Eni stepped through the Obelisk’s glow and found herself in a hall so massive it took her breath away. Seated around a heavy circular table were beings whose mere presence made the air vibrate. Everyone she’d heard of was there: Doc in his usual robe, Vee, Daedalus, Iva, Insip... and Stark. To Eni’s surprise, the giant was now just a regular-sized person.
She quietly slipped into an empty chair next to Insip.
"Did you shrink him?" she whispered.
Insip’s lips didn't move, but his voice echoed straight in Eni's head:
"Yes, I adjusted the space a little. Making a table the size of a five-story building would've been inconvenient, so I came up with this instead."
"Oh, hi Eni!" a booming but friendly voice suddenly rang out.
Stark was enthusiastically waving at her from across the table.
"So glad you're one of us now! I believed in you! Now we can help new heroes together... If... any more of them actually show up!"
"Could you please not chat during the meeting?" Doc cut in coldly. "Lord Nickonski is already aware of your chatter, he's just pretending nothing's happening."
"Oh come on, Doc!" Daedalus jumped in, tinkering with his mechanical arm. "The old man might be grumpy, but he's a softie deep down. As long as people are listening to him, he doesn't care who's whispering."
"How... how dare you disrespect the Trisagion by ignoring him?!" Iva protested, her halo beginning to pulse angrily.
The argument was about to turn into a mental brawl when suddenly the ceiling crashed open with a roar. A man plummeted right into the center of the room.
"I AM... A SOCCER BALL!" he yelled, landing in some kind of graceful pose.
He was wearing a wedding dress cleverly modified into a military uniform. The blond guy looked around, noticed Eni in his seat, and didn't seem bothered at all—he just sat down on thin air. Puffing out his chest, he pulled out a little mirror and started admiring himself obsessively.
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Everyone fell silent. Nick, sitting at the head of the table, didn't even flinch. He was busy—slowly and carefully massaging the shoulders of a tall, white-haired Kitsune. Realizing the room had finally gone quiet, he took his seat, yawned loudly, and clapped his hands.
"We've got a historic moment. For the first time in 400 years, we have a new Archon candidate. Well, a trainee, but... I haven't decided yet."
"WHERE?!?!" Nimiro shot up, leaping onto the table in a burst of melodrama—but the next second, Nimiro was back in his chair, crying, beaten up, while Nick disgustedly wiped blood off his knuckles. No one even batted an eye, except the twins, who started whispering to each other.
"Let's try not to act like... complete idiots," Nick sighed, then burst out laughing. "Like Nimiro here. Anyway, introduce yourselves to the newbie. Doc, Vee—I know you already visited her, Daedalus, Iva, Stark, Insip, Joe—you guys stay quiet, Eni already knows you."
The blonde Kitsune stood up. She was nearly seven feet tall in a gorgeous kimono. Walking up behind Nick, she draped her arms possessively over his shoulders, giving Eni a sharp, protective look.
"I'm Maeno. This brat's other half and Vee's mom."
Next, two dark-skinned twins in heavy armor spoke up.
"We're the brothers Abdi and Zombvi!" they barked in unison. "Our lifestyle: all brawn, no brains!"
Eni mentally put a big cross next to their names on her potential friends list.
Then a soft, sweet voice spoke up. A girl literally wrapped in living vines and flowers smiled warmly:
"My name is Alvina. If you need to know anything—just ask. Almost nothing stays hidden from me. By the way, when are you finally going to plant that cherry branch? If you want, I can help you find a spot."
"Thanks... I'd appreciate that," Eni replied awkwardly.
The last person was someone in a completely black robe and mask. Two antennae stuck out from his head, glowing bright yellow. He remained silent.
"That's Alvi," Nick explained. "He's... a little shy. But he's very kind, and his candy... OH! I absolutely love his chocolate straws."
Hearing this, Alvi got so flustered his antennae instantly turned pink, and he tried to pull his hood deeper to hide his mask. It was unbelievably cute.
"Lord Nickonski," Doc raised his hand. "Erythrocyte levels in the population are abnormally high. Typhus mortality is rising."
"Evacuate them to the Field of Multicolored Trees," Nick ordered, instantly turning serious. "Disinfect everyone. If that doesn't work—it means the virus is new and we're all doomed."
Confused, Eni spoke up:
"Um... I understand it's a meeting, but shouldn't there be... well, official reports? Ideas?"
"We're not a bureaucracy, Eni," Nick smirked. "We just hang out and talk. But since you're new, we decided to give you an orientation. Anyway, I don't see any point in sitting here anymore. See ya."
He stood up and headed for the Obelisk with Maeno. Vee ran after them.
"Dad, Mom, wait for me!"
Nick crouched down in front of his daughter, blocking her path.
"Vee, sweetie... Mommy and I need to... talk. Very important private matters."
"Dad! You and Mom talk privately way too much. It's suspicious!" Vee pouted.
"Oh! Look over there!" Nick suddenly pointed behind her.
By the time Vee turned around, he and Maeno had already vanished through the portal. Vee, torn between anger and laughter at her dad's luck, grabbed Captain Joe and dragged him away. The hall began to empty.
Insip was the last to leave. He stopped at the doorway and looked at Eni:
"A Bastard sword would suit you best, Eni. It's a blade, but... it's perfect for you."
With those words, he disappeared. Eni sat in silence for another minute, processing everything she'd seen, then returned to the tavern. There, she finally turned off the device blocking the Voice.
"Oh, Eni!" the Voice immediately burst into her mind. "Where have you been? I lost you for hours! Are you okay?"
Eni lay down on the bed, feeling a pleasant ache in her muscles and a strange satisfaction.
"The Archons must be nearby," she replied calmly. "I need to be more careful..."
