After some time, Demon Azazel ended the heavy silence that fell in that room by saying, “Resolution 12 is not meant to kill hundreds upon hundreds of Oomans, but it will depend on the number of Oomans who resist our ruling. The first step in that Resolution is to get rid of the families of all rulers and Nobles so that their countries can be free of their wicked and twisted influence. But because Oomans have thought for so many years that Demons are evil beings and should be destroyed, we won’t have a simple task.”

“Then, when you send your representatives, make them introduce themselves as Demois. Maybe even pointing out that evil Demons never existed, and that it was only a lie created by some wicked Oomans long ago. Considering that the Fae support that Resolution, it would be better if they went ahead to all the Ooman countries to help calm them down so that not many of them revolt against the new conquerors. Because for as many good intentions you all have, the Oomans will only see you as conquerors, and they might fight until death.” Craydon then faced the serious green being and said, “And don’t go making up any excuse not to do that, avatar. If Crosslot let Oomans live for so long, it would be a waste to exterminate them all now,” said Craydon.

Meryda was crying in silence, and Craydon put one arm over her shoulders and said, “I know, it sounds horrible, but you want everyone that we met in this country and all these wonders to disappear? If Oomans are not stopped, the Alliance will keep fighting in the mountain range, and Oomans and Demis will continue to die. Only a few should die now rather than have millions die in the years ahead. It’s... for the best.” He then became silent. The Guild Master. It all came to his mind. That was probably the decision the Guild Master faced when the envoys went after Meryda. The only choice he saw at that time was to deliver Meryda to save everyone else in Amberstar. And he almost killed the poor man.

Craydon felt stupid and angry with himself. He looked at his hands over the table, and as if it were a dream, he heard the Fae saying, “Now you understand. One to save many, was not what you said? In this case, hundreds to save millions. We believe voting is necessary; is that not right, Demoi Azazel?”

“It is indeed. But before we start, Meryda needs to answer. What do you want to do?”

“I just want to go home and then... come here to study in the Institute of Biology... Learn everything there is to know about Monsters, and maybe tame a sea Monster… That would be awesome, but I don’t want anyone to die…” answered the nervous Meryda.

“You can go home and return when you want to start your studies. As for the rest, it is out of your hands. Whatever happens from now on has nothing to do with you, and you can’t do anything. I suggest you and your father go rest in the room we prepared for you both so that we can discuss what to do. There is much to talk about and much to decide before we start voting.”

Craydon got up and gently pulled Meryda’s arm. As he was going for the door, he asked the second Fae that appeared near the door, “And what do you want? Are you going to say you are Goddess Cinna now?”

“No, that Fae will stay in this meeting, and we are going with Meryda. She might need a friend.”

“Right… like I am nobody… Sometimes you are very annoying, avatar.”

“You should stop calling us that. Other people might get the wrong idea.”

“Okay, Crosslot, you might be right there. Do you know where that room is that they talked about?”

With a sigh, the green being said, “You are irritating, Craydon Crawler…”

When the two Mambabarang guards closed the enormous door, inside the meeting room, Demoi Azazel sighed. “Now we have to discuss what needs to be done, what might happen if we do it, and why we shouldn’t do it. Anyone want to start?”

The Fae at the table raised one hand and said, “We already supported the Resolution, and we believe Goddess Cinna and Crosslot will also support it. Now it’s up to everyone else. We suggest you guys also take care of all the Nobles in Demis’ countries, especially a certain Ooman Ambassador in Oka. That guy is messing with the mind of the heir to the throne of Oka.”

Demoi Pazuzu said, “Despite how the Oomans have been acting and also knowing that Resolution 12 is far too destructive to be taken lightly, I vote against it.”

Demoi Railbeater, Demoi Fyend, Demoi Erynyes, and Demoi Pyshacha also voted against it, with the others voting in favour.

That didn’t surprise Demoi Azazel, who, with a serious glare around the table, asked, “Lamashtu, are your Sub-Monsters in position, and are you sure you can take care of all the targets tonight if needed?”

“As soon as there is a majority vote, and we have all the steps of the Resolution in order, I believe it can be done. I suppose the others who are voting against it are not doing it because they care about Oomans. It is most likely because they fear what the future holds and how much work and responsibilities they will all get on their shoulders.”

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The cold voice from Demoi Erynyes seemed to lower the temperature in that room when she spoke while shooting daggers from her eyes at the defiant Lamashtu. “And you say that because you like death and destruction, you crazy psychopath! It will be me and all the people in my department who will have to worry about food, harvests, and crops for all those Oomans who will suddenly lose their rulers and Nobles! It will also be my department in charge of teaching them how to improve their fields and crops! They only have a rough knowledge of raising farm animals! They don’t even raise Monsters to eat!”

Before Lamashtu could shout anything, Azazel said, “I think that after Lamashtu takes care of her part of the Resolution, she will have plenty of free time to help you out. Won’t you?”

Noticing the way Azazel was clenching his claws on the table, Lamashtu vigorously nodded, and Erynyes gulped. For a moment, she forgot how much Azazel disliked shouts during a meeting.

“We better start discussing the favourable things of getting rid of Ooman rulers and Nobles, and the problems that could arise from that decision. Let’s try to reach a consensus to see if we can get a majority vote,” said Azazel while looking at the other High Demois.

While the Dark Eight were continuing their meeting, the Fae guided Meryda and her father along a series of corridors in that massive castle until they finally reached a wooden door.

Craydon opened it and gasped at the sight in front of him. It was even better decorated than the hotel room where they stayed upon entering the Demon's country.

As he sat on the large sofa, a set of crystals on the armrest of the sofa caught his attention. “I saw something like this in that hotel room. What does this thing do?”

The Fae answered while gently caressing Meryda’s head, “Try to touch the first crystal, and you will see.”

As soon as Craydon touched it, the wall in front illuminated itself, and the sound of voices came from it. With a jump, he said, “No way! Is that a television? Meryda, they have televisions!”

That discovery distracted Meryda from her sad mood, and she touched another crystal, gasping at the change in what was appearing on the wall. Another crystal, another change, which made her say, “We can pick the channels… increase the sound with this crystal… just like a television! Oh! A flying race with Karkadanns! Is that a thing in this country? Flying races?”

“Yes, it sure is. It’s the sport that most Half-Demons and Demons like. There are also landraces, where riders use Bone Boars to race and sea races with sea Monsters. There is plenty of entertainment here, way more than in Ooman or Demis’ countries, where the best they have is fighting tournaments or Magic tournaments, with Mages using Magic against each other.”

While Meryda was watching the flying race, Craydon leaned his head on the sofa and mumbled while looking at the ceiling, “I wonder what they will decide… Can’t you spy on them by using the other Fae, avatar?”

“They are talking about the advantages and the problems that will come if they go ahead with Resolution 12. So far, they are tied. Four votes are in favour, with four against. And we are Fae, not avatar!”

“Right… I wonder what we can do for dinner around here. It is getting kind of late, and that meeting of theirs will probably take all night.”

The serious green being said while looking at the television, “We know where the dining room is, and we are sure Manananggal took care of that as well. Are you hungry, Meryda?”

“Let me see who is going to win this race! This is kind of cool, you know?”

Craydon made a slight smile and said, “We can wait. We are in no rush whatsoever.”

While still looking at the race on television, Meryda asked, “Father… Do you think that Resolution is the best option for the Oomans? I mean, they don’t like the idea of a country with Demons, and they are not even sure Demons exist. The moment they find out… or worse, as soon as Demons go to all the Ooman countries to take control, there will be a lot of Oomans that won’t be happy.”

“You heard them in that room, Meryda. The ones who don’t like will become Drake’s food. You heard as well as I did what Manananggal said to those captured soldiers, and she didn’t even blink when she ordered those hotel guys to take to the Drakes, the ones who didn’t want to live here. And when she left, they didn’t even hesitate to knock out the Oomans that were plotting to escape and create all sorts of problems. After seeing everything that exists here, I can understand why Demons want to protect their way of life. They are even willing to teach Oomans and Demis their ways and help them develop. If a bunch of Oomans try to go against them and start a few fights where a lot of Half-Demons, Demons, Oomans, and Demis could die… I can’t believe I am saying this, but maybe it would be better for those Oomans to die.”

Meryda watched as the last Karkadann crossed the finishing line, and she then touched the first crystal on the sofa’s armrest, turning off the television.

She got up and said, while caressing the head of the smiling Salamander at her feet, “We better go find something to eat. Like they said, whatever happens from now on is out of my hands since I said that I want to go home and return to study here. I guess I basically said I am on their side, or that I am not going to help the Ooman Alliance conquer the mountain range.”

Craydon nodded and said while caressing Meryda’s head, “Don’t get sad about everything that is going to happen in the World. It is none of our business now, like it was supposed to be since the beginning.”

Meryda walked out of the room, holding hands with the strange green being, and said as she opened the door, “If we had left our farm and hid in another country instead of coming here, the Demons wouldn’t be discussing Resolution 12, would they?”

Trying to comfort her sad friend, the Fae said, “They were going to do it eventually, with you here or not. They were getting fed up with the constant fights in the mountain range. Like we were starting to get. Oomans are strange beings. Most of them are alright, but some of them don’t deserve the air they breathe. If those few disappear, they won’t be missed, and the Oomans’ and Demis’ countries will develop like this country.”

In silence, Meryda nodded, and as she walked along the corridor, she leaned her head on the soft shoulder of her smell-like-a-tree friend.