The Legends of Kartas | Ongoing

EPILOGUE: LOTUS

In an office far away from the tragedy, hidden deep in the underground city of the Dark Lotus, Lucius stared out the window grimed with dirt. He had received another letter from his scout in Hiemura. But he had yet to read it, leaving it resting on his desk on top of the messy files he was supposed to be organizing.

At the sight of another skirmish breaking out on the streets far below, he frowned. The Inner Petals of the Lotus were growing impatient, and their sentiments seemed to spread to their underlings, as well. It was unfortunate and distasteful, something Lucius wouldn't let ruin his moment of triumph.

Everything had gone according to plan. For years, Lucius had set the stage and meticulously placed his pieces. And to see it all come together was more beautiful than the magnificent setting sun.

Swaying torchlight stretched shadows across the office, folding them over the desk and along the mahogany bookshelves. The air was tinged a light gold, and dust danced in the faint light. On the desk, the wax seal of the letter captured what it could of the light's glint and demanded Lucius's attention, almost like a merchant waving his ware.

Huffing, Lucius took one last glance at an earth elemental crushing the heads of two assassins before opening the letter. As he perused the contents, a smile flitted over his lips. Another piece of his plan was set in stone. At the bottom, the letter was signed "L. Calistair."

When he finished, he put the letter where he kept the rest: in a pile under his desk waiting for its trip to the furnaces. The thin parchment fluttered onto the stack, and that was that. Lucius had more pressing matters to attend to in the form of files staring at him from his desk. He really needed to clean them. He expected company, after all, and she appreciated class.

He was about to finish skimming through the last file when he heard a knock at his door. Throwing the file below his desk, he straightened his cravat and smoothed the wrinkles on his suit before opening the door and greeting his guest.

A woman stood outside, wearing a light silken dress and holding a pot carrying her price for Lucius's services. Her long, brown hair hung over her lived-in face, and her gray eyes still gleamed with childish awe. But behind her ingenuous facade was a sharp woman Lucius did not desire to make an enemy out of.

Bowing, he gave her a timid smile for old times' sake.

"Welcome, Queen Evier."