The grand hall of the castle was cloaked in silence, save for the heavy footfalls that echoed as the church's delegation made their entrance. Their long robes trailed against the polished stone floor, the faint swish of fabric mingling with the tension that settled over the chamber.
At the far end of the long table, the king sat upright upon his chair of dark oak and gold inlay. His face betrayed nothing, though his narrowed eyes lingered on the group that now took their seats.
"...Let's begin," he said, his tone calm but edged with steel.
Lucian leaned forward almost immediately, the corners of his lips curling into that insufferable smirk. Even sitting, his presence pressed down on the room, as if every word he spoke carried the weight of judgment.
"Your Majesty," Lucian began, his voice smooth and venomous, "we are here to discuss a grave threat that has infiltrated your kingdom."
Murmurs rippled from the priests flanking him, their eyes alight with fanatic conviction. One of them, an old man with scars carved deep across his face, rose and placed a thick book bound in black leather upon the table. The sound struck the silence like a hammer.
Thud.
"This," the priest intoned, his voice gravelly, "is no ordinary matter. A creature beyond human understanding—a spawn of darkness."
He flipped the tome open, revealing a sketch. The lines were exaggerated, monstrous, horned. Yet even through the distortion of ink, there lingered the faint shadow of Reider's likeness.
Lucian's eyes gleamed with malicious satisfaction as he gestured toward the page.
"This is what you are harboring within your walls, Your Majesty."
The king leaned back in his chair, unimpressed.
"A drawing proves nothing."
Lucian did not flinch. Instead, he slid a hand into his robes and withdrew a crystal orb, its surface throbbing with a sickly dark glow.
"Then allow me to show you something real."
He set it upon the table, and as the orb hummed, the air shimmered with a projection—Reider, standing in Vael's chamber, his gaze blank, his posture too still.
A priest gasped.
"Look at his aura! That is no normal child!"
The image distorted, twisting until it replayed the moment Reider had instinctively lashed out during training, his blade cutting into Vael. The priests broke into murmurs of alarm.
Lucian leaned close to the king, lowering his tone to a silk-edged whisper that still reached every corner of the chamber.
"He is not human, Your Majesty. He is something else. Something unnatural."
The king narrowed his eyes but remained silent, studying Lucian's every gesture.
A younger priest, his face flushed with zealotry, slammed his palms upon the table.
"A beast like that should be purged before it consumes us all!"
Bang.
Lucian raised a hand, silencing the outburst with practiced ease. His voice dropped back to its cold, persuasive rhythm.
"We are not here to panic. We are here to act."
The priests nodded solemnly, their eyes reflecting unshaken faith in Lucian's words.
"Tell me, Your Majesty," Lucian pressed, "do you truly trust that creature, knowing what it is capable of?"
The king tapped his fingers against the polished surface of the table, the steady sound betraying deep thought.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Lucian leaned closer, his voice now a whisper for the king alone.
"It was found in the forest, wasn't it? An unknown entity with unnatural growth…? Don't tell me you believe it to be mere coincidence."
The king's fingers stilled. His gaze hardened.
---
Far from the tense chamber, Vael's room breathed quiet wealth. Golden curtains swayed with the wind, soft light spilling across rich fabrics and polished stone.
Mei sat stiffly in a chair, her hands clasped in her lap as she watched Reider. He stood near the window, broad shoulders framed by the glow of the city beyond. His face remained calm. Too calm.
Vael entered quietly, her armor set aside for once, her expression taut.
"You're quiet," she remarked.
Reider didn't turn from the window. Mei glanced uneasily at Vael before whispering, "They're having a meeting."
Reider tilted his head slightly.
"About me?"
Mei nodded, her voice shaking.
"They called you… a demon."
Reider blinked, unfazed.
"Oh."
Mei's hands tightened to fists. Vael crossed her arms, her jaw set.
"They're trying to manipulate the king. And Lucian—"
---
The scene shifted back to the great hall. Lucian now stood with hands clasped, his expression one of absolute composure.
"The church has always been loyal to you, Your Majesty. We only wish to protect this kingdom."
The king held his gaze, their eyes locked in an unspoken battle of will.
"If we wait too long," one of the priests cut in, voice strained with desperation, "who knows what that creature will become?"
Lucian's smirk sharpened.
"A boy today… a monster tomorrow."
The king exhaled slowly, his face unreadable, though the silence weighed heavy enough to choke.
---
The chamber doors creaked open, and the sound of firm, measured steps filled the hall. Vael strode inside, shoulders squared, her presence alone cutting through the room's tension.
Lucian didn't bother to turn at first. His smirk widened knowingly.
"Ah. Lady Vael."
She seated herself calmly, her back rigid, her eyes sweeping from the king to the priests before locking onto Lucian.
"I heard there's a discussion about a so-called 'demon.'"
One of the younger priests slammed his palm on the table again.
"Not so-called—a real one!"
Vael's gaze sharpened, her tone cutting like steel.
"And your proof?"
The priest faltered. Lucian chuckled and leaned forward.
"The orb's projection was proof enough."
Vael crossed her arms, voice laced with mockery.
"A manipulated vision? A single moment ripped out of context?"
Lucian's eyes gleamed.
"And what context would justify such… monstrous power?"
Vael leaned in, her voice low and dangerous.
"The same context that justified the kingdom's greatest warriors. Wasn't their strength once feared before it was accepted?"
The king's eyes flickered, but he stayed silent, measuring every word.
Lucian gestured toward the open book with its demonic sketch.
"You would compare that… creature… to our warriors?"
"I would compare strength to strength," Vael countered. "But fear? That is another matter."
Lucian's smirk faltered for only a breath before returning.
"Such passion in your defense. Yet you've not said why."
Vael's jaw tightened, though her face betrayed nothing.
Lucian leaned closer, voice a quiet blade.
"Why does this concern you so much, Lady Vael?"
She didn't move. Didn't blink. Silence was her shield.
"Enough," the king's voice cut through, heavy with finality. "I will not base my judgment on hysteria."
The priests stiffened, exchanging uneasy glances. Lucian's smile tightened, but he inclined his head.
"Of course, Your Majesty. You have always been wise."
Vael let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
Lucian rose smoothly, adjusting his robes, his shadow stretching across the floor. He stopped as he passed Vael, his words falling like poison meant for her ears alone.
"…You can't hide him forever."
Her fingers twitched before she forced them still against the armrest. She refused to react.
Lucian's soft chuckle lingered as he left, his footsteps echoing through the emptying hall.
The king's eyes lingered on Vael, his voice low and measured.
"Do you have something to say, Lady Vael?"
She glanced at him, then away.
"No, Your Majesty."
The king studied her in silence before offering a slow nod.
Vael rose and left the hall, her footsteps ringing sharp against the stone. As the grand doors closed behind her, her mask slipped, shadows tightening across her face.
I need to act before he does.
---
TO BE CONTINUED…