In the Valley of Shadows

**Date Started:** August 24, 2019
**Date Completed:** Ongoing
**Previous Role-Play:** By Royal Decree
**Users Involved:** User:Ninshū, User:SageoftheDixPaths
**Setting**: Clover Kingdom
**Characters Involved:** Celestia Lucifuge, Key Underwood
* **Mentioned:** King Guthrie Clover II

Briskly walking through the empty and quiet halls of the underground passageway that led to the Headquarters that belong to the Violet Orca Magic Knight Squad, Celestia quickly burst into the hideouts central hub startling the few maids and workers that kept the pass organized. Giving them a quick greeting she hurried on making her way towards the dining room already knowing she would find her subordinates munching away at this time.

Opening the door to dining room she was greeted with the sights of her squad being their usual selves while filling their stomachs. Clearing her throat in an attempt to garner their attention, she made her way towards the head of table and seated herself down once everyone acknowledged her presence. "I’ll make this quick as I have a lot to attend to." She began before looking around the room in search of a specific person. However, after not locating them, she let out a small hum in thought.

"Since neither Horath or Jon have retuned from their previous missions". She continued as she turned towards the person seated to her immediate right. "Key, I need you to lead a very important mission for me." She finished as she gave her attention to the 3rd Class Senior Magic Knight.

"*Tch*," Key replied disapprovingly. Nevertheless, the lunatic's lips were curled into the venomous smile Captain Celestia was used to seeing him with by now. Tension congested the dining hall as the captain waited for her subordinate's answer. The other present members of the squad glared at Key with disconcerted expressions. Whenever the heir to the noble House Underwood was around, he never failed to make everyone else uncomfortable, regardless if they were on his squad or not. Despite being of noble status; the reputation that followed his notorious family, as well as the erratic behavior and temperament he was known for, made Key an especially unfavorable member of the Magic Knights.

The brown-skinned nobleman's beady eyes were fixated on the neat tablecloth in front of him. Unlike everyone else around him, he didn't have a single morsel of food on his plate. He just stared at the table, grinning at his captain's request. "The pleasure would be all mine, Captain Celestia," he croaked. His unsettling voice was high-pitched, scratchy, and made him sound like an impish nuisance. The sound of it sent a chill down his squadmates' spines; everyone sitting at the table looked uncomfortable knowing that the eccentric Curse Magic user of the squad was leading a mission.

The clear discomfort amongst the squad didn't go unnoticed by Key. His left eye began to twitch and the lightning-shaped scar under it started to bounce as a result. Although he was obviously unstable, and truthfully unfit to be leading any sort of serious mission, Key was a high-ranking member of the squad for a reason. Amongst the Purple Orcas, his tracking skills were unmatched and his attack spells proved to be particularly effective in battle. Still twitching his eye aggressively at the table, Key finally asked, "what are my orders?" with his sardonic grin.