Lord Shadow

'Graham' Waiting outside the door is a middle age man with neatly trimmed grey beard. He is around five feet seven and his body is lean and there is no trace of any muscle on his body. 

He is wearing his grey robe today.

His blonde hair is neatly tied on the back, reaching just below his neck. He wears a glass that look like an antique created during the Victorian era.

Eric frowned a bit. Graham would not come here unless he has something important to do. After all, Graham prefers to stay in his lab rather than going to meetings or participate in the program of the organization. 

Graham also look at Eric and said

'It has been a long time

Eric chuckles and simply said

'I am always here. It is you that always get cooped up in your lab. It is not healthy. You should go out and meet people' Graham only scoffed at this.

'Uninteresting people. They are all sorts of uninteresting people in this world. If I have to meet every single one of them, it would only waste my time'

'Your disdain of humanity is showing' Eric said

'Most people are idiots' Graham said. Eric retorted and said

'And you are the smartest?'

'I know that I am not and that is why I seek knowledge. But outside…. they don't know that they are not and think that they smart'

Eric only smiles and said

'Seeing the world and the people living in it, the lifeforms in it might be the thing you need. It is without a doubt among our colleague you are the smartest. But you lack-'

Before Eric could finish his word, Graham simply cut him off and said

'Is it humanity again? I lack humanity?'

Eric only nodded. 

Graham had something more to say but then he thought he wasted enough time. He would not try to defend himself. After all, it is not like he cares that much what people think of him

But Eric sometimes makes him feel competitive and causes him to get worked up. He shakes his head and then he brought something out from his sleeve.

It is an envelope. 

Then he simply said

'Eric, give this to the Grand Researcher' Eric saw the envelop and he raised his eyebrows. 

'Why are you so…. tense?' Eric ask at Graham. Graham sighed and said 

  'Someone had given me this envelope. And that someone is not a person that the Order of Thinkers could handle'

Hearing this, there is alarm bells ringing in Eric heart. Unlike the other organization, their high ranking members is quite loose in that they make alliance and connection with people they want to.

Regardless of the opposition from the other researchers

Most of the other organization however had a banned list like Pandemonium officials are not allowed to contact the Dark Syndicate, the Crime Alliance and so on and so forth

But for the people of the Order of Thinkers, those high level researchers could not be constrained by such thing. 

Knowing this, they don't even care to constrain. After all, most of the high level researchers need resources. 

And it is not like the Order of Thinkers could supply all of the researchers with ample amount of resources. So there is a weird system in the order of Thinkers

To some research that is deemed hard to materialize, the funding would be cut or even scrapped off by the budget department.

But if the researchers still wanted to research such thing, they have to use their own resources. There is no restriction to this

Graham is one of the few researchers in the Order of Thinkers that have a big pocket, a ton of connection in the crime world, lots of researchers contact in the great powers, and countless channel of resources.

He is also studying may what would have been called fringe science if this is before the Fall. 

Because most of his research is funded by him privately, the order of thinkers mostly does not know what he researched on and could not interfere in the direction of his research

But every once in a while Graham would share some of his technology with the Order of Thinkers and as such he is one of the high ranking members of the Order of Thinkers.

It is because of this liberty that many researchers join the Order of Thinkers. But it is also because of this, that many could say that not all of the researchers here has a clean reputation.

Eric hearing that this come from someone that the organization could not handle of course he would feel wary.

Who knows what kind of people that Graham is in contact with.

'Who?' Erik ask

At this Graham scratch the back of his head and shakes his head

'I could not tell you that. I promise him that'

There is silence between them. And Eric could only sigh

It is not like he could force Graham to tell who it is 

Graham then said 

'I decrypted the letter and read what is inside. I fear that the letter meant harm. I saw the content. '

If this happens in Pandemonium or any other world power where the subordinate dares to intercept letters for their rulers and leaders, there would be a huge punishment. 

But this is the Order of Thinkers and Graham is not someone that the organization could punish at will

'Truth be told, I thought of just burning the letter.  But I know it is not my place to decide'

Graham then look at Eric with a pitiful expression and he added 

'I don't like scheming. That is why I followed this organization. But someone had reached to me and they sent me this letter so I could give it to her.'

Sighing he said

'Even though the person that makes contact with me is a person I admire, in the end, I am a member of the order of Thinkers. Regardless what you think of me and my research, I don't want such a sanctuary for us seeker of knowledge to be burned by those ignorant people that only seek to dominate and destroy'

Then he paused for a second and as he sighed he said

'Tell her….do not be too greedy' Then finished saying this, he pushed the envelope to Eric. Eric took it and Graham walk away, his grey robe seems to distort a bit before he disappears from the long straight hallway

Eric frowned. 

'What does he means by that?' He looks at the envelope that is in his hand and then one thing caught his attention

There is a red wax sealed on the envelope. And there is a crest on the wax. His face immediately changed

'Is it…' but he did not finish his words. One thing that he is feeling right now is cold. It is like holding that envelope made him filled with a feeling of crisis. 

But he slowly understood why his friend look so solemn 

He hesitated a bit but then walk to the Grand Researcher. She is still there on the balcony looking at the construction of the city in the far distance. 

She also seems to be thinking deeply. 

Her eyes seem to be unfocused. He taps her on her shoulder and she went back to normal. Then without turning to look at Erick she asks

'Who is it?' 

'It's Graham'

Hearing this she raised her eyebrows

'He went out of his lab. That is surprising'

'He brought you a letter. he said it is from one of his friend. It seems they wanted to make contact with you'

She nodded. Eric hesitated a bit but then he remembers what graham said.

It is not his decision to make. So, he held out his hand and give the envelope to her. She took the envelope but then she saw the red wax on the opening of the envelope. 

And her expression turns hard.

It is a snake eating its own tail. 

Ourobourus. 

And she immediately knew who send her this envelope. 

'It's him. I did not expect this' Eric did not say anything. He was also as shocked. 

Even though the Order of Thinkers did not make any moves after hearing the news that Death Monarch had departed, they both knew that outside of Antarctica right now, there is probably many schemes and plots that is now put into motion the moment Death Monarch departed from Earth

She also wanted to make some moves. But she is a bit cautious. And she did not intend to make such big moves.

In other words, she did not want to get involved in those great powers games. But this letter, it is like an invitation to the big games. 

That is why she is solemn in expression. She did not think that her organization would capture the eyes of that person. 

Maybe that man also send such envelope to the other great power. No, he doesn't think so. This person doesn't have many allies right now.

There are only a few people that dare to be ally with this person