The large hall was filled with hundreds of people. When Cate appeared, they all turned around to look at her. From their invasive gazes, she understood that these people were checking out their competition. Cate was wearing black jeans and a simple black top. Her hair was left to move freely, but it was in the best condition possible. She was instantly judged to be no more than a spoiled young girl who had taken the wrong turn to end up in this place. The competitors were of all ages and held countless secrets. The Avalon Society was willing to take in anyone willing to swear allegiance to the High King. Even criminals were allowed to join. As long as your crimes were not against the laws set forth by the High King, there was no problem. Cate vacated the platform and, after a predatory assessment of the gathered throng, anchored herself in a secluded corner to observe without being observed. In this corner, there was only one person: a short young man with dreadlocks and eyes filled with pain. He stood there, and everyone else gave him a wide berth. When the other competitors saw Cate moving towards the young man, there were a few gasps mixed with some dark chuckles. Cate heard everything and, to some extent, understood why they would avoid this young man, but in her eyes, he was probably the most stable person among all those gathered.
This was because this young man wore his pain on his sleeves. Everything was out in the open, including the horrors he was willing to inflict upon those who crossed him. Just from looking at him, Cate saw that as long as one had no intention of harming, betraying, or attacking this young man, there would be no problem. Cate was pleased with people like this, since with them, one always knew where they stood.
Cate said nothing. She stood next to the young man, and the two enjoyed a comfortable silence. Time moved on, and more people arrived with each passing minute. At this moment, a young woman wearing a green hoodie walked towards Cate and the young man. She was the first to do this after Cate. The young woman's face was covered, but judging by the way she dressed and walked, Cate guessed she was a high-grade introvert. She stood next to Cate, and that was when everything changed. The young woman closed the laptop that was in her hands and looked at Cate. She then looked at the young man. She nodded at both of them, and they both responded in kind.
"Have I misjudged her?" Cate wondered. She did not believe that this was the behavior of an introvert.
"I am Mary," she said. Cate did not know what she had been expecting, but "Mary" was not it.
"I am Ca..."
The young woman raised her hand and cut her off. "I know who everyone is, and that includes you two."
Cate's heart skipped a beat at this, but she quickly hid the panic. She was sure that there was no way this young girl could see through all the magic she had used to make herself Catherine Staranse. Cate was even more sure that this young girl could not possibly see through her true identity as Medusa. After reassuring herself, Cate calmed down and looked the young girl directly in the eyes.
"Who do you think I am?"
This amused Mary. She looked Cate up and down before shaking her head as though she was not impressed by what she saw. "You are Catherine Staranse, bastard impure daughter of the ancient Staranse Mage clan," Mary said with confidence.
Her words attracted the attention of a few nearby people. The Staranse clan was famous among the supernaturals. After all, this was one of the founding clans that made up the Avalon Society. The current vice-chairman of the Avalon Society was from the Staranse clan, and this was just the beginning of their influence in the world of supernaturals.
Cate was impressed that the young girl had seen through her identity, but since she was not trying to hide that she was Catherine Staranse, this was not as impressive. The only thing that surprised her was that Mary could tell she was impure. Among supernaturals, those who had human blood were referred to as "impure." They were generally looked down upon and seen as less than. This was the main reason why the Staranse clan had kicked out the real Catherine Staranse. Her mother had been human, and this was unacceptable to some people in the Staranse clan.Had it not been for the poisonous stigma of her "impure" label, the Staranse clan would never have dared to exile her solely for the circumstance of her birth.
Even though the worlds of the supernatural and those of humans diverged, they both considered this to be the modern world, and being a bastard was no longer an issue unless one came from one of the noble clans.
Mary then looked at the young man, and she opened her mouth to speak, but she thought better of it. There were a few murmurs about Cate before everyone went back to their business.
"You can call me Cate."
Mary nodded in understanding.
"Why have you approached us?" Cate spoke for both herself and the young man whose name she had yet to learn.
Mary felt a jolt of alarm as her veiled motives were stripped bare, yet she executed a seamless emotional pivot, reclaiming her icy facade in an instant. "I am a simple witch, and with my power, I stand no chance at passing the test to join the Avalon Society. I want you two to help me pass the tests." Cate just nodded without saying anything. She waited for Mary to explain herself. She certainly harbored no delusions that Cate was some altruistic saint who would squander her precious seconds on the trivial burdens of others. If she did, she would be the greatest fool Cate had seen since her rebirth in this time. Cate could tell that this young woman was no fool.
"In exchange for your help, I will give you information on all the other competitors. This information will include their weaknesses and fighting styles," Mary continued.
Cate was still not moved, and Mary could see this in her eyes. The information from Ion confirmed her suspicions: the test was a gauntlet of near-impossible odds, a brutal filter designed to ensure that only a microscopic elite—one in ten—ever survived the cut. Cate was not foolish enough to allow herself to be pulled into helping someone else pass. Unless the benefits were truly amazing, there was no way she would accept an extra burden.
"I have a unique ability that allows me to see how powerful someone truly is, and after looking at everyone here, I realized that you two were the most powerful. I understand that with your level of power, you might not be too interested in my information. You can still pass the test, though it would be a little more difficult without all the information. What I am offering you is not just information about these people here, but any information you might need in the future as well. I will get it for you without asking for any payment," Mary said.
Cate was a little interested after hearing this. She was joining the Avalon Society not to serve the High King but to steal his most prized possessions. For this, she would need far more information than she currently had. She did not even know where the five keys were being stored. If she had the info Mary claimed to offer, Cate's mission would be more straightforward and would end much sooner. She did not want to spend decades on the same thing. She had a blood debt to collect, and those who prattled on about revenge being a dish best served cold had never felt the searing stagnation of waiting centuries for a calculated reckoning.
When Mary saw the interest in Cate's eyes grow, she was overjoyed, since it meant there was a chance of success. While Mary could have peddled her services to any number of desperate souls, she refused to cast her pearls before swine she didn't trust, viewing the entire assembly as a nest of vipers waiting to strike. She did not even trust Cate, but, from what she knew, Cate was the safer option. Having grown up among humans, there was a chance that she had the most humanity, thus making her the kindest one here. This was, of course, speculation, but Mary was willing to bet on this rather than go by the background of the others.
"How can you offer me the information I need? Even though you appear to be proficient with your human computer, this is the Immortal Realm. Your technology will be of no help here," Cate said. She wanted to be convinced. If this young woman could truly offer what she needed, she was willing to take her up on her offer.
"One of my ancestors was a seer of renown, and that celestial spark has ignited within me. My vision penetrates the veils of existence, offering you a strategic omnipotence that will ensure your ascension within the Avalon Society."
The moment she said that she was a seer, Cate felt as though Mary was a completely different person. Even the mysterious young man was shaken. Seers were a vanishing rarity, and coercing one into cooperation was an infuriating ordeal that tested the limits of mortal patience. If this young woman was indeed a seer, her offer was indeed sincere. Merely facilitating her entry into the Avalon Society was a trifling concession, a small price to pay for the unparalleled advantage of a seer's vision.
"I want you to become mine," Cate said out loud. All who heard her looked at her as though she were some crazy young girl. They had not listened to what the three of them had been discussing. They only heard Cate's outburst.
Mary blushed and moved a few steps away from Cate. "You should at least buy me dinner first," she said coquettishly.
Cate almost burst out into laughter, and even the stunned young man smiled at this.
"I want to make a deal with you so that you can become my seer. You will work for me alone after that," Cate explained. Mary stopped laughing and looked at her stunningly.
Some seers made these kinds of deals, but they did so with powerful noble clans and ancient families that wielded terrible power. Though she bore the Staranse name, she lived as a marginalized phantom, a bastard daughter whose very existence was treated as a malignant stain the family refused to acknowledge. She was in no position to make such a deal with a seer. This was Mary's opinion, but she did not say it out loud. She looked at Cate with eyes that encouraged her to wake from her fanciful dreams.
Cate could understand what this young woman was thinking right now, and she could not blame her. Still, Cate was determined to take this seer for herself. If she wanted to get what she wanted in the shortest amount of time and without wasting too much power, a seer was a must.
"Tell me your price, and I will double it," Cate spoke magnanimously.
Mary was a bit taken aback at this. She could see the confidence in Cate's blue eyes. She thought for a moment before she decided to give it a chance. If the young woman could indeed meet her demands, there was no reason not to work for her. After all, this was the fate of all seers, since they could not see their own futures, only those of others, and so they almost always ended up working for others.
Cate smiled victoriously after seeing that her offer was about to be accepted.
"I will give you a chance. If you can take first position in this test and, on top of this, take me along to join the Avalon Society, I will seriously consider your offer," said Mary.
Cate just nodded her head without even thinking. The immediate acceptance caught her off guard; she had expected the cryptic posturing common to seers, a breed of pompous oracles who guarded their importance more fiercely than their visions.
"I was planning on taking first place even without your urging. As for taking you along, there is nothing simpler."
Mary shook her head at Cate's ignorance of the matter. This was not simply a test but a bloodbath that involved some of the most powerful supernaturals from all over the world and beyond.