The Waiting Game

The room was silent once again. Rothox glanced around. 'He couldn't be serious...' Everyone but Zelfid had a serious expression.

"I'm sorry what?" Zelfid asked.

"You heard me." His voice was strong and powerful. Rothox could hear a deep hatred in it, not towards Zelfid but towards the Empire.

"Ya but--"

Zelfid was cut off. "If you don't like it, you don't have to be here." That shut Zelfid up. "I have everything thought out." He pulled out a map and splayed it across the table. "The Champions Gala will distract most of the attention of the Brand. Leaving a skeleton crew at the palace. A few men have agreed to distract the Brand stationed at the gondola. It will be a short window but should allow us time to sneak past the guards. Once we reach the far side there will be four more guards. They must be dispatched before we can quietly access the palace. From there I have it under good authority that the servant hallways will be empty. The informant assured us that those pathways will be clear for half an hour. We will be able to access those pathways to avoid any guards in the palace."

"Why are we assassinating a dying Emperor?" the female asked.

"It's not just the Emperor...we are attacking every ruler."

"There's no way that is possible," Zelfid stood and shoved away from the table.

"It is and it is happening. In the Kingdom capitals, there are other groups meeting as we are now. We are ending the old way so we can implement a new and better one. We have a wealthy benefactor that has put this whole thing on. He is eager to assist us in this endeavor."

"Who is that?" Zelfid asked.

"He will remain anonymous for his and our protection. This is a serious event and history is going to be made. Are you going to sit by or are you going to put your mark in this world? Are you all in?" Slowly he panned around the room and got nods. His gaze fell onto Rothox, and you?"

Rothox nodded.

"Good," he pointed to a spot on the city map. "We will meet here at dusk."

As they left the secret meeting, one by one the demonblood that invited him pulled him aside back into the room.

"I had no idea he was going to say that. I knew he was wanting to plan something radical but this is another level. Either way, I'm glad you are in, we'll need someone like you. This is exciting."

Rothox stared at him, "You have no problem murdering the Emperor?"

He seemed a little surprised at the question, "No, we were slaves under his rule."

"Yes, but he freed us"

"What are you saying, are you out, you told the leader yes."

"I don't know. I know I don't take murder lightly. And why do you call him the leader? What's his name, what is everyone else's name?"

"He was the only one that fought for us when we were slaves and he still fights now, that's why he is the leader. We don't say names because not knowing protects us if someone gets caught. You better figure out what you want, he'll expect you there, and if you don't show I don't know what he'll do." He clapped Rothox on the back before leaving him standing alone in the room.

Rothox snuck back to the estate using the same route he took to get to the meeting. He climbed into his open window. Closing it behind him he didn't notice the large figure sitting on a chair in the corner.

"Where were you?"

Rothox spun, daggers out. The figure stood and moved into the light from the window, it was Garrok. Rothox relaxed, slightly, but still held his daggers, just angled down at his side.

"What are you doing in my room?"

"I saw you with that other demonblood last night and when you asked The Sultan about the Inferno's I knew something was up with you." He left out the part that Grelka told him a friend of his was working with murderers.

"So, am I not allowed to make other friends?" Rothox paced around the bed, keeping it between him and Garrok. He assumed he wouldn't attack him but he was acting weird.

"Not friends that are considered dangerous by a man many already consider dangerous." Garrok stood. Rothox could not see a weapon, he relaxed a bit more. Garrok continued, "What are they planning?"

"Nothing, we just met up. A meet and greet." He lied.

Garrok glared at him with that hint of red in his eyes, the same glint he had seen when he first met him. He walked past him to leave the room. "Rothox I really want to believe you, I just don't." He left.

Rothox waited thirty minutes before going to sleep. Dagger under his pillow as it always was.

Morning came and Rothox was still alive. Everyone else was already up and about. Breakfast had been prepared and Trixia had more news to share. They had all eaten and were all waiting for him when he entered the dining room.

"You could have woken me," he said as he pulled a chair out from the table. He reached for a slice of ham and grabbed a bun.

"It's ok, sometimes you just need to sleep," Trixia commented. "Now that you are here we can begin." She began to explain that the Emperor had stabilized but would still remain in the palace and not attend the Gala. Important Emissaries were arriving from their respective Kingdoms carrying the names of their Champions. The Golden Brand force was bulking up with the aid of the Embers as these important dignitaries arrived. The city was beginning to prepare for the festival that followed the Gala, which kicked off the Fall Festival signifying one year from the Ascension Trial. Trixia also warned that Ottothal may have figured out that someone on the council was asking questions. She was getting a little worried but also stated that she wouldn't let up. After breakfast, the Sect had no idea what to do. It was a waiting game at this point.

The next two days went by slowly as the Sect spent the time between then and the day of the Gala. They went about resupplying their gear and listening to conversations in the Sylky Way and around town. They got no new information and Trixia even stalled out. Garrok and Rothox didn't speak to each other and an obvious tension was growing between them. Alissa and Erigos tried to chat with them but to no avail.

Finally, the night arrived. Trixia decided to take Garrok and Erigos into the Gala leaving Alissa and Rothox to be ready in case anything were to happen. Trixia was gracious enough to supply the two men with elegant attire. Erigos was going as her guest and Garrok as her personal bodyguard. A carriage came to pick them up just before dusk. Alissa snuck onto the roof using her magic to aid her. Rothox skulked nearby following at his pace, or so they all thought.

"When we get to the estate there will be dozens of people to introduce you to, Erigos. Unfortunately, Garrok I will need you to be seen and not heard." She explained to them.

He nodded.

"Perfect. You will be introduced to Ottothal, it is of extreme importance you do not attack him. He will make a speech before the Champions are announced. If he is going to do anything that will be when he does. However, we may be wrong as to his plan, it seems to me that the opportunity for his Champion to be named has moved on."

"Explain to me why, if the Emperor dies after his selection, Ottothal can't claim that Champion for his own after he wins the election. Since there are no heirs?" Erigos asked.

"When the Ascension Trial was first put in place, in order to prevent assassinations of the royals they added a rule that if a ruler dies after selecting their Champion and their Champion goes on to win they become the new ruler of that Kingdom. If they lose, a vote occurs or the heir takes over."

"I guess that's a smart idea and if a ruler dies before they make the selection?"

"Then the heir makes the selection or in the event of no heir as is the case, the council votes for one of them to become the new ruler and the new ruler makes the selection."

"Hmm," Erigos tried to wrap his head around it all.

"It's not a perfect system but it is why I do not see how Ottothal will ensure his Champion gets in the field. The Emperor would have to die tonight before that speech."