“The palace is just ahead. It looks like we’ll make it!”

Alex winced at those words, praying they hadn’t just raised a dozen red flags as he beheld the magnificent collection of grand pagodas, spiraling minarets, and gold-leaf covered domes that they were rapidly approaching. Yet by some miracle, the well-lit grand boulevard before the palace was actually clear of any obstacle, ambushing enemy squad, monstrous silver-tier cultivator, or any other unexpected complication or peril.

The sheer emptiness before the pair of gold-plated gates, the complete lack of any ambush or threat, was enough to make Alex’s skin crawl. Yet for all that his instincts screamed ambush as they approached the gate, Lord Xu Tie, the last man Alex would have thought a fool, thought nothing of striding boldly up, and placing his hand on the jade green phoenix head on the center of the gate radiating spiritual energies that would have done even a Gold proud.

Xu Tie’s orator’s voice effortlessly projected his request. “Counselor Xu Tie with family and retainer formally requesting entrance and asylum.”

The gate clicked open with those words, and they entered without anyone popping out of the blue to impede their way at the last possible second, Xu Tie immediately retiring the palanquin within in the sheltered courtyard where it was immediately attended to by a liveried driver before hurrying Alex and the others into the large domed foyer just inside. A pair of servants dressed in light blue robes were suddenly before them, effecting an air of solemn gravity and radiating hardly any spiritual pressure at all, for all that Alex was certain that at least one movement technique must have been in play.

The lead servant’s inscrutable features revealed the tiniest of smiles. What Alex almost thought might be relief as he dipped his head. “Greetings, lord Xu Tie. You are just in time for the final council arguments. Please, come right this way.”

Xu Tie dipped his head. “Excellent. My wife and daughters will be staying for the duration as well.”

“Of course, my lord,” whispered the other servant, bowing before his family. “Right this way, Lady Tie.”

Xu Tie’s wife gave the first genuine smile of relief Alex had seen since their rescue. “That would be wonderful, Nan. Are the other ladies and children attending?”

The servant known as Nan flashed a sad smile, solemnly dipping his head. “More than ever before, Lady Tie.”

Her smile faltered, eyes growing haunted for a split second as her daughters anxiously squeezed her hands. The one still carrying the recovered storybook was gazing Alex’s way with too wide eyes as her mother snapped out of her momentary fugue with a brittle chuckle. “Wonderful! By all means, Nan, lead the way. I’m sure myself and the others will have plenty to discuss.”

Alex ignored the anxious twist in his gut, reassured by the absolute trust Lord Xu Tie obviously had for these guards and servants and the palace’s security as a whole. He gently clasped Alex’s shoulder, sober gaze meeting his own. “Every lord may bring at least one witness when presenting his case before the council. Can I count on you to take on that role for what may well be the most important council meeting since the founding of our city?”

Alex swallowed, reminded once more of just how grave the city’s circumstances truly were. Particularly the future wellbeing of any Ruidian or those clans opposed to the tyranny of Duo Li rule, as they would happily allow foreign pawns to seize their board.

He solemnly bowed his head. “Of course, Lord Xu Tie.”

The man flashed a relieved smile, whispering rapid council Alex’s way as a fresh servant led them down a corridor that could only be described as palatial, decorated in tiles of copper and gold in masterful overlapping patterns, broken up only by exquisitely painted murals of lush oases rich with life against a backdrop of desert sands and portraits of no doubt historically significant city founders, to say nothing of dozens of alcoves graced with busts and life-sized statues that looked like actual living beings frozen in stone.

He could only pray their gambit would be successful as Lord Xu Tie painted in broad strokes their plan while the silent servant solemnly presented the pair of them to the armsmen standing at attention before a grand arched double door. The servant then bowed to Lord Xu Tie before presenting him to the pair of sentinels standing tall before the final door. The pair radiated the potency of half-step Silvers and were fully kitted in steel lamellar radiating potent spiritual energy and a pair of guandao that had clearly been blessed with the essence of sharpness.

They glared at Alex for long moments as Lord Xu Tie spoke to them in a quiet voice, and it was all Alex could do not to squeeze the hilt of his blade and summon his strongest ward, before they simultaneously bowed solemnly before Lord Xu Tie while banking the butts of their polearms against the marble tiled floor.

“Lord Xu Tie and witness now entering the chambers!” One formally declared as he opened both doors and swept them through.

Alex blinked at a sight so reminiscence of scenes of Roman senates and American founding fathers in council, spotting scores of well dressed men and a handful of women standing or seated upon hardwood benches before finely polished tables, all in pristine white robes secured with various types of ropes and sashes. Nearly everyone present radiated at least Bronze potency, their conversations momentarily pausing as they uniformly stared Alex’s way.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Alex immediately noted that they were in two general clusters of nearly the same size, the rightmost cluster gazing Lord Xu Tie’s way with unmistakable relief, the other cluster’s stares hard and cold, giving nothing away.

But the sight that sent chills down Alex’s spine, freezing him where he stood as Lord Xu Tie’s gentle tug became a fierce whisper in Alex’s ear, were the figures seated in grandly ornamented chairs upon the council floor.

One wore the jade green colored robes of a ruler, calm grey eyes radiating a Silver wujen’s potency who seemed to be coolly measuring the worth of all those within the senate chamber.

The other was a powerful figure clearly seated in opposition to him. Even in these sacred council chambers, the giant was fully kitted in lacquered armor radiating powerful spiritual energies he wore as casually as another might wear a changshan tunic, seeming to mock the entire council as he took his ease with a grim smile.

But what froze Alex where he stood wasn’t the man’s powerful frame or jaded smirk. Or the look of a man used to getting whatever he wanted, someone certain he had the entire council in the palm of his hand, for all that his brows had furrowed in momentary consternation when Xu Tie’s presence made itself known.

It was that the earlier rumors were actually true, not just political theater.

The seven foot tall giant was actually radiating the spiritual pressure of a Gold.

A rank that Alex's companions had painted as near mythical. Save for a Gold-tier spirit beast or two, and a wujen who refused even to leave his portal, sending assassins in his stead, this Titan was the only one Alex had seen since coming to life upon the desert sands.

“Alex, come. We must take our seats now.”

The unexpected urgency in Xu Tie’s voice immediately pulled Alex free of his stupor, his feet following the suddenly anxious lord of their own accord as he solemnly made his way toward the right half of the council chamber, ignoring the furrowed brows and hooded looks being sent by the other party.

Of course, there were at least a few who were determined to make their feelings on the pair’s late arrival known.

“Objection! Lord Xu Tie is late! I move that his votes have no weight in this council meeting!” Roared a man glaring their way.

Alex clenched his jaw, somehow not surprised to spot the familiar stamp of Duo Li features upon the man’s inbred face.

“Objection overruled,” declared the powerful baritone voice of a man who looked far more suited for the battlefield than political maneuverings. But considering that political fumbles or the avarice of corrupt councils was what led to wars in the first place, Alex could think of no better place to stick a retired general or two than into a council just like this one.

The man solemnly bowed his head toward Xu Tie. “Past precedent has long established that every lord who makes it to council before the final votes are passed may participate in full measure.” His grin hardened. “Especially on nights such as these, Lord Lan Yi.”

The objector stiffened. “And just what do you mean by that?” The one known as Lan Yi demanded.

This earned a smile from the former commander. “An excellent question. Why is our esteemed council member late? I will allow Lord Xu Tie to answer that question himself.” He dipped his head Xu Tie’s way. “Lord Xu Tie… you now have the floor.”

Alex couldn’t quite hold back a smile as Lan Yi fumed, perhaps realizing that he had just played into the former commander’s hands, his very objection creating the opening that Xu Tie needed to justify speaking so late in their conference.

It was an opening Alex’s companion didn’t hesitate to claim.

“Thank you, Lord Shi.” He then turned to face his denigrator, flashing a chilly smile. “You raised an excellent question, Lord Lan Yi. Why am I, a councilmember who has always embraced the virtue of punctuality, late on this night of all nights?”

He turned, pinning over half the council with his gaze. “Could it be for the same reason why there are bands of armored thugs roaming the streets? Or a dozen fires that would have set this entire city ablaze, had we not already learned such bitter lessons after nearly losing the Western Quarter to arson so similar to what too many clans will be suffering this night?”

His hard gaze took in the entire council chamber.

“I suspect it’s for the same reason that over half a dozen of your fellow council members have failed to attend this vital meeting, upon which the city’s entire fate will be decided!”

“Are you daring to accuse the council of foul play?” Lan Yi’s glare turned to a contemptuous smile. “Careful, Xu Tie. You know well the penalty of false accusations within this council chamber!”

Xu Tie met the man’s gaze with his own. “Until last year, all were free to make declarations openly. It was only when parties were found defaming our prince that steps were taken.”

He bowed before the seated figure in jade green, who Alex, thanks to Xu Tie’s hurried lessons, understood to be the prince, a man with almost unlimited power, whose very word was law, save for rare circumstances like now, when he was being judged by the council itself. One of the few checks to the man’s power that there was. A power that Xu Tie had made clear that the prince had never once abused.

“And it was you, Lord Lan Yi, who demanded censors be put in place, to avoid dishonoring the prince with defamatory statements. How curious I find it that you now champion a foreigner utterly opposed to the prince. A cultivator who has no family heritage here, who has committed no great deeds on our city’s behalf.” Xu Tie snorted his contempt. “A man who has never once stepped foot in this city before this visit where he tries to entice us with the prospects of vassalage! Demanding that we pay a yearly tithe of gold, grain, and slaves, an institution we banned centuries ago, to the new ruler of Qianshi!”

Xu Tie’s voice grew into a roar as he glared Lan Yi’s way. “This man is no champion of our city. He’s demanding our surrender!”