The house was filled with a cacophony of laughter.
Several people surrounded the dining table, feasting as Eleanor served them, her face was pale as she had stressed herself out in the kitchen.
She had received help from her older and younger sisters when they arrived, she had long worn herself out.
Riley was sitting on the other end of the table listening to the chatting and bickering of the family members, the more he listened and glanced at Robert's mother, the more down casted he became, he felt like he didn't deserve the warmth of this family— although he had received his mothers forgiveness, it did not feel real, his heart felt heavy.
After a while, he tactfully excused himself, he didn't really enjoy the family dinner, after all they were all strangers to him.
He was basically eating with a bunch of strangers, whom he knew nothing about, and who thought they knew him not knowing the person they knew had long being replaced.
Riley fell on his bed, and fell asleep in a matter of seconds.
He suddenly found himself in the dregs, standing before his bleeding mother, he saw himself standing opposite her, looking at her with cold indifference.
Riley who was in spirit form wanted to rush and give himself a good beating, but he discovered he had been rooted to the ground, he was forced to re-watch the painful memory over and over again until the next day.
Although Riley slept throughout the night, he felt exhausted, but still…
He needed to attend the birthday party, Turner had enlightened him, he knew more about money and how hard it was to earn it.
Turner had also helped him in writing a reply letter to the Abell Family that he had accepted the job.
After the letter was sent, the runes popped up in front of him.
[
Name: Riley Ross,
Nexus Title: Magician[Not permanent]
Nexus Series: Drifter,
Nexus Soul: Awakened,
Nexus Items: [Stifled Breath], [Minchiate cards], [Magician Pistol]…
Minions: -
Attributes: [Dead Time], [Mist Mark], [Doom], [illusion]
]
Riley had earned the title of a magician, and the items he saw in Roberts room had became a Nexus Item, he just had to summon the Magician robe, and he would be a magician, even his face was painted like that of a clown.
Sincerely, Riley was pleased, the trial had removed the stress he had to undergo to paint his face and get dressed as a magician.
Riley checked the time, it was quarter to eight, in the night, the birthday party would start soon or rather a ball party held by the Abell family to celebrate their daughter's birthday.
So he went to the bathroom, washed himself and got dressed, he summoned the black magician suit and hat, took his walking cane, and walked out of the house in a gentlemanly manner.
He got in a carriage, which departed shortly after, heading to ST. VENIS STREET.
Riley was at peace, the system had made using magic easier. With elemental control, he had a little control over natural elements like fire, water, earth and wind, but this attribute was only available when he was dressed as a magician.
The carriage came to a stop in front of the Abell family household, their house was like a manor, it had a spacious compound, and a garden, there were several guest going in and out of the manor, laughing and chatting.
The house was surrounded by guards, a guard was in charge of viewing and confirming the invitation letter each guests presented, Riley presented his invitation letter, and he was allowed to enter by the guard.
Although he was in the 18th century, the Abell compound was beautiful enough to put the most of advance architecture and house designs in the waking world to shame. The house grandeur was only inferior to that of the academy.
Riley was led inside the building by the maids, they passed through a corridor, and after a double door was pushed open.
The moment Riley stepped into the grand ballroom, he was engulfed by the overwhelming splendor that greeted his eyes.
Towering columns lined the periphery of the room, their marble surfaces polished to a gleaming shine, reflecting the golden glow of the numerous chandeliers that hung like glittering jewels from the vaulted ceiling.
Each chandelier was a masterpiece in itself, a cascade of crystal droplets shimmering in the light, casting soft prisms onto the floor.
The ceiling above arched high, adorned with intricate frescoes of mythological figures, painted in rich, vibrant colors that seemed to move in the flickering candlelight.
The air was thick with the scent of lavender and jasmine, a subtle yet intoxicating blend that was no doubt imported and cost a fortune.
Every inch of the room was designed to evoke awe, from the fine silk draperies cascading down the walls in rich, opulent folds of burgundy and gold, to the delicate tapestries depicting scenes of battles, gods, and victory hanging in pride of place.
The floor beneath Riley's feet was a mosaic of polished marble tiles, their colors ranging from soft creams to deep reds, arranged in an intricate pattern that guided guests towards the center of the room, where the dance floor sprawled beneath the grand chandelier's radiance.
Soft music floated through the air, played by a group of musicians positioned discreetly to one side of the room. Their instruments gleamed under the light—the violins and cellos adding a layer of sophistication to the evening.
The melodies they played were light, yet filled the room with a sense of grace and elegance, beckoning guests to dance, but without overwhelming the gentle hum of conversation.
The guests themselves were just as grand as their surroundings. Men dressed in finely tailored suits of dark velvets and silks, their coats adorned with brass buttons and gold embroidery.
They moved with a quiet confidence, their voices low but purposeful, like waves softly lapping against the shore.
The women, in contrast, were a burst of color—lavish gowns of deep emeralds, sapphire blues, and wine reds swirled around them as they glided across the room, their skirts whispering against the floor with every step.
Each woman wore jewels—necklaces that sparkled like stars against the night sky, earrings that dangled delicately from their ears, catching the light with every turn of their heads.
Their faces were carefully painted, lips a deep crimson, and their eyes framed by dark lashes that gave them a mysterious allure.
Despite the beauty of the scene before him, Riley felt out of place. Though no one directly stared at him, he could feel their curious glances—the faint judgment in their eyes as they tried to assess him.
"Mister Mugg… right? A potbellied man walked towards Riley with a professional smile, "I am the Abell family butler, You can call me butler Mill. I am to lead you to the backstage where you can change."
Riley nodded, quickly following the butler, he did want Eleanor to meet him in the party.
Eleanor would soon arrive, she had announced she was the best friend of the celebrant, and she didn't know Riley was also attending the birthday party, Turner had advised him to keep it a secret.
He followed the butler to a separate room, at the back of the stage, there he pretended to change, and quickly summoned his full magician costume, there was nothing different about his dressing, except the pain smeared on his face, painting his face to that of a clown and his red coat.
"That was quick!" the butler squeaked in amusement. "How did you paint your face so fast?"
"A magician never reveal his secret." Riley replied, then he gave the butler a slight bow, as if he had just finished performing.
"When the party full starts, You will be called to perform some magic trick. Everyone had been looking forward to it for a very long time."
'Strange... Why would there be a magic show in a birthday party?' Riley thought before dismissing his thoughts, after all he's new to this world.
"Thanks." Riley responded, as he used one of his attribute [illusion] to create a red flower, he gave it to the butler, who had a shiny eyes like that of a child.
Riley, went back inside the room, and started to practice, he would put his hand inside his hat, and then use the illusion to create a bird, and then duplicate it, before he stopped pouring his essence into his illusion attribute.
He had tried to create a white rabbit, but he discovered that his essence was not enough, he could only create a rabbit which can only live up to two minutes before dissipating.
But if he wanted to exhaust all his soul essence, he could create a supra which would only last thirty minutes.
After practicing for a while, he took out the Minchiate cards and started to try tricks, when suddenly he threw a card, and card flew in the air like a knife and lodged itself into the wall.
"Uh?" Riley was shocked.
He had not expected the card to be so strong, and sharp to stab through a concrete reinforced wall. He tried it again and again, each moment made brought him a sense of excitement, he then kept the cards, he would use it as a long ranged weapon, catching his enemy off guard.
--
Rain was pouring from the sky, sending lighting flashes occasionally, the sky had darkened, as it was almost midnight.
Several shadows moved through the empty streets, rapidly approaching a dark figure standing casually in the distance, hands in pocket, and a cigarette in his mouth.
"Is the preparation ready?" A man in black trench coat and black hat, asked the shadows surrounding him.
"Yes sir." The shadows replied.
"I want Mugg dead tonight, along with other guests in that birthday party. I was told, Eleanor would attend this birthday party, I want both girls here, they are needed for the sacrifice, for the descent of our lord."
"May I ask why?" The shadow asked.
"He must die no matter what, out of the three unfortunate beings who came across sealed artifact 2-34, he was the only survivor, and it is very dangerous to our plan."
"He should be at the birthday party, acting as a magician, don't worry, he's not an ascender, he's just a normal human, who relies on tricks to perform magic."
"As you wish." The shadow replied.
"Wait, take as many series two ascenders as you can find along, they should be able to handle other Ascenders in the party." The man in black trench coat added.
As the shadows departed, the man ended back in the direction of the Abell household, he used the secret entrance he had prepared in advance, and disappeared into the building, bypassing the guards, and managed not to trip any alarm.
As he walked deeper inside the building, he disabled the alarms, giving the shadows behind him the chance to slip deep inside the building and into the ballroom, stealthily.
Some of the men and women in the ballroom, threw frugal glances around, when they saw that the Nightwalkers assassins were positioned in the right place, they waited for the effect of the drugs in the guest drinks to kick in.