Henry Alville was from the council, which is a group of well-informed individuals with knowledge about the past supernatural threats to humanity. Their mission is to prevent any chaos between the human world and the otherworld. They can also punish anyone who doesn't abide by the law of balance, and they're also hunting the remaining occult beings left on earth. The council consists of five members from the families that have devotedly followed the Van Luther family since the beginning of time. They lived by their legacy, by their teachings, and by their will. When they received the letter Gregory sent, they decided to summon him immediately.
Henry and Gregory go on with their conversation. "How does it feel to be the head of the family? "Henry speaks as he drinks his cup of coffee. "If you're here to mock me, you know your way out," Gregory answered furiously. "Relax, man; I'm on your side. This council summons is just formality; the chief wants to see you," somberly responded Henry. "I can't believe some thugs abducted the young maiden; he better knew whom he was messing with," he added. "It's not just some thug; it's a gargoyle," Gregory sadly replied. Hearing this word, Henry's expression suddenly changes. "That's impossible; gargoyles were extinct long ago; there's no way you will encounter such a creature unless—" Henry doubly speaks, but he remembers one terrifying possibility. "We should go now; the council will know what to do," he added. "The book was also stolen," Gregory uttered. "What?!? Holy sh*t, of all the things to be stolen, that book? Your family's legacy is your treasure. Oh! My god, Greggy, is there anything you want to tell me that will never shock me? "Henry sarcastically said. "I think I've sold my soul in exchange for this," Gregory replied as he drew his blade—the Blade of Vengeance. "You gotta be kidding me; where did you get that? "Henry shockingly responded. "Someone calls himself the grave digger and gave me this," Gregory answered. "We better get going; this is getting worse." The two gentlemen hastily prepare for their journey to where the council is.
After almost a week, they finally reached the headquarters of the council. It was located in the icy mountains of the Himalayas, isolated from the rest of the world. At the front gate, Gregory admires the great architectural design of the place. The gate was made of a thick, solid metal that was so heavy that it was impossible to open. As they walk close to the entrance, the gate slowly moves, making their way in. Henry made a gesture, giving Gregory the signal that he could go first. While walking through the hallway, Gregory was amazed at how the structure was built. In a matter of time, they reach a door. "This is it; everyone is waiting for you." Henry speaks nervously. "Thanks; see you later," Gregory replied as he opened the door and entered. "If only you could make it out alive," Henry told himself.
As Gregory enters the room, a deafening silence greets him. He saw the five members of the council sitting on a round boardroom table; they were staring at him as he approached the center of the chamber. "State your name," the chief said. He was at the center of the table. His name is Wilson Snow. "I am Gregory Van Luther, son of Benedict Van Luther, and the new head of the Van Luther family," Gregory proudly responded. "Sir Van Luther, before we proceed with what we have to discuss, I would like to give you my deepest condolences about your parents. They were such great people; too bad we lost them too soon." The only lady in the room said she was at the far left of the chief; her name is Stella Zephyr Cornwell, the lady of the Zephyr family. "As you should know, we are still investigating their case; we will inform you if there's an update." The gentleman on the right of the chief speaks; he is Luke Mitchell, the head of the Mitchell family. "Thank you for your efforts," Gregory replied while bowing his head. "You're such an unlucky guy, first your parents and now your sister; I wonder if you were cursed or something," the man on the left of the chief said with an annoying expression. He is Gilby Alville, head of the Alville family and the older brother of Henry Alville. Hearing those words, it piqued Gregory's attention, so he glowered at him while Gilby was just smirking. "Enough Gilby, this is not the place for your quips; Sir Gregory has suffered a lot these past few days; he doesn't need more of your acerbity." The man on the far right of the chief furiously utters, He is Owen Brookee—head of the Brooke family and the combat leader of the council's hunting group. "Calm yourselves, gentlemen; we are here to ask Sir Gregory some questions about the letter he sent recently. It's quite vague to understand the message, so we decided to ask him in person." The chief gently speaks as he stops the unnecessary commotion in the room. "Sir Gregory Van Luther, can you please elaborate about your sister's abduction? ", he added. "Yes, I've fought this strong creature that took my sister, and I can do anything to stop it," Gregory responded. "We have told you that you are good in combat, both swords and hands; this creature you are talking about must be insanely strong to beat you," the confused Stella said. "Indeed, I'm both good at it, but that thing is—" before Gregory finishes what he will say, Gilby interrupts him.Quit blabbering how strong that person is; tell us what really happened! "Gilby uttered it impatiently. "It's not a person! It's a gargoyle! "Gregory shouted; the whole room was filled with silence; everybody was shocked by what he said.
They can't believe what Gregory said; to them, he was just making a story. "It's not possible; gargoyles were extinct long ago; they bravely fought the battle with the strongest mage ever, your great ancestor," Stella said while mixing her cup of coffee. "That's right, no one will believe your lies, you fool. I know it's embarassing to lose to nobody, but please, stop making stories," Gilby boastfully said. "For a second, it gives me chill, especially when I remembered that there's a slave gargoyle owned by the witch. Wait, is it possible that —?"Luke nervously replied. "Again, get a hold of yourselves; I think we really need to hear Sir Gregory's whole story before we make assumptions," Chief Wilson said. "Yeah, let's hear it, and if he is lying, then we will know," Owen responded. After that, Gregory told them everything about his encounter with the gargoyle. Even though they don't believe him, they can tell that Gregory is telling the truth. Thereafter, everyone was surprised again when Sir Van Luther said, "I think the gargoyle also stole the book." That was the only time the chief's expression changed; he was disappointed; he was angry. "I never thought that you would be such a failure to your family, Sir Gregory; protecting that book was the most important duty of the head of the family, yet you let it happen," the chief boldly said. Gregory doesn't have the guts to talk back; he knew it was true, but he failed. "Then it does make sense; the gargoyle, the lost book—maybe the witch queen is making her move," said Luke, trying to convince everyone that his hunch was right. "How is that possible? The portal was still close, and if there's some unusual events occurring, we will know first," Stella doubly replied. "The portal may be effective against dark creatures, but a gargoyle that once fought side by side with Sir Van Luther may have a chance to pass through it." Owen stated his theory. "Regardless of who was the culprit behind the abduction and theft of the book, I believe Sir Gregory deserves to be punished," Gilby said while glaring at Sir Van Luther. "Is it really necessary? He sent us a letter for help, not for damnation," Stella asked worriedly. "Gilby was right, but I would like to ask Sir Gregory if there's a punishment he would like to propose," the chief said. "Outrageous; this is the first time I've heard a criminal suggest his own verdict," responded the angry Gilby. "He was not a criminal; he was the victim here, and we must help him," Luke defensively said. "Are you questioning the chief's decision, Gilby? "asked by Owen. Gilby looked at his colleague; he was outnumbered, and he didn't have a choice but to submit to the chief's resolve. "I have nothing against the chief, Sir Gregory; is there any punishment you want to suggest? "Gilby asked Gregory with disdain. "I'm guilty of my sins; I let my sister be abducted by such beings, and I let the book be stolen; that puts my family's honor at risk." Therefore, I would like to propose that I, Gregory Van Luther, be thrown into the otherworld. I will give my life a purpose once again: first, I will save my sister; second, I will recover the stolen book. If you will give me this as a punishment, I will take it as a mission," Sir Van Luther wholeheartedly said. "Are you insane?! What kind of punishment is that?! If I know, you will just escape once we take off our eyes on you!"Gilby overreacted. "That's perilous, Sir Gregory; that place is crawling with dark creatures; you will never last a day in your life," Stella said with concern. "Maybe that's his point; to be thrown there is analogous to death," explained Owen. "Ridiculous! If he wants death, I can happily give it to him! "Gilby once again responded. "Enough, Gilby; if I hear one more complaint from you, an eviction from your seat may rise," the chief indignantly said. Hence, Gilby finally settled down; he was quite himself as the trial continued. "I guess your suggested punishment is quite absurd, but interesting. You may spend the night here at our headquarters; you are our guest. Tomorrow, you will face judgment. We, the members of this council, will vote if you're going to be thrown out or not. Good day, Sir Gregory," Chief Wilson said as he dismissed the trial.
The council members leave the room one at a time. As Gregory went for the exit, Henry approached him and said, "It's one hell of a trial, huh? I can't believe the punishment you propose. It's worse than death." Gregory kept on walking his way out, and Henry followed him. "That's not what your brother believes; I guess he's really still mad at me after ages," Sir Van Luther replied. "He respected you long ago; before you betrayed him, you both promised to join this council together and be the protectors of mankind from the shadows. Perhaps he's just as lonely as you are; after all, you were best friends once." Henry sincerely responded. Gregory stops walking and asks Henry, "By the way, did you know where I can sleep for the rest of the night? I'm quite exhausted." Henry also stops and faces Gregory. "Yes, I know the guess room where you can take a rest, but as you know, it is a common courtesy for the guess of the council to greet each member privately. Maybe you should go on with it first; it's also your chance to persuade them about your proposition," Henry suggested. "Thank you; I'll get it done. Where can I find them? "Gregory asked. "Their rooms are on the upper floor; they have names on them; don't forget to knock before going in," Henry replied as he walked out.
Gregory continued walking to the upper floor; he first saw the room of Luke Mitchell. "This is Gregory; may I come in? "Sir Van Luther asked while knocking on the door. "Of course you may come in." The guess gently opened the door and slowly walked closely to the council member. "Please have a seat," Luke invited him. "What can I do for you? "He asked. "Well, someone told me that it is a common courtesy to greet each council member privately, so that's what I'm doing," Gregory answered. "I see, in that case, you're not just some guess; you are a Van Luther, the most respectable family of all. Conceivably, we can skip that tradition," Luke humbly responded. "Aside from that, I would like to take this chance to convince all of you about my proposition. I'm serious about it; every second I'm wasting here, maybe my sister is in misery," Sir Gregory said. "I deeply understand your willingness to save your sister; I have a sister too. If I'm in your shoes, I'll definitely do anything, but my very greatest concern is your safety. We humans have no place on a world like that; the moment you set foot on the otherworld, you may instantly lose your life." Luke uttered with worries. Gregory's face filled with sadness, then Luke spoke again, "However, we really need to recover that book; if you would successfully retrieve it, then we wouldn't worry about the witch queen's threat. Maybe I'll sleep on it, about my vote tomorrow." Now, Gregory's face filled with hope. "Thank you. See you tomorrow. I gotta go." Sir Van Luther happily said, while shaking Luke's hand, then quickly leaves the room.
Gregory proceeds to the next room, which was Stella's. When he is about to knock, someone talks on his back. "If it isn't, Sir Gregory, do you need something? "The lady spoke as she approached Sir Gregory. "Lady Zephyr, I want to speak with you about something," Gregory replied. "Don't call me Zephyr; I've been married, and I'm proud of my husband's name, but I still work as a Zephyr; it's tough to find a worthy heir." Lady Cornswell responded. "Perhaps we can discuss your concern at my office; let's go," the lady added as he opened the door. "If you're here to persuade me, you're just wasting your time. I've made up my mind; I will reject your proposition tomorrow," Stella said as she sat down in her chair. "At least hear me out; I will not simply give up my life on that place; my cause is as noble as any hunting party of this council. My mission is to save my sister and recover the book. It is my journey; it is my fate. So please don't let me stop here," Sir Gregory replied. "I'm completely aware that you are a great fighter against your fellow humans, but how will you fight those dark creatures that live hundreds, or maybe thousands, of years battling for their evil cause? What will you do against their magic and inhuman strength? We're just humans; we must know our limits," Stella boldly said. "Then I will surpass my limits. If I die, I will rise and try again; nothing can stop me from saving my sister, not even death," Sir Van Luther furiously replied. "You're insane; I wonder where you got that attitude. Your father is a wise man, and your mother's heart is kind and pure; you are nothing like them! "Lady Cornswell stressed angrily. "I'm as clever as my father; I've thought of the punishment I deserve as I carry out my mission. I'm as selfless as my mother, as I can sacrifice my whole life for my sister and the world." Gregory responded with affirmation. The room became quiet for a while, then Stella suddenly spoke, "We can call this a day, Sir Gregory; see you tomorrow." Sir Van Luther walked out of the room without saying a word. Deep inside, he knew he had already lost one vote for tomorrow's trial.
While walking his way to the next room, Gregory bumped into Gilby, so he decided to talk to him. "May I have a word with you? "Sir Van Luther asked. "I have nothing to say to you; get out of my sight." Gilby irritatedly replied, then tried to walk away from Gregory. "I would like to apologize for everything; I didn't mean to disappoint you," Sir Van Luther said. "Whatever! For all I care, you can die whenever and wherever you want," Gilby answered as he completely left Gregory all alone. In that moment, Gregory realized that he would never be forgiven by one of his closest friends; another vote had gone.
He proceeds to the next room, which was Owen's. Gregory knocked several times, but nobody answered, so he decided to leave. When he was about to take a step, he heard a loud noise from inside the room. Out of curiosity, Gregory went inside to see what happened. "Argghhh, it hurts! "Someone yelled. "Hello, what happened here? "Sir Van Luther asked. "Oh, Sir Gregory, it's you," the surprised Owen responded. "Is there anything I can do for you? ," he added while taking off the armor he was wearing. "I'm just visiting the council members, trying to have a nice little chat," Gregory answered. "Ohh, you mean that boring council tradition for the guess? Pfff, I don't want to be part of that, but if there's anything you want, maybe I can help. Are you interested in some armor or weapons? "Owen asked as he finished taking off the armor. "No, I'm fine; I have this blade of mine," Gregory answered as he drew and flexed his blade. "Amazing, is that a family treasure of yours? "Asked by the astonished Owen. "Yes, it is," Sir Van Luther responded. "Can I hold it for a second? "Owen politely asked. Without saying a word, Gregory handed the blade to Owen. He swung the blade perfectly, then he tried to cut the armor he was wearing a while ago. Gregory was shocked when the armor split in two. "That armor was made of a special material that was harder than the gargoyle's skin. If you use this blade on that creature, maybe you stand a chance against it. Tell me, Sir Gregory, where did you get this cursed blade? "Owen spoke while giving back the blade to Gregory. "I refuse to answer your question, Sir Owen," Gregory proudly answered. "I will not force you to give me an answer, but I will give you a piece of advice; don't let it completely consume you, or else you will lose yourself," Owen said. "Thank you; sorry to disturb you, sir." Gregory apologized as he bowed his head. "Regarding your proposal about your punishment, I think it's going to work just fine if you successfully recover the book, but let me ask you: what is your priority? Your sister's rescue mission or the book's retrieval? "asked by Owen. "Of course, my sister," Sir Van Luther answered. "Family first, huh? I like that. In that case, maybe I can approve your proposition tomorrow. Just promise me that you won't die in that place," Owen said. "I won't; thank you again, sir," Gregory replied. Both of the gentlemen shook hands before they parted ways.
There's only one left to speak with; it's Chief Wilson Snow. Gregory slowly walks toward his room; it was different from the previous room. No doubt it was for the highest member of the council. Gregory doesn't know how to start their conversation; he's getting nervous, then he starts knocking. "May I come in? "Gregory said. "Yes, you may; I've been waiting for you," the chief answered. Sir Van Luther slowly opened the door and went inside.