Soon, the last of those expected for the meeting entered the cellar. In the lead was someone of unassuming stature with every feature hidden. Their hands were hidden by dark gloves, their face a mask, and a long cloak obscured everything else besides the ends of brown pants not tucked into their boots. Not even their eyes were visible, the usual holes covered by thin black fabric that lined the inside of the mask.

The stranger had been introduced as Mr. Gold and worked for the Guiness company. That’s all Luke knew of their merchant contact. Their plan required resources, a vast number of them. Too many to go unnoticed by the largest trading house in the city. Rather than have them profit by selling the information to interested parties, it was better to tie them to their cause.

Besides, the Guiness Company were the only ones who had the courage to work with them. The summoners were being targeted by the crown. Few merchants wanted to risk royal sanction for a quick coin. The Guiness were too powerful to be threatened by the king.

Luke doubted that they would be so accommodating if they knew what the supplies were being used for. The golden family could be audacious in pursuit of gold, but they would never support treason. Undoubtedly, the merchants had guessed the summoners intended to summon something, but for once the obscurity of the art worked in the summoners’ favor and their trading partners had no idea what was about to enter the realm. No amount of gold was worth being associated with a drakkon summoning.

The Guiness Company was remaining cautious. While it would be suicide to antagonize the trading house and the marquis that controlled it, they could cause him problems if they revealed their cooperation. In such an event, they would need proof, the most crucial being a face and a name. Hence, the cloak and mask. They also required insurance in the form of their proxy, Mr. Gold, meeting all the conspirators. A dangerous condition but they didn’t have much choice if they wanted their goods in a reasonable time frame.

Mr. Gold knew nothing, of course. They kept their words vague in his presence and the proxy at least had the courtesy to leave after a few courteous words. Luke hardly paid the man any mind. The Guiness Company would know all their faces once the damage was done but they wanted to be known. To narrow a widespread attack against a whole community to a few targets. Junior would attract the crown’s ire and the rest of the antagonism would follow. It would also make others think twice about targeting summoners when they realized the supposedly easy prey could not only fight back but decimate their territories.

There was also the chance that the crown decided to eradicate summoners with prejudice. It was something Luke had brought up frequently and kept him awake on his worst nights. They had a plan for that too. Whether it was sufficient was debatable.

Luke didn’t think there was any good plan that involved an entire kingdom turning on them, but his associates were confident. As he couldn’t dissuade them and refused to turn on them, the only remaining choice was to go along with the madness and hope his good sense could keep them from making a grave mistake.

His only source of relief was that his compatriots weren’t foolish enough to stay within the city. Once they secured their drakkon, they would retreat to a hidden location. That, combined with their agents that would remain in the city, would give them a window to regroup, observe, and confirm their next steps. He hoped by then, the summoners would have satisfied their inner rebels and would agree to make less conspicuous moves.

His greatest hope for the group’s future restraint and the only reason he hadn’t left the city with as much as he could carry walked behind the merchant. The one who had brought the summoners of the capital together and had connections with groups throughout the kingdom. The leader of the independent summoners. Emerett.

The lack of a last name implied a common background but no one would think so from his appearance. Despite his silvered hair, his back remained straight, his body strong, and he had the presence of those with power. The confidence of the capable.

Assurance filled every gesture, from his casual gait to the slight quirk of his lips. Despite being involved in a scheme that would see him and anyone related to him killed if discovered, he looked as calm as one might strolling through a garden. When Luke saw him, he could trick himself into thinking they hadn’t all gone insane and could really change the kingdom with their own hands.

Their leader normally dressed in fineries, another thing that made Luke suspect he wasn’t as common as his name suggested, but to maintain secrecy, he had lowered himself to the common rags of a laborer. The only sign of his usual ostentation was a single ring, an unattractive blocky thing of gold.

“Good evening, gentlemen,” he said happily, as if he was meeting old friends instead of his secret cabal. There was no chair for him because Emerett refused seating. Claimed that chairs made him lazy and at his age, if he indulged his body a little, it wouldn’t get up in the morning. Luke wasn’t happy that a man several decades his senior was in a better shape than him, but he didn’t plan to give up cushions anytime soon.

“No, take a seat.” He waved off Ambrose, who tried to offer Emerett his chair, as the artist did every meeting. Luke didn’t know if it was good manners or brown-nosing. He’d put his crowns on the latter. No one willing to summon a drakkon in the most populated city in the kingdom should be mistaken as a decent person. “Lazarus, you look well.”

The prideful summoner huffed. “You’re late.”

“My apologies. A comrade needed a little help liberating a few assets from an unscrupulous sponsor. The nobles are really taking liberties. Can you believe they tried to keep the man’s records, claiming that any research he produced while under their sponsorship belonged to them? Nevermind there was no mention of such nonsense in the contract he signed. But of course there wasn’t. No summoner worth their elementals would work for an employer that forced them to sacrifice their records. I don’t know what the noble imbecile wanted them for. They’re hardly something to fetch a decent price in the open market.”

“He did it because he could. The powerful don’t need any other reason. Which is why we must become the powerful.” Lazarus looked at the unwelcome Mr. Gold. “I assume you have an update for us.”

The proxy nodded. “This morning, Emerett took possession of all goods ordered. He requested four additional receipts.”

“We all trust one another implicitly I’m sure,” Emerett said as Mr. Gold passed the receipts to the seated summoners. “Transparency is simply a means to reinforce that trust so it holds when it is inevitably tested.”

Luke agreed with the sentiment. He trusted his new comrades as much as he could trust strangers but seeing the receipt reflect exactly what their leader said he would buy for exactly what he said it cost did much for his opinion of him and independent summoners in general. It hadn’t been easy parting with his money but none of them were wealthy. To afford what they needed, everyone needed to give what they could.

“The Guiness Company thanks you for your patronage and we look forward to fulfilling your future orders.” The proxy paused. “I also have a request.”

Luke straightened. Up until then, Mr. Gold had gone out of his way to be unobtrusive. Doing his best to fade into the background, hoping they would forget his presence and let slip something important. A request out of nowhere was worryingly direct.

“Of course!” Emerett said, his tone nonplussed. “If it is within our power, it’d be our honor to assist the esteemed Guiness family.”

“We would like to know what elemental you are attempting to summon.”

“Attempting?” Lazarus scoffed but a raised hand from their leader stopped him before he could launch into a rant.

“Are your bosses really interested in what a few unknown summoners are getting up to in a dirty cellar under a dirtier bar? It’s nothing interesting, I assure you.”

“The Tomes are not unknown.”

The room turned to Luke. He grimaced. “The marquis isn’t interested in me. I assume he wants to know if my daughter is involved and if he can garner some favor from her wife by offering further support. Discretely, of course.”

Mr. Gold said nothing but his heavy stare said everything his mouth didn’t.

“Lou has nothing to do with it.” He spread his hands and shrugged. “We’re nothing but a bunch of summoners who found each other while drinking away our woes and decided to work together on a project. Solidarity in the face of persecution. Nothing to interest the golden patriarch. Summoners aren’t known to be wealthy.”

There was a beat of silence that said Mr. Gold didn’t believe a word of his nonsense. Then he calmly said, “I see. Then I will simply remind you that the Guiness Company provides many services, including transportation throughout the kingdom…and beyond.”

An offer to spirit them from the capital, after whatever misdeed he surely thought they had planned. An offer that would undoubtedly be rescinded. It was no matter. They had their own methods of escape.

“We’ll remember,” Emerett assured him with a friendly smile.

“Very good. Then I will bid you gentlemen a good night.” He bowed to the room before ascending the latter, swiftly disappearing.

They all remained quiet as Ambrose snapped his fingers. The air around his shoulders shimmered and a creature appeared. It closely resembled a white-furred cat except for its abnormally large ears, its lack of eyes, and two tails made of changing light.

Luke recognized it, of course. The name given to them by their original summoner was vivid skulkers but the more popular name was color cats. Creatures with a decent mana coefficients, decent mastery of the wind affinity, and a light affinity they only used for camouflage. They had an unusual obsession with stalking prey, though they made poor hunters. Great for tracking enemies. Or making sure dismissed parties weren’t eavesdropping around the corner.

The skulker disappeared for a few minutes before reappearing on Ambrose’s shoulders. “Everything’s clear,” he said.

“I don’t know why you entertained that nonsense,” Lazarus grumbled.

“It’s all a part of the plan,” Emerett said, moving around the table to stand behind Ambrose’s chair. He scratched the elemental’s chin. “Now, shall we get on with our meeting?”