"Council meeting - emergency session. NOW!"
Was all they heard in the middle of the chaos that lasted for who knows how long.
They don't know how to feel about it.
Good?
Their leaders are taking the matter seriously, that not even an hour had passed, since that cursed announcement.
Bad?
Serious meant dangerous.
Urgent meant too late.
This rushed seriousness means only one thing, they are, for sure, fucked.
The Council Chamber doors opened with a hiss of magic.
High figures sat in a circle, their expressions grim.
"All of you felt it. There is no need for denial. The seal had been broken. Prisoner Codename Yoon-D31 had escaped his seal."
Lord Roh, of fairies announced.
The moment of silence between them, stretched like still water.
"Seven hundred years.", someone whispered, breaking the silence.
"We sealed him, we locked him up.",she added, it appears that lord Alaric is still in disbelief.
"How is that even possible?!, how he can do that?", Alaric growled, her hands slammed the table, her fists nearly broke the council table this time. The stone cracked slightly under her strength. Dragons and their tempers. But no one scolded her. Not today.
That doesn't matter now.
"We earsed his name...we did everything.. we-", the ever so anxious lord of elves, Dornak, tried to voice his words. But his voice was thinner, it could be barely heard.
"Ah, too bad.", came a harsh voice.
"Maybe because you cowards refused to kill him.", Lord Vaverk lounged in his seat, a smirk on his face.
"But since he was still useful, you cared about his meaningless life, because you didn't want to lose your very precious little weapon.", now his tone is more sarcastic, mocking. His irritation undisguised.
Alaric stood up so fast her chair scraped across the floor.
"And you?" she spat. "If you're so noble, why didn't you do it? Afraid, little pup? Or just too busy licking boots to do the hard work yourself!"
That hit the nerve clean.
Vaverk snarled. And leapt.
In a blink, he was across the chamber, lunging over the table, claws out. Alaric met him head-on, the two crashing into a pillar in a tangle of scales and fur and flame.
The rest of the council?
They watched. Bored. Annoyed. Mildly entertained. This was the fifth time this week. Some even started a slow count.
"Ten seconds in," someone muttered. "New record."
"Enough!"
Having had enough, the head of the council, lord Elandors, spoke up, raising his voice, his glowing bloody eyes glaring at them.
Immediately, everyone stopped whatever they were doing, and going back to their places, not without giving the other a punch, then lowering their heads, while muttering a meaningless apology.
"Yeah, whatever.", Elandors rolled his eyes at them.
"Now that the dramatics are over, again, I assume someone has something useful to say? "
All he heard back was silence.
Of course, the only thing they are good at is beating each other, never using that brain.
Elandors gave a deep sigh, rubbing his temple.
"Thought so.", he grumbled, but continued.
"We need to act. Now. Before this spreads further. We are issuing an all-realm mobilization. Every base, every stronghold. If he's alive, if he's loose, everything tied to him must be tracked, contained, and reported."
Then he signalled to lord Roh, to continue.
"The seal was created by binding magic of every major bloodline.
Even he shouldn't be able to shutter it alone."
Roh breathed out.
"We had guessed that someone helped him."
Sounds of cursing, and gasps filled the room. Followed the whispers.
"Who would dare to?!"
"I knew someone was meddling!"
"I told you!"
"You should have let me kill him when I had the chance-"
"We..we..were getting too comfortable, it's our-"
"Silence," Roh said again, more gently this time. "The priority is finding him. Whoever helped him is just as dangerous."
He continued. "Each major region will search independently but share findings immediately. Groups of three to five. We're pooling high-tier forces and trusted agents only. No room for leaks."
"And if he resists?",
All eyes turned to Lord Francis.
He hadn't spoken until now. He stood near the far wall, half in shadow, arms crossed. His eyes were unreadable.
No one answered.
Not even Elandors
Because they all knew the answer.
And none of them wanted to say it.
The meeting ended soon after. Groups were dispatched. Orders were issued.
They would search. They would hunt. They would corner him.
And drag him back.
At least, that was the plan.
If only it were that easy.
_____________
Francis remained long after the others had gone.
The echo of departing footsteps faded into stillness, leaving only the whisper of old magic in the air. The council chamber was colder now. Or perhaps it only felt that way to him.
He reached into the inside pocket of his coat and pulled out a ring....thin, silver, delicate despite its age. Runes lined its surface, faint with time, the enchantments long worn away.
Yoon's ring.
Francis stared at it for a moment, then closed his fist around it, pressing it against his chest.
"I'll find you," he whispered.
He stood there, unmoving, as memories long buried crept in around the edges of his resolve.
And this time...
His voice dropped lower, more to himself than anyone else.
"I won't let anyone take you from me."
A pause.
"Not even you."