The flickering candles lining up the walls accentuates the grim atmosphere of the royal chamber. A long, rectangular, polished table at its center was occupied by the king, as well as men and women draped in robes of fine velvet and rich fur.


    Faye was relieved that his Royal Highness, the King, as well as his trusted advisers– the Council of Rhetorical Executives (C.O.R.E.) has granted her immediate audience. She usually meets them during jovial times of festivities, but tonight, the atmosphere is filled with animosity and dread.


    Their expressions were somber, with the recent incidents, they already had an inkling of the situation.


    Faye Asfalis, stood at the head of the table, her sharp intellect and imposing presence is the pride of her race. Her robes were a cascade of midnight-blue, with threads of silver woven into the fabric, a sign of her status among the Quillmancers. Her staff- an overgrown silver quill, its mysterious sapphire orb glinted in a low light. She stood in silence, awaiting the kings'' permission to speak.


    King Khayil, a man with the weight of the kingdom on his shoulders, leaned forward, his expression hardened by years of maintaining his sovereignty. His voice cut through the quiet like the swift slice of a tempered blade.


    "Faye Asfalis, I am granting you the permission to speak."


    Taken aback by the king''s sudden command, she instinctively stutters.


    "Speak now or forever hold your peace," King Khayil demanded.


    The Quillmancer nodded, "I have grave news, Your Majesty. I am here to warn you of two threats—one known to all, and one far more dangerous than anything the Protagonist has met before. Both are tied to a name you may not yet know: Ethan."


    The room shifted at the mention of the name.


    "Ethan? If such character of great significance existed, we would''ve known by now.."


    A ripple of confusion passed through the advisors, but they were silent, waiting for Faye to continue.


    "Ethan and his companion," she said slowly, "are budding Quillmancers. His skill, while still developing, has already surpassed that of most novices. And in a recent incident, a monstrous being of calamity, one which even the elite squad of the night brigade has trouble dealing with, was summoned by him. They even suffered a few casualties..."


    "How strong do you think it is?" the king asked.


    "This is only but a rough estimate... a-about 80, My Lord,"


    "IMPOSSIBLE!" Leo, a member of CORE exclaimed in disbelief. "You''re telling me a novice could summon something worth around 80 words?! and a novice at that! You expect me to believe this nonsense?"


    Faye took a deep breath, regaining her composure, she continued, "Indeed, it is a creature beyond the abilities of most Quillmancers, let alone one so young. To add insult to injury, he did not only summon it—he defeated it."


    "Unbelievable! What era do you think it is? The era of the protagonist is over. We are all bound to live happily ever after", Leo sarcastically remarked.


    A murmur ran through the room, but Khayil''s steadfast aura silenced it. He raised his hand and motioned everyone to quiet down.


    "This young man''s abilities has exceeded common understanding, but I fear they are not the most pressing matter at hand. There is another… a being that threatens not only this kingdom, but possibly the entire world."


    She paused, looking around at the gathered councilors, who were now leaning in with rapt attention.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Parallax. A Beholder the protagonist cannot defeat. A character created by the author with the purpose of teaching him humility."


    The congregation fell into uncharacteristic silence.


    Faye''s voice was steady, though her eyes darkened with the weight of her words, "It is as we all knew, he was merely a tool—summoned from the Ink of Creation, bound by the plot that governs all things. He was. Parallax has changed. He has become aware."


    The tension that followed was palpable. The king''s brow furrowed, his hand crushing the chalice in his grip.


    "Explain," he commanded.


    "This is just my opinion but, Parallax''s awareness means that he is no longer constrained by the will of the Author. He knows that he is no longer part of some grand design. And with that awareness has come rebellion. He wishes to break free of all confines, and reshape the world in his image of chaos. A world without authors, without structure."


    A collective gasp escaped from the council, though some remained quiet, digesting the enormity of what Faye had just said.


    "Parallax''s awareness could spread like a disease—other beings, other creatures no longer bound to the plot, might follow his lead," the King surmised.


    The king''s hand tightened into a fist, his knuckles white. "And what of Ethan?" he asked, his voice sharp.


    Faye''s expression softened, though her eyes remained serious. "Ethan may be our only hope. His potential for growth is unlike anything I have seen in decades. In my humble estimate, he could probably be the next protagonist. But he is still untrained. Unprepared."


    A tense silence settled over the room as the councilors exchanged glances, the weight of the situation pressing down on them.


    "I propose," Faye said, her voice firm with conviction, "that I take Ethan and his companion under my wing. I will mentor them. Together, we can strengthen their abilities, and mold them into the defenders this kingdom needs. But I need your approval to act swiftly, before Parallax''s influence complicates things."


    A moment passed before the king spoke again, his voice low, but filled with authority.


    "I have heard enough. This Parallax is a threat beyond our borders, beyond the usual reach of our armies. If he is truly capable of unmaking reality itself…" His voice trailed off, and for a long moment, no one spoke.


    The Chancellor, a man named Hames, stood, his eyes narrowing as he considered Faye''s proposal. "But we cannot simply trust this Ethan, can we? If his abilities are as great as you say, he could be a walking calamity himself. What if we train him, but he grows uncontrollable?" he snickered sarcastically, "What would you do then? Protect him with your wards?"


    The room buzzed with murmurs of agreement. There were those who believed that even the most promising of individuals could turn rogue if given too much power.


    Another councilor, Lady Jesven, a quiet but shrewd strategist, spoke next. "Perhaps we should imprison him, keep him under watch. Brainwash him until he could be trusted, we cannot risk his power falling into the wrong hands. Parallax is may be a known threat, but a wild card like Ethan could be just as dangerous."


    Faye''s eyes flashed with indignation, but she remained composed. "Imprison him? You would lock away the only person capable of stopping our demise? What a preposterous proposal! I urge you to reconsider. To lock him away would be to doom us all."


    The debate raged on for hours. Some argued that the kingdom''s safety was paramount, and that Ethan''s potential was too great a risk to ignore. Others, like Faye, contended that training and mentorship were the most optimal path forward.


    Growing tired of what seemed to be an unending deliberation, King Khayil raised his hand to restore silence.


    "It serves us no good to be halted by indecision. We will give Ethan a chance," the old king, steals a glance at the elf,


    ...she''s still as stubborn as the day I first met her...


    "This is outrageous! If he bites you back in the ass don''t come crawling back at me and say I didn''t told you so!" Lady Jesven snapped.


    "Lady Jesven mind your manners, you are in the presence of his majesty, the king", Leo corrected her.


    The king waited for the commotion to end and for everyone to calm down before continuing, "Faye Asfalis will mentor him. But know this: if he falters, if he proves to be a danger to our people, I will personally be the one to confine him."


    Faye nodded, her expression one of resolve. "I will not fail you, Your Majesty."


    As soon as Faye was dismissed from the court, she left in a hurry, with a barely noticeable spring in her steps.


    "She must be happy..." the king mutters under his breath, his mind doused in nostalgia and the plaguing thoughts of what could''ve been if he chose the other path.


    The council looked at each other, rumors always spread like wildfire and the king and Faye''s past connection is an open secret. They knew that the likelihood of the king agreeing to Faye was definitely high, yet no one voiced it out. The king may be old, but his influence remains as strong as during his heyday. Opposing the king meant giving up their royal status.


    It seems however, that a handful of them has silently expressed their disagreement with the current state of affairs. The ramifications of which will definitely put King Khayil''s rule to the test. Only time will tell.