Curve 16.1: The Providence Society

Suho stepped into the room with Kei, his expression grave as he approached the figures. "We have come seeking the council of the Providence Society," he said, his voice echoing in the chamber. "I am here with Kei. I heard from Master Yoo that he's a new member of our league, so I agreed to bring him to this place."

The figures remained silent, their faces hidden in the shadows. But after a moment, one of them spoke. "Kei? I have not heard of his name."

"That's because I was waiting for this moment to present him to you all," another figure declared as they descended the stairs and approached Kei and Suho. As they spoke, the torches mounted on the walls suddenly burst into flame, illuminating their features. She was woman, tall and slender, with an elegant build and graceful movements. Her long, blonde tresses flowed down her back in a lustrous cascade, shimmering under the flickering light of the torches. Her gaze was piercing, seeming to penetrate the very essence of one's being, and when paired with her full, sensuous lips, it was both commanding and captivating. She wore a cloak with a hood that she had now removed, revealing her stunning visage and the proud, regal lines of her neck and shoulders. She exuded an aura of confidence and poise, and her arrival seemed to transform the cold, dreary atmosphere of the chamber into one of warmth and radiance.

"I am pleased to finally make your acquaintance, Kei," she said, her faint smile and relieved tone belying her elation at the encounter. "I am Edelyn Truthwoods, one of the present leaders of the Providence Society."

Bowing his head before her, Kei responded, "I am Kei Netherwulf. So it was you who invited me here?"

"Lingshu spoke highly of your exceptional abilities and skills," Edelyn continued. "He related to me how you single-handedly defeated a troop of soldiers with your raw strength, bested a pair of assassins with your agility and speed, and almost killed Yul's member, Tai Chou, in a match, all without relying on your spirit energy."

Suho looked at Kei in disbelief. "Whoa! I never would have guessed you to be so strong," he commented.

Kei turned to him and replied, "Neither did I," before he turned his attention back to Edelyn.

One of the remaining shadowy figures spoke up, saying, "Edelyn, you should have consulted with us before inviting him to join our society. You are aware of the strict confidentiality of our organization."

"I know," Edelyn conceded. "But I assure you, Kei would be a game-changer in our fight against the fiends. Such talent and prowess in combat should not go to waste. We must seize the opportunity to utilize it to our advantage in vanquishing the forces of iniquity."

"I concur with you, Edelyn," The other figure added in a gravelly, masculine voice, "However, it is important that we must be cautious in our actions and not rely solely on one's own judgement. We retrieved the body of our fallen member and discovered, through covert intelligence, that the wounds were not made by a sharp metallic blade, but rather resembled those made by piercing divinations. This led us to conclude that he had fought a spirit practitioner before his demise. Perhaps a witch had done it. We must be extremely careful who to let in our organization."

"A man?" Kei realized that they must be referring to the man he had brought to the infirmary. "He must be a member of this society," he thought to himself.

"Laynard was a truly skilled agent, so it came as a great shock to me when I learned of his demise. As you can see, we are in need of recruiting new agents to work with us: individuals possessing exceptional prowess and abilities, and more importantly, individuals who share our goal of exterminating the fiends that roam our realm," Edelyn said, turning to Kei.

Kneeling before the figures seated on the thrones, Kei declared, "She is right. I desire nothing more than the eradication of the fiends. I possess knowledge that you may not be aware of, as someone who hails from a distant realm, one that was also destroyed by those malevolent fiends. I am willing to offer you my skills and powers, if you will accept me," his voice serious and resolute.

The two figures took a moment to consider his proposal. The figure with the gravelly, masculine voice asked Kei, "You mentioned that you come from a distant realm. Can you tell us where it is?"

"It is called Caelum, a world located within the Middle Star," Kei replied.

"The Middle Star, you say?" the other figure exclaimed in surprise. "I know of a fiend who hailed from the same realm."

"No fiend has ever originated in Caelum. All of them have come from another realm, one that has been sealed away by my kind for aeons," Kei replied.

"And what realm is that?"

"Abaddon, a world located within the pit of darkness. It is the complete antithesis of our own world."

The two figures remained silent for a moment, considering Kei's words. Edelyn looked at them with a confident smile and said, "So, what is your decision? As I mentioned earlier, it would be a waste to not allow Kei to join us. Shall we seize this opportunity? Mother Marya, Jin?"

At her words, the torch lamps beside their thrones began to flare, illuminating the figures seated there. The woman in the center throne was Marya, whom Edelyn had referred to as "Mother". She appeared to be around the same age as Edelyn, with a youthful energy and a regal bearing. Her eyes shone with a golden light, their radiance belying her wisdom and experience. Her hair was a deep, glossy black, styled in a manner that befitted her status as a leader of the Providence Society.

The other figure seated on the throne was a young man with pallid skin, whose youth was belied by the grave expression on his face. His ashen attire seemed to merge with the shadows around him, creating the illusion that he was one with the darkness. In contrast to Edelyn and Marya, who were dressed in warm, vibrant colors that seemed to radiate light, he seemed to be draped in a cloak of the night, his sable garb befitting his role as a member of the society. His appearance exuded an air of mystery and secrecy, adding to the enigma that surrounded him.

Marya looked at Jin, seated beside her, and they shared a discreet nod of agreement. She then rose from her throne and declared, "Very well, we have reached a decision," fixing Kei with a piercing gaze. "Kei Netherwulf, you are now a member of the Providence Society. Suho will serve as your guide and instruct you in the rules that you must adhere to as you live among us. Any violation of these rules, such as revealing information about us or speaking of our existence, will be met with punishment equivalent to that inflicted upon the fiends we have vanquished."

Kei bowed his head in understanding, his eyes downcast.

"You may leave now, and remember everything that we have discussed here," Mother Marya said, her tone absolute and commanding.

Suho accompanied Kei out of the room, and as they left, all of the flames from the torch lamps suddenly extinguished, plunging the chamber into darkness and cold once again.