Craydon and Meryda waited patiently in front of the main gate, inserted in the tall wooden wall that surrounded the Alliance’s campsite.

Next to them and on the floor, the two Sub-Monsters, the Salamander, and the small Emptiness were also waiting, with the two Karkadanns at the front and the two enormous Drakes behind, seated on their back legs, and with their scary, glowing eyes staring at the soldiers up in the wall.

As usual, the Slime was around Meryda’s neck, looking like a light blue loose scarf, waving in the wind.

After a while, the gate opened, and a group of Mages came out, holding staffs with Magical Crystals of different colours. With them also came two Monster Tamers, each of them with a Black Shuck on their right, the kind of Monsters Meryda and Craydon fought a few days prior.

The group of Mages stopped at two metres from the gate, and an older Ooman man came from the gate, dressed in shining gold armour and riding a white horse with golden armour protecting his head, front paws, and torso on both sides. To Craydon, it looked like a military tank with so much armour but with legs.

Right behind that man came ten riders mounting dark and brown horses and a few foot soldiers. While the riders and the foot soldiers made two lines at each side of the gate, the Mages walked between those lines, heading forward, with the Mages’ staffs glowing with Magic.

The Ooman, whom Craydon supposed was some sort of Captain, rode his horse right after them. As a response, Meryda gathered Magic on her staff, and the Salamander hissed, with smoke coming from the sides of his mouth. The small Emptiness started to twirl slowly, as in preparation for a fast jump forward, while the Karkadanns were scratching the ground with their front hoes, menacingly.

Behind them, the two Drakes lowered their bodies and growled. A low, scary growl, one that made Craydon and everyone else besides Meryda feel a shiver along their spines.

When the Mages were almost at ten metres, Craydon put a poisoned dart on his crossbow and shouted as he aimed at the Ooman rider, “Hold it right there! That is close enough!”

The older man stopped his horse and answered, “You were the ones who approached my camp with those Monsters! I can’t be blamed for taking some precautions!”

“Do you honestly believe that group with you could do a thing against us if we wanted to destroy your campsite? I didn’t know Oomans could be that stupid! Didn’t Ambassador Mairo Soosaar warn you we were coming?”

“He sent a messenger yesterday, but his message said you were riding two Karkadanns. No one was expecting Drakes!”

With a grin, Craydon lowered his crossbow and spoke. “He didn’t know yesterday. I only thought this morning that it would be wise to bring them with us instead of hiding them nearby. I didn’t like to see so many Ooman soldiers outside King Vosen Rask’s castle, and the way the Ambassador talked to us was too menacing for my taste. We came on our own free will, so there was no need for so many preparations against us.”

“The message said that your daughter was a very powerful Monster Tamer and that she would be a good acquisition for the Alliance. Considering the Monsters with her, I can see how much she will help us in this war!”

“Us coming here doesn’t necessarily mean she will help the Alliance with anything. We came for her to see with her own eyes what the Alliance is up to and what is actually happening here. She will then decide if she wants to help or if she wants to return home to our farm and leave you with your continuous fights.”

The Ooman man frowned and said, “Our cause is just, and if you have raised her properly, she will help us!”

“That is what you say and what Oomans spread to the four winds, but we both know that your cause is not as just as you sound it to be. But I still didn’t get your name and rank.”

“I am General Commodore Eero Vaino! I am the one in charge of this campsite you see behind me, and I am also responsible for hundreds upon hundreds of fighters! Mages, soldiers, mercenaries, and Monster Tamers! All are here, under my orders and my Captain’s orders, so that we can conquer the mountain range to mine Magical Crystals in peace to protect the people from Monsters and wild animals!”

With a poker face, Craydon asked, “And after conquering the mountain range and mining the Crystals in peace, what will your army do?”

“We will march over those mountains and conquer the Demon's country, and rid the world of all those filthy Demons, of course! So that never again, Demons or Monsters threaten the World!”

His words were followed by cheering and sounds of swords and spears hitting shields, and while Meryda was looking around, somewhat puzzled, Craydon waited for the noise to diminish, and he then asked, “You are aware that Monsters don’t come from the Demon's country, right? And that no one ever saw a Demon, so there is no way for you to be sure there will be Demons on the other side of the Mountain range.”

“Of course, there are Demons in the Demon's country! What foolishness are you talking about? You even have two Sub-Demons next to you!”

With a slightly raised eyebrow, Meryda said, “They are not Demons. They are Monsters. If they were Demons, I couldn’t tame them like I did, could I?”

One of the Monster Tamers asked with a mocking tone, “You don’t even know what a Monster is or what a Demon is, do you, little girl?”

“Neither do you. But what I know is that you have a dog with you, very similar to the ones my Monsters ate a few days ago. They were a pack of over thirty, and my Monsters killed and ate them all. You better shut your mouth because my Drakes got a liking for Black Shucks’ meat!”

“You speak too much, little girl! If it weren’t for those Drakes, I would teach you a lesson!” said the same Monster Tamer.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

As a response, Meryda started to glow while looking at both Black Shucks. They also glowed in response, and to everyone’s surprise, Meryda said, “Come to me, little doggies! Get away from those mean men!”

Even with both Monster Tamers shouting orders while glowing with Magic, the two Black Shucks happily trotted to Meryda and stood at her side, waving their tails.

She gently caressed their snouts while speaking to them in a gentle tone, “That’s it; you can be with me and be my friends as well! Don’t mind those mean guys anymore! I can protect you from them!”

With a grin, Meryda stared at the dumbfounded Monster Tamer and asked, “You were saying?”

“That’s… impossible… A Monster Tamer can’t tame and control Monsters that belong to another Monster Tamer…”

“And a Monster Tamer can’t also tame Sub-Monsters or Drakes. Or so I heard.”

The General Commodore made an enormous smile and said, “With you by our side, the mountains will be ours in no time! Please follow me inside! But make sure your Monsters won’t wander off and don’t destroy anything!”

As General Commodore Eero Vaino was turning back his horse and making a speech to the men who came with him about how their survival chances have just increased, Craydon whispered in Meryda’s ear, “Tell the Drakes to stay here, standing guard, and if anything happens, tell your Emptiness to come to them and that they should kill everyone on sight and destroy everything. I don’t trust that man.”

“Do you think we will be in danger if we follow him?”

“You won’t, but I could be. He looks like the kind of man who would threaten the father of a daughter to make her do what he wants.”

Without hesitation, Meryda faced her Salamander and the two Black Shucks and spoke in a loud voice to be sure the General Commodore could hear her. “Stay with my father at all times, and if someone approaches him suddenly or holds a weapon in his presence, you can eat that fool. No matter who he is.” She then looked up at the two Drakes and said, “Can you guys stay here and wait for us? If I or my father are in danger, I will call for you, and you can do whatever you want to everyone in that campsite. Including eating them all.”

The General Commodore turned his horse to face Meryda and asked with a puzzled look on his face, “You think you will be in danger? You are my guest! No harm will come to you or your father!”

From the ground near him, a green form took the shape of a Fae and said, “We will make sure of that, don’t you worry! We came as asked, Party Leader! What are your orders?”

“Hello, cute thing! Can you make sure no one tries anything foolish against me or my father? Or to any of my Monsters? Thanks a bunch!”

While standing straight, the Fae made a military salute by placing her open palm over her forehead and said in a loud voice, “Your orders are absolute, Party Leader! We will carry your wishes until the end, and if needed, all Oomans will perish here as revenge!”

The General Commodore thought that conversation and the way the Fae was acting were absurd, and so he asked, “What is the meaning of this? And Party Leader? Her?”

With a serious look towards the surprised Ooman, the Fae said, “You shall address our Party Leader with the respect her position grants her! The other Adventurers of our Party are not here, but the Fae are more than enough to protect Meryda from the likes of you and your men!”

“You… are you threatening me, Fae? Since when are Fae violent or do anything to help anyone?”

“We Fae promised we would protect Meryda from anything and anyone! And that is what we will do! This is not a threat; it is merely a fair warning! Don’t plot anything against her, her father, or her Monsters, and you will see the light of day tomorrow! Do anything foolish, and you will cease to exist!” The Fae then looked at the soldiers, Mages, and riders and said, “The same goes for anyone foolish enough to attempt anything that might put my Party Leader at risk!”

The General Commodore still did not understand why the sudden outburst from a being that everyone knew was not a threat or even slightly violent, and he became even more surprised when the Fae said, “Millennia ago, a group of beings also thought they could do everything they wanted to do in this World. Until the Fae got enough! Oomans are dangerously getting near the point of no return! So, you better behave and don’t do anything that might condemn your entire race!”

While the General Commodore vigorously nodded, too afraid to contradict such an angry-looking being, Craydon mumbled, “Now they show their true colours. I knew I couldn’t trust those plants!”

While the General Commodore made his horse trot ahead, straight to the main entrance of the Ooman campsite, the Fae walked side by side with Craydon and said in a low voice, “You must always be on your guard. We heard a few conversations before you arrived from that Ooman and his Generals, and they were plotting to take you into custody and force Meryda to join them.”

“Is that why you lost your temper and started to threaten everyone left and right?”

“Correct. We Fae are observers, but with Meryda, we can’t do that anymore. Her powers are far too strong for us not to always be near her to be sure she won’t misuse them. You saw how easily she tamed the Black Shucks of those Monster Tamers. That shouldn’t be possible. Luckily, you have raised her well, and she is a kind and sweet soul. There is also another reason for us to be looking after her, and if everything goes like we think it will, you will understand.”

With a frown, Craydon whispered, “I hope that reason won’t put her at risk, or I am going to enjoy killing you with a bunch of poisoned darts, over and over!”

“With Fae by her side, she will never be at risk. Not even the Dark Eight would be foolish enough to try anything against her. Their ancestors know very well what happened the last time Demons went against us, and they will for sure stop their progeny from trying anything stupid.”

“Is it my impression, or have you just said something I shouldn’t know?”

With a sigh, the Fae spoke while walking near the suspicious Demi-Cat father. “From now on, you and Meryda might hear quite a few things no other being ever heard. We just ask for you to have an open mind and remember that Fae are not only by your side, but we are also the protectors of this World.”

“That is not very reassuring! If by chance Meryda threatens the World or everyone living on it, will you-”

“Nonsense! We told you already! We are Meryda’s shield, and you raised her well!”

“You didn’t answer me, Fae.”

The Fae grabbed Craydon’s arm and said, “If she does anything against the World, either her powers will be taken from her or she will be locked in a place forever and ever. Does this answer your question?”

“It does, kind of. I don’t like that you are talking like the Guild Master did. Sacrifice Meryda for the good of many.”

“Would you condemn the entire World into oblivion and every living being that exists to save Meryda? If you had to choose between her and everyone else? That was what the Guild Master had to do. Meryda in exchange for the people living in Amberstar. We hope you don’t have to face such a choice. As a matter of fact, we will do everything possible and impossible to prevent you from having that nightmare. As long as, when the time comes, you hear us until the end, and then help us if you decide we are right.”

After a few seconds of silence, Craydon spoke in a low voice. “I will hear what you have to say, and then we will see. Is that alright?”

“We can’t ask anything more from you, Craydon Crawler, former Jack Cross…”