Zeref crossed the imposing doors of a luxurious office.
The atmosphere was solemn, tinged with a certain tension mixed with mystery.
An elegant woman sat behind the solid wooden desk.
Her penetrating gaze scrutinized the newcomer as she gestured for him to take a seat on one of the plush leather armchairs.
In an almost palpable silence, Zeref sat comfortably, maintaining his enigmatic aura.
The woman gracefully rose and headed towards a dark wooden cabinet in the corner of the office.
With expert hands, she opened the doors and retrieved a bottle of whisky, along with two crystal glasses sparkling.
Without a word, she handed one of the glasses to Zeref, who accepted it with a barely perceptible nod.
The air crackled with electricity.
"Ice cubes?" she offered.
"No, thank you. Ice cubes have never been my preference," the man replied in a calm, icy voice.
A faint smirk formed on the woman's lips.
"Ah, I gather you're trying to play tough, my dear..." she said persuasively.
Without waiting for a response, she delicately poured the whisky into Zeref's glass, offering him this precious liquid without pretense.
Zeref brought the glass to his lips, savoring the richness and complexity of the drink, then gracefully placed the glass on the coffee table.
The woman, determined to satisfy her own preferences, poured herself a glass, letting the ice cubes clink loudly in the crystal.
As she sat back down, the two occupants of the office remained silent, intensely studying each other.
With an enigmatic smile on her lips, the woman observed Zeref in his black suit sipping his whisky with a mixture of curiosity and satisfaction.
"Does this whisky please your palate?" she asked him in a soft, measured voice.
Zeref, after taking another sip, delicately placed his glass on the table and fixed the woman with an intense gaze.
"Are you going to keep me waiting long before enjoying the real whisky?" he retorted in a deep, assured voice.
A slight smile appeared on the woman's face.
Without saying another word, she stood up and left the luxurious office, inviting Zeref to follow her.
Zeref rose as well and followed her lead.
They passed through a row of bookshelves that mysteriously opened to reveal a hidden door behind them.
The woman pushed open this door, and they entered a new room.
The room was a true sanctuary, imbued with an enchanting and mysterious ambiance.
When Zeref crossed the threshold, he was greeted by semi-darkness, where only a few dim lights filtered through the velvet curtains covering the windows.
The walls of the room, painted in a dark emerald green, were adorned with ancient wooden shelves filled with old books with faded edges.
The volumes were arranged with striking precision, creating perfect symmetry and visual harmony.
In the center of the room, a large solid wood table stood majestically.
The seats arranged around the table were all different, each with its own style.
Some were leather, others red velvet, while still others were carved wood with floral motifs.
Scented candles were lit here and there, diffusing an enchanting fragrance into the air, amplifying the mystical aspect of the room.
The atmosphere was both calm and electric, creating a fragile balance between tranquility and excitement.
The ancient stone floor was covered with Oriental rugs, with complex and colorful patterns.
The walls were adorned with enigmatic paintings and ancient mirrors, reflecting the candlelight and creating an illusion of infinite depth.
The woman graciously invited Zeref to take a seat on one of the chairs, specifically indicating the one he was to occupy: a simple-looking seat without adornment, unlike the others.
Zeref sat calmly, adjusting his black suit with elegance.
The woman then approached him, carrying a pair of glasses in her hands.
"Put them on, they are essential for what comes next," she murmured, handing him the glasses.
Without hesitation, Zeref took the glasses and placed them on his face.
The woman pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, then put on a pair of glasses herself, and settled into her own seat: a red velvet one.
She then lightly touched a specific part of the table in front of her.
Subsequently, the landscape around them became entirely dark, with only the seats and tables remaining visible.
The additional anomaly was that the initially empty seats now had an individual seated in each of them.
What was initially just the woman and the man had become a gathering of eight.
"I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long, my dear colleagues," the woman addressed the newly appeared assembly.
"Stop playing the polite woman," intervened one of the members with an eagle mask and a feminine voice. "Just say why you called this meeting. You know very well that I hate being in your company, even virtually."
"I'm sorry to disappoint you," said the woman. "I thought you would at least be glad to see me again."
"You're wasting our time, Pilar," retorted the member with the eagle mask in a bored tone.
The woman pretended to sigh sadly, then turned her gaze to Zeref.
"Anyway, I've brought you quite a good specimen," she announced. "Turns out he wanted to meet you himself. Given his identity and the contributions he has made over the past five months, I took the liberty of granting his wish."
"Stop acting like you're the one who made this meeting happen," another member with a serpent mask and a masculine voice intervened.
All eyes then turned to Zeref, who remained silent.
All the members wore masks, except for the woman and Zeref.
"Are you indeed Vylrald Grimwald, the Plague of the Western Land?" asked the member with the eagle mask. "Or are you just an opportunist using his identity?"
"Since Pilar confirmed his identity, it can only be the real one," another member with a bear mask and a masculine voice retorted. "The real question is why he has reappeared and under his real name, although he has at least taken care to change his face."
"You said you wanted to meet us," another member with a tiger mask and a masculine voice interjected. "Here we are before you. What does the Plague of the Western Land have to do with our guild and us?"
At his question, all eyes intensified on Zeref, awaiting his response.
Zeref then opened his mouth.
"I'm rather surprised that you believe my identity despite the differing appearance," he said, slightly surprised.
"Pilar confirmed your identity, and that's enough for us," the member with the bear mask retorted. "Unless you're suggesting that you're not the real one?"
"No," refuted Zeref. "I just prepared myself a bit to provide evidence of my identity to you. I find it regrettable that you believe me so easily."
"Can you now tell us what brought you to want to meet us?" another member with a cat mask and a feminine voice asked. "I dare to believe it wasn't just a whim on your part."
"The desire to meet you indeed wasn't just a whim," Zeref calmly replied. "If I wanted to meet you, it's because we're bargaining."
At these words, a slight silence ensued.
"Pilar, can you explain to us?" the member with the eagle mask then asked, breaking the silence.
Questioned, the woman, Pilar, shrugged.
"I wasn't informed either," she replied calmly. "I'm as intrigued as you are."
The member with the tiger mask then spoke, turning to Zeref: "Can we know what you mean by bargaining?"
Zeref smiled.
"It's just as the very definition of the term," he retorted.
"And what do you intend to bargain with us?" the member with the serpent mask asked in turn.
Zeref first looked at each of the present members before returning his gaze to the member with the serpent mask who was questioning him.
"Zion," he solemnly declared thereafter.