Shinon followed Selena through the dimly lit corridors of the Phoenixes’ settlent. After a while, they finally arrived at a door that looked different from the others.
It was made of thick wood and had a carving of a dragon on it. Selena opened the door and gestured for Shinon to enter. As he stepped inside, he was surprised by the room’s appearance.
The room was lit with dozens of candles arranged on the walls and the floor. The flickering flas created strange shadows that danced across the borders. The walls were lined with bookshelves filled with dusty old tos and peculiar artefacts.
There were strange symbols etched onto the walls and the ceiling, written in a language Shinon didn’t recognise. In the centre of the room was a low table with a cushion on top of it, and behind the table was a woman with long, jet-black hair.
She appeared to be of Asian descent and was dressed in a black kimono. Her skin was pale, and her eyes were a deep, almost hypnotic shade of blue. She looked up as Shinon and Selena entered the room, and a small smile appeared on her lips.
"Welco," she said in a soft, lodic voice. "I am i, Keeper of the Marks and Seer for the Phoenixes. Selena has told a lot about you, and so has Sir Marcus. Though they had different things to say about you."
Shinon raised an eyebrow. "Not good things, I suppose."
"You can say that," i chuckled softly. "His exact words were that you are a man of great skill and talent, but also that you are stubborn and difficult to work with."
"Better be stubborn than soone’s pawn," Shinon replied.
"At least there’s sothing common between us," i said as she gracefully tied her hair in a perfect bun.
Shinon nodded and looked around the room, taking in all the strange details. He had never seen anything like it before.
’This place looks more like a massage parlour than a tattoo place.’ Shinon thought before i interrupted his train of thought.
"You’re here to get marked, yes? Let’s not waste any ti then," i said, gesturing to the cushion on the table. "Please, have a seat."
"What about the design?" Selena quizzed i.
"No need to worry, darling," i replied. "Sir Marcus has taken care of everything. Why don’t you relax a bit while I work on your friend here."
Selena nodded and sat next to where Shinon was about to. Although annoyed by it, Shinon couldn’t really complain as, arguably, that was the only vacant seat in the room.
Shinon sat on the cushion, and i approached him with a small bowl of ink and a needle. Suddenly she jumped and sat over him, undoing his shirt.
"What the hell?" Shinon tried to protest, but i placed her finger on his lips.
"It’s all a part of the process," she smiled. "You might be soone’s ideal guy, but unfortunately, I don’t swing that way."
’You might not swing that way, but I certainly do!’ Shinon thought to himself as i placed her legs beside his head, giving him quite a lovely view.
While Shinon tried to look anywhere but in front of him, i began to draw a complex pattern on his chest, and Shinon barely felt anything as the needle pierced his skin.
"So, what brings you here?" i asked, making small talk as she worked. "Selena ntioned a bit about you a while ago, but she was certain I’ll never get to et you again."
"i! You were not supposed to tell anyone about it!" Selena imdiately stood up, her face visibly red.
"Oh, co on," i winked at her. "All involved parties are present here, so what’s the harm in a little chat?"
"I’m here for work," Shinon sternly replied. "Nothing else."
i raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything. She continued to work, her movents precise and deliberate.
"I shouldn’t be saying this but," i mumbled as she finished the basic design of the tattoo. "The Phoenixes can be...difficult to work for."
"I would be surprised if you’d had said otherwise."
As the tattooing process continued, Shinon couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of calm wash over him. The touch of the needle should’ve been painful; instead, it was soothing.
He watched as the intricate design of the tattoo began to take shape on his skin, marvelling at the skill and precision of i’s work.
After what felt like hours, the tattoo was finally complete. Shinon stood up and examined it in the mirror. It was a snake but with claws... its scales and claws shimring in shades of black and green.
"What is this thing?" He asked as Selena looked surprised.
"The Abberant Snake is one of the special job classes," Selena replied. "One could say it represents a person who is a master at different tasks. I expected Marcus to assign you a low rank, but it’s better than what I had expected."
Shinon went silent as he traced the tattoo with his fingers. Like Selena, he was expecting to be assigned the role of an Ant or sothing along those lines rather than a unique role.
’For all I know, it could be a ploy to win over or fool into thinking they were being generous.’
While he was lost in his thoughts, i handed Shinon a small jar of ointnt.
"Apply this to the tattoo regularly," she instructed. "It will help it heal properly."
Shinon nodded, thanking her for her work, before turning towards Selena. "Is there anything else you need from ?"
Selena shook her head. "No, that will be all for now. I could show you around your new rooms if you like. But we’d have to get back to Kira first."
"Let’s go then," Shinon mumbled and turned to leave, but as he did, i spoke up.
"Shinon, I have a feeling we will be seeing each other again."
"I’m a seer, rember?" i smiled enigmatically. "Besides, let’s just say that your destiny is intertwined with that of the Phoenixes. You may not realise it yet, but you are ant to play a crucial role in the future of our settlent."
Shinon didn’t know what to make of her words, but he couldn’t deny the foreboding that had settled over him. He gave a slight nod and walked out of the room, deep in thought.
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