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A few streets away, the tiny, scarred man named Ophaniel hobbled through the side entrance of the Memorial Temple on Rue Saint-Marc.

He looked around the familiar lobby as he crossed the threshold. He heard the organ playing on the second floor as he passed by the paintings of past Masters proudly hanging on the wall. He decided not to take the elevators, instead climbing the stairs quietly, not wanting to disturb his brethren’s ceremony. 

The anteroom door was open. I. . .