Solar Mage

Chapter 18: Arcanus Cult

The room is dark, with only a single blue candle. Six hooded figures with dark robes gather around a long table with seven seats with one hoodless man wearing a smiling black demon mask and robes lined by gold sitting at the head of it.

The room would be in complete silence had it not been disrupted by the hooded figure at the end of the table's constant laughter. The others sit in silence, waiting for someone to talk.

The hooded figure sitting at the opposite end of the table stares at the man with the demon mask from across the table intensely before being overtaken by their impatience and curiosity.

"So... why have you gathered us here, Cult Leader?"

The laughing figure's face is shown in the light. He is skinny, pale, and has long, messy, dark yellow hair, and blood red eyes.

"Kekeke- V-vanessa, you sh- shouldn't speak t-to the leader like that. It's r- rude. kekeke-"

Vanessa comes into the blue light. She has the face of a young beauty, crimson red hair and eyes just like the laughing man. She angrily snaps back at him.

"Shut up! No one is saying anything and I'm tired of listening to your disgusting laughter. I would've happily continued sitting in silence had it not been for you! And I don't remember giving you permission to call me by my name, Mad Reaper.

"Kekeke, it's not something I can control Crimson Demoness, kekeke."

The hooded figure sitting at the right hand of the cult leader suddenly interrupts their argument.

"Enough. Do not forget you are in the presence of the Cult Leader."

Crimson Demoness bares her fangs.

"Don't tell me what to do, old man. Why don't you hurry up and retire already so I can take your spot?"

"Kekeke, are you two going to fight?"

The man with the black demon mask raises his hand and all three of them become silent.

"I have finished conversing with the demons. I won't apologize for wasting your time because the only person who's time matters is me."

The room stays silent and the reaper and demoness retreat back into the darkness, back into their seats.

The man with the demon mask continues.

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"You must be wondering why I've summoned you. The person we planted into the Church of Pyro, Agon is dead."

A hooded figure speaks and decides to continue hiding his face.

"How is that possible? We gave him the voodoo brothers! They were both seventh circle mages! Could it be- has that bastard Dustin finally snapped and decided to kill everyone? I didn't know he had it in him."

"That's not the case, but the reason why he died was more worrying. He tried revealing our secrets and died from the curse we put on him."

Mad Reaper speaks.

"Kekeke, I-I knew that b-bastard couldn't be trusted, kekeke. You were the one who invited him to join us."

He points at the hooded figure sitting at the left hand of the demon mask but they continue to stay silent.

The right hand releases his killing intent.

"We're in the presence of the Cult Leader. Don't act out otherwise,"

He grabs the handle of the silver greatsword, twice as large as his giant stature.

"heads will start flying. I won't repeat it a third time."

"Kekeke, my bad, my bad, kekeke."

He retreats back to the darkness once again as he continues his maniacal laughter.

Suddenly, a killing intent even greater than the right hand is released from the direction of the demon mask.

"But even that. Was not all."

Several hooded figures begin shaking.

"An Apostle of the cowardly goddess who ran away from our master has appeared."

"Then we must kill him immediately."

The left hand says.

"And the identity of the Apostle is Arthur Ventrike."

"Ventrike?"

The hooded figure's surprise quickly turns to gloom.

The Crimson Demoness signs

"Sigh- what a shame that we have to kill a talent like him. I heard he was quite the looker too."

"Kekeke, what a shame indeed. I would've taken him in as my disciple if he had joined us, kekeke."

She is annoyed.

"Dream on you crazy bastard. Right hand, what are the chances that he would join us now?"

"Zero Percent. Truly a shame. Perhaps in his next life, he may turn to the correct path."

The Cult Leader speaks.

"Now that we have that out of the way, who would like to go kill him?"

The Crimson Demoness cheerfully raises her hand.

"I'll do it!"

The other executives grumble.

"Anyone else?"

She jumps out of her seat.

"Wait, why can't I do it? Do you not trust me? How could I be seduced by a man, I am the one who does the seducing."

"I am not one to take risks, Demoness. You are the least trustable in this situation as well as the weakest of us. You will back off from this mission that is an order."

She returns back to her seat, her displeasure of the situation could be felt from the killing intent she unknowingly released.

"I ask again, is there anyone else who would like to volunteer.

There is no response.

"... Who would like to send their subordinate?"

There is no response.

He turns to the man sitting to his left hand.

"Gaston, since you were the one who proposed the idea, why don't you take care of it?"

He doesn't respond.

"You have a kid around his age who goes to the same academy right? Tell him to become friends with him, make sure he makes one last effort to have Arthur join us. If he doesn't then, just tell your son to poison Arthur. Simple right?"

"You are all dismissed."

Three of the hooded figures start chanting as the two swordsmen, other than the right hand, begin to get up to walk out the door.

One of the hooded figures stops as the demon mask speaks to them.

"And Crimson Demoness, if you ever question my orders ever again... you won't be able to finish your question."

"... I will keep that in mind, Cult Leader."

The swordsmen have already left the room and the other mages have already disappeared.

She makes a face of rage after turning away and continues chanting her spell before disappearing in a puff of flames.

There is silence for a moment between the demon mask and his right hand.

"Tell the watchers to keep heavy surveillance on her. If she does anything suspicious, tell them to kill her immediately. I have no need for a dog that bites its owner."

"Understood, Cult Leader."

The right hand says before fading into an after image and disappearing.

The Cult Leader is the only one left in the room and the candle wax burns thin.

"Right on time."

He says before taking off his mask and revealing his black hair and red eyes.

Then, a candle blows out.