The main ballroom fell silent in reverence at the words of Grand Elder Magus Vorian. His imposing presence echoed off the adorned walls, enveloping those present with an aura of respect and admiration. Most of them had seen an Elder Magician before, but there were few opportunities in a lifeti.
Kaizen, Alina, Andrew and the other insiders felt the magnitude of this mont for the others. This wasn't just a party; it was a eting that would decide sothing much more important than a council.
As Vorian spoke, Kaizen remained calm and observant, his gaze taking in every detail of the atmosphere. He knew that this crucial mont could be the window of opportunity they were looking for. However, they couldn't be too hasty and simply attack Vorian to get to the Citadel of the Magi. This was an infiltration mission, and there was no chance of them reaching the secret library in the Citadel of the Magi if they were incisive. Besides, at that mont, Vorian was surrounded by all eyes, so he shouldn't be a target for Kaizen's group, but a tool.
So Alina took advantage of the fact that everyone was focused on Vorian and used her illusion ability to slip behind the cabin without attracting anyone's attention and enter the main building of the place, where all the waiters and floating magical trays seed to co out.
Andrew, for his part, took advantage of his ability to attract attention to infiltrate the nobles and be the one to keep an eye on Vorian.
Og'tharoz, Jayaa and the rest of the group also spread out, each following a different path in search of useful clues.
Thus, the party turned into a subtle battlefield.
Vorian seed to be a man who loved attention and his long speech still echoed through the hall.
"As mages, we have a duty to protect and guide those under our jurisdiction," declared Vorian, his eyes sparking with determination. "But we must also be aware of the shadows that lurk in the darkest corners of our land. Evil creeps into our hearts like a poisonous snake, and we must be vigilant against its wiles."
When Alina finally made it through the large doors and into the main building, she saw a very, very large kitchen.
The kitchen, unlike any other Alina had ever seen, stretched as far as the eye could see. Huge cauldrons floated in the air, emitting colored fus that ford srizing patterns. Shiny marble benches housed a profusion of ingredients, so of which were strange even to Alina, but which exuded irresistible fragrances. The floor glittered as if made of stars, reflecting the magical glow that perated the entire room.
In the center of this vast kitchen, a magical fountain gushed out a golden liquid, the sweet aroma of which mingled with the harmonious sounds of enchanted lodies. The kitchen utensils seed to have a life of their own, dancing in the air as they prepared als with a mastery that could only be the result of centuries of magical practice.
Alina moved silently among the chefs and magical assistants, who not only coordinated the walking kitchen utensils, scolding them like dogs when they left their posts, but also used magic circles to summon ingredients.
Wands floated like conductors leading an invisible orchestra, transforming the ingredients with elegant gestures. In one area, a group of cooks were working at a huge table where a fantastic animal, half lizard and half lamb, was being prepared for the main al.
The sorceress knew she couldn't get lost in this place. The aim was to reach the deepest part of the kitchen, where, according to her instinct, the secret eting they had heard about was most likely taking place.
Continuing her walk, Alina noticed a side door to the kitchen ajar, revealing a staircase leading downwards. She approached stealthily and descended the steps, discovering a completely empty underground hall. This underground hall was lit by floating candles that created an intimate atmosphere. Walls covered with crystal shelves contained jars and jars of rare ingredients and exotic potions. This hall led to a short corridor, where two large guards were standing facing each other, talking.
"What about your wife? Did you manage to resolve the problems with her, man?"
"No, we split up last week. She wouldn't accept staying with her and my mistress at the sa ti."
"Hum... That's a sha, man. But you still have your daughter."
"What daughter? Roberto's the father, I don't even have a family anymore."
"Hmm."
While the conversation for one seed to be more like a trip to the psychologist, for the other it was just a way to get rid of boredom. No wonder they didn't even notice when Alina walked past them using a simple invisibility spell.
At the end of the corridor was a large door, and Alina approached it. However, unlike the previous door she had co across, this one wasn't ajar, it was completely closed, preventing her from sneaking in without attracting attention. Even so, that wouldn't stop her from hearing and seeing what was going on. Alina swung her staff slightly and whispered sothing loud enough for herself to hear. In the next second, two floating eyes materialized inside the room.
Inside that large room, seven hooded mages were discussing in whispers, while a central table held ancient scrolls.
The murmurs of conversation reached Alina's ears, which in turn drifted up to the ceiling.
"Do you believe that the council is under such threat?" One of the mages asked the others.
"It's hard to say, but I believe we've achieved better stability than the previous council."
"The stability we've achieved has co at too great a price. Many of the mages of the old and current generation had never known fear, but that day in the water district they did. That foreigner did too much damage to the order."
It seed that the order of the magic council was in danger, and so mages were literally afraid. Intrigued, she tried to pick up more details by bringing her eyes closer, but before she could concentrate fully, the room creaked slightly. The next instant, Alina's magical eyes inside the room saw a man appear in the center of the table of seven mages. This man was Vorian, but unlike his cheerful, friendly expression when he was at the party, he was now serious.
"Vorian?!" One of the mages asked, startled.
"Tsk!" The Grand Elder Magus clicked his tongue. "I see you started the eting without ."
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