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When Ezra finally left the room, his posture a blend of respect and caution, Griffin turned his gaze towards the shadows where X stood. "So, what do you think of our friend Ezra?" Griffin's voice, metallic and devoid of warmth, filled the space.

X stepped forward, his movements deliberate. He met Griffin's eyes, hiding his true thoughts behind a mask of obedience. "Ezra is perceptive," he replied. "He likely understands your intentions. He knows what you're trying to tell him."

"If you say so." Griffin's mechanical breathing filled the silence as he considered X's words. "And do you think he will stand with me when the time comes?"

X weighed his response, knowing that his answer carried significant weight. "Ezra is a man of strategy. He will do what he believes is best for his interests."

A thin smile crept across Griffin's face. "As will you, X. I wonder if you would do the same thing I have done with Ezra."

X's heart beat a little faster, but he kept his composure. Before he could respond, Griffin continued, "Of course you would. We are cut from the same cloth, after all."

The unspoken command hung in the air. That was the way it had always been. X felt his soul singing in tune with the count's vitality and clenched his fists. He bowed his head slightly, acknowledging the Count's words. "I will see to my duties," he said, his voice steady.

"Good. Go now," Griffin commanded, his attention already shifting away to other things. As always.

X turned and left through a side entrance, his steps purposeful but his mind racing. He navigated the labyrinthine hallways of the hotel which was Griffin's sanctuary, until he reached a concealed door. Opening it, he descended a narrow staircase that led to his hidden room, a space he had painstakingly prepared over the years.

The room was sparse but functional, with a single cot, a small desk, and several shelves lined with various personal effects and tools. X sat cross-legged on the floor, focusing his mind. Drawing on his vitality, he cast out his spirit, creating an astral projection. His vitality surged out of him to create an ethereal image of himself.

His physical body remained in the room, but his spirit soared above the city, invisible and untethered.

He flew over the rooftops, the lights of the city below glittering like stars. His destination was the penthouse where Ezra had once stayed, now occupied by a different tenant. The journey was swift, the distance shrinking in moments. He phased through the walls and found himself in a spacious living room.

A woman sat near the window, her fingers deftly carving a piece of wood. Each slice of the knife caused the carved wood to vanish into motes of light. X recognized her immediately. The assassin who had attacked Ezra. Her focus on the carving was intense, each movement precise and deliberate.

"Why did you attack right after I left?" X's voice echoed in the room, a whisper on the astral plane.

The woman looked up, her eyes met his, sharp and mocking. "Does it matter? The timing was right."

"Griffin doesn't know you're here," X stated, more as a fact than a question.

"Good," she replied, dismissing his presence with a wave of her hand. "And he shouldn't. I have my own reasons for being here."

"You know," X's gaze hardened, "you could achieve more by turning your attention to Griffin instead of Ezra."

The assassin's laughter was cold. "And why would I do that? Griffin is a far more dangerous game. I do know where I stand, you know."

"Because," X pressed, "you know that striking at the heart of power yields the greatest rewards. Cut he head of the hydra and burn it up or it grows stronger."

She paused her carving, looking at him with renewed interest. "And what reward are you seeking, X?"

X chose his words carefully, aware that his true intentions must remain hidden. "I seek balance. Griffin's hold over us all is too tight. It suffocates our potential."

The woman considered his words, her expression thoughtful. "Interesting. But I don't take orders from you."

X smiled faintly. "Nor do I give them. I merely suggest that we all stand to gain more by redirecting our efforts."

She resumed her carving, the knife glinting in the dim light. "I'll consider your suggestion. But for now, Ezra is my target. You'd better make sure Griffin doesn't find out I'm here."

X nodded, knowing he had planted a seed of doubt and possibility. "Be careful," he said, before his astral form began to wane.

The room faded from his sight as his vitality ebbed away, the energy of his astral projection dispersing into the night air. He felt his spirit reconnect with his body, the sudden return of physical sensations grounding him.

X opened his eyes, his hidden room now feeling more like a cage. Griffin's words echoed in his mind, a reminder of the invisible chains that bound him. But he had his own plans, his own games to play.

The Count's grip might be strong, but X knew how to maneuver within it, to find the cracks and exploit them.

He rose from the floor, his resolve steeled. The night was far from over, and his duties demanded attention. But as he went about his tasks, his mind remained on the delicate dance of power and rebellion he had begun.

The game was dangerous, but X thrived on danger. It was, after all, the only way to achieve his true goals.