The two men sat in the secret chamber, their faces illuminated only by the faint glow of arcaneum bulbs that lined the walls. They spoke in hushed tones, their words barely above a whisper as they discussed the plan they had set in motion.
"I'm starting to wonder if we've made a mistake," one of the men said, his brow furrowed with concern. "Those seven, they're powerful, but they have no magic. Can they really take down our target and his companions?"
The other man smiled, a cold and calculating smile. "They don't need magic," he said. "They have something far more powerful. Divine artifacts, stolen from the Supreme Pontifex's own treasury."
The first man's eyes widened in surprise. "You're talking about the relics of the celestials?" he asked, his voice full of awe.
The second man nodded. "Yes, I am. And with these artifacts, our attackers will have the power to take down even the most powerful of magical users. They'll be able to cut through any defense, no matter how strong."
"How do they work?" the first man asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Each artifact has a specific use," the second man explained. "There's the Dawnbringer, a spear that can absorb and redirect the memories of the opponent. The Aurora's Breath, a bow that can shoot deadly arrows made of cosmic matter. The Kitsune Fan, a fan that can cut through any material, no matter how strong and summon the legendary nine tailed demon. The Elysium's tear, a sword that can destroy any form of darkness. The Threads of Fatus , a roll of string that can grant the wearer the ability to manipulate the fate of their opponents. The Midnight requiem, a harp that can cause the sweetest of dreams and the worst of nightmares. And the Sickle of Death , an sickle that can kill the user's opponent with a drop of it's poison his bloodstream."
The first man nodded, impressed. "And what of the Supreme Pontifex? Won't she notice that her relics are missing?"
The second man chuckled. "Oh, I'm counting on it," he said. "In fact, I'm counting on her being completely unaware of what's happening until it's too late. You see, the relics were stolen months ago, and we've been preparing for this moment ever since. By the time the Supreme Pontifex realizes what's happening, it'll be too late. Our targets will be dead, and we'll be one step closer to achieving our goal."
The first man leaned forward, his eyes locked on the second man. "And what do you call these seven you sent to kill the Paladins?" he asked.
The second man smiled again, a hint of pride in his voice. "We call them the Righteous Seven," he said. "The Shadows of the Seven Virtues. Each one is named after a virtue, and each one is tasked with upholding that virtue in their own way."
The first man's eyes widened in understanding. "I see," he said. "And what virtues do they represent?"
The second man leaned back in his chair, a faraway look in his eyes. "There's Temperance, the one who brings balance and harmony. Prudence, the one who brings caution and wisdom. Justice, the one who brings fairness and righteousness. Faith, the one who brings hope and devotion. Hope, the one who brings inspiration and optimism. Charity, the one who brings kindness and generosity. And finally, there's Fortitude, the one who brings strength and courage."
The first man nodded, a look of determination on his face. "I see," he said. "And how do you plan to use them to achieve our goal?"
The second man smiled again, a cold and calculating smile. "We'll use them to take out our targets, one by one," he said. "We'll use the Righteous Seven to eliminate any opposition, and we'll use their divine artifacts to give us the upper hand. With the Righteous Seven on our side, we'll be unstoppable. All they know is that the Soleil Order is evil and they are the ones to stop them"
The first man nodded, a look of excitement on his face. "I see," he said. "And what of the consequences? What will happen when the Supreme Pontifex finds out what we've done against her Order?"
The second man shrugged. "We'll deal with that when the time comes," he said. "But for now, let's focus on the task at hand. We have a plan to execute, and we'll see it through to its conclusion. If we don't our organization will be at stake"
The first man nodded, a look of determination on his face. "Let's do it," he said. "Let's see this plan through to its conclusion. We'll show the world what we're capable of, and no one will be able to stand in our way."
The two men sat in silence for a moment, their eyes locked on each other. Then, the second man spoke up, his voice low and menacing. "We'll start with the most powerful targets," he said. "The ones who thinks they're above the law. We'll take them down, and we'll show the world what it means to cross us."
The first man smiled and stood up. He made a circle with his thumb and index finger and said:
"All hail her majesty."