Taking a deep, respectful head bow, the mysterious draconic skink woman did not seem to care much about her face at all. She bowed deeply, her face portraying an apology that would have resonated with every man's heart.

"[Reptilian] Dear esteemed guests.. no, sirs!" She began, her voice trembling as she cried. "Allow me to humbly, deeply apologize for everything that had transpired today. Please believe me when I say that we did not intend to cause any harm, nor had we cultivated any ill full intent towards your group or the Master you all serve."

The draconic skink woman waited for some time before taking the lead and speaking further.

"[Reptilian] In the end, whilst our methods may differ, we share a similar goal. We strive for the same future. I do not believe you, nor your Master wants this unfavorable outcome." She said, flashing the first, thin, albeit calculating smile on her face as she slowly looked up from the ground and gazed at the darkness beneath Dragha's hood.

"[Reptilian] If you wish to keep that one for yourselves, or present it to your Master, we will acquiesce your request and pull back." Following her words, the four shadowy presences have suddenly vanished as they jumped back, only to reappear in their previous, strategically placed positions around the corners of the alley.

"[Reptilian] Let us put this ugly matter behind us, and if you would allow me.. please let me guide you, esteemed guests and hopefully future partners in 'crime'.." He said eliciting a light chuckle at the last word "..to guide you through our humble abode and bring our leaders to meet with you."

With that, the situation was finally resolved, at least to some degree, and Aiden's group of Saurian Captains could finally return to their original mission and make contact with the local resistance group. Even though their 'introduction' turned out to not be how they originally planned it for, it was a fruitful venture nevertheless.

They have managed to establish some form of respect from the other side, if nothing else through their sheer force, as well as gain a new addition to their ever growing family.

Though they still had to be wary of the mysterious leaders more so that they have such a colorful and -not to mention- powerful lineup as this welcoming committee.

Merely the unique ability for this woman, this 'Circe' to be able to sneak up undetected even with their heightened and highly honed senses was not something they could easily forget. As for the four assassins, their abilities to meld into the shadows and become one with the ever-present darkness would surely interest their Young Lord as well!

Still, if these mere servants were so powerful, then what should they expect from the leaders?

Thinking about this, Dragha was starting to feel troubled. Should they really tackle this mission by themselves? Would they be able to handle it if things go out of hand?

'[Reptilian] No, I can't be thinking like this! The Young Lord has entrusted us with such an important task! We cannot fail his expectations! He has done so much for us already!' He shook his head as he resolved himself once again.

"[Reptilian] This way, esteemed guests." The melodious, bell-like voice of their attendant, Lady Circe, brought Captain Dragha out of his thoughts and back to reality. His eyes with a golden luster for a few seconds as he forced his attention back to reality.

With the dim lighting in the underground hall they were led to, he needed an extra moment for his night vision to turn active and his surroundings to slowly clear out from the looming obscurity.

Once they did, he couldn't help but be surprised, just like the rest of his team. The highly defined smooth surface of the walls, the ceiling and even the inlaid floor was something completely out of his expectations.

A hidden force deep within the outskirts of Ugburg, in the midst of all that poverty and misery.. such a lavish design was highly unexpected. The red, velvety carpet that was rolled over felt as if small feminine hands caressed their bare feet with each step they took. The bronze chandeliers and the candelabras that hung from regular intervals alongside the walls, and whilst none of them were lit, it still brought a highly lavish, luxurious atmosphere to the entire place.

The four shadows were no longer present, not even their presence could be felt by Dragha, which once again caught him unawares. When did they leave? And most importantly, where? Why can't he feel their presence no matter how hard he tries scanning the premises?

Lady Circe didn't show any visible reaction to her guest's shock but kept her humble, respectful manner. She stood in front of the group and waited patiently for several minutes before eventually faking a theatrical cough to once again grab her guests' attention.

"[Reptilian] What you see here is our organization's guest hall. It was designed to be welcoming no matter where the man, woman.. and hopefully future client have come from. " He explained, taking only a momentary pause before turning sideways and pointing at a wine-red door at the far end of the hall. An enormous crucifix glowed in a soft spotlight directed on it from above.

"[Reptilian] Whilst I know you may have questions, I respectfully have to ask you to keep them for the time being. Let me guide you to the meeting room, and allow our leader to arrive. During your meeting, I am certain that all your questions will be answered.

With that, the woman bowed once more, and without giving any opportunity for the towering hooded figures to speak up their minds, she began to slowly walk deeper into the underground hall.

Though indeed, Dragha had a plethora of questions he would have liked to have some form of answers to, it seemed he would have to wait until they were granted the chance to meet with this mysterious leader of this group.

Just who was he? How could he afford such luxury whilst still being successful at keeping everything under wraps not just from the Church, the High Priest but even from the omniscient gaze of the Ancient One?

Still, no matter how much he tried to wreck his brain, he could not think of anyone who could have mustered this much power and still remain anonymous by not just one force, but all forces and sides in this gruesome civil war.

Shortly after, as he was once again, delved deep within his thoughts, they arrived at their destination, the large wine-red door. Stepping forward, the smiling Lady Circe pushed on the handle and opened it up whilst also stepping inside before taking to the side and motioning for the group to follow along.

"[Reptilian] Please, respectable guests, take a seat while you wait. Our leader should be arriving shortly, and once She does, she will explain everything to you." The woman said before swiftly stepping out and closing the door behind them.

Only now, did Dragha notice the woman's phrasing.

'[Reptilian] She?!'

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>>>Check out my latest novel: The Strongest Demon Lord in the Modern World<<historical

It's an urban modern-day styled story, with a reverse transmigrated ('Banished') immortal entity from the fantastical world of Nova!

Planned Tags and Genre: # CULTIVATION # R18 # BETRAYAL # TRANSMIGRATION # URBAN # ACTION # ANTIHERO # OVERPOWERED (romance maybe at some later point)

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Just a friendly reminder, that from wherever you are reading , you can reach out to me using any of the below methods!

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/shaele