Chapter 254 – Floor 49: Part 3

  In a room at the top of a skyscraper, a gathering was taking place.

  The space was vast and open, with only the exterior walls separating those inside from the night outside. The walls were made of blackened glass that reflected the city below and prevented prying eyes from watching what was happening.

  A long crimson rug stretched across the marble floor like a bloodstain; its fibres were lush and soft enough to muffle the sound of footsteps. The marble was black and polished to a mirror sheen. The lighting was dim and deliberate, and it cast deep shadows onto stone plinths that held relics of importance to the Clan.

  There was an iron mask with hollow eyes, a shattered goblet crusted with darkened stains and a single rose encased in crystal, untouched by time.

  At the far end of the room, three figures stood together in a loose formation, their presence so commanding that everything in the room seemed to bend toward them. These were the Grand Elders of the Clan of Exaltis that resided in the City, representatives who had been in the New World since its founding centuries ago.

  Adelaide walked beside and slightly in front of Mathew. Her movements were fluid and deliberate, and if she felt any unease at being in the presence of such august figures, she hid it well. As they neared the three Grand Elders, even Mathew was affected by them.

  Their power was beyond compare, and the tiny bit of ‘Aura’ that Mathew had obtained was like a candle’s light against the brilliance of the sun. He understood that if they ordered him to do something, he would follow their orders without hesitation.

  The air practically vibrated with energy; it warped around the trio like gravity pulling everything toward them. They were both majestic and terrifying, and Mathew felt equal parts reverence and dread as he came to a stop in front of them.

  Adelaide had introduced them to Mathew on the elevator ride up, but her description paled in comparison to the reality of standing before them. Their eyes pierced his flesh and stared into his soul, dissecting him and weighing what they found with a critical eye.

  It felt like being in front of the Celestials again. These Grand Elders were almost as alien as Lunara, despite their origins being human. They had each lived for millennia, separated from humanity and only interacting with their own kind.

  The first Grand Elder was a woman, Cassandra, who stood on the left of the trio. She was beautiful and physically perfect, a trait shared by every member of clan Exaltis. Her platinum blond hair fell to her waist and framed a delicate face. Her eyes were a pale blue, and when matched with her pale skin and hair, it made her appear drained of colour.

  Cassandra radiated an aura of cold and frost; her presence felt like the moon in the night sky, out of reach and uncaring of events that occurred below her. She wore a white gown as if she refused to taint herself with any colour at all.

  To the right stood Lila, who was a stark contrast to Cassandra. Her beauty was darker, richer and more primeval. Her long, jet-black hair was done up into an elaborate bun where diamonds hung like stars in the night sky. Her brown eyes were warm, and they matched her bright red lips, which were smiling at him.

  Standing between the two women was the only man amongst the Grand Elders, Gabriel. He was classically handsome, like a statue carved by a master artisan. His dark, auburn hair was tied back, and his long beard was styled into an elaborate braid.

  Mathew and Adelaide approached the trio, their footsteps muted by the thick, red rug. The air seemed to grow heavier with each step they took, and the expectation of a new Initiate in the Clan was almost physical.

  It was at this moment that the ‘Buzz’ made a reappearance. The headache struck like a bolt of lightning, splitting his skull. It wasn’t the throbbing ache that he was accustomed to in the past; this was a crushing force that pulsed with an erratic rhythm. His vision blurred at the edges, and dark tendrils crept across his sight.

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  The sensation radiated through his temples and coiled around the base of his skull, warning him of an undeniable fact. This trio of beings were powerful, far beyond anything he was ready to face. He wasn’t sure how they compared to himself before he arrived here and was stripped of all his abilities, but it didn’t really matter.

  Mathew was on his own in this world, with nothing but the power given by the Discipline he had chosen. He was forced to grit his teeth and curl his fingers into fists in order to stay upright. If the Trio noticed his discomfort, they didn’t mention it.

  Perhaps they knew how they would affect those who were so much lesser than themselves that came into their presence, and they just didn’t care.

  Lila was the first to speak, her voice low and smooth.

  “You’ve brought him, Adelaide. Good.” Lila stated, her smile widening as her eyes wandered over every inch of Mathew’s face and body. Evidently, she liked what she saw.

  “Far sooner than was expected. The Blood approves.” Cassandra added while tilting her head slightly to the side, her icy gaze locking onto Mathew’s as if she could pull the secret of his quick adaptation from him with just eyes.

  “As do I. This one is more than adequate. He is ready for a Task.” Gabriel said as he nodded his head in approval.

  Adelaide tensed slightly beside Mathew, and he doubted anyone but himself noticed. Her expression betrayed nothing, and she remained steady as the trio of Grand Elders looked on. She gave the faintest nod toward Gabriel, an acknowledgment that carried the weight of millennia of tradition.

  “Find something appropriate for the Initiate.” Gabriel continued, his eyes narrowing as he looked toward Adelaide. Then, his attention snapped back to Mathew, and the weight of that gaze was like a physical force. Mathew had to stop himself from taking a step back.

  “I already have an idea. A Task that will test his abilities and his character.” Lila added, smirking as she seemed to taunt Adelaide.

  “Then it is settled, the Initiate will rise or fall by their own merit.” Cassandra finished, gesturing with her hand in a clear sign of dismissal to the pair.

  Mathew followed Adelaide out of the room, wishing that he still had access to his levels and Blessings; at least then, the ‘Buzz’ would stop trying to split his head open. It wasn’t until the elevator doors closed and they were heading towards the lower section of the building that the pain started to fade.

  “You did well. Many Initiates shame themselves when they meet the Grand Elders. They find it amusing, more so when the weakest perish under their presence.” Adelaide praised, turning her head slightly in order to see Mathew clearly.

  “If looks could kill.” Mathew responded dryly, the last remnants of the migraine finally fleeing, leaving him clear-headed.

  “But you endured it. They will respect that, which is why Lila herself will give you your Task.” Adelaide continued as the elevator came to a stop and deposited the pair back where they had started, the floor that contained Mathew’s room.

  The Elder joined him as he walked down the hall toward his apartment.

  “What do you think it will be?” Mathew asked. He felt drained, even though the meeting only took a few minutes. He needed to rest and recuperate. Now that he didn’t have access to his inventory and its supply of potions and other curatives, he needed to be much more cautious.

  “It will likely be a task related to one of our many business ventures. Not anything too strenuous or important, you’re still far too young and untested to be trusted with anything more than that. Do not take it lightly, Mathew. Most Initiates don’t survive their first year.” Adelaide warned.

  “I’ll be careful.”

  Page Break

  It was a few hours later when he received the task. It came through a cell phone given to him by Adelaide. It was strange; everything he had had come from his Elder, and he wasn’t used to relying on someone else.

  Even the clothes he wore, a smart suit in black with a white shirt and black tie, had come in a package left at his door, along with a closet full of other, similar clothing. He didn’t even question the fact that it was perfectly tailored, his Elder evidently had a critical eye for his fit.

  Reading the message as he closed the door, Mathew rode the elevator to the ground floor.

  The task centred on Eden, a nightclub on the Lower East Side. Apparently, it was an asset of the Exaltis Clan that was responsible for laundering large amounts of their money. The message didn’t say what activities they were involved in that required that service, but Mathew didn’t question it.

  There were discrepancies in the club’s finances, small and subtle things that barely drew attention and didn’t require interference by the Clan’s elite, making it a perfect task for a newcomer like Mathew. He needed to find the source of the problems, whether it was incompetence or betrayal, and deal with it.

  Adelaide had warned him before she left that this wasn’t just an errand; it was a test of his abilities and character. The Elders were watching, and he needed to conduct himself correctly during any task the Clan gave him if he wanted to survive.

  Putting the phone in the inside pocket of his jacket, Mathew entered the cab waiting out front.

  Chapter 316 – Floor 99: Part 3