“So that’s what happened.” Luke finished retelling his story. “That’s why we’re on the run. It’s all my fault.”
“Now now you sweet thing. Don’t say that.” Ash’s mother embraced Luke pulling him tightly between her arms and squeezing him into her chest. “It’s not your fault. Or well… it is, but those men from the Capital were taking advantage of you.”
“Thank you Ms Sifter.” Came the muffled reply.
Ash’s mother held Luke at arms length and started straightening his hair. “I knew that you were too young when they sent you off to the Capital. You and Ash were brothers. It tore me apart to see your parents let you go like that. I always knew that sneaky scoundrels from the Capital would trick a simple boy like you into supporting their schemes.”
“Uh, thank you?” Luke blushed.
“But now that you’re back home and we’re all together everything is going to be okay.” she said.
“That’s very good to hear Ms Sifter.”
*Cough*
“What was that?” Ash’s mother looked up.
*Cough*Cough* Ave cleared her throat again.
Ms Sifter turned to her. “Oh yes. You. Sorry I don’t mean to ignore you.”
“Right.” Ave dryly replied.
“So you’re a Royal Guard?” She turned her attention to Ave.
“Yes.” Ave replied.
“But you’re not here to arrest anyone.”
“No.”
“Hmmm. Well then. Thank you?” Ash’s mother leaned over the table.
“What?” He replied.
“Have you shown this young lady around the town?” she asked.
“Yes mother. We went all over the town. While we were running from the other guards.” said Ash.
“I see…” His mother looked thoughtful. “Did you two get a chance to talk at all?”
“Mom this is not the time.” Ash hissed through his teeth. He turned to Ave at the table. “Now that we have a chance I wanted to ask you something.”
“Yes?” Ave replied.
“You came to Star Town with the other guards right?” he asked.
“Correct.” Ave said.
“And all the guards were sent to arrest Luke by the Council?”
“That’s right.”
“Sooo… why didn’t you?”
“What do you mean?”
Luke jumped in. “Why didn’t you arrest me? Why did you decide to help us?”
“The same reason as you. To stop the Demon Lord of course.” Ave replied.
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Ash looked confused. “The who? Oh right! That guy. You guys keep saying that he’s a monster meant to destroy the world. But is he really that bad?”
Ave looked serious. “Luke was not exaggerating. The Demon Lord is real and he is a dangerous threat to our entire world. He has… powers.”
“What kind of powers?” asked Ash.
Luke spoke in a hushed tone. “Legends say that he can kill a man with only a thought. That he can summon an army of monsters. And that he can blot out the sun and cover the land in an eternal darkness.”
Ash raised an eyebrow. “Did you see him do any of these things?”
“No I was passed out after the summoning. Technically I didn’t see the actual Demon Lord either. I think I kind of saw his shape and maybe heard him cough so…” Luke picked at his ear.
Ash turned to Ave. “Did you see him do anything?”
“No. Not while I was there.” She replied.
“Are you sure that he’s not just some guy in a spooky set of armor?” Ash asked.
“I’m sure” Ave was dead certain.
“People tend to exaggerate the supernatural. My father always said that things in our world have a rational explanation.” Ash leaned back a little.
“I was in the room when he was summoned. The Demon Lord is not a mortal man.” Ave said.
“What about the Royal Guards? If you told the other guards couldn’t they just get together and capture him?”
“Uhhh… not likely” Luke grimaced. “The guards may be sworn to protect the King and the Royal family but it's the Council that gives them their orders.”
“He’s right.” Ave continued. “While the King is the leader of our nation it’s the Council that controls the army. The Council oversees the Kingdom’s military, finances, and development. They are the ones that really rule the country.” Ave glowered.
“I was the favored summoner of the Royal Family but if the Council ordered it they could have thrown me into the dungeon without any questions.” said Luke.
Ave nodded. “Luke is a political liability. The White Council can’t let it get out that they were the ones to summon the Demon Lord.”
“Technically I was the one that did the summoning.” Luke spoke up.
“That is not something that you want to be taking credit for.” Ave said.
“Sorry.”
“Anyway, I decided to help you because I believe that helping the Royal Summoner is the best chance we have of stopping the Demon Lord.”
“Well, thank you.” Luke blushed.
“Now that we have a chance to speak I think that it would be a good time for you to tell everyone your plan.” she said.
“Hmmm?” Luke’s eyes went wide. “My what?”
“Your plan.” Ave waved her hands for emphasis. “For defeating the Demon Lord?”
“Uh, who said anything about defeating the Demon Lord?” asked Luke.
“But you… you’re the one who summoned him.” said Ave.
“And I feel really bad about that.”
“So you have to use your powers to stop him.”
“Do I?” Luke asked.
“Does he?” Ash asked.
“Yes. If he doesn’t then… it’s a thousand years of darkness.” Ave stuttered.
Luke looked abashed. “Look I would love to help but I have no idea how to stop a Demon Lord. I didn’t know what I was doing when I summoned him in the first place. I don’t think there’s a way I can just un-summon him… is there?”
“No. I don’t think so.” Ave frowned.
“Then I’m out of ideas.” Luke said.
“Then… what have you been doing all this time?” Ave asked.
“Trying not to get arrested. Same as you.”
“But why did you run away from the castle?”
“I didn't want anyone to find out what I had done.”
“You didn’t have a plan?”
“No.”
“Then why did you come back to your home town? Aren’t you here to gather allies and supplies?” Ave asked.
“I was hoping to find someone who wouldn’t yell at me about all this. Kinda like what’s happening now.” Luke said.
Ash leaned in. “I would have yelled at him but I didn’t really understand what he was talking about at the time.”
Ave spun around. “Wait! Do you not have a plan either?”
“Me? No way. I only learned about this stuff today.” Ash said.
“Then why did you help him?
“He asked me too. Why? Do you not have a plan either?” Ash raised an eyebrow.
“No!. The only reason I came along was because I thought that you two had some idea of how to stop the Demon Lord.” Ave’s hair fell in front of her face.
There was a second before Ash spoke. “Well… don’t you look stupid.”