Alex woke up to a knock. Flitting his eyes back and forth in a daze, he realized that he had fallen asleep while reading on the settee. Trying to shake himself out of his groggy stupor before greeting his visitor, Alex jumped up and strutted toward the door to open it. Telan was on the other side, his hand still half raised, ready to continue his knocking. Telan blinked before putting his hand down slowly.

“Oh, you’re up,” Telan began, looking at Alex from head to toe, “And you’re already dressed too, how long have you been up?”

Alex didn’t know if he wanted to tell the demon he had accidentally fallen asleep like this or not, “Ah actually I… accidentally fell asleep on the couch…” He decided honestly was the best policy.

Telan made an “o” before continuing, “Ah well ah…. I-in that case, there’re extra sets in the wardrobe…?” The young man looked like he was trying to remember something before his eyes lit up and he smacked his fist against the palm of his other hand, “Ah yes, and I originally came here to ask you if you could meet me in the council chambers at one! They’re on the opposite door of the main throne room and to the left, you can’t miss them.”

“So you want me to meet with the leaders as well…?” Alex cocked his head to the side.

Telan nodded, his eyes a bit glazed and looking down, thinking something over from far away, “Yes. This will by no means be the most pleasant affair, but this must be done to make sure we have enough allies…” Telans lips twisted a bit and his eyes crinkled, thinking back to the meeting from yesterday, perhaps, “The lords are… not exactly amiable to me, but after hearing about the summoning circle, they asked me to bring you… Perhaps we could get more of them to our side.”

Telan continued rubbing his chin as Alex watched. This meeting seemed like it might be challenging. He had never really engaged directly with this type of thing before. As the humans’ hero, he and the others were really only being trained day to day without any real contact outside of their own group.

“I’ll make sure to be there on time, is there anything else you need from me, Telan?” Alex decided to jolt the poor man from his racing thoughts.

Telan quickly darted his eyes back up, “O-oh no, not at all,” Telan turned his head to the side, looking at the coffee table in the room, filled with opened books and scribbly notes, “I see you’ve been reading through the books I gave you. If you remember anything at all from them, I’m sure you’ll be fine.” Telan looked back toward Alex, his violet eyes shining and gave a quick bright smile. Alex stared at the demon as he jotted away.

Alex tried his best to prepare before the meeting. He changed out of the clothes he slept in and into a new pair before he was sent breakfast. He munched on it absentmindedly as he perused his notes. He heard a knock on his door and opened it to find Cera.

“The meeting will be in ten,” Cera stated, “Would you like me to guide you to the chamber?”

“I… think I’ll be able to find it myself, thank you,” Alex looked at the woman before him. It kind of felt like she was mocking him but her face had no real expression on it at all, so he wasn’t sure.

Cera’s eyes crinkled upward just a bit. Ah, there’s something.

“Are you sure? I could have sworn you got lost at least five times just down this hall yesterday.”

Definitely mocking him, then.

“It’s a very long hall…”

“Would you, or would you not like me to guide you to the council chamber?”

Alex stared at her until she walked away. She seemed like she was laughing but she did not make a sound.

With or without Cera’s help, Alex may never tell anyone, he managed to arrive at the council chamber five minutes before the appointed time. He looked up at the gigantic stone doors, filled to the brim with far more elaborate flowing and extensive designs etched into it than even the doors he had seen in the other hall. Most of the scenes on the edges were of battles, but the middle depicted a tall man surrounded by seven others who were all facing him.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Alex snapped himself out of it before slowing pushing open the doors. The council chamber itself was made of cold stone. Tapestries hung from the ceiling all in a row down the long vertical room. The walls had rows of windows. There was a long table with four chairs on one side and three on the other, with two chairs at the far end, furthest from the door. Three people were already in the room. One was Telan, and another was a large buff man with calm eyes who was talking animatedly to the demon. Another was sitting the furthest away from the head of the table. He was a gaunt figure with glassy eyes and thin black hair tied in a ponytail. He seemed like he hadn’t slept in a while.

Alex cautiously waved as Telan looked up to see who was entering. Telan waved back and gestured for Alex to come over.

“Hello, Alex,” Telan smiled and gestured over to the man next to him, “Please allow me to introduce Lord Derrion to you.” The man smiled to Alex.

“Hello, Telan has spoke much of you, but I must admit I expected you to be a bit…” Derrion seemed to be struggling for a word that wouldn’t been an insult.

“No, it’s fine, I know I’m not that tall… or intimidating,” Alex decided to finish the sentence before the man. In response, Derrion let out a loud guffaw which startled the man at the far away so much he nearly fell out of his chair. Alex realized the poor man had actually fallen asleep.

“Uh… is he…,” Alex began, vaguely gesturing toward the man who had slumped back into his previous position, “Is he… ok?”

Telan suddenly looked alert, “Oh? He’s quite alright, he’s just been up all night sending letters and the like. He’s one of the lesser lords on the borders and apparently… some human scouts have been spotted.”

Alex jolted.

“I-it’s to be expected though, scouts at least,” Telan rushed to continue, “soldiers were sent out to check the perimeter and it doesn’t seem as if any larger group was spotted… yet.”

Alex hummed, looking around the hall as Derrion remained silent.

“Where are the other lords?” Alex questioned.

“Probably acting like the cowards they are and going back to their lands to bolster their own defenses, leaving us to rot,” Derrion began, his voice dripping with hatred the more he went on.

“I’m sure at least a few more will show…,” Telan began, “At least Wendan and Kess…”

As if summoned, the door swung open, revealing a middle-aged man with sleek salt and pepper hair, pointed ears, and bright grey eyes. His eyes swept the room, landing on Alex for a second, before continuing to Telan, “Hello, young lord, it seems the hall is much emptier than it was yesterday.”

Telan’s mouth immediate crinkled down and the man began his walk toward one of the chairs. He pulled out the one next to Derrion and sat down, looking up at the head of the table.

“Will Lord Wendan be able to make it…?” Telan began.

“Hmm… Perhaps…” The demon, Lord Kess began with an air of disinterest, “He seemed in a hurry, I don’t know why. However, the more interesting topic would have to be this supposed ‘warrior’ you have summoned here,” Kess’s eyes switched over to Alex, who immediately stiffened up. The way the man was looking at him reminded him of the human king.

Telan tapped Alex’s arm. Alex quickly looked over and met Telan’s eyes. The young man looked between Alex and Kess, nodding his head, the motion getting more jerky the longer Alex stared. Finally getting the message, Alex turned back to Kess and began, “Hello, it is a pleasure to meet you, ah… Lord Kess,” Alex cursed the stumble he made.

Kess stared at him a bit longer before looking away. Telan clapped his hands, breaking the silence, “It is officially one o’clock and alth-“

The doors barged open yet again, causing Telan’s face to become twisted in annoyance before he noticed the desperate look on the man’s face who had entered.

“H-humans! H-human hero… spotted…” The man began before wheezing. He paused a bit and caught his breath, “The scouts f-found one human travelling alone… they had the seal of heroes on their outfit…”

Telan’s eyes widened before looking between Alex and the man who had entered, “L-Lord Wendan, are you sure…?”

Wendan looked indignant at being questioned and straightened his long robe as he clacked to his chair with his long staff, “I’m as sure as I can be! One of my most trusted scouts that I sent at the request of Lord Ezel,” at this, Wendan nodded toward the gaunt, tired man, “spotted one human hero making their way through the countryside directly here. At this rate, they should be here in two days’ time. They were mowing down soldiers like I’ve never seen before…” Wendan looked down, shaking his head.

One human? But if they were a hero then that could only mean…

“Was the scout able to catch what they looked like at all…?” Alex began, pushing his body to the edge of his seat. There was no way, right? They should have been set back by now!

Wendan scratched his beard, his eyes closed as he contemplated, “Hm… didn’t say much…” Wendan snapped his hand after a moment, “Did say that they had long blonde hair, tied up, and they seemed to be tall and muscular… Carried brass knuckles too.”

That sounded like it could be… Amelie. Alex hoped it wasn’t.

He looked at Telan apprehensively.