The next day passed with agonizing slowness as Klein wrestled with his decision. Mrs. Doyle had provided him with access to her private library—a collection of books and documents that officially didn't exist, containing knowledge that the various churches and governments preferred to keep hidden from the general population.
Klein spent hours reading about the Aurora Order, trying to understand what he might be walking into. The organization was older than most nations, tracing its origins back to the catastrophic end of the Fourth Epoch. Unlike the crude cultists he had encountered in Tingen, the Aurora Order was sophisticated, well-funded, and deeply embedded in the power structures of multiple kingdoms.
Their stated goal was the "restoration of the True Creator's rightful dominion," but Klein was beginning to understand that the reality was more complex. The True Creator—also known as the Fallen Creator—was indeed an Outer Deity of immense power, but the Aurora Order's relationship with their patron was more nuanced than simple worship.
"They're trying to control it," Klein realized as he read a particularly revealing document. "They don't just want to serve the True Creator—they want to harness its power for their own purposes."
The document, written by a former Aurora Order member who had apparently defected before meeting an unpleasant end, described the organization's true structure. At its head was a council of Sequence 1 Beyonders—beings of near-godlike power who had somehow managed to avoid the corruption that usually accompanied contact with Outer Deities. Below them were various cells and factions, each pursuing different aspects of the organization's agenda.
Some cells focused on gathering ancient artifacts and forbidden knowledge. Others worked to infiltrate governments and religious institutions. And a few, the most dangerous ones, conducted experiments designed to find ways to safely channel the power of Outer Deities without succumbing to their corrupting influence.
"It's a balancing act," Klein murmured to himself. "They're walking a tightrope between power and madness, and they think I might be the key to maintaining that balance."
The Fool pathway's unique properties made it particularly valuable to an organization like the Aurora Order. Unlike other pathways, which followed predictable patterns of advancement and corruption, the Fool pathway seemed to exist outside the normal rules. A sufficiently advanced Fool could potentially interact with Outer Deities without being corrupted, serving as a bridge between human consciousness and cosmic forces.
As evening approached, Klein made his decision. He would attend the gathering, but he would go prepared. The notebook had revealed several protective rituals that might help him resist mental influence, and Mrs. Doyle had provided him with a few items that could serve as emergency escape routes if the situation turned dangerous.
"Remember," she warned as he prepared to leave, "the Aurora Order's greatest weapon isn't their supernatural power—it's their ability to make their offers seem reasonable. They'll present you with logical arguments, attractive benefits, and carefully crafted justifications for whatever they want you to do. Don't let them convince you that their goals align with yours just because they're willing to help you achieve them."
Welch and Naya had wanted to accompany him, but Klein had refused. If this was a trap, there was no point in all three of them walking into it. And if it was a genuine opportunity, he needed to evaluate it without worrying about his friends' safety.
The old Hornacis Mountain Steel Works had been abandoned for decades, but as Klein approached the facility, he could see lights flickering in the windows of what had once been the main administrative building. The contaminated zone he remembered from their escape route was still present, but it had been... tamed, somehow. The reality distortions were still there, but they had been channeled and controlled, turned into a defensive barrier rather than a random hazard.
"Impressive," Klein admitted to himself. The level of supernatural expertise required to accomplish such a feat was far beyond anything he had encountered so far.
The entrance to the building was guarded by two figures in dark robes, their faces hidden but their auras clearly marking them as high-sequence Beyonders. They examined Klein with senses that went far beyond normal perception, then stepped aside to allow him entry.
Inside, the building had been transformed into something that belonged more in a palace than an abandoned factory. Rich carpets covered the floors, tapestries depicting scenes from the Fourth Epoch hung on the walls, and the air was filled with the scent of expensive incense that seemed to sharpen Klein's supernatural senses rather than dull them.
He was led to a circular chamber where perhaps a dozen individuals were already seated around a table made of what appeared to be crystallized starlight. Each of them radiated the distinctive aura of a Beyonder, but Klein could sense that they represented different pathways and organizations.
At the head of the table sat a figure whose presence made Klein's skin crawl with instinctive recognition. This was the Aurora Order representative who had visited the boarding house, but seeing them clearly revealed details that had been hidden in shadow. They were tall and elegant, with features that were almost but not quite human, and eyes that held depths that seemed to extend into infinity.
"Welcome, Mr. Moretti," the figure said, their voice carrying harmonics that resonated in Klein's bones. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Ouroboros, and I have the honor of serving as tonight's host."
The name sent a shock of recognition through Klein. Ouroboros wasn't just a high-ranking member of the Aurora Order—according to the notebook, they were one of the legendary "Angels" of the Fourth Epoch, beings who had achieved Sequence 1 and survived the cataclysm that ended that age of the world.
"Please, take a seat," Ouroboros continued, gesturing to an empty chair that Klein hadn't noticed before. "We have much to discuss, and the night is still young."
As Klein sat down, he realized that he was no longer just a newly awakened Beyonder stumbling through the hidden world. He was now a player in a game that had been ongoing for millennia, and the stakes were higher than he had ever imagined.
The crimson moon, visible through the chamber's windows, seemed to pulse with anticipation. The real education was about to begin.