Xavier called over Handy, who guided him to the building where meetings of that nature occurred. It was an establishment set-up by the neutral Thunderstrike Brotherhood called the Moon Club. The location was among the many nameless and named Victorian-era terrace houses and if it wasn’t for Handy, Dasha couldn’t possibly have hoped to find this place. The stone exterior was well-kept and tall, narrow windows lined the upper floors, their panes cracked and opaque, offering no glimpse of the secrets held within.
“I’m surprised you don't already have an invitation,” Handy said, shoving a white envelope with a blue stamp in his hand. “Here, keep this in your pocket. Don’t lose it or put it in your inventory. Be sure to give it back though!”
There was no one at the entrance. Handy had already left so it was up to Dasha to enter. He walked up the short fleet of stairs and knocked on the door. His Qi Sense perked up but otherwise didn’t react. He glanced down and saw a long shadow suddenly overwhelming his own and looming behind him. He felt a sensation in the letter he was holding and the door clicked open. He surmised this scanning technique was identical to what the Endless Bar and Dionysus used to let VIPs into the top poker floor.
Which made the visit all the more stranger. Was it really the mask that granted him entry?
The inside of the Moon Club was fancy and larger from the inside than out. There were two parallel staircases leading upstairs and empty tables. To his direct left was a billboard which he scanned and read in two brief seconds. Two men were already there, shadowy and whispering amongst each other.
Table 17: Chinese Monster Organs
He preferred to find human organs but monster organs were a fine enough substitute. What he sought was a deeper understanding of magic and its relation to the body. It wasn’t going to be easy and researching monsters on top of humans would make his research all the more fruitful.
The tables were numbered. All of them were empty. Not a single one was full. Dasha didn't think much of it and found his desired table at the left side of the house in the living room on the first floor. Four tables awaited him, numbers twelve through sixteen, and all were empty. As soon as he took a seat, the world shifted. The once empty tables were suddenly full and the chair across from him was taken.
‘What…? It feels like…’ Yes, this sensation was unforgettable. A wave of energy coming over him that changed his surroundings. ‘It’s like I went through a gate at the Heavenly Tower.’
He noticed a huge, complex magic circle encompassing the circular wooden table, glowing. His eyes discreetly followed the magic circle as it was marked on the underside and even the floor. This entire place…was one big magic circle. The ceiling, the tables, everything was painted in eerie red symbols. He noticed a pattern every so often, an identical circle of lines at roughly every three feet, but he didn’t get the time to dissect it as the young man in front of him spoke.
“Finally, a customer. I’ve been sitting here for an hour,” said the young man of Chinese descent. He was in his mid-twenties and held the cadence of a martial artist. No white hanfu or dragon symbol, however, opting for blue robes, a vest, and pants from the Qing era. He was a member of the Unorthodox Sect. He swiftly took the note on the table and slipped it into his hanfu. Luckily, Dasha caught sight of it: Chinese Monster Organs.
“What do you have for me?”
Looking at him properly, the Unorthodox dealer smiled. “Are you a fan of his?” Dasha didn’t reply. “I recognize that mask anywhere. It’s all everyone has been talking about as of late.” He leaned forward, still smiling. “Unless…you’re the real deal.” No response. The dealer returned to his seat, laughing. “Don’t worry, it’s not a big deal to me. As long as you have the money, I have no interest in what you do.”
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‘Must be an Outer Disciple if he can’t sense the darkness in the mask.’ Dasha was able to more or less hide the dark energy with Tarnkappe. The cloak granted more than just simple invisibility, it hid his Qi signature to a very impressive degree.
“What are you interested in? The heart of a Chi? The liver of a Nian? During the last Heavenly Games, I acquired the brain of a child of Panhu. I have everything and anything.” The Unorthodox dealer made a wide gesture, his smile big and eager. He seemed desperate.
‘Ah, I see. The new members of Unorthodox Sect were wiped out, including a new player that was an Inner Disciple. For an Outer Disciple that’s been spending the years grinding and receiving no results, it’s the best chance to move up. He must be saving up to buy something. An elixir?’
This man could be useful. Very useful. “How much do you have?”
“Oh?”
“I’m willing to spend five hundred thousand,” Dasha said. “I require a long-term stream of monsters. Limbs, organs, whatever you can get your hands on.”
“Hooo…” The dealer was interested. “Does quality not matter?”
“No. However, in turn, I wish to know one thing.”
“I’m listening.”
“Where do you get them?”
Dasha’s question brought a smile to his face. There was a stillness, a rare type of tension. “Sharp, aren’t you?” The dealer crossed his arms. “A survivor of the Demonic Sect, a Council Elder, is in league with me. I do his dirty work and he splits the points. In their prime, the Demonic Sect were of course known for hunting monsters and doing whatever it takes for strength. The Council Elder still has things to sell from his vault.”
An Unorthodox Sect member was in cahoots with a Demonic Sect Council Elder? That was comforting, indeed. Dasha gave a nod. “That is acceptable. Let us sign a Geas of Service—” His words suddenly came to a stop. The dealer went wide-eyed, his smiling lips trembling and his gaze eerily still.
Sitting on a table in the Moon Club was akin to seeing the truth of the house; of the people sitting around them and quietly discussing terms. Unless one was seated, it was impossible to see another walking between the tables.
But not with her.
It was a sensation Dasha had long forgotten. For the first time in years, nervousness crept up into the back of his neck. A thick waft of blood spread throughout the house, footsteps a distant echo as the stench began to fill them up. The deeper the stench, the steeper the anxiety became. It struck their very soul, stealing their senses whether they liked it or not.
The woman was refined and silent and a darkness cloaked her face. Whether she was young or old was impossible to discern. All that Dasha sensed was death. He didn’t dare activate his Qi Sense, possessing the foresight to know that she would know. Her holy existence was wrapped in blood red in the form of a shenyi-style hanfu. The sleeves were loose and conjoined by her clasped hands. The blood red robes wrapped around her delightfully with a spiraling pattern from the left lapel to the waist. Her flesh was hidden entirely save for her face. Stripes of black were used for the overlap. The fabric flowed around her form akin to liquid.
She sat down. Dasha held his breath.
A middle-aged man of Chinese descent—evidently another member of the Unorthodox Sect—was already at the table. It was impossible to hear what he said due to the nature of the house's magic. Whatever it was, it ended up with the Unorthodox member handing over a box. The woman stared at the box and quietly opened it up. A Liangbatou, a pink fan-shaped headdress of Chinese tradition, tilted with her head. Dasha registered curiosity and confusion in her. In turn, fear flashed across the dealer’s face.
He got up, the magic rendering him mute to outsiders yet clearly mouthing, “W-wait! I-I didn't meant to—”
She snapped her finger.
Squelch!
His head imploded and blood rained down. A barrier appeared around every table to stop the rain in place. Watching trickles of scarlet go down the barrier and the dealer across from Dasha fell from his chair and backed away, terrified. If it wasn’t for the active barrier, he would have fled. Dasha himself didn’t know how to react. He simply watched as the woman got up, took the box, and walked away. Not a single droplet of blood had tainted her.
The White Abyss was said to disallow violence. Today, Dasha witnessed that exceptions existed.