what I offer you this alliance, so that we may achieve it!”

“I see. That is indeed quite an offer.” Victor admitted, raising his eyebrow and listening intently. “Yet it is also a monumental task, so how do you plan to make good on such a proposition?”

“Let me worry about that for now, but believe me, my plans for it are already in motion.” He assured. “Come winter, the old order of things shall be no more, and the world shall be born anew! And you and I will be great victors of our respective peoples!”

Victor continued to nod along, though in his own mind something did not feel right. The damaged pin was enough to convince him of Caleb’s authenticity, yet the way he spoke maybe him feel cautious and unnerved. He felt as there was something deeper that he did not know about, a part of the story that was being omitted, and he did not like being left out.

“You realize this changes nothing, yes?” he asked. “You may change the order of things and you may use the Order’s help to do it, but even if you are triumphant, our war will not cease.”

“Yes, I understand that our peoples are destined to kill each other for all eternity. And that is of no concern to me, for my goal is freedom, not peace, and yours is justice.”

Victor frowned; he could not help but feel as though something wasn’t right. Yet as he looked down at the papers before him, his saw an opportunity for the Order and a chance for his thirst for vengeance to be quenched.

“Alright.” He sighed, placing his hand on the documents. “I will accept your offer in the name of the Order of Man, provided you do me one small favor.”

Caleb raised his eyebrow, seemingly perplexed as to what Victor could want from him. “And what favor would that be?”

“You deliver the barons to me alive.” Victor uttered. “I wish to make their deaths a show worth remembering. I wish to take away their dignity like they took away mine! I shall have them grovel at my feet and feet of the Grand Prince who I have no doubt would love nothing more than to do the final deed with his own hands…

“…and you will have been the one to give him that opportunity.” Caleb interjected with chuckled. “And thus, he would be indebted to you! O how clever indeed.”

Victor could not help but smile as hearing his own plans from the mouth of someone else made him feel joyful and determined. “So, you accept then?”

“I do, on one condition!” Caleb stated with a nod. “That you allow us to attend this great spectacle. Surely the Grand Overseer’s gratitude will extend even to people like us, yes?”

Victor paused for a moment, for Caleb’s request presented him with yet another opportunity that he knew he would be a fool not to grasp. “Yes, I’m sure it will.” He replied with a slow nodded and a grin.

“Excellent, so be it!” Caleb exclaimed as he stood up from his seat. He waved his finger in the air once again, which made the suitcase close and lock itself. “Well that about concludes our business. I think it’s time my colleagues and depart from this splendid place.”

“Indeed. The sooner you leave the better.” Victor agreed. Caleb held his hand out towards Victor once more, however, once again, he refused to shake it. He collected all the papers into a neat pile before grabbing his cane and getting up on his feet whilst exhaling deeply.

Caleb pulled his hand back and gave Victor a nod. “Farewell for now, I look forward to meeting you again!”

Victor nodded back, and with that, Caleb turned around and began walking towards the door. His associates also threw their weapons on the floor and followed him, though of them made sure to give one of the unconscious guards an enthusiastic kick before doing so. Yet, even as Victor let out a sigh of relief as he no longer had any guns pointed at him, he still felt as though something was off. What’s more, now that his conversation with Caleb had ended, the fear that he had felt before slowly faded away and it was replaced by a strange sense of fascination. However, in the end, he did not see him as anything more than a convenient tool. For should he fail and die, the Circle would be weakened, but should he be fortunate enough to succeed and stand alongside them in their grand spectacle, it shall be the last spectacle he shall ever see.

He looked at the guards on the floor and regretted not drinking that glass of wine.

Meanwhile, once they were outside the room, Caleb and his associates keep their paces brisk as they made their way to the main entrance of the palace.

“I’d say that went quite well, wouldn’t you agree?” Caleb asked merrily with a look of satisfaction on his face.

“I didn’t think that wretch would take the deal.” Francis expressed with a look of disappointment. “I was hoping I’d get the chance to put a hole in his wicked head!”

“Well, as enjoyable as that would’ve been, we mustn’t let our hate impede our greater strategy.” Caleb advised. “And for that we need him.”

“And you’re sure this will all play out the way you think it will?” asked Susan. “I still think trusting the Order of Man is a gamble too great even for you!”

“Unfortunately, Miss Hemmings, it is a risk we must take.” Caleb argued. “And to be clear, we do not trust the Order, they are simply a means to an end.”

“But you are yet come up with a way to overcome the Order itself.” Francis pointed out, which made Caleb frown briefly before returning to his cheerful demeanor.

“Indeed, that specific part of our goal has puzzled me for some time. But no more! For I believe Mr. Del Mir provided me with the answer without even knowing it!”

Both Francis and Susan raised their eyebrows in confusion and glanced at each other. “Care to enlighten us?” she asked.

Caleb chuckled. “Not yet, we still have much to do before can set our sights on the human regime! And it is best we focus first on cementing our own power.”

Moments later, they arrived at the palace’s front entrance, which was composed of two, fifteen-foot, white doors covered in gold patterns and flanked by two doormen. There they gave the palace cloakroom attendant numbered tokens, which they had been given upon their entering, in exchange for their hats and overcoats.  The doormen then opened the doors for them and they stepped outside into the front lawn where a car was waiting for them. However, before getting in, Caleb turned around and faced the front of the palace, for even when he first arrived, it’s ornate and beautiful exterior filled him with a sense of awe.

“Look at it all, friends. In all its majesty!” he proclaimed, lifting his arms into the air, for now that he was outside, he could finally properly revel in his own success. “Look at it now, for soon there will be nothing to look at! The Order of Man has a weakness, and it will be their undoing! The old order will fall, and we shall rise to the pinnacle of world, and we shall be free at last!”

Both Francis and Susan glanced at each other and smiled. “Alright, that’s enough, I suggest you save your words for the party we throw once we get back! After all, we will have much to celebrate once we tell the others what has happened here and once our men return from Demonum Borough with the barons!” Francis said as he placed his hand on Caleb’s shoulder and gently pushed him towards the car. Once they were all inside, the car turned away from the palace and followed the estate’s road until it exited the palace grounds and entered into the open streets of Amenberg.

Caleb stared out the window as they passed through the lamp-lit roads, for even though the night sky above him was cloudless and full of stars, he could still hear the roar of thunder in the distance. For a great storm had finally come to Hatlynshire, and it would leave none in its wake.

 

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