A day of investigation had led C-6-367 here, standing in a manse whose furnishing spoke of the wealth of the person who once lived here. Now however the tower alchemists had claimed it as their own, using it as a temporary base as they scoured the town.
C-6-367 observed the various alchemist present, some pretended to be performing some duties as they kept an eye on him from the corner of their eyes. Whilst the others, the ones who had yet to comprehend the glaring weakness of an alchemist brazenly stared at him.
He could make out the preparations they made under their robes, whilst they thought him oblivious to their actions.
He had been here a few minutes when he heard them, the sound of heels coming in contact with the polished stone of the steps. Each step grew louder and louder as their owner drew close, appearing before him, C-6-367 took in her appearance.
From first appearance she seemed like any other middle aged lady, her brown hair tied into a braided bun behind her. She did not wear robes like the other alchemist present, but rather a striking emerald green dress that went down to her ankles. The dress bore no embellishments, and yet the simplicity of it still screamed wealth in a way the Gladius had to confess he truly did not understand.
However the lack of the expected alchemist robe caused C-6-367 to tense under his armor, the tower alchemist were strict with their ranking. With the lowest rank, their initiates wearing plain grey robes once they had proven themselves in their field they gained robes of varied colors and so it went up the ranks with their robes determining their ranks. However at the top of the tower sat the most powerful alchemists.
Each of them holding as much power individually as the great houses of the crownlands.
The alchemist had arrived at the bottom of the stairs looking at the Gladius with a warm smile that did not reach her eyes. "Hello, I am the Magistra Matilda of the tower. And leader of the alchemist here, I hear you requested an audience with me".
Matilda introduced herself with her voice measured as she interlocked her fingers before her abdomen, with her left thumb resting upon the golden signet ring that lay upon her right index finger.
"I'm here on an assignment, and you have information that can aid with said assignment." the cold unfeeling metallic voice resounded from the armor.
"Is that so? very well ask away I am curious as to what you say I possess"
"Recently you and your alchemists engaged in a battle with the members of the scarlet church, I believe you may have clues as to what might have happened to the boy."
"The child is it?" Matilda moved closer before continuing, "and what interest do you have with this child. After all if I am to answer questions it seems only fair that you answer a few of my own does it not?"
A minute silence passed between the two before Matilda broke the silence with another question. "What do the star folk want with the boy?"
"Someone commissioned the boy's return"
"Commissioned, hm" Matilda gave a nod seemingly satisfied with the answer she had received and began to retreat. "As to your question do you believe my people would scour this town if we knew where the cultist and the child had gone?"
"I believe you are the one who led the charge, and the one who has the best clue amongst all present as to what happened that night" C-6-367 pressed on, closing the distance Matilda had created between them in but a few strides, until he was mere inches away from her.
His actions caused a reaction from the alchemist present but they all came to a halt as Matilda held up her hand. "Not to worry Gladius, I will do my best to recall the events of said night, after all we all want the same thing. The safety of the child."
Having said that Matilda motioned for him to walk with her, and as they made their way through the manse and into the gardens, Matilda stayed true to her word.
.....
Watching the Gladius leave the manse after obtaining the information it wanted, her smile disappeared to be replaced by a cold hard look on her face. "Lucas, continue to keep a close eye on the Gladius and his companion. Inform me of any developments, I'll be in my office. No one is to disturb me for the next few minutes."
"Understood Magistra" the red robed alchemist next to her nodded his head before leaving her side and allowing her to return to her office.
Once in her office she brought out some Kultrop and began to lay an array that spanned the entirety of her office. The task had taken her nearly twenty minutes, but once done she pulled out what looked to be a glass candle and placed it at the center of the array which just happened to be at her desk.
Once this was done she sat before it and pulled out her lighter which possessed the symbol of the tower and lit the candle.
With the candle lit, the world seemed to fade away as Matilda found herself in an empty void with nothing but a dark sea that seemed to go on forever. Sparring the great expanse before her but a glance, she began to move forward creating ripples upon the sea with each step.
As her steps continued, the ripples were not the only thing that came to be. Massive pillars of stone simply manifested from nothing before setting themselves around her, with another step, tiles of pure marble appeared beneath her feet and and began to form a floor.
As she took another step all sorts of flora that seemed to shimmer with a radiant glow, statues were next magnificent works of art that no mortal hands could dare to sculpt emerged from the floor beneath to take their place. Through the courtyard that had come into being, Matilda continued her journey her rhythm unbroken.
Marble pathways led her to the center of the courtyard. where a set of steps allowed for her to reach an elevated platform. As she scaled these steps a dome fell from the very void above her and created a ceiling through which light shone.
And with the halt of her steps, six thrones rose from the marbled floor. With one emerging right behind her, allowing for her to take a seat.
As she sat upon her throne, there were 5 flashes of light as 5 others appeared each seated upon a throne.
"Fellow Magisters, we have a problem".