"What is the meaning of this Shura?" A voice among them demanded.
The woman simply smiled. Her smile tugged at her lips as she tilted her head to the side 'innocently. There was nothing innocent about this smile. It showed she was willing to do anything for things to go her way. A smile the members of the Elder's Council learned to be cautious of.
"I've no idea what you're talking about, sir."
The old man knew, experienced how dangerous this woman could be when crossed, and yet he still retorted. Brave, or foolish, the man would ponder much later on.
"Don't play a fool with me-" The woman, known as Shura rose a brow; he had the nerve to raise his voice now, did he?-"You have the nerve to come here and demand we create a new guild! There are more than enough wizards running around rampant already!"
"Are you so sure about that?" The elder who didn't look like an Elder questioned softly, as subtle as the most dangerous poison,"The city of Ambia has higher criminal records than most."
"Another guild can take care of that little nuisance." Another stated.
"We are already stretched thin enough," She cut in, yellow eyes only adding to her cat-like smile,"It would be difficult than it already is.
"I agree."
With this the defending woman smiled. One had consented. Good. Already, things were going as she had planned.
"There is no point of stretching out our guilds if someone is willing to help by creating another."
"But how do we know that this guild will be strong! It will most likely shut down after a few months," One shouted from the crowd.
"Do you doubt me so?" Her smile widened, on the edges of a grin,"I would make sure my guild will succeed. They will be among the strongest, soon enough."
"So much faith in mages you haven't even met, Shura."
"I call it a hunch more than faith."
A long silence followed. The woman called it a hunch. All knew not to underestimate such things. She was their Prophet after all.
"Very well."
The white haired beauty remained still, yellow eyes like crescents. There was a catch. There always was.
"On one condition.
Her jaw tightened. And there it was.
"Which is...?"
Spit it out already, you old coot!
No one dared point out such a rudeness coming from the woman.
"You have seven months to gather fifteen mages, five of which are S- rank.
"Five S-ranks? One alone is hard enough to come by!"
"Consider this as motivation for completing this." And then he grinned smugly, revealing his disgustingly decayed teeth.
Her lips curled up in a subtle sneer. It would have gone unnoticed, if not for the malice glimmering, shining, in those damned yellow eyes of hers.
She was set up for failure and they all knew it.
And she smiled once more. This was a challenge. A challenge she'd be damned to deny. The opportunity was too good to let pass.
"Very well, I accept."
A bespectacled man stepped forward, away from the shadows and into the light "Come with me, Miss."
"Of course."
The pair exited, both aware of the stares of malice and interest and curiosity and so much more following them outside. So pointed, the stares seemed to drill even through the thick door.
Shura smirked. Elders sure were funny things, weren't they?
The future guild was a beautiful place, as beautiful as it was large. Fine white tiles decorated the palace like structure. Only the smallest hints of lavenders and violets could be seen.
A Triquetra was imprinted above the doorway, a symbol respected among most mages,especially those who resided in guilds, simply because of the fact it resembled that everything was connected to something, bad or good or simply inbetween, much like their magic.
The man beside her straightened his posture and stood upright, just in time as the Elder glanced at him, her eyes seeming to pierce his very soul.
"Hmmm..."
Was all she hummed before gliding passed and into the newly formed guild. She didn't have to turn around to note his scowl.
"What is the cost for this place?"
"I'll write the bill immediately."
She nodded and smiled softly. He was a truly handsome male, seeming to come from noble lineage. That wasn't the case however, seeing as he worked under the Elder's Council. Most snobby rich people preferred not working under other snobby rich people, last she checked.
And then there was the fact that she didn't know any noble who resided here with a son so young and so handsome. Only one person she knew had a son, and a daughter. Now she vaguely wondered just how that man was doing. Last she heard, his wife had run away, for one reason or another. But this was not the point. The point was that he seemed too yougnt o have such a high ranking job.
"Excuse me, young sir, just how old are you?"
"Nineteen."
He hadn't looked up from the estimates, not yet anyways.
"Oh? Last I checked, to have such a job, you had to be older than 20 and 5 years."
He froze and jerked his head upwards like a deer caught in headlights. She didn't need his answer to know the truth.
"I see."
She swept herself away.
"W-wait, where are you going?!"
"To inform the elders of such a treachery of course."
"It's not that bad, I can explain, really?"
She stopped and smiled softly.
"Perhaps I should write a letter instead."
"You don't have to do anything if you would just let me explain-"
"Write this down, dear."
"Of course!"
"Dear, Elder's Council,
It is with great disdain I must inform you of a betrayal among our ranks.-"
"Please stop, My Lady!"
"Shura is fine for now, dear!"
"Shura-sama, please stop!"
"Keep writing!"
Now the lad was looking at her and the letter at a breakneck speed. Yet he still wrote.
"H-hai!"
"This person- ah what is your name-"
"Mako Vermont!"
"I see. Mako Vermont has lied about his age, and while this may seem like a small matter, it leads me to wonder what else he may be lying about. I insist he get no job, from cleaning our streets to protecting our lands. He shall be thrown in the dungeon, or perhaps exile for such treachery-"
"Don't you think you're exaggerating a little?!"
"Am I really?"
"Yes!"
"Hmm... Anyhow-"
"Stop, stop, I'll do anything, just please...!"
The purple haired lad dropped to his very knees, head bowed and hands on the floor.
"Anything, you say?"
"Yes." That voice was barely above even a whisper now.
"Keep, writing, lad." Her voice was barely above a whisper, a low murmur, It wasn't pit, not exactly, for she had learned long ago to never pity others. It was as close to that as she could get.
A long, defeated sigh and then, "Yes, Shura-sama."
"I'm afraid however, I will not be sending this letter, for it is against my morals to sell out my guild members.
Signed, Shura of the Elder's council."
His writing slowed and purple eyes gazed up at her in amazement.
"Really?"
"Yes. Though, I have to wonder why you would take such a risk to take a job under your circumstances."
"You see, I-"
"Questions will be answered later, for now, I want you to settle down, and retrieve these siblings of yours."
"How did you know about my-"
"All in due time, my dear."
"Of course."
"Now then, I want you to go quit this job of yours, and we will discuss these matters on a later date."
"And if they refuse?"
"I will handle them, darling."
And that was that.
...
Or was it?
"Before we leave, where do you want your guild mark to be placed?"
"I don't know quite yet."
"I'll have to warn you, that spot is a bit more sensitive, so it would be best to put it in a place more private."
"I... see."
Then, she winked.
"But try not to make it too private, okay?"
"E-eh?!"
Laughter and spluttering could be heard before the scene ends.
