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Without a word spoken, the door opened, and a man -- assumably a man, but simply a rather large, shadowed figure -- walked in and closed the door. The four figures seated at the table could not be recognized under their hoods, shadowed by the candle light.

When the new guest sat down, he smirked as he noticed that the round table allowed them all to form a perfect pentagram -- everyone there had an equal seat at this table.

"Were you seen?" a soft voice asked. It was female.
"No," the newcomer replied, smiling at the woman under his shroud.
"Very well." A tall figure stood up from the table. He spoke, and his voice was deep and hoarse. "You have me taken care of, I trust?"
The newest man nodded. "Illness of the heart. You were struck in the chest by an orcish club, and had a heart attack."

The standing man seemed surprised. "Not bad... you're an excellent liar. And the rest of us have ourselves covered?" Everyone nodded but the woman -- she had no reason to make up a story for herself. "Good. Then why have we been brought here?"

"I called us together," the woman replied, standing as the other man sat. "Before I begin, let me ask you all something... haven't we all lost something -- or even had it taken from us -- that we could not bear to lose? Something that meant more to us than life itself, to have it just ripped away?" Everyone nodded slowly. "Then what would you say if I told you that I knew how to take it back?"

The four men sitting down laughed.

"You laugh... but I'll show you this." At that she produced a bundle of cloth and handed it to the short man to her right. He unfolded it slowly, revealing what it hid to all. He was in shock at the sight. He had been searching his entire life for a crystalized Wyrm's Heart -- a very powerful and valuable alchemical artifact -- and now he held it in the palms of his hands. The reagent was extremely rare, so rare that only the filty rich, or imfamously powerful, could get their hands on even a fraction of one.

"How did you get this?" he asked in amazement.
The woman smiled. "I know of things that you can only see in your vivid imagination. I hold such power currectly as you would never fathom... and I'm making an offer to you all. Come clean. For years, we have lived out our separate lives, coming together only to accomplish that which we could not acomplish alone, and never more. But now, we have someone who can guide us, allow us to band together permanently. The five of us can accomplish great things, so great, in fact that the world of Britannia itself would bow to us in reverence. We have always been cohorts, but now we can accomplish this as partners, full-time. We have someone who can bring this power together, outside of the blindness of those who claim to follow him. And he has chosen us, and with his help, we can be what man has sought to become for the duration of time... we can become gods."

Her last words echoed through the small chamber, reverberating off the walls as if for a stunning effect. Without hesitation,t he short man with the Wyrm's Heart stated simply, "I'm in."

The second man, who had been silent until now, spoke up. "Who is this guide you speak of? Who is it that can lead man to eternal power?"

"You know him, already. He was once your savior. He rescued you from your hell of a life, and in return gave you the power to harness Hell itself. He is the one everyone seeks in one way or another."

"You speak of Oblivion? He cannot affect mankind, unless..."
"...unless he is incarnate?"
The woman smiled, and a long silence followed. These were the words that entire wars have been fought over. People die, people are born because of them. While they are the dream of some men, these words are the worst fear of others. And now they have been spoken.

The giant newcomer broke the silence. "How did it happen?"
"That is a concern of only the people responsible... but if you are faithful to your convictions, you won't need the answer, as you will have answered higher questions."
"Then what now?" He asked.
"Now we all pledge loyalty to Him. This is not an act of evil, nor is it noe of good. This involves the five of us, and Him, alone."

The group thought for a moment, and the man to the left of the woman stood. "I'm in as well." The remaining two men looked at each other. They had known each other for many years, as old friends. They rarely disagreed on what would be the best next course of action. When they agreed to join up with the woman before them, their reasoning was for the good of mankind and Britannia.

But conditions were different. They knew what was about to come, and that not only would it benefit mankind to its peak, it also had high risks for going in the other direction. If the True One was incarnate, more was at stake than their lives. They were risking what unity was left in the world today. But trust held their minds together, as one solid conviction.

"We're in."