Approximately half an hour after the Duke of Bloodust's demise, the council reconvened.
This time, the countenances of all the extraordinary beings no longer bore the serenity they had displayed earlier.
"So, how exactly did he perish?" inquired the Duke of Wyvern, his visage grim as he interlaced his fingers. "Osius, were you able to reconstruct the events?"
Osius, the leader of the organization known as the Path of Transcendence and a renowned fifth-stage extraordinary being in the empire, shook his head solemnly. "Regrettably, the Duke of Bloodust's soul has been utterly shattered, leaving naught behind."
"The assassin's subsequent measures were remarkably adept. I managed to detect only faint residual shadow element fluctuations, leaving us bereft of other clues, though we might be able to trace from this point. The sole certainty is that Odelia, that traitor, was also involved."
"Merely a traitor?"
