"That creature wouldn't have stood a chance if I'd known he was using a Godhead." Griffin spat in defense of his pride.
“A Godhead?! In the Badlands? How far away did you say this new village was again, my lord?” The balding official nearest to Lord Griffin and his father, the Old God Noden asked nervously.
“A few hours away on horseback.”
“My goodness…” The official blotted his forehead with a napkin.
“The young Lord does not know whether what he was facing was a Godhead, an Old God in disguise, an Avatar, or an advanced Occult illusion. There is no need to panic.” Noden raised his hand, calming the nerves of the feeble inner circle gathered around the table.
“Of course, your holiness. With your protection, there is no true threat to us. That is of course if you’re still willing to take us under your banner and add us to your illustrious nation of Cairngowan.” The official asked, like a starved hyena cowering before a mighty lion.
“Ahh, so you’ve made your decision to join us?” Noden smiled.
“Well, my fellow councilmen and myself had agreed on abstaining on the final vote until after this meeting, but after being in the presence of your power ourselves and knowing that there is a powerful threat just beyond our horizon., I think I speak for us all when I say we are ready to sign an accord.”
A threat? I am not a threat!
“Excellent news. That is, as long as your fellow councilmen agree. I am a fair and just God and will not stand in the way of democracy.”
Noden looked over each of the councilmembers, one by one. As his eyes passed them, each person seemed to shrink in their seats. There would be no dissent today.
“Very well! A toast! To Hale’s Pass adoption into the Empire of Cairngowan!” Noden raised his glass of red wine into the air.
Everyone else at the table did the same, except for Griffin, who continued to sit in his seat with a scowl on his face, arms folded.
As the glasses clinked and the celebrators muttered congratulations to each other, Caster tried to brush the dust away from his face.
These vents are disgusting! They probably bring more dirt in than air! I can barely… achoo! Caster sneezed.
As he wiped his nose, he looked through the grates again. Not a soul in the meeting room had moved.
“Councilman Richard, you’re well versed in Sensor type Abilities, correct?” Noden asked the same head councilman.
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“I am… your holiness. Is there something wrong?”
“Would you kindly scan the premises and examine all aura signatures?”
“Yes, your holiness… you don’t think-”
“No, no. I would never insult your intelligence to imply you would do something like host a foreign power’s spy. But I do believe we have a visitor. One that followed the young Lord here, after tasing his blood.”
Caster’s stomach dropped.
“Of course, your Holiness.” Councilman Richard clasped his hands together, and an aura of wavering, transparent light hues strobed in and out of his chest.
Caster began shuffling backward in his vent as fast as he could without bumping into the wood around him.
Get out get out get out get out!
“Hmm. That’s… odd. I’m sensing another individual nearby. Not one of the guards nor servants. This aura is massive! Are you projecting two auras, your holiness?! This power is greater than even a Lord! I’m well versed in the Aura patterns of every Old God, yet I’ve never come across one that acts like this!”
“I am not. It would seem that we do have an uninvited guest. I’d imagine it’s the same individual that gave the young Lord so much trouble.” The Old God folded his arms but remained sitting. He was at the ready, but not willing to strike with his immense power just yet.
“He’s in the right-hand hallway, your holiness!” The official said as he continued focusing his Sensor Abilities closer to Caster’s current location.
Griffin stood immediately, his chair shooting back a pace as it screeched across the wooden floor. With a smug grin on his face and his raised right-hand bursting into a blaze of orange fire, he spoke.
“I’ll take care of it.” Griffin ran out of the room just as Caster made his way out of the tunnels and back into the closet.
Caster turned his Zz’Wrath’s size up until he could enter its center. He jumped into it and spoke to the mirror just before turning around immediately to not accelerate time.
“Mirror, turn me into someone else!”
Caster jumped out of the Cosmic Center and fell over, landing on his backside inside the hidden closet. The Zz'Wrath shrank behind him, and he caught it just before the false door burst open, Griffin’s foot kicked it right off its hinges.
“AHAH! Now you will DIEEE…” Griffin heaved as he stood over Caster, both arms raised as he held two overwhelmingly bright orbs of fire in each of his hands.
The Lord of Ambition hesitated, unsure of what he’d stumbled upon. For a moment, he didn’t move, remaining frozen in place as he stared down at Caster while the blazing fire in his hands began to dissipate.
“My… apologies, lady.” Griffin slowly lowered his hands when he realized Caster wasn’t fighting back.
Did it work in time? I don’t think he recognizes my new form. Lucky!
Level Up! Luck Increased +1!
“It’s… alright. Did I do something wrong? You just frightened me something fierce.” Caster answered him.
That isn’t my voice. This time I sound like a… girl? Where have I heard this voice before? It’s not Elenore, it’s not Phoebe…
“Was there another person just here, in this hallway?” Griffin asked, his voice finding a balance between rage and politeness.
“Sure was. He looked like he was up to no good, so I tried following him down the vents but he’s small and fast, he just got away.”
“Was his hair grey!?”
My hair is silver!
“A silverish-grey yeah. Did he steal something from you?”
“Where do those tunnels lead?”
“Well, two of the paths lead to the other rooms. But if I was him, I’d take the third path that leads out back behind the building.”
Griffin’s eyes widened. He quickly lowered his hand toward Caster, offering to help him stand.
“Please, there is no time to explain, take me there!”