Chapter 258: Long Night
Lukas stepped back into the living room and found Melody and Akira already there, standing a little apart from the main crowd. He moved to join them.
The room had filled considerably since they’d last been in it.
People were coming in from both hallways, finding space where they could, and the low sound of separate conversations had grown into something closer to a dull hum.
By the time the flow of people slowed, the living room was packed, with bodies filling every available space from wall to wall.
Lukas did a rough count. They were close to a hundred in numbers.
Nic moved to the front of the room, positioning himself where most of them could see him without straining.
"For those of you who don’t know me yet, I’m Nic. Nicholas Clarke, Le Fay field liaison. I’ll be coordinating this operation." He clapped his hands together once. "Before we get into the details, we’re going to do introductions. All of you, one after the other. Name, and whatever else you want people to know. Keep it short."
And so it went.
One by one, people stepped forward in front of the others, giving their names, their classes in some cases, and occasionally a dry comment that drew a small laugh from those nearby.
Lukas made sure to commit every face to memory to avoid friendly fire in case of an emergency, and it looked like everyone else was doing the same thing too.
The process moved fast, with each person passing the floor to the next without much delay.
When Lukas’s turn came, he kept it brief. He gave his name and rank before stepping back.
Melody gave her name with a smile warm enough that a few people near her smiled back without meaning to.
Akira gave hers with a nod and nothing else.
When the last person had spoken, Nic took the floor again.
"Good. Now you know who you’re working with. If you see a face tonight that wasn’t in this room, that’s your first problem to solve."
A few people gave a grunt or said a word in agreement.
"You’ll be teleported directly to the location from here. Once we arrive, you’ll receive your individual patrol routes and instructions. Use the time before the party begins to walk your routes and get familiar with the layout. Any questions?"
There was a few seconds of silence as the people glanced at each other, waiting for someone to ask a question. Nobody did.
"Alright." Nic nodded. "Before we head out, is everyone ready?"
There was silence, then a voice from somewhere in the middle of the crowd.
"I forgot my boots."
There was a snort from someone, then a wave of soft laughter spread across the room in a wave.
The man, young and with an expression filled with both embarrassment and amusement, held up a hand in acknowledgment and pushed back through the crowd towards the hallway.
A few people near the door parted to let him through, some still laughing.
A few seconds passed and he reappeared in the doorway, one boot on and one boot in his hand, hopping slightly as he tried to pull the second one on while moving back into the room.
There was more laughter.
"Take your time," someone called out.
"No rush," another voice added.
He finally got the boot on, straightened, and gave the room a short bow.
Nic shook his head, smiling despite himself. "Everyone ready now?"
A murmur of confirmation moved through the crowd.
Nic raised his hand.
And the room disappeared.
An instant later, the world snapped back into place around them.
Lukas blinked, taking in the surroundings.
They had appeared in a wide courtyard, with paved stone beneath their feet, which covered a wide circular area, and gave way at the edges to stretches of green grass that looked well maintained.
There was a fountain in the middle of the courtyard, spewing water in all directions.
Ahead of them stood the building.
It was large, and one could tell that it had been built to impress, and had succeeded.
Outside the building, connected to the roof were several tall pillars which stood at even intervals.
The stonework was detailed, holding the design and craftsmanship one would come to expect from old money and older taste.
The wide doors at the front were already open, giving a clear view of the entrance hall, and deeper inside was the ballroom itself.
Three women stood before the group, positioned between them and the building’s entrance.
Their auras were laid bare for all to feel. All three were S-rank Adepts.
Nic walked to the front of the group, approaching them. He quickly exchanged a few quiet words with the nearest of the three women, then gave the group a single wave.
"They’ll take it from here," he said.
And then he was gone.
The woman in the center stepped forward. "Form a line. You’ll each receive your assignments individually. Move quickly."
The group shuffled into order without much resistance.
When Lukas reached the front, he was given his instructions.
He would be stationed in the entrance hall, one of several positioned there to monitor everyone coming and going between the front door and the ballroom.
Melody was assigned to an inconspicuous position inside the ballroom itself. Akira received a similar post, placed where she could watch without drawing attention.
Others were spread to patrol the surrounding areas, and the strongest among the group were placed at the front door, tasked with checking invitations.
Once assignments were done, the three of them drifted through the building together, taking note of defensible areas and escape routes, just in case of any emergencies.
They moved through the entrance hall and into the ballroom, taking note of the exits, the sight lines, the blind spots.
"Good layout for watching," Akira said with a smile.
"And for hiding," Melody added.
Lukas nodded.
Before long, one of the three women called out across the hall. "Take your positions. The catering team arrives shortly. Check every face and commit them to memory."
"It’s going to be a long night."
