’Is that even possible?’

’I’ve never heard of it with just two S’s.’

’He’s an abnormality.’

’I’ve thought of this multiple times, but it’s the same conclusion I always come to.’

’It explains why his Circle is the only one actively capable of pursuing Merlin’s policies every now and then besides the Council.’

’It would also explain why he’s sometimes revered in a fraction of the same light as Merlin.’

"I want to talk to you boys about something pretty important," Vlad said.

"You. You’re Zach."

"I’ve been trying to get to you for a while."

Vlad looked at Zach.

"Well, no matter. It seems Merlin got to you before I could."

"Well, do you want to join me?" Vlad offered.

’Like this?’ Zach thought.

’He just came out and asked, just like that.’

’I’m surprised.’

’Roe made it seem like it was going to be some devious attempt.’

’He’s surprisingly earnest.’

’Too earnest, maybe.’

"You can’t," Roe responded in Zach’s place.

Vlad brought out his card and passed it to both of them.

"Thank you for your time," Vlad said.

’Is that all?’ Roe thought.

’Just like that?’ Zach thought.

They both turned around to go back.

They thought Vlad was done.

He wasn’t.

"Hey, hey. Where are you guys going?"

"We’re just getting started," he said.

"What?" they both reacted.

’Who begins a conversation with "thank you for your time"?’ Roe thought.

’Why would anyone use "thank you for your time" as a conversation starter?’ Zach thought.

’This guy’s weird.’

Both Zach and Roe arrived at the same conclusion.

"I’m the leader of my own Circle."

"My word is almost law there."

"You guys, as evident from your speeches, are just getting started."

"You need resources."

"You need facilities that can foster you and your talents."

Roe wasn’t interested.

He expected this.

"What? So you mean we can’t be fostered at Merlin’s or what?" Zach inquired.

"Well, it’s not that."

"It’s that there’s a ladder."

"There’s a way things are done there," Vlad replied.

"Bureaucracy."

"There’s none of that in my Circle."

"No, that’s not it. Let me rephrase that."

"There’s still bureaucracy."

"It’s just that it won’t affect you."

"It’s not special treatment or anything like that."

"You’ll just join the highest of my ranks."

"You won’t answer to anyone."

"They’d answer to you."

This was a nice prospect.

Zach was interested.

He certainly knew he wasn’t going to accept it.

He just wanted to mess with Vlad by leading him on.

"You say it’s not special treatment, but who gets to join ranks that high as newbies?" Zach asked.

This was, in fact, special treatment.

"You do."

"You two do."

"You may not agree or be convinced, so why don’t we maintain a relationship?"

"I can reach out to you just as you can reach out to me with that card."

"I’ll need your contacts."

There was no harm in it.

At least, that’s what Roe thought.

He believed Vlad would leave them alone afterward.

He was interested.

He knew he’d learn better under Vlad.

Vlad was just like him, after all.

There was just one small problem.

This would betray everything Merlin and Solomon had done for him.

If he could somehow learn from Vlad while maintaining his relationship with Solomon, then that would be the best-case scenario.

This was what he thought, and he believed this arrangement was the closest thing to that.

He needed a way to contact Vlad.

They exchanged information, and Vlad simply smiled.

He summoned his staff and took off.

’So no goodbyes, huh?’ Zach thought.

The interaction was weird.

Roe expected him to sell them something.

To preach.

To boast about why his ideologies were better than Merlin’s.

To brag about his own feats.

Instead, the interaction was just... weird.

Vlad returned to his base smiling.

He had achieved what he set out to do.

Vlad knew there was no way he’d get Roe and Zach to join him immediately.

He didn’t want to come off as forceful.

It was all calculated.

He just needed a way to contact them.

He could proceed however he wanted now.

They weren’t on his side per se, but they knew him.

He was no longer some mythical figure to them.

It wasn’t anything parasocial anymore.

They were now acquaintances.

He just needed to foster that relationship further.

He wasn’t settling for just this.

He wanted to be friends.

Peers, even.

---

Morgana ordered the Council members to make their way to headquarters.

A meeting was to be held immediately.

She wanted to collectively discuss a way forward.

Merlin was being too stubborn.

Too harsh.

He was becoming more than emboldened.

"Merlin is going too far."

-

The Council was going to meet immediately.

They didn’t wait until the next day.

They believed delay would be most fatal in this situation.

Merlin’s faction had controlled policies and mage culture for years.

This was basically guaranteeing that it would continue for even more years to come.

The Council didn’t want this.

Or at least some on the Council didn’t.

Others had already given up.

Merlin had gotten his way for years now.

There was nothing that could really stop him from continuing to do so.

The Council members began to arrive one at a time.

Morgana was the first seated.

She was already at headquarters, after all.

The next arrived minutes later.

Before long, there were three seated.

Then four.

Within the hour, all seven members of the Council were seated.

The meeting began as the doors were shut.

---

Roe and Zach returned to join the others.

Just as they joined in, Lot informed them of something he had just told the others in their absence.

"We just got a ping."

"The team is going on its first mission."

This was it.

"We’ll need a leader, of course," Lot said.

Roe was getting excited.

"I’ll have Sigman lead this first one."

"Should he suffice, then he’ll be the permanent team leader," Lot said.

"Is that good, Sigman?" he asked.

Sigman simply nodded.

He was going to do this not because he wanted to lead, but because he knew Modred would have done it anyway despite not wanting it either.

"Sigman? Seriously?" Roe , shocked.