Imperial Chancellor Timur waited for the council members to slow in their discussion on current day matters. A tension rose the air, each member now anticipating the upcoming conflict that would occur when the first Shogun and Daimyo bounty gets released for the first time in years. Anticipation of rebellion from the Clan of Venerers would be only the starting point, as the Auditors, the instigators of the contract, would also face backlash, regardless of the objective criterion for instigating the hunt.

  “And what of the involvement from the Valkyries? Do you think they’ll just sit idly by? It’s clear they have involvement in this matter,” one councilwoman said, standing from her seat.

  Another councilman clasped his fingers together, elbows on the table, “Was their involvement not simply because of the Brusk events occuring while they were present in Necronova? They have always been opportunists, and though they may seek more information about the two brothers, I doubt they would trace the brothers actions to our folly all those years ago.”

  “You really believe that? After our confirmation of the death of Tor? The same Tor, mind you, who had relocated the first heart into the underground? What if this gets out into the open? Won’t our actions be taken in a negative light? People will question why we have an entire battalion stationed here,” a third councilman retorted, an older gentlemen whose hair was graying at the edges.

  “Now, now,” Timur stated, speaking calmly, “let’s not fret over the hypotheticals. We are simply doing our duty as citizens of this great city, and no one could blame us for taking precautions. We are, after all, bound by the law to report high-priority violations should it become apparent. The Trepidor brothers violated the pact of neutrality passed under Necronova’s jurisdiction. We are simply doing our due diligence.”

  “But-,” the councilwoman began.

  “Additionally,” Timur said, cutting her off, “I have one of my best investigators looking into the matter now. She is very near finding what we have been searching for all these years.”

  “What?” the third councilman, named Elias, questioned. “How can you be sure?”

  “Her resume speaks for itself. Phantasma had never failed a single mission since she began. You all know this. Additionally, she has…a lead. A third-party of unexpected origin has recently been searching for a particular village in the underground. The Guardian’s village. She’s heading there with them as we speak, and if her instincts are correct, as they always have been, we might find the heart located there after all.”

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  “How does she know?” the councilwoman, Diana pressed.

  “Because the person she…replaced, was a Valkyrie informant, one that seemed suggest the Valkyries know more than they’re letting on, and that this new third party is the key to helping them find what we have been searching for, for quite some time.”

  The council members relaxed, some resting back in their seats. “If you’re right, Timur,” Elias began, “we maybe able to salvage years of ruined reputation after all. By the way, who is this third party?”

  “It is-”

  Just then, an attendant opened the door to the hall, “I apologize for the interruption, but this is an urgent matter I must relay to the Daijo-Daijin.”

  Timur, amused at the timing, waved the attendant in. “Come in. What is it you wish to say?”

  Timid, the attendant, walked close within earshot, speaking only for the Imperial Chancellor to hear, “Sir, there’s word from the lower levels, that the Blackbird has infiltrated the towers. He says he wants to speak to the council.”

  Timurs eyes widened. He was not expecting this. Why him? Why here? Did information leak about his plans regarding the Trepidor Brothers? His investigations?

  No…never good to assume. Too many variables factor against that idea.

  However, the Blackbird wouldn’t have come here unless he known something was up.

  Thinking, Timur started putting the pieces together. Phantasma said that the Valkyries were to guide Blackbird members into the Night Market…perhaps, their affiliation is more than Timur had given credit for.

  The two men whom Alokar mentioned…Timur did follow up with Alokar and found the descriptions of one of the men to match his memory of a particular BlackBird member. However, that wasn’t enough for surety on this matter. Who was the other person? Assuming the Blackbirds were involved…things would make more sense. They are Lucens Mundi residents after all, deeply tied to the Night Market since its early days. Additionally, there have been rumors that an Augmentor who looked like the Blackbird was roaming around the festival in Ecreville during the Brusk incident.

  Aligned goals between Divisions of the Clan of Venerers wasn’t unheard of, but the Blackbird’s presence here couldn’t be explained unless he had a knowledge source that far exceeded what their Division was capable of. The only other division with that much intel, was…the Valkyries.

  They’re working together, Timur thought, and began to stand up. It had to be.

  “What is it, Timur,” Elias asked. The other council members were looking at him.

  “Something urgent came up that I need to attend to,” Timur said. “Please continue your meeting as is without me.”

  The attendant began to speak up, “But what about-”

  Timur placed a hand on his shoulder, staring daggers, shutting him up. He leaned in, whispering to the attendant, “I shall meet with the Blackbird personally. You are not to inform the others until I give the word.”

  The attendant nodded nervously, eyeing the other members of the council quickly, before turning his head away, following the Daijo-Daijin out of the room.

  Timur, plagued by thoughts, needed to confront this new variable, and needed to find out just exactly how the Valkyries knew what they were planning.