“I now declare this Hearing, started”

A loud bang as the big faun hit the table with a small hammer

Huh.

Good way to make people go quiet

I want one.

But I have to say

This is really a “gathering”

It’s like, maybe, a thousand fauns cramped into this small room.

Or rather, chamber?

Yeah, we are inside a small chamber inside a big room inside a very big building.

The one that had six pillars surrounding it.

Hehe, it’s inside inception.

Anyway, apparently this is not everyone, some have to stay outside as there is not enough room for everyone.

And these fauns are supposed to be “elders”

All immortals with unbelievable powers

Or something like that

I think.

I’ve found myself in quiet the pickle

I’m sitting in the middle of this small chamber, surrounded by a circle of chairs.

And on those chairs, there sits elders

And where there are no chairs, there are elders standing.

To my right, sits the old faun and mister Butler

And floating above me is mister dra-

I mean, mister phoenix.

And to my left, is that handsome jerk of a faun

Ahem

Anyway.

The hearing has started.

Now they are supposed toooo

Erm

Decide what to do with me.

I guess?

Feels weird.

Luckily, they speak my language.

And I’m supposed to voice my opinion when questioned.

Or something

I’m not good with political stuff.

The old faun gave me some pointers before on how to behave myself.

And some help from mister butler.

But the only thing I got out of that was to not expose that mister dragon was an actual dragon.

And I mean, under no circumstances.

I think he said something about absolute chaos if I do

But erm.. I kinda forgot all the rules.

Hehe.

Anyway

The little I do remember is that all elders have one vote that they can cast when a subject has been decided.

everyone's vote is equally important

But

There always forms parties who share a sentiment on a subject.

And the leaders of these party’s usually decide for the entirety of the group.

Making a vote easier than if everyone just voted at random.

And the leader of one of these groups

Is none other

Then the old faun.

Pretty anti-climatic, I know.

But she has assured me she’s on my side

Whatever that means.

And the opposition

Has the leader of that very

Very good looking faun

The unnaturally good-looking one.

And if I understand everything correctly

He wants me to be like

Some sort of battle slave?

Giving me tasks that would normally not be sent as it could endanger either a very talented faun

Or an elder.

Sooo

What I’m trying to say

Is that

I don't like him.

“What do you say Human?”

Oh whoops.

I kinda forgot to listen to the debate.

“Eeeh, sorry I did not hear your question.”

The big faun gave out a small sigh.

Shaking his head

Hands resting on his hammer.

“The gathering asked you why you came to this city.”

“Oh, hehe, sorry. I just wanted to heal my leg.”

The surrounding fauns started whispering amongst themselves.

Some louder than others.

Giving a sideways look to mister butler.

I could see him sitting quietly, a smile forming as his eyes met mine.

Taking my eyes to the old faun, I could see her leaned back

Whispering to a faun behind her.

“Human, why were your leg wounded?”

To my side, a faun asked

Seeking the source, I see the handsome faun

A big smile on his face

But the same deceiving eyes.

“I accidentally blew them up.”

A loud gasp spread amongst the gathered fauns

Then more whispering

Louder than before.

And weirdly enough

A very small snicker could be heard.

Looking towards the snicker

I saw the old faun

Hey!

Don't laugh.

It was very painful you know!

Then the handsome faun spoke up

Trying to out-speak the gathered fauns.

“How could you accidentally blow up your legs?”

“Oh, hehe that’s an embarrassing story. But it started with me getting chased by chickens. And I did not have any arrows, so I had to run. Then I decided to climb a tree, and there I took out one of my boom boom things and let it drop down. But I miscalculated the blast radius and it blew me away, blasting my legs to hell”

I quickly summarised

Talking a little too fast.

Noticing some fauns looking confused

Even getting an awkward look from the handsome faun.

“Why do you guys have to know this? Are we not hear to talk about me staying or something?”

I asked, feeling like I deserved some answers.

And to my question, the big faun stood up.

Thumping his hammer on the table in front of him.

The gathered elders went quiet.

“Human. This gathering has a rough idea of how and why you have come here. But we still want to know your side of the story, and once that is complete, we shall discuss what we will vote on. Then we vote.”

Sitting down, the big faun dropped the hammer.

And the gathering started speaking again.

But through it, out-speaking everyone

The handsome butler spoke up again.

“And let me ask, where does this phoenix fit into this picture?”

This phoenix?

Oh.

“Oh you mean, mister dr-“

“She found him in a cave in the great forest, there she befriended him and they’ve travelled together since.”

What no th-

Oh

Holy moly.

I almost told everyone he’s not a phoenix.

Thanks for the save, mister butler.

Looking to him, smiling brightly.

I was met with a frown.

A very, very big frown.

...

Yeaaa

Sorry, I won't repeat that.

“Great one, we wish to hear this from the Human, her words, not yours.”

The big faun said, pointing at him with the hammer

In which mister butler responded with a bow.

“It won't be repeated.”

But during his bow, he gave me a side glance.

Looking very angry

I’m sorry!

And in the corner of my eye.

I got a glimpse of the old faun

Giving me, and mister butler

A very suspicious look.

And if I had eyes in my neck

I would see the same look on the handsome faun

The gathering continued

Many questions were asked.

Mostly about how I came here

How I met mister butler

And my little journey.

Which turns out

Was actually kinda hard to re-tell, as I had to always make mister dragon a phoenix in the story.

And the fact that he could not talk.

Which, when I re-told the story made me sound very crazy.

Getting many sideways looks from the surrounding fauns.

I promise I’m not crazy!

I’m not!

It’s your guy's fault that you would freak out from a dragon.

Not mine.

And to be totally honest

It was very hard to always try to change the story.

I think the old faun noticed me lying...

Or who am I kidding?

I think everyone noticed

I don't usually lie

I’ve never lied this much before!

It’s too hard, you know.

Anyway.

Those that asked me the most questions

Where the opposition

Why?

I don't know.

But soon enough

Everyone stopped asking me.

Seemingly satisfied with my explanations.

Instead, going back to speaking to each other

Speaking in faunish

...

Crap.

That’s stupid

I want to know!

I know that it’s about me

So come on, guys! Let me in!

Let mee in!

The debate continued on

Starting pretty calm.

But progressively getting louder and louder.

Going off to almost screaming at each other.

The only reason they were not screaming constantly

Was the big fauns, big hammer.

He used it religiously

Making all go silent.

But quickly enough, they started shouting again.

Well, this seems to have gone totally wrong.

It feels like nothing of important has been decided yet

And it’s already been like two hours now.

Maybe three?

Holy moly I’m tired

And bored.

This is boring.

I even think mister dragon is bored...

I guess he’s always bored?

I don't know

But it feels like he’s more bored now.

Maybe.

I think.

…

Huh

There has been a...

Erm

Sort of

Division?

Now, instead of an equally seated populace of fauns

There seems to have been a split.

With many fauns sitting to my right, where the old faun is sitting at the front

And to my left

The handsome faun.

Sitting with many fauns behind him.

This feels

Weird.

The shouting is still as loud

But now, the shouting is usually only amongst the old faun and the handsome one.

And every time they shout

The fauns behind them will shout in agreement.

And the other side will shout in disagreement.

...

This is getting really stupid.

Is this politics?

What the hell

It’s more like watching chickens fight.

...

Er, well

Chickens can be deadly so I take that back

Hehe.

Finally

Something new is happening.

I think it’s been

Four hours?

Five?

Yeah.

And finally

They are speaking so I can understand.

But

The one speaking, or rather, shouting

Is the handsome faun.

“Human, why would you think coming here, expecting our help, would be for free?”

Huh, what an aggressively asked question.

But

“But, I did not think it would be for fre-“

Before I could finish

The old faun jumped in.

“She never asked to be healed! Nor did she ever say that she would not re-pay us! I healed her on my behalf!”

The handsome faun stood up.

“You may have done it on your behalf! But you used our precious Dragon blood to heal her, and a ritual that should be forbidden for anyone outside!”

His side shouted in agreement.

“She was dying! Would you left someone for dead? And as I said she will he-“

But out-shouting her, the handsome faun cut in

Getting loud shouts from the old fauns side.

“Dying?! The ritual is worse than death! Letting her take the ritual was not something you did with her life in mind. No, I’ve heard whispers. You did it for your son!”

A loud shout of surprise and yelps echoed through the gathered fauns

The old faun in turn

Frowned.

“I did no such thing.”

“Oh, but you did. I’ve heard a little tweet, a little whisper that said that your precious little sun was wounded when fighting the human. And who, to save the human’s life, both gave,and drank Dragon blood in his shame.”

A louder shout of surprise

Many staring down at mister butler

Who, in turn

Looked forwards, a stoic expression.

Staring at me.

The old faun staying silent

Visibly shaking.

“And you, you could not bare to see your son die. Even if he was not ready for the ritual, nor could you deal with his sorrow, so you did the only thing you could think of, you di-“

“SHUT UP“

A loud shout

Every faun shooting their hands to their ears

The entire chamber shaking from the vibrations

And then

An eery silence.

The only one who did not seem moved by the shout

Was the big faun.

“Oh venerable one, I ask you to not use magic in the chamber.”

A low sigh

Breathing a few calming breaths

Hall staying silent.

Then looking up to the big faun.

“I’m sorry, my anger got the best of me”

Saying that, she sat down.

Followed by her side doing the same

Who had gotten visibly smaller after her outburst.

While the handsome fauns side had gotten a little bigger.

“Human”

Taking me away from my thoughts

I looked towards the handsome faun.

“We are here today to ask you a question, a question we hope you say yes to, as we would like to not take it to a vote.”

Oooookay?

Letting a small silence enter the room.

Looking at me with open arms

Smiling brightly

Maybe even smiling for real

I think.

“Our question to you, dear human. Is if you would kindly help us with a task, a task of great danger, BUT, grave importance.”

Uhuh

Okay.

Can you just

Ask me already?

“We want you to go out in the world, search and hopefully find something, or someone, who is of great danger to our city.”

Yeaaah

Yeah...

Can you just tell me already?

“Can you just ask the question already?”

A small laugh

But staying in pose.

“Yes, yes of course. We want you, to find the source of the blue flames that painted the sky many nights ago”

The blue what?

Huh..

Wait, a second.

And my brain blurted it out.

If I would have just looked up, I would have seen something.

Something that would have stopped me

Made me not say those stupid words

Made me rethink.

Organize

Be smarter.

If I would have just looked up

Seen mister butlers face

Seen his pleading eyes

His cautionary smile

I would have paused

But you know what

I did not

I can be so stupid sometimes.

“Oh, haha yeah I know him, it’s mister dragon over here.”

Pointing at mister dragon, who seemingly shook himself from his boredom.

Staring down at me

Flames going brighter

Seemingly getting

Happy?

...

Oh my dragon.

What the hell have I done?

Staring widely

I scanned the room.

Deathly silent

Surprised faces

None moving

None speaking

Even the handsome butler had a surprised face

Forming a wide O with his mouth

I think

I think I did something really stupid.