All the mbers prepared for the ritual to enter. This ritual was like a password and one needed to proceed with every step correctly to be able to enter the mysterious place.
First, one needs to create a circle on the ground using snowflakes or chalk-like whitish powder. Then place the badge of the organization at the centre.
Then, one needs to light a candle and place it near the badge. After that one needs to place a sprig of pine or cedar covering the candle and as it starts burning, they have to chant the invocation while ringing the bell three tis.
The mbers in their place sat cross-legged and started chanting for the blessing of the Winter Witch.
In the quiet hush of winter's embrace,
Where snow-kissed landscapes hold their grace, I call upon the season's deep insight,
Guide through transitions, dark and light.
Winter, is the bringer of stillness and calm,
Grant wisdom, your soothing balm.
In the barren trees and icy air,
Reveal the path, show what's fair.
Amidst the frost and the silent cold,
Let clarity and vision gently unfold.
As nature rests in its wintry repose,
Grant guidance that only winter knows.
By the cycle of seasons, ancient and true,
I seek your counsel, I call upon you.
Embrace with your transformative art,
Grant introspection, a fresh start.
Witch of Winter, from your icy throne,
Bless my journey, make your presence known.
In this sacred space, I humbly plea,
Please accept the humble one into your embrace.
A bright light erupted from flas gnawing the pine that engulfed them.
When the fire disappeared, the mbers found their surroundings were changed into a place hovering with fog and white clouds.
Several towering marvellous pillars rose with a crystal clear ceiling with a vast encapsulated do above them, beyond which countless pairs of stars twinkled over the blue oceanic sky.
The entire edifice looked magnificent and lofty, like a legendary palace, a eting place for leaders of the world.
Directly under the starry sky, a dazzlingly golden table appeared with five chairs on either side.
At the end of the table, a man sat with his face covered with a mask beside him, a woman and man stood guard with a solemn expression.
The five individuals who entered here were startled for a mont. Not because they were new to this place but rather because the place had changed along with the leader.
Previously, the place was a Winterland with a frozen waterfall and the eting was led by the Leader called Snow Witch.
Val, who was new to the place, looked at the other mbers.
An old man with a white mask that had the na Hunter.
A woman with white crystalline hair dressed in a bluish gown with the na Observer.
A pinkish-haired woman in a fiery red dress with the na Preacher.
And a man with snake-like eyes behind a dark mask. The mont his eyes fell on the guy, he blurted out softly.
'Twin Snake.'
A twin snake with the code na Basilksk stared at the new mber with a bewildered expression.
"You are a new mber of The Inforr?" Basilisk, who also used the identity of Twin Snake, was startled to see that foxy mask.
'He was of the sa organization.'
'Holy shit! Doesn't that an, I threatened my teammate?'
'Fuck if she learned about this, she will kill .'
Unlike Val and Twin Snake who were having a ntal breakdown seeing one another, others solely absorbed the Leader Seat.
Lucas stared at the group of five and particularly at two n who seed to have a staring competition.
COUGH!'
Lucas took a deep breath and smiled.
"Greetings to you all."
Everyone took their seat with a nod except The Preacher who stared at Lucas furiously
"It's weird to see a new face out of nowhere."The Hunter spoke with a smile
"I know it's surprising and might also be unsettling seeing soone else occupying the leadership seat but no need to fret. I am here on the leader's orders. You can think of as the Vice-Leader of the Leader Snow Witch for now or as temporary Leader as you wish."Lucas explained in a soft voice returning the smile.
Ami and Herman, who stood behind Lucas, almost jumped in disbelief hearing Lucas proclaiming himself as the temporary leader and Vice-Leader.
Ami turned her eyes and as they t with Herman, she could almost hear his screams in her head.
'What the fuck did he say? And when did all this happen and why was I not inford.'
Ami glared at him asking him to shut up.
"Oh, is that so?''
The pink-haired lady known as Preacher chuckled as she took a seat.
"Vice-Leader, you look so young and brave that it lts my heart. I hope you can handle such a fierce woman." She spoke seductively.
The other four who heard her raised their brows feeling that this woman was going to stir so trouble. In the earlier words she ant that you look so young so can you handle the responsibility?
The atmosphere descended into silence for a mont.
Lucas with a blank expression stared into the night sky while tapping on the table and lost in thoughts ignoring Preacher's words.
The world depicted here was a manifestation of one's inner self. In the case of Julian, it shows a beautiful world that had been laden with snow that had been waiting for spring which depicts that once she was freed of the curse, she was gonna soar to the sky.
As for Lucas, the entire space was filled with a veil of crimson fog and clouds adding a layer of mystery but beyond that veil lies a dark desolate night crystal sky that shows just how many things and secrets he had in his heart.
"Hey, do you let your thoughts run wild? Are you thinking sothing of th..."
"Did your parents teach you that?"
A deep, hoarse voice as if sharp nails scraping the tals echoed in the hall.
Preacher's pink eyes behind the mask widened as she heard the sharp rebuttal.
Observer raised her eyes with an amusing smile and stared at the others.
'Quite amusing.'
"What do you an by that?" Preacher asked.
"I ant what I said. Unless you have a problem with hearing, you should have understood my words. Don't you know that you shouldn't disturb soone of a higher authority when he or she is about to speak?" Lucas spoke.
"Hmph! I know this much but I don't believe that you are the one having higher authority here. Until the leader says so, I can't accept you as a leader. Who knows if you are an imposter? What is the proof that the leader allowed you to act in her absence?" She spoke with a snort and waited for the man to speak with a teasing smile.
"From your stature, you looked like a small kid of 15 or less trying to act as superior. Sorry kid, you can fool with that deep voice."
'Do you think you can win an argunt with a reporter who can fabricate lies into truth and truth into lies? Dream on!'
The sight of the man sitting on the leader's seat sighed deeply reflected in everyone's eyes.
After a mont of silence, he spoke softly yet each word of his echoed like thunder.
"Veronica!''
The mont he spoke that na, everyone shuddered.
Everyone who joined here went through a special process and kept their identity a secret. No one knows what is the leader's true identity nor does anyone know about the person beside them.
Both Observer and Hunter smiled under her mask with a profound smile while her eyes glead with excitent.
'This kid is surely fierce.'
While the Inforr and Basilisk stared at Lucas with a cautious expression.
As per how they entered, all they t with was the mysterious leader under certain circumstances.
Out of everyone, Val looked at everyone with an inexplicable gaze.
He entered through the token given to him by the Princess and as he was told about a white-haired woman on the leader's seat. The leader should be the Princess as per his guess but much to his surprise, there was another white-haired woman nad an observer.
Though the Preacher and Leader Winter Witch's hair neither matches the characteristics of the Princess, the shape of the body of the forr woman matches that of a Princess.
This makes him wonder if the woman nad Observer is the Princess and the leader is the Empress who also looks similar to her.
Seeing the nobility and authoritative tone of the man, he guessed that he was either one of three Princes as the chances of the Emperor appearing here were quite slim.
'If that is the case, I dont think it's hard to uncover their identity. I hope I made the right choice by accepting to be part of it.'
"You identified the wrong guy," Veronica spoke sternly.
Lucas chuckled hearing this.
"I am joking. I am not fickle-minded like so shitty news broadcasters."
"I am no-"
"Veronica, I don't give second chances. This is my last warning, I won't look over it twice. If you want to test or have so funny thoughts, you should drop it cause and everyone here doesn't have as much free ti as you to take in partly tricks."
"So stop behaving like a bitch here."
A dark undulated killing intent surged from Lucas making the space tremor.
The fog and clouds beca blood-red. The twinkling stars flickered with a crimson austere that made it seem like blood dripping down from the sky.
And a mighty pressure enveloped Veronica, making her shiver in fright.
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