As night fell in the Royal Castle, five figures, including Othid, sat around a large rectangular table in a dimly lit room filled with the warm glow of candles. Shadows danced on the stone walls, giving the room an eerie ambiance. A detailed map of the Ignathian Continent lay in the center of the table, its edges slightly worn, and glasses of deep red wine sat untouched in front of them each.

Othid crossed his arms, his sharp gaze scanning the group before speaking. "We are gathered here today, by the King’s orders, to address a pressing matter. The Queen's son, Kajin, has escaped the Royal Castle. He engaged us at the city of Albille, defeated our forces, and vanished without a trace," he announced, his tone cold and calculated.

The room fell silent except for the soft crackling of the candles, their flames flickering slightly as a breeze slipped through the cracks in the stone. Othid continued, his voice carrying weight. "As a result of this disaster, our army will be reduced by 40%, and control over the Kingdom's inner defense will be handed to the Royal Patrol. Our influence within the Kingdom will significantly diminish."

A loud slam interrupted him, echoing through the room. "This is absurd! How can the King do this to us?!" growled General Rhyver, a towering figure with thick, matted fur. His deep, booming voice carried his frustration, and his clawed hand left a faint mark on the table.

"I agree with Rhyver," said a serpentine figure with a long, coiled body. His voice hissed through the air as he gestured slightly with his tail. "The King should have consulted us first. We deserved to have a say in this."

Othid observed them calmly, his sharp features remaining impassive. "Anyone else wish to express their thoughts?"

A soft, almost mocking laugh came from Valena, a woman with a sly smile. Her fingers delicately traced the rim of her wine glass. "You’re all overreacting. Losing some troops doesn’t mean we’re losing power. The Royal Patrol will catch that slave soon enough. Let’s wait for the King’s mood to improve before negotiating," she said, her voice dripping with amusement. She sipped her wine, her movements slow and deliberate, as though she relished the tension in the room.

The figure across from Othid leaned forward, his piercing gaze focused on the map. "Valena is right. The Royal Patrol may hold more sway now, but in war, our armies will reclaim their dominance, as we did with the humans," said General Velmor, his voice steady and brimming with ambition. His scarred hands rested on the table.

Othid’s lips curled into a small smile. "Well said, Velmor." He placed a hand on the map, his finger tracing the routes. "Now, let’s discuss the tasks assigned by the King."

He pointed to the Darkvill Kingdom’s capital and the surrounding slave routes, marked in deep red ink. "The slave routes connecting the capital to the human lands are under attack by the resistance. These raids are disrupting the flow of slaves, creating significant issues. Our job is to eliminate these disruptions and stabilize the system."

Othid addressed each member in turn, his tone commanding. "Velmor, you will oversee the heart of the slave route, the city of Vanhill."

Velmor nodded without hesitation. "Understood."

"Valena," Othid continued, "you’ll guard the main route connecting Vanhill to Slavara. Raids are frequent there, so exercise caution."

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Valena smirked, her sharp teeth glinting in the candlelight. "Always careful, dear Othid."

"Kafka, you’ll protect the route between Vanhill and Metairo. Ensure the goods are delivered safely," Othid ordered.

"With pleasure," Kafka hissed, his tongue flicking slightly.

Finally, Othid pointed to Slavara. "Rhyver, you’ll control the slaves in Slavara. Escapes have increased, and the Holy Resistance remains a growing threat. Prevent uprisings and root out any resistance members."

Rhyver grunted, his massive frame shifting slightly. "Got it."

"I’ll handle ensuring the slaves are safely brought to the capital and investigate the Holy Resistance," Othid concluded, his voice steady.

The group nodded, and Othid’s voice echoed through the room. "This concludes our meeting."

~~~

Meanwhile, deep in the forest, Kajin and Ruya sat around a fire pit. The flames crackled softly, casting flickering shadows on the surrounding trees. Kajin stared into the fire, lost in thought, his brow furrowed. Ruya, on the other hand, was playing with a small squirrel that chirped and hopped around his lap.

Kajin broke his silence, his voice low. "Where did you find that squirrel?"

Ruya and the squirrel both turned to look at him. Laughing nervously, Ruya replied, "Found him when we entered the forest. He seemed lost, so I decided to bring him along."

Kajin raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical. "Why didn’t you tell me earlier?"

Ruya shrugged, grinning. "You were too busy daydreaming. I probably said your name more times today than there are stars in the sky." The squirrel squeaked in agreement, its tiny head bobbing as if to emphasize Ruya’s words.

Kajin rubbed his temples. "I have a bad feeling about this squirrel," he muttered before lying down. Ruya shrugged and returned to playing with the creature, the firelight reflecting off their faces. Kajin laid down, turning his back at them and closing his eyes, diving back Into his thoughts.

Suddenly he found himself at the Royal Castle, the air heavy with tension, confused he looked around only to see a girl in a flowing white dress with black hair pass infront of him, her movements graceful yet distant, his eyes opened wide in shock and realization. Kajin began to chase her but the ground beneath his feet started to crumble as he ran after her.

Just as he reached her, the earth gave way, and he fell into an abyss. He landed before an abandoned house, its wooden structure creaking ominously. Entering Inside, he heard someone crying loudly, as he climbed the stairs they groaned under his weight with each step.

Finally he reached a wooden door, opening it he found the girl, her eyes covered with bloodied bandages, locked behind metal bars.

"H-Hey... it’s me, Kajin!" he said softly, his voice trembling.

She looked up weakly. "K-Kajin? I-Is it really y-you...?"

"Yes! I’ll get you out!" Kajin exclaimed, gripping the bars tightly, "I will free you! And we will escape this hell together!"

"Don’t," she whispered. "Don't do something that you never actually did."

Blood seeped from her bandages as she continued, her voice trembling with anger. "You chose your reputation over me. Kajin..." She tilted her head up to look at him "You left me here... to rot... I HATE YOU!"

Kajin stood frozen in shock by her words, his world shattering once again into a million pieces.

The room began to collapse, and chains tore into her flesh keeping her in place. Blood splattered onto Kajin as he stood completely broken by her. Reaching slowly for her, he whispered, tears rolled down his eyes as pieces of wood fell everywhere "I'm sorry... Vanessa! Vanessa!!! VANESSA!!! I...!

Kajin flashed open his eyes as he woke with a start, drenched in cold sweat. His heart raced as he muttered, "Just a dream..." Putting his hand on his chest he glanced at Ruya, who snored lightly with the squirrel curled up on his stomach "It's like she is still with me... here... deep inside..." Muttered Kajin.

Getting up, he leaned against a tree, pulling out some dried meat. As the sun began to rise, he formed a small fireball with his fingers and shot it at Ruya’s rear.

"OUCH!" Ruya yelped, jumping to his feet as the squirrel scurried away in panic.

Kajin tossed them some meat and began walking. "Wake up, Ruya. We’re in a hurry didn't you forget?"

Ruya rubbed his eyes and stretched, picking up his meat as he followed Kajin groggily. The squirrel hopped back onto his shoulder, nibbling its own piece of food.