The halls stretched endlessly, cold stone walls towering over Kade as he followed the pale man. The echoes of his boots clattering against the floor made him wince. It felt like a countdown, a prelude to disaster.
'Where are we going?'
Kade asked, glancing nervously over his shoulder.
'To the war chamber, my lord,'
the man said smoothly.
'It is the safest place in the castle during an invasion.'
'Invasion?'
Kade's voice rose in pitch.
The man turned slightly, arching an eyebrow.
'Yes, my lord. Surely you felt the presence of the so-called "heroes" who have dared to breach your sanctum.'
Kade swallowed hard. He felt their presence all right. Mainly in the form of swords swinging inches from his head.
'Right. Of course,'
Kade said, trying to sound nonchalant.
The man gave a nod of approval and picked up his pace. They passed through a towering archway into a grand chamber lit by glowing crimson crystals embedded in the walls. A long table stretched through the center of the room, surrounded by chairs carved with intricate designs. Maps and scrolls covered the surface, weighted down by various objects Kade didn't recognize.
The pale man gestured toward a chair at the head of the table.
'Please, take your seat, my lord. I shall summon your commanders at once.'
'Commanders?'
Kade asked, his stomach tightening.
'Yes, my lord. They await your orders.'
The man turned and swept out of the room before Kade could respond. The heavy doors slammed shut, leaving him alone in the eerie silence of the chamber.
Kade stared at the chair, its dark, polished surface gleaming under the crimson light. Slowly, he lowered himself into it, feeling the weight of his supposed role pressing down on him.
'What is happening to me?'
he muttered, burying his face in his hands.
He had just wanted a chance to shine, a moment to prove he wasn't a failure. Instead, he was sitting in a castle that reeked of doom, with people calling him "my lord" and heroes trying to kill him. None of it made sense.
The doors creaked open, breaking his thoughts. He straightened in the chair as three figures entered the room, each one exuding an aura of danger.
The first was a tall woman clad in black armor, her pale blonde hair braided tightly down her back. She carried a massive battle axe strapped across her shoulder and had a scowl that could shatter stone.
The second was a thin man in a dark cloak, his face obscured by shadows. His long, bony fingers twitched as if itching to weave some deadly spell.
The third was a hulking figure, easily over seven feet tall, with glowing red eyes and jagged horns curling out from his head. His skin was a deep shade of gray, and the ground seemed to tremble slightly with every step he took.
They stopped in front of the table and bowed deeply.
'Master Kaedus,'
the armored woman said, her voice sharp and commanding.
'We are ready for your orders.'
Kade blinked at them, his mind blank.
'Orders?'
he repeated.
The cloaked man tilted his head.
'The invaders, my lord. What shall we do with them?'
Kade's throat tightened. They were waiting for him to say something. Anything. He had no idea what Kaedus would do in this situation, but he doubted "run away and hide" was on the table.
He cleared his throat, leaning forward slightly.
'What... options do we have?'
he asked, trying to sound authoritative.
The hulking figure grinned, revealing sharp, jagged teeth.
'We could crush them outright, my lord. It would be most satisfying.'
The armored woman frowned.
'We should not underestimate them. They have breached the castle already. A strategic approach may be wiser.'
The cloaked man chuckled softly.
'Or perhaps a trap. Let them believe they are winning, then strike when their guard is down.'
Kade's palms were sweating. Each suggestion sounded worse than the last. He needed to stall, to figure out how to keep himself alive without turning this situation into an even bigger disaster.
'All... excellent ideas,'
he said slowly.
'But before we commit, I want to evaluate their movements more closely. Gather your forces and monitor them carefully. Report back to me with any changes.'
The three commanders exchanged glances, then bowed again.
'As you command, my lord,'
the armored woman said.
They turned and exited the chamber, leaving Kade slumped in the chair. His heart was pounding, his thoughts a chaotic swirl.
'What have I gotten myself into?'
he muttered.
He had no idea how long he could keep this act going. One wrong word, one wrong move, and he'd either end up dead or in charge of leading an army into battle. Neither option appealed to him.
But for now, he was still breathing. That was something.
And as far as Kade was concerned, the show wasn't over yet.