Just as Kada was stuffing down the last bites of her first plate, with her stomach already pissed at her, a commotion charged her way. Pox suddenly jumped up on the table and dashed across, nearly knocking everything over. Drimini then floated up after him, clearly chasing him for fun with a gleeful grin on her face.
The koala fox grabbed a napkin for a snack just before he jumped down and ducked under the table, his sister in tow. They then dashed through Kada’s legs, and the pair did a lap around the table before rushing away to the living room.
And now the woman couldn’t help herself. She wanted to see what would happen. So she picked up her still mostly-filled luncheon plate and strolled to the next room over. She'd heard the TV on earlier, but was genuinely surprised to find both Drim and Jaid watching it together.
As for what they were watching, well Kada didn’t get a good glimpse because she was watching the two pseudo children running around and causing chaos. Pox jumped up onto the entertainment center, and was about to squeeze behind the TV with Drimini in hot pursuit, but they never made it.
Vines shot out from their guardian and snared both of them. “What did I tell you two about roughing around in the house?” Drim chastised the two young creatures as he reeled them over to the couch. “Either take it outside, or you can sit here and watch quietly with us. Your choice.”
Both of them immediately lost all energy to disobey or continue, and sat snuggly on the cushion of the middle of the couch between the two adults. Then they stared at the TV screen, watching as if they actually knew what they were seeing, which perhaps they did.
“Oh hey, Kada, did you want to join us?” Jaid finally noticed the woman standing awkwardly off to the side and invited her.
Damn, Kada hadn’t meant to stay that long, entirely planning to slip back to the table as soon as the ruckus had passed, but she’d idled too long, trying to catch a glimpse of the programming. It was tempting to take her up on the offer. Watching something while eating would be more interesting than watching Xard chip away at paperwork, so she had to at least weigh the option. “Whatcha watching?”
“It’s the Annual Knight Tournament,” their live-in knight explained.
“Err, aren’t you like the last actual knight in the world, though?” the woman was confused.
“Well yes,” Jaid acknowledged. “The tournament was originally for knights from all over the continent to come and prove their mettle, especially since it was the era of peace after the Drazah war. I participated in it many times ever since I became a squire. But in the years since I fled Guzrinn, most monarchies dissolved and knight peerages vanished along with it.”
“I guess those that were interested in the life-style kept it going, however—not wanting to lose the history and tradition. So instead of knights themselves, it’s those that always dreamed of being them. And I’ll say, they take it very seriously, and could certainly have held their own in the old tournaments.”
“They actually invited me to judge last year, which I did, and it was a fun time being on the other end. Though I suppose I should have been more suspicious of Guzrinn’s situation when no representatives from the kingdom attended. I’d assumed it was because they’d deemed it an affront to their ways and culture, but it was really because the king had dissolved the knights in favor of a more traditional military.”
“I do wonder where most of them ended up, and pray they weren’t disposed of if they were deemed no longer useful. There are a few old faces I recognize from other countries—former knights that are participating in the tournament as independents. I can only hope there are some from Guzrinn doing the same and hiding their identities.”
Drim then chimed in, “Yes there seem to be quite a few refusing to remove their helmets. Guessing that’s how any Lessers are slipping into the ranks. Jaid said there wasn’t a rule against them, but it seems being one is slightly looked down upon as an unfair advantage, which it is. Still, though, after seeing Fiends fight for so long, it’s fun to watch and be reminded of how capable humans can be in a skirmish and what tactics they use to win. Feel free to join us.”
“Sure, alright,” Kada saw no reason to refuse. If the two were so engaged in the tournament, it was doubtful they’d start prying into her business. But there was still a problem with the couch being now entirely occupied.
The two munchkins in the middle seat quickly got the hint though and dispersed. Drimini never really needed an excuse to go and sit in her creator’s lap. And Pox, to not overcrowd them, went over to Jaid and climbed up her arm, and hunkered down on her shoulder, nuzzling into her neck.
Kada was now a bit envious, but plopped down on the couch without a word. She could finish up her meal while being decently entertained and then skidaddle. It was the last hurdle to overcome, and it would be a trial. Her stomach winced when she looked down at the feast that still remained on her plate. Maybe she could pawn some off to the bottomless pit that was Jaid.
But those concepts of a plan became less realistic as Mallea marched out to the living room, dropping off everyone else’s lunch. She even brought a bowl of trash for Pox and a bundle of exotic plants for Drimini—truly, her service was impeccable. “Let me know if anyone wants seconds,” the butler purposefully stared down Kada with a teasing smirk as she walked back out of the room.
Well, all hope wasn’t lost, since Jaid had been given a normal regular sized portion unlike Kada had been, so the hope of shirking her burden was still alive. But the forced-glutton made it through more of the meal than she expected—enthralled by the sparring matches on the screen in front of her, so much so that her hand and mouth kept moving unconsciously. Before she knew it, there were only a few bites left.
But that was when the screen cut to different programming entirely. “Eh, what’s going on? Where’d the fighting go?” The Mermaid was disappointed.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
“They’re breaking for lunch themselves,” The Paladin shared. “It’ll pick back up in a bit.”
“That’s fine,” The Slayer began scrounging for the remote with minimal movement, trying not to disturb the plant girl in his lap. “We can check the noon headlines now.”
“Uhh, that sounds boring,” Kada was quick to attack the idea with no real merit or plan. “The news is all the same these days anyways. Why don’t we watch a game show? That’d be way more interesting!”
But Drim ignored her plea entirely and swapped to Gedring’s news channel. Originally, the newscaster had an online-only show, but Chorus had set up a Fiend TV subsidiary channel under an unrelated name so that there was no obvious connection. The point was for the truthful news to reach a broader audience: those that weren’t perpetually online.
Kada let out a huge internal sigh of relief when the woman was covering a story entirely unrelated to hers. Perhaps Chorus had instructed her to keep quiet about the Ledmer happenings until more could be uncovered. The report was something about distress in Trycen Hasper’s complain. It seemed like the type of thing that Drim would be invested in, but apparently he didn’t care at all, and immediately switched to another news station.
The broadcast started out in the news studio, but immediately said they were switching to a ‘Special Report’. Kada’s eyes bulged out of her head, and she knew she was sunk the moment the screen switched to a live-feed of her resort’s entranceway. A reporter stood in front of a large ‘Mermaid’s Reef’ sign, so there was no doubt. Even though she hadn’t given any media outlets permission to run the story, it seemed they’d gone and done it anyways.
Shoulda Kada just run away now? Bolt out the door? Sink through the floor? Crash into the TV? No matter what she’d do, it’d be unexplainably suspicious, and they’d find out anyways. But despite every nonsense plot she came up with, her body remained immobile, paralyzed, doomed to watch the trainwreck in front of her.
“They call themselves ‘Fiendnatics’,” the woman on location started with a single sentence.
The screen then cut away to a large crowd who were all chanting together, “Praise the Fiends, they’ll save us all. Praise the Fiends, they’ll save us all.”
“It all started a few months ago,” the broadcast cut back to the reporter. “On an online forum for fans of the Fiends For Hire. A group of the site's regular users decided to travel to Mermaid’s Reef for a first-time meetup. But they enjoyed it so much that they kept coming back.”
“With each returning trip, they invited more Fiendnatics along with them. Dozens of trips later, it has become the biggest gathering of Fiend lovers across the continent. But now, they’re refusing to leave.”
“Many have booked out their rooms for months. Others keep extending past their original reservations. A few have tried to squat in their rooms when their budgets have run out, but they’ve either been asked to leave or had their costs covered by other members. We’ve spoken with several Fiendnatics about why they’re so adamant on never leaving, and here’s what they had to say.”
“This is just the best place ever,” the shot cut to an interview with a regular-looking tourist. “For us Fiendnatics, it’s practically a holy land, and we’ve all made a pilgrimage here. The Fiends For Hire rebuilt this place from a desolate wasteland into a majestic wonderland, and Cosmos rewarded them for it. He’s chosen them to make a new world, and we just want to be a part of it.”
“There’s nothing but joy here,” said another. “It’s the best place I’ve ever seen, and the happiest I’ve been in my life. I’ve even applied for a job here myself. And if I get it, I’m ready to sell my home and live here full time, really ready to commit myself to bettering this place for everyone here.”
A third poured their soul. “This isn’t just about Fiends, but the state of the world. Humanity nearly tore it apart, oppressing and killing innocent people from all over, from all races, not even just Lessers and Fiends. But Ledmer and the Fiendnatics stand for the exact opposite. We’re all about unity, and we’re here to show our support. Fiends, humans, it doesn’t matter. We’re all one people, and we’ll make the best world together!”
“Being around like-minded people has just been so great, and it’s given me hope for a new Rathe. We’re not just fooling around here either, having fun while loosely preaching ideals. No, we’re doing what we can—petitioning politicians, organizing events not just in Ledmer but world-wide, raising money for the best charities we can find. We’re making a difference here, and it never has to end!”
“But it’s not all fun and harmony,” the broadcast returned to the reporter. “While their intentions on the surface appear to be good-willed and peaceful, many experts have labeled the group as a cult. And it’s not just from their open devotion, some incidents over the past few days could be considered fanaticism.”
“There have been reports of violence amongst the group itself, and threats made to other guests at the resort in vagrant displays of self-aggrandizing dominance and superiority. Attempts from the resort’s staff to regulate the group have been met with silent response or flagrant disregard of the rules and restrictions.”
“The Fiendnatics have also cordoned off the resort's biggest convention hall and certain sections of the grounds and water park, declaring them as places of worship and meeting spots for their group. Any attempts by the staff to disperse them have failed, and other guests are being refused entry.”
“We met with one of the Fiendnatics event organizers on these allegations, and here was his response.”
“I will go ahead and apologize for any disrespect our group has shown,” the man started. “Our intentions are not to cause strife for those we share a space with. Any of our members who act out and harass other guests or staff are excommunicated from our group immediately, without exception, and we’ve handed some over to the authorities ourselves in extreme cases.”
“As for our intrusions in locations without reservations, we have been attempting to organize a permanent tenancy through the resort’s official channels, but have regrettably not yet received the help we need. Of course, we plan to properly compensate Mermaid’s Reef for the areas and any damages, but these spots have just become too important to us.”
“Once the matters have been settled, and our sections have been properly designated as a protected-status, we’d be happy to open them to the public once more so that they can share in our joy and see what we’re all about. We hope to establish a symbiotic relationship with the resort so that we can all prosper and continue to support Fiends and the unification of the world with all of our hearts.”
For the last time, the broadcast returned to the reporter. “So the question now is whether Mermaid’s Reef will allow the Fiendnatics cult to continue operating on their grounds, or will they shun them and force them to leave. The resort appears to have been enjoying the additional revenue from all these attendees, but will it be enough that they turn a blind-eye to the fanaticism? We’ve reached out to Mermaid’s Reef owner Kada Susten for comment, but our station hasn’t heard anything back at the time of this broadcast.”
The report ended there, and the news moved on to other matters, but the mood in the room didn’t change with it. One viewer, though, cut through the awkward silence. It wasn’t either person sitting to Kada’s left or right. Nor was it Xard who had walked into the room sometime during the report.
No, the questioning came from above as The Mermaid felt pressure on the top of her head. “So then, Kada,” Phon leaned forward, having teleported into the room at some point. She was now craning over Kada from the back of the couch and staring down directly at the woman’s eyes. “What is your comment?”