For Centuries - Season 1 [Completed]

Episode 30

"The Killing Moon", Echo and the Bunnymen

After the fire in Rome a few centuries ago, the Council had established its quarters in an old building near the Palais Royal in Paris. They could not let go of the old-fashioned decorum.

They knew I was coming. I had sent a message and I was supposed to meet some of them at the end of the afternoon. I stayed at my apartment for a while but I felt restless and, as a consequence, I decided to have a walk.

As I saw some interesting paintings in a gallery, I took a picture of a portrait that I liked and sent it to Aidan. He texted me back: "I wish I could be there with you."

"I know, my love. How is James?"

"He will stay at my place. He is fine for now."

"How do you feel?"

"I'm glad he's here."

"Take good care of him."

"I will. Call me if anything goes wrong."

"Yes. Do not worry about me."

At the end of the day, I rang the doorbell of an imposing building with small sculptures at its corners and high windows. The large door opened a few seconds later and Richard greeted me. He was a tall man with short blond hair. He had the exact same style the last time I had seen him decades ago. A dark suit, with a pocket watch. Maybe the only thing different was his beard. However, I was not sure. He looked middle-aged, but he was twelve centuries old. 

"Elise, welcome," he said in a deep voice.

"Good evening, Richard."

He led me inside the house directly to an impressive stone staircase.

"How many of you are here today?" I asked.

"Only five. The others are all over the world."

The first floor had a small sitting room with antique furniture and heavy curtains. It led to a double door, opening in the conference room.

The four other immortals were standing in that room near a quite large wood table, round - it was not a coincidence - and carved with different symbols. At its center the coat of arms of the Council. Simplicity and humility, as always with them.

Apart from Richard, I recognized Abosede, a woman born a thousand and six hundred years ago in an area in today's Nigeria, and Titus, a man from ancient Rome who I suspected to be as old as I was. I did not know the two others.

"By the eternal light of the sun," Titus said. And all of the elders, except for me, repeated the ritual phrase. "Please sit down."

We all took a chair around the table. I had Abosede and the man I did not know at my left and Richard at my right. The woman I could not identify sat with Titus in front of me. Their manners and their fake deference disgusted me. It reminded me of the royal courts I had tried to avoid a large part of my life.

I had no intention of playing their game: 

"Listen, you wanted to talk with me," I said. "I am here. I have no time for this mockery. I want to know who cast this spell on me, and I want it removed quickly."