Fearless

dai 49 shō

“You sure this one can be trusted.” Parly asked as a cloaked woman playfully threw yet another knife towards them. “If I was aiming for you, I’d hit you.” The woman said, her mouth moving invisibly behind her scarf. “Besides, you idiots got the council to start coming out of hiding, if you think we’ll betray you, then you may be correct, or horribly wrong.” She continued.  “Indeed, though I can vouch for some of the council, there’s others that would be less than happy to fight against the church of golden blessings. Anyways, I thought y’all might be hungry, especially the fox-woman.” The man with the eyepatch said, walking into the room, pushing a cart with a multitude of food. The cloaked woman reached for a pastry, only to have her hand slapped by the man. “Our breakfast is downstairs, besides, our friends are supposed to gather here around midday, not friends as in enemies mind you.” The man with the eyepatch said. “Okay sir, I’ll make sure to eat all I can.” The woman said, racing out the door. “Please refrain from doing so, the food has to last.” The man said, shaking his head. “Is everyone in the council that…” Oathbreaker asked. “Eccentric? Yes and no, some are serious, some are not. That’s why we are called a council, we have various personalities amongst us, yet still somehow function.” The man replied. “So the church of golden blessings is on it’s way out, my what a wonderful group of words.” A woman in exotic clothing sang, several other members nodding their approval. “Perhaps for you, some of us have benefitted from them.” A man in a suit said, a couple other members nodding. “Please keep in mind, they are the reason that the council went into hiding in the first place.” A short man said. “The council that was already on it’s way out, we are here only as a temporary council for old times sake.” A man said. “Enough, the existence of the oaken council remains as it was, the proof of which sits in this room now, survivors of the church’s extermination order, have you no shame in what you say here?” The man with the eye patch said. “At what cost, not all the delegates are here, many were lost in that dark time in history.” A woman in galaxy print clothing said, a dark cloud condensing upon the round table. “I’ll admit, despite the darkness that surrounds us now, the chance to avenge our fallen lightens my heart.” The animatronic member of the council said. “Perhaps that is the case, but is the risk really worth it, even if we are to win, the loss of numbers would be staggering.” A being that looked like a living hill said. “The cost of war is always horrendous, but might I tell you what will happen if we do not?” Einkapf said from the shadows. “And who are you to meddle in the affairs of the council?” The short man asked skeptically.  “The council welcomes Einkapf, a member of the group that recently scouted the heart of the church’s headquarters.” The man with the eye patch said, ushering Einkapf forward. “I thank you for the honor of appearing before the council, those who take the side of the church, might I ask why you do so?” Einkapf said. “I can not speak for my comrades, but the trade and protection provided by them are unmatched.” The man in the suit said, the other supporting members nodding their agreement. “You accept trade and protection from those who would kill you if they knew who you were, that are not above killing their own? As part of the group I’m in, I’ve seen members of said group execute their own, kill their own, only to revive them as undead soldiers, constrain deities to fight against other deities, and worse of all, I know of the terror that lies in the center of their activities.” Einkapf said. “And what lies in the center?” The woman in galaxy print clothing asked. “A pre-deity deity, the birther of chaos, the eternal void, the deity that was torn to shreds for their sins, known as Gofreaga.” Einkapf said, the sudden light of magic energy coursing through the building startling even the most stout of the members. “Einkapf, it’s Rue, they’ve taken a turn for the worse.” Iris whispered, pulling Einkapf from the room.