Tina sat next to me around the dark wood table. Her face was dripping with questions and each bead of sweat that formed felt like it stored a capacious amount of anxiety ready to burst at the seams. Her clumsy but titanic hold on my hand only got worse overtime, given the range of individuals before her.

Einar the Unbreakable, my knight, who also acted as my advisor at times, sat left of me. Lilith Darkviper, Rayna Doomhorn, and Pyralis Hellfire were also present. Lilith and Rayna represented their clans, but the same couldn’t be said for Pyralis. Nevertheless, she wanted to support me for ensuring the safety of her sister. And really, I’d need all the advice I could get, which explained why I had everyone congregate.

Queen Ayana Vernon, Royal Archwizard Kaelyn, and Knight-Captain Demarcus were there. The presidents of the Wizard, Warrior, and Knight guilds were also there, for formality’s sake. With what I was about to say, it would’ve been better to keep them in the loop.

I made quick work of introductions, then moved on to the matter at hand – perhaps speaking of why I brought them together would lessen the friction between the humans and demons in my presence. “For those who don’t yet know,” I glanced at Demarcus, “I am Lich God Deidre. I am also Deidre, the adventurer from the warrior guild. We are the same person.”

The guild presidents were rightly appalled, and they were about to voice their harsh opinions about everything, including the fact that a monster gathered humans and demons in the same room. It was a first for them, after all, so their outrage was understandable. Thankfully, Queen Ayana shut them up with a stern warning to not speak out of turn.

I breathed deeply, and took that chance to transform to my lich form, to really drive the point home, as well as the importance of this meeting. “I understand your concerns about my identity and the individuals in this room, but really,” I chuckled and the atmosphere somewhat lightened, “it’s nothing compared to what I’m about to discuss.” The tension rose again as I set the tone for usurious news.

I cleared my throat, waited a few seconds and ensured all eyes were on me. “I am going to confront Demon King Fyren, and depending on how that goes, we may come to some sort of agreement, or we may fight.”

“Excuse me?!” The Wizard Guild president glared at me up and down, as if she forgot all about her queen’s warning and the fact that I was a Death List monster. Who could blame her? The mere fact that a black quest even had the slightest bit of involvement with Nemus required Reuland, Karthaaz, and Skaljorn to come to an agreement, lest there be a great war like there was centuries ago. How could some random lich – albeit I was the Lich God – just up and announce that she would challenge the actual king of the entire land of demons, Nemus? It was pure heresy.

Lilith and Einar, my arms and legs when it came to the political landscape of demons and humans, did the heavy lifting for me when it came to explaining the climate of the two continents. I didn’t understand how a man who was trapped in a dungeon for over a century got caught up so quickly, but I assumed he had his connections; Queen Ayana never refuted the things he said, after all.

“So, you control two demon clans and have the compliance of a clan master.” Demarcus rubbed his blonde stubble. “It is a decent amount of leverage. The demon king only has one clan he can properly rely on. Perhaps, if we pool the resources of the three countries, we can facilitate decent containment.”

The Warrior Guild’s president grunted with a clenched fist clearly shown on the table. “And what if things don’t go your way? What if we have to fight? My guildmates, as well as yours,” he pointed his chin at the other presidents,” will be conscripted into the army for a battle this large. Good people will die because of your reckless decisions.” He had no qualms about calling me out, although I expected as much. “Tell me, Queen Ayana,” his eyes of righteous fury laid upon her, “since when do our fates lie in the hands of the monsters who kill us?”

Kaelyn’s staff lit up. “You would do well to watch your mouth. If it weren’t for the monster you speak of, Perseverance’s knights and adventurers would be injured or dead.”

The Knight Guild president gritted his teeth. “So what?” He interlocked his fingers and leaned into the conversation. “It might sound harsh, but one town of people can’t compare to an entire country, much less the continent!”

They bickered back and forth, until a calming but faint mist waltzed through the room. “I feel obligated to inform everyone here, that the Hellfire or Doomhorn clan alone has the power to annihilate the entire human race.” Lilith informed them with the poise she usually incorporated when dealing with her day-to-day business. “The act of taking our clans away from the demon king means that his firepower is greatly reduced. Humanity stands a much better chance of survival under the Lich God.” Lilith continued to explain the consequences of the thinning ambient mana in Nemus.

“So, in due time, the demons would attack us anyway,” Queen Ayana said. She closed her eyes and internalized the issue, as if she didn’t already know everything; she had to keep up her airs as another clueless human after all. “No one can hope to fight the demon king, not with the way our wizardry has been in decline. Lich God Deidre,” Queen Ayana peered at me, “I support your decision. You have the backing of Reuland.”

The presidents were livid, but even they understood the situation. Their lids were ready to burst with fury at the decision, but Lilith was a master at persuasion. In the end, they knew there was no other choice if they wished to avoid as many casualties as they could. One by one, they announced their support.

Truthfully, I had no need for it; my aim behind the meeting was to get advice from multiple sources, or to at least see and interpret their reactions to it. And, let me tell you, I was shitting my pants.

If I fucked up here, it could mean the death of tens of millions of people, and even more demons.