"You may call me… the Veiled Arbiter."
The title echoed through the shadowed hall, the words rippling through the gray mist and settling in the hearts of Emil and the other two. They hadn't expected such a name, but it felt fitting—mysterious, distant, and authoritative.
After a moment's pause, the young woman—her dress shimmering with the faintest emerald—rose and dipped into a respectful curtsy.
"Honored Arbiter, would you bear witness to our agreement?"
"It is nothing," Wei replied, his mind racing to maintain the role.
The older man gave a subtle bow, hand to chest.
"It is our privilege, Arbiter."
Wei gestured for them to proceed.
"Let's do it here, then. I trust the Arbiter's presence."
A thought struck her, and she turned to Wei, excitement flickering in her gaze.
"Arbiter, would you consider hosting more of these gatherings? There's so much we could learn from one another."
The man nodded as well.
"Indeed. Each of us has different resources, knowledge, and experiences. If we cooperate, we might achieve what none of us could alone."
Wei weighed the risks and benefits. More gatherings meant more secrets uncovered, more opportunities for knowledge and power—but also more chances for exposure. Still, with control over the summoning, the benefits outweighed the risks.
He nodded.
"I value fair exchange. Your assistance will be rewarded. Every Monday, as the city bells toll three, find a quiet place. I will summon you when the time is right."
The woman's joy was barely contained.
"Should we use code names? It seems prudent, given the circumstances."
"An excellent idea," Wei replied.
She grinned.
"Since you are the Veiled Arbiter, I'll be 'Judgement.'" She glanced at the man. "And you?"
The man hesitated, then said,
"Call me 'The Ferryman.'"
"Then we are the founding members of the Covenant Circle!" the woman declared, then looked to Wei for approval.
Wei smiled.
"Such details are yours to decide."
"Thank you!" she beamed.
She turned back to the Ferryman.
"Could you repeat the address, just to be sure?"
He obliged, and she repeated it to herself until she was confident.
"I've heard stories," she mused, "that the original rites were lost to time, hidden in secret decks of cards or old tomes. Some say the first Arbiter crafted a set of twenty-two tokens, each holding a fragment of power. Is that true?"
Wei only smiled, letting the mystery linger.
The Ferryman added,
"Legends say those tokens map the secret paths of the city's hidden powers. But most divination is a mirror—tools like cards or tokens help us see what's already within."
Wei listened, his head growing heavy. The connection to the mist and the crimson lights was fading.
"That is all for today," he said, voice firm.
"By your will," the Ferryman replied.
"By your will," echoed Judgement.
As the mist brightened and the crimson lights receded, their forms blurred and vanished. Silence returned to the hall.
Wei felt his body grow heavy, the world spinning until he found himself back in his apartment, sunlight streaming through the window.
"It felt like a dream… What was that place? What force binds us there?" he murmured, rubbing his temples as a headache throbbed behind his eyes.
He checked his pocket watch—time had passed as normal. Sighing, he slumped into his chair, the weight of new knowledge and uncertainty pressing on him.
From now on, he thought, I am Emil the Veiled Arbiter.
He let out a dry laugh.
"A secret circle, meeting across the city's shadows… It's almost like a clandestine society—just without the app."