Chapter 811: Ariel Council
The Royal council is well-known among the people of Hidros as the leaders of the continent. At the head of state sat her majesty the queen, and yes, for the most part, the leadership did act upon their duties. Most of which were decisions on potential infrastructural projects and a better lifestyle for the population, well, before coming to said conclusion, the matter of finance and basic commodities for living grows tedious and monotonous. Being the only continent in the world of which encapsulates the Dungeon and Monsters, the way of life is easier, albeit risker. To afford a basic meal at a basic tavern, the cost fluctuates from the lower range of 5 Exa to the 15 Exa range. Yes, very cheap indeed. A goblin drops on average 1-2 coppers when translated grants the modest sum of 0.5-0.75 Exa each. Doing the math leads to 100 coppers for the cheapest meal and place to live thus translating into 50 goblins kill to live. When stuck in the lower threshold of monster-slaying, the coins aren’t the valuables, rather, tis the item drops that come with killing such a number. Either that or quests. In comparison, an office worker earns around 7,500 to 12,500 Exa. The greatness of adventuring comes from the higher monsters and more risks, taking dire-wolves as examples, the medium-tiered variants drop on average 1-2 Silver coins, and if lucky, a fang worth 10 silvers. One wolf killed easily equates to 5000 coppers or 2,500 Exa. Once an adventurer reaches tier-8, steel, making money becomes easy, and so grows losing one’s life. This alone, the prospect of slaying monsters for money, adds to the countries’ seamless abundance of funds. In a war-torn land, especially Dorchester and Kreston, the scars of battle linger – schools are obligated to teach students martial arts at a young age. Common sense is if one is in dire need of money, either study or work thy heart out in the dungeon. Aria and the Azure wall have grown as result. On the Dungeon alone, an unless treasure trove, makes Hidros the place strong people wish to partake in fights. There also exists the unregulated market for deathmatches, name it, and there is a small community of people dedicated to whatever macabre craft there is to do. This, leads us onto the fabled Ariel group/organization, their name changes frequently, the members are elusive. The birth of the Arcanum sprung conspiracy theorists who surmised the world to be run by people in the Shadows, and true they were, the world is run by elites. Ariel was a misguided child spawned from the Queen’s stray plots she forgot to end. The project was to gather the strongest and most influential people in the world, wherein time of need could be used as political weapons against any who dared oppose her. Gathering such a crowd was a double-edged sword, they needed adequate compensation, and for the longest of time – the purpose of personally granted adventurers who’ve reached Tier-2 Gold, was to recruit them into her personal fold and work the dungeon. She’d take the earnings and grant the adventurers favors – most were forced not to ask, for her ways in manipulating people were unprecedented. Money earned here was then thrown to silence the Ariel group. Most were granted political immunity, allowed to do whatever business they wished, including; trafficking, drug trade, slavery, prostitution, and murder. Obviously, they didn’t act on said vices, the Dark-Guild was reason enough to scare the fellows until recent years. The climate changed, Snow – branch of Cimier, made itself known to the underground by taking Phantom’s northern port. Tis been in their possession for close to a decade; a crumbling balance nears a full-out war for power, time but needs to pass till the victor emerges from the rabble.
Igna’s stare froze the entourage, the lens read much on the members, the oval-shaped table, excluding him, held five individuals. First and to his right, a man in old-Victorian style clothes had his regard hidden under the shadow of a black hat. Freedie Mek, an unknown name of great power. Mek, an ancient Dynasty of traders of ties to the Empire, is mostly known for the Weklo’s, a retailer most prominent in the Empire, and of great financial backing, estimation ranged from 2-5 billion. Beside the man clad in black lain a lazily dressed younger lass, her pupils were bi-colored at the moment she took her eyes off the arms and rose to check around. Marie Jude, a well-known researcher in employment for the Cobalt Unit, some argue her to be a free agent, none comes close to her talents in weapons manufacturing. She’s the reason why Phantom lost their monopoly over the market – the frizzled hair and wrinkled cheeks from laying on the table sure weren’t much to amount to her genius. After her, sat one, directly opposite Igna, a well-known star, Johna Et, the same who he made acquaintance with before. Continuing around the table, arrive a very classy dressed gentleman who bore the rustic van-dyke mustache and beard. Out of the five, he was the most interesting – Jonny Dyale, a phenom in the fashion industry – a designer of which top fashion brands tare themselves open to having a shot at his council. The man, a Hidros native, had a reddish-colored tag around the neck – a ruby-ranked adventurer. Lastly, an older woman coughs as loud as gunshots. Her face dropped around her facial bones, and yet, the stare never once cared for her age. Lady Maleem Guznov, the oldest spy to ever walk the planet. Her story reads, on a mission aboard, a nightwalker took her by surprise in an artic-wasteland of white, no food to sustain her life, she defeated the walker and ate its flesh – said act alone granted her partial immortality. The assortment seemed random and was meant to be viewed as random. The leader, Freedie Mek, controls the finance and has much said about how retail is done. Marie Jude, the thinker or the strategist, her turning of the side could spell disaster for any party she worked for. Johna Et, the charismatic actor, the public’s person if ever their identity was in jeopardy. Jonny Dyale, the blade readied to take opposition with either sword or needle. Finally, Lady Maleem Guznov, the information broker, her long years working in the field has culminated in a web of international connections. Queen Gallienne knew the importance of each spot and made sure to bargain for the best of the best.
A creek menacingly waned heavily in the painful silence, the doors locked shut. The freezing glare eased with Igna settling into the seat.
“Greetings, members of Ariel,” he said, “-Johna Et, never expected you here.”
“Neither did I,” he replied cordially.
“Right boy,” said lady Maleem in a raspy tone, “-why did you call us out here?” she rose an eyebrow amidst the various scattered folds on her person.
“Obviously to check on us,” yawned Marie, “-granny, use the brains once in a while.”
.....
“Please, do not start arguing,” interjected Jonny, “-I’ve seen you two go at it for ages. We’re in the presence of his majesty, do pay a little respect.”
“Respect is earnt far as I’m concerned,” added Freedie, “-gathering us here is supposed to be a warning,” he side-glanced.
“Right, consider it my way of saying, hello, I know who you are. The elated group of Ariel – I see less of a reason to keep such money grubbers around.”
“-HOW!”
He rose a finger to the would-be arguments, “-let me finish, lady Maleem. Hear me well, the new government and hierarchy won’t be requiring secret groups to safeguard the continent. The creation of your group was done on her majesty’s foresight into a tumultuous future, and the time is nigh, ‘twould be wise to use the influence this table has,” he leaned forth and smirked, “-the only way to assure a weapon won’t fire on its master is to hold the trigger,” he rose and snapped, five ghoulish humanoid figures rose from the chair’s shadows, “-being hidden in the shadows has many advantages. However,” he paused, a hologram hovered above the table, the lights dimmed, it showed a seated man being beheaded by an unknown shadow at his back, “-it also means, when one dies in the shadow, one remains in the shadow, buried and forgotten.”
“Ha-ha,” Freedie chuckled, “-threats, been a while since someone’s dared point a weapon at me,” in a blink, he vaulted over the table and had a rapier millimeter from Igna’s eyeball.
“-Good attempt,” said Igna nonchalantly, “-weapons of this caliber won’t do much harm,” he caught the blade almost as quickly as the man vaulted, the grip tightened into bending the straight-line, “-kindly retake thy place.”
‘Freedie’s one of the fastest people in the world,’ wondered Jonny, ‘-I heard about the new King being an army on his own. He didn’t flinch at the attack, I hate to admit it, I would have stood no chance against Freedie if he attacked willingly. The man’s easy to predict, he struck to kill... what are the others thinking?’ he glanced at the table.
“-Right,” the scan ended with Igna’s interjection; “-the little display wasn’t much entertaining. I’m sure I don’t need to explain what my intentions are, what will it be.”
‘He’s going to kill unless we swear fealty to him, and this I mean, will require us to give our everything... We willingly walked into a trap, blinded by the title of Ariel group – I thought we were untouchable,’ the scan subconsciously reached the door, ‘-escape?’
“Don’t think of escaping,” thundered the king, “-time waits for no one, and I haven’t the patience grant to unresolve weaklings.”
“Boy...” a murderous aura rose from his left side, “-my answer is final, for the disrespect you’ve shown to me and my comrades, I swear, I will end you, and your rule,” she fiercely stood, the chair hit the ground, *slash,* a curve of red splattered against the left-wall.
“Pardon me,” said Igna shaking off his hand, “-I accidentally stained my hands,” blood dripped drop his fingernails, the body dropped noiselessly, *Souls of the dead, thee who’ve sworn to serve me in life and death, come to my side. Blood-Arts: Ghouls Requiem.* an orb of red flickered into the air, *Once living now dead. O’ thee who’ve lost thine life to mine blade, thee who held regrets in the mortal world, I grant thee a chance at life. Be one with those who are to serve me, Blood-Arts: Ghoul Revival,* the corpse rose anew, paler to the prior self, empty behind its glance, the orb was forced into the wrinkled forehead, “-l-l-l-let m-m-me g-g-go,” it pleaded.
“No,” he shrugged, *snap,* a black-portal summoned, “-éclair, I’m sending the first of five, it’s the maid, extract her soul and incorporate her knowledge into our system,” off the earpiece and into the fray, “-time moves, what will it be?” the stare settled.
“Killing her wasn’t impressive,” voiced Freedie in a shaky tone, ‘-I’m a billionaire, I’m worth more than these peasants. I have absolute power, I can get whatever I want, nothing matters. I won’t be scared, father said I’m one of the chosen bunch to lead this pitiful world, without me, it’ll all crumble. My name’s Freedie, everyone must bow down and worship me.’
“You’re not worth my time,” said Igna, “-the Mek dynasty is worthless compared to us. To prove so,” a display materialized yet again, this time, the prices of Weklo’s was in full-swing – the graph showed a pretty nice, green-colored curve, “-the brand seems to be doing well,” he tapped and the price dropped.
“What are you doing?”
“Nothing much,” he shrugged, “-I had a few of my men fly around the world to various shareholders your company is so proud of. Investors are in as long as there’s a benefit – as for Welko’s. well, let’s say I can drop the brand off the face of the earth.”
“You jest,” he laughed, “-no way a single person has so much influence.”
“Right,” he tapped the earlobe, “-éclair, sorry to bother again, kindly kill off Weklo’s prices, they’ve outstayed their welcome.”
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