Two years previously,

The council of the High Elves was having their Tri-annual meeting. To discuss the affairs of their people and lands under their protection. When a gong sounded signifying a visiter from off plane wanted permission to enter. The king read the notification and nodded his head. Suddenly the room blinked out for a moment.

Standing at the foot of the table, a translucent centaur nearly ten feet tall stared down at them all. When his gaze drifted to the King, he smirked and spoke. "Fenis, you old thing, how have you been?"

King Fenis grinned back and said, "who are you calling, old Lord of Chaos."

"Ouch, that hurts even the elves are calling me that."

Fenis chuckled, "no, well maybe the wood elves, they spend too much of their lives in mortal cities these days."

"Sorry old friend. I have little time here," said Mathew. "How is your daughter?" He asked.

Fenis shrugged, "haven't seen her in a couple of centuries, probably still wandering with Darnath."

"Can you get a message to her?"

"If it's necessary," Fenis replied.

"My successors will be born in two years, and Asgard will crumble."

That statement hit the council hard, and murmurs spread around the table.

"What message do you wish me to send," Fenis stated, all joking put aside.

Mathew then explained how things would go for the next two years and what's needed to get ready.

When Mathew was about to leave stating. "I won't be able to intervene once the ball rolls."

Fenis bade him wait, "Did you want Arlean to raise the ladies. Also, out of curiosity, how do you know they will be born. Last I checked, you weren't omniscient."

Mathew contemplated for a moment then replied. "I set things in motion a long time ago, also I owe someone a debt, and my son will bend some rules for me."

Mathew paused then scowled, "I need the girls to have memories of a happy, carefree childhood. Can your daughter give them that?"

The king chuckled, "no, but my niece is barren. Her husband won't say anything, but I know they really want A child. And your answer to my inquiry, vague."

Matthew grinned as he slowly vanished, he said. I can't tell you all my secrets. Where would the fun be? Also, Aleana will make a wonderful mother.

A whisper brushed past all their ears: don't inform anyone who they are.

Fenis nodded. They will have a normal childhood, I swear.

All the council stood. "I swear," they all declared in unison a tiny glow appeared on all their right fists before vanishing completely.

The council was about to resume when Mathew popped back in. "I almost forgot. Give this letter to Triston should help with separating the core system from Nalle." and with another pop, he vanished.

The king glanced at the councilors and spoke. "step up the preparations."

"Understood," they all said at once ten minutes later. The palace looked like a kicked anthill scaring all the foreign dignitaries.

King Fenis then left the room to inform his Queen what was happening.

The King sat on his throne for an entire day, trying to think of a good way to introduce the twins to his niece Aleana.

Finally, the Queen stomped in, "what are you thinking about?"

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Fenis glanced up, "how to explain the twins to Aleana and Freeden."

Queen Listandra rolled her eyes. "Why tell them at all when the girls arrive we'll say their parents are distant relatives who died."

Fenis gaped. Had he really wasted an entire day, and the solution was so simple.

The strained look on her husband's face made the Queen laugh. "Leave domestic affairs to me go play politics with the foreign ambassadors," it's what you're good at.

"Don't suppose you have a clean solution to that issue too."

Queen Listandra kissed his cheek, "your problem, not mine," swatted his rear, and walked off.

Annoyed, Fenis waved at the guards to let the ambassadors enter.

After listening to the politicians quibbling for a couple of hours, he had enough. With a resounding clap that nearly broke some more sensitive races' eardrums, he finally got peace. ".Send a report to your lieges. I will hold a conference in the illusory world."

When they noticed the seriousness on the Elven Kings face, they immediately started heading out to dispatch the message. -Cough-, in one week, he added as an afterthought, ruining the regal image he was trying to uphold.

A week passed swiftly, and Fenis scanned around at all the Kings, Queens, Lords and Ladies at the table. Fenis explained to them what he believed was coming and how they should start preparations themselves.

The conference didn't go all bad. At first, the shorter-lived races were skeptical. But when the longer lived races nodded at my explanation, they too came around promising to begin preparations.

Looking around, after the discussions on aid and other boring subjects concluded, Fenis asked about the two empty seats.

"Where is Gnarlack, is the Horde changing hands again?" demanded the Dwarf king (Darnath's brother)

Several Lords neighboring Horde lands muttered amongst themselves for a while. Eventually, Lord Krazzen answered. "not that I know of perhaps the messenger didn't make it." (Krazzen is the current head of the kobold's that live in the mountains east of Horde lands.)

Then, as if talking about him summoned the brute, Gnarlack appeared with an impressive black eye.

Another lord commented, "Hey Gnarlack, you cheat on your wives again."

Gnarlack grinned, and in a low guttural voice, replied. "no, my son tried to dethrone me."

Fenis chuckled and said, "well, I hope he succeeds next time." several heads turned to stare at him, aghast that he would say something so crass at such an important meeting.

Gnarlack grunted, "If only, but the boy is just to damn soft."

Reluctantly, Fenis asked about the Fat toad that is the governor of Darnath.

"Knowing that disgusting blob, he's probably eating babies and humping pork," said the dwarf king.

Everyone shot their eyes to him, and he responded. "What it's probably true. -- That bag O blubber better hope my brother never returns, He's right proud of that city."

Another fellow added, "my scryer tells me he has entire wings of his palace just filled with little girls clothing the sicko has no offspring."

Aye, another man judging by his accent, from down south near the coast, added, "I heard none of his servants are older than twelve."

"Rumor says he takes them off the streets in broad daylight," another Lord revealed.

A shudder ran around the table. Everyone has children, it seems.

Fenis, who had not paid more than a cursory glance, at the occasional report on Darnath for close to a thousand years eyes went wide. "What! and his daughter will be born there."

Confusion ran around the table. Fenis froze, having said something off-limits. Shaken, he glanced at his right hand, but nothing happened.

Only, the Demoness beside Fenis didn't seem confused. She just narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

Fenis waves his hand, and the seat for Darnath shattered into shards of light and disappeared. "anyone objects to that, he said, nobody answered."

A flash and everyone immediately stood facing the spot that the chair used to be an angel was now standing there looking around at them all.

The intruder quickly apologized to the two next to him because his wings accidentally knocked their chairs over. Then turned to peer at every face around the table.

"Do not throw the people of Darnath to the wolves a seed planted long ago will soon spread its roots across the city. Cutting the rot away and a new Asgardium shall arise."

The spot was empty once again with another flash, and the chair returned as if nothing happened.

"Well now, that would have been epic if the lad haint knocked over the chairs at the start." remarked the dwarf king.

Ignoring the dwarf, Fenis looked at each person there in the eyes. "We must start preparations to make a foothold in Darnath when this seed begins its spread."

Tethrasta, the demon beside Fenis, spoke up for the first time in the meeting, "we should bring my son in to help."

Fenis laughed, "don't worry, I sent a message to Arlean a week ago. All six of them should plan their own steps in all this."

"Forget that lass," said the dwarf. "We need to talk to the Guild-master."

"Are you drunk dwarf," asked Tethrasta, "he just said all six of them know."

"Enough with your silly riddles," Cried the dwarf. "Why don't you just say, Therlion is already aware, what's all this six nonsense."

Fenis rubbed his temples, then knowing the two of them were going to start an argument. He adjourned the meeting and withdrew immediately, followed by all but the two in question.

When they were alone, they both grinned, gave a thumbs-up, and left.