Chapter 2 The Watchers

Lyriel was practically swelling with pride and self-glory when it suddenly dawned on her. How could she have forgotten the council members? Barging in in such a manner would only make them believe she never took anything seriously.

She sheepishly turned around to see the King and the council staring at her in displeasure. She could see the controlled anger on the King's face.

"My apologies, Your Majesty," she said softly.

The Queen's lips twitched in irritation. Lyriel sighed, walked to her seat, and sat down quietly with the princes and princesses who were her siblings. She was the youngest child and therefore occupied the last throne. She often wondered why the princesses were also summoned to the council meetings. It was a rule they had recently adopted, but it was rather useless to her because no one ever appreciated any of their suggestions. She would rather spend the whole day practicing magic and becoming stronger than sit in these chambers with nothing to do.

The council chamber of Eloria glowed like the heart of a star. The walls were made of pure crystal, and the ceiling soared above them like a tapestry of precious stones. A long golden table lay in the middle of the chamber, with all the council members seated around it, except for the King and Queen, who sat at the head of the council. The royal siblings sat on their own thrones beside the King and Queen, each throne positioned according to birthright and power, with the Crown Prince seated closest to the King.

Their golden wings were folded gracefully behind them as a display of their power and royalty. Only those of royal blood bore golden wings; all other fae carried silver ones.

The council chamber remained silent for a while as everyone recovered from the sudden distraction caused by the youngest princess, giving themselves enough time to gather their thoughts before the meeting began.

After a few moments, the King officially commenced the meeting.

"You may begin."

One of the elder councilors rose, his expression grave.

"Your Majesty," he began, his voice echoing across the hall, "news has reached us from the southern kingdom regarding strange gatherings by the infamous cult in the human realm known as the Watchers. They are attempting to force the portal open without the influence of a blood moon."

The Queen's brow furrowed.

"The Watchers? Those cursed demons!"

"Yes, my Queen," the councilor continued. "They perform ancient rituals and chants with the aim of reopening the portal to this realm... at any cost."

The room fell silent and tense. They knew who the Watchers were. They knew how powerful they were and that once they set their minds on something, they would pursue it relentlessly.

A tall, wingless fae stood abruptly.

"Then we must find a way to prevent them from coming through," he said firmly. "Perhaps there is a magical spell that can seal portals for a long period of time."

More voices joined in agreement.

"The Watchers are dangerous! We must do something about them!"

"They meddle with powers they cannot comprehend!"

"We must protect our realm!"

Lyriel sat quietly, her blue eyes wide and attentive. The meeting had turned out to be far more interesting than she had expected. She had never met a human, but the thought of them stirred something within her.

The King raised his hand, silencing the room.

"Very well." he said. "Action must be taken to end their activities immediately, and I will see to it myself. When will the blood moon appear in the sky?"

"I'm afraid tonight, Your Majesty," the councilor replied.

"If the Watchers seek entrance into this realm with the intention of dominating it, then the portal shall be destroyed permanently... tonight."

The council members gasped in shock at the King's words.

Tonight?

"Forgive me, Your Majesty, but this is an impossible task. Is there no other way of destroying the portal in the absence of a blood moon?" the wingless fae asked in alarm. "Surely, there must be powerful books and ancient spells capable of opening the portal whenever it is convenient for us."

"No magic in this realm can open the portal at any time except during the hour of the blood moon," the King stated sternly.

"But... but, Your Majesty, there is—"

"We can destroy the portal only when it has appeared. Without its presence, every effort will be futile. Therefore, we must carry out this mission tonight."

"But, Father," Lucien, the Crown Prince, spoke up for the first time. He could see how much the King's words troubled his people and therefore had to intercede for them. Even he was against the King's decision. "If you truly believe that no magic can reopen the portal, then I do not see the point of making a hasty decision that may prove disastrous to us."

The council members nodded in support of the Crown Prince's thoughts on the matter. Even Lyriel did not realize how much she dreaded the King's decision. A blood moon was not an occasion to take such risks. A single mistake could lead to the end of their race.

"Yes, I stated clearly that no magic can reopen the portal in the absence of a blood moon... no magic in THIS realm!" the King emphasized, revealing the severity of the situation and the dilemma he faced. "The Watchers, however, are not ordinary humans. They are powerful sorcerers, and once they uncover the secrets of this portal leading to our world, then we are surely doomed."

"How, then, will we deal with the dark fae and their monsters, Father? They are usually far stronger during blood moons, and this portal lies in the heart of the Dark Forest, which is their sanctuary."

"We have no choice but to march into the Dark Forest, Lucien," the King replied. "The monsters may be at their strongest tonight, but do not forget that we are the light fae. Our strength and power cannot be compared to theirs."

"Yes, Father. But waging war against the dark fae and their monsters on a blood moon is a death wish. What if they decide to attack the barrier protecting our kingdom?"

"I assure you, Prince Lucien, they do not possess the power to do so." the King replied firmly, thereby bringing the debate to an end.

The council, seeing that he would accept no further objections, moved on to discussing plans and secret passages that would lead them to the portal while avoiding the monsters as much as possible.

Lucien did not say another word. He remained silent on his throne, deep in thought. Every fiber of his being told him this was a dangerous mission.

But what choice did he have?

The King would not listen to him.