"My Skinwalkers will stay where they are." Thrud shook her head, glad to see that Orpal was thinking things through instead of putting his ego first. "Manohar can capture them. Once you get rid of him, I will start the invasion and rescue them."
The Dead King started to snicker, his voice slowly rising in intensity until it become a maniacal laughter.
"The gods really are on my side." He said while alerting his troops throughout the Kingdom. "Tonight, I'll paint the moon red with blood and my accursed brother will know despair."
***
City of Derios, capital of the Distar Marquisate, that evening.
Lith, Protector, and Nalrond were sitting around a table at Haug's Travelling Tavern in their respective humanoid Beast form.
Lith needed someone to talk to about his dwindling life force, Protector needed some distance from Selia who was yet to let him off the hook, and Nalrond needed a place to use his Rezar form without causing a commotion.
Haug's tavern could easily accommodate them since dimensional magic made it spacious enough even for the bulkiest customer and Awakened didn't care for each other's appearance.
Protector had just finished whining about how much the new kid would cost him and the earful that Selia gave him every time he dared to complain about his workload.
"Remember my words. Don't marry and don't have kids." He said swallowing the tenth tankard of beer with just one drop of Red Dragon in it.
"Don't mind him. He gets sad every time he drinks too much." Nalrond said, still struggling to drink and eat with his long-clawed hands.
"I don't believe a word he says. I know that he'd rather cut his own tail than give up on one of his children." Lith replied.
"How could I? They are so cute!" Protector shoved in the middle of the table a Rememberer that projected countless images of his kids as babies.
He could tell when and why each picture had been taken, arousing memories that moved him to tears, but to anyone else they looked identical, boring them to death.
"They sure are. How did your date with Friya go, Nalrond?" Lith pushed the Rememberer away, eager to change the topic.
The Rezar told them everything until the shocking conclusion.
"Sorry to hear that, man." Protector hugged him with all of his strength, almost crushing Nalrond's ribs. "Not even a goodnight kiss is never a good sign. Don't lose hope. You are a wonderful person."
The drunken Skoll started to lap him, covering him in slob.
"It didn't go badly either since I asked her for a second date and she said yes." Nalrond pushed Protector away and cleaned himself with darkness magic.
"That's great news, actually. If she's taking it slowly maybe it means that she actually cares and doesn't want to rush things. You'd better not wait too long to set the date because once her body stabilizes, Faluel will bring her core to violet.
"Then Friya will need a lot of time to learn body casting and practice Accumulation." Lith then shared with them the details about his conversation with Faluel, how their date ended, and the conversation with Solus.
He only left out the part about the body-swapping machine because Forbidden Magic wasn't a topic he could share even with his closest friend. They wouldn't like it and it would also make them his accomplices.
"See what I mean? Even Lith got a goodnight kiss!" Protector said, missing most of Lith's points.
"I'm sorry for your compromised life force." Nalrond said. "At least Solus took it well and your family will probably do the same. Yet this raises a question. She's a great woman and your days are numbered so what the heck are you waiting for?"
"Dude, I would expect something like this from Morok, not you." The Tiamat snarled, his tail whipped the air so quickly that it produced a cracking sound. "Do you have any idea how bad things would become between us if we broke up?
"Why do you think I didn't ask Phloria out? She and Solus are the same. Their survival depends on me and our bond is in the way of a healthy relationship."
"Why don't you just have Phloria's apprenticeship transferred to Faluel, then?" Nalrond asked.
"Don't you think I tried that? Faluel says that she's already too busy, Ajatar doesn't have the knowledge that Phloria needs, and she doesn't trust anyone else in the Council. I-" Lith's Council amulet drew his attention, cutting him short.
Worried about his family, he sighed in relief noticing that the blinking rune belonged to Vladion and not to Faluel. The Vampire Firstborn called him regularly to update Lith about his search for the copycat, but at that point, Lith had lost hope.
"Let me guess. Still, nothing but you're not going to give up-"
"Shut your mouth and listen!" Vladion's appearance was ragged and tired. "I did it. I know who the copycat is."
"What?" The whole table jumped up at the news.
"You have no idea what it cost me. I had to infiltrate the Undead Courts and work my way up for months. Yet I would still be clutching at straws if not for a huge development that-"
"Save the details for later. I want a name!" The Tiamat snarled as his seven eyes blazed with elemental energy and the shadows in the tavern grew in size, painting the walls black.
"It's your brother." Vladion said.
"Aran?" Protector asked, the drunken stupor still clouding his judgment.
"That makes no sense." Lith said.
"Yeah, he's just a kid-" The Skoll attempted to say, but Nalrond shut his mouth and cleansed his system.
"Orpal has no power. How could he kill someone like Mirim?"
"Lith, I have to be brief because I had to interrogate one of his Chosen to get this information. Orpal killed her before I extracted his whereabouts from her whereas he knows my position and will send someone to shut me up." Vladion said.
"His Chosen?" Lith echoed dumbly.
"Long story short, your brother Orpal is the host of the Horseman of Night. He's the Dead King, the only ruler of the Undead Courts and he's also the copycat. Tonight, he's going to check off one of the names on his list, but I don't know who.
"Protect your family and if I fail to return, please protect mine. You have no idea what Orpal is capable of-"
Suddenly Vladion's mantle moved as someone invisible grabbed him from behind. The shadows on the other side of the amulet came to life as well and the communication ended.
Lith hoped that Vladion could fend for himself and called those who had received the Balkor card, starting from the weakest of them.
***
City of Zeska, Nestrar Region, that same night.
Finding and arresting all the nobles that had been left alive by the traitorous Ranger Alman Quaron had taken the forces of the Kingdom less than one hour. In front of the Royal Seal, even the most loyal retainer and the best-paid mercenary would step aside.
The prisoners had been chained, muzzled, and their hands covered with special cuffs that made even the deadly claws of a Skinwalker useless.
