"There have been many recent sightings of various enemy forces in the area as of late," Denkai, the knight captain of the king's personal guard announced. Though not in his traditional plate mail, he still wore his chain, almost as a symbol of his high status. His meritorious conduct in battle had earned him the respect and praise of his commanders, and within a few years, he had risen up the chain of command. He had started as a knight, only seventeen years ago, after the birth of his son, Xanthos, and managed to climb the ranks during that time. Now Xanthos was a knight, and was showing great promise. There were those that suggested he would follow his father's footsteps, and take the position of knight captain after his father's retirement.

As current events dictated, however, Denkai had a responsibility as counselor to Kind Brutus. This meeting, which was being held in the underground wine cellar of the castle, was to determine the appropriate course of action in response to these intrusions. The dreary, almost sluggish light of the wall sconces added to the dark mood of the attendees. The gravity of the situation was evident to all. Denkai continued, "At this point, we have only encountered the lowest classes of demon: gremlins, hobgoblins and skeletons. However, some reports indicate the presence of some members of the higher echelons of the demon realm."

This statement caused many to gasp in surprise. For it had been generations since the last great invasion from the demon realm, and most had supposed it impossible for there to be another assault. But there were a few who showed little surprise. The universe operates in circles, so it would stand to reason that events that had transpired almost a century ago would again come to pass, if nothing had been done about it the first time.

Denkai met the blank stares of some, and the smug expressions with some comfort. "Now, we can defend against the lesser demons, but we could run into trouble if anything too much stronger should emerge from the forest. It is this very event which I fear, for there seems to be some greater power overshadowing and guiding these creatures. An umbrage if you will."

At this, a prominent merchant by the name of Miguel spoke, "We should seek out this 'Master' and destroy him before he gains power over us. I've read the books, and I know it is often best to kill the snake while it is still young than to wait until it becomes a deadly viper!"

This merchant showed his military ineptitude with that phrase, which was pointed out by Denkai when he said, "Yet we do not know the strength of our enemy or where he resides. To simply rush in blindly, without any knowledge of numbers or terrain, or even the basics of the situation, would be certain suicide."

No one could come up with anything to say to this. It was all very logical, but it did not have a logical solution. The silence was only broken by the drip of some water in a far corner of the cellar. No one moved, and no one spoke. The stone faces of the council of thirteen matched the stone walls with which they were surrounded. The table at which they sat was as bleak as the rest of the room. No ornament covered the bare oak. Some official looking papers covered some of the surface, but no one was paying attention to them at that particular moment. No one paid attention to the rats that scurried in the shadows, either. The rough stone walls hardly reflected any light, which only added to the dismal gloom of the wine cellar. The smell of fermenting wine perfumed the air, adding a stark contrast to the dank smell of the room itself.

Many of the council remembered a prophecy which was uttered fifteen years ago, which now seemed to be coming true. The hordes of the dark lord would come, and cause great destruction, even to the end of the kingdom and its inhabitants. Only the young prince would be able to save his land. At that point in time, no one had believed the old witch, but now they were seeing some truth in her strange words. The prophecy rang especially clear for one among their number. Prince Kairo, only son to King Brutus. His face was untouched by the difficult times, as Kairo enjoyed the luxurious life of the aristocracy. From the moment he had been born, he was given everything he ever wanted. If the prince asked for something special for supper, that's what he got. If the prince wanted to hear a certain musician, that's who he heard. If the prince wanted to learn about a particular subject, that's what he was taught. Though constantly trying to prove himself to his father, and his people, he never did anything more rigorous than overseeing some construction, and he only did that with the help of the carpenter himself. Yet in the mind of this teen, that was an unprecedented honor.

Though the prophecy was running through the mind of all the attendees, he was the one to voice their concerns, "Perhaps there is a way to defeat these creatures, once and for all." All eyes turned to him, some fearful, others hoping that this brat would finally take the yoke upon his own shoulders for a change. For a child that led a secluded social life among royalty, this complete attention was a welcome chance for him to prove himself, even if it did make him nervous.

Prince Kairo was short in stature, and could not compete on a physical level with any of the other boys his age. Though part of his training to be king involved swordplay, his opponents were often bribed or simply instructed to let the prince win. While this did not develop an adept king, it made the prince feel as though he was a good swordsman. A king's real task was as a general, directing armies, rather than fighting among the troops. In this, Kairo excelled. His mental prowess was formidable, and provided him with his one advantage. A professional schooling had aided him, and given him a mind worthy of his position. There was not a tactic he was ignorant of, or a war with which he was not familiar. He was also fond of philosophy, which somewhat worried his parents, because it was not a well liked study. Anyone who thought too much was likely to come up with ideas he supposed were better, and try and implement them without thought of the repercussions of his actions. This was not a good trait to have in a ruler, as his subjects would have to carry out his wishes, whether they agreed with him or not, and could not disagree with them, no matter the consequences.

In any event, the young prince was fond of his social status, but he was also constantly trying to prove himself to others, and that he deserved the position by merit and not just because of his parentage. People respected a king that had earned the position. One who had simply been given the role was less likely to garner the populace's respect. Because of this, Kairo tried to be worthy of his position.

Once he had a chance to gather his spirit and pride, he continued, "Though I have only heard tales of the event, many of you were present at the witch's trial, fifteen years ago. She spoke of a prophecy, and foretold the downfall of the Kingdom: that it would be overrun with demons. Though it is not yet overrun, there are more than the usual number of demons in the area. Additionally, there is a good chance that this is just a preliminary wave, almost like a scouting mission." Kairo took a deep breath to compose himself, for he was about to dedicate himself to a supposition, to a chance. Finally, he cautiously said, "The witch predicted that I was the only one who could stop this demon plague. If that is the only way to save the kingdom, then I am its willing servant."

All twelve faces around the table regarded the prince with stunned silence. They seemed easily shocked today. Some faces looked on luridly, horrified that the prince who showed no aptitude for such ventures should be given the task of protecting the realm. Others showed approval, and thought the prince was up to the task, and fully prepared. He had the knowledge, and just needed to the opportunity to show it, and this was his chance.

While the others were musing about this 'quest' Kairo was thinking, 'Finally! A journey to prove myself to everyone, that I am worthy of this royal title.' He was not concerned with the peril, for it was very perilous, and perhaps it was too great of a peril for such a boy. But indeed, he wanted the peril, and looked forward to it.

Soon his speech had settled into the minds of those gathered about the table, like ripples on a pond. The village elder was the first to gain his composure. In an attempt to assuage the youth, he said calmly, "Perhaps you should see what is required of you before you jump into something you cannot see. A search of the witch's abode would be recommended before you jump off and scurry away. I suggest you do that if you are truly intent upon this mission. I am sure the kingdom will be happy to supply you with whatever needs you may have for this journey." This had the desired effect, in that it slowed Kairo down, and made him think about his actions for a moment.

"That seems like a prudent course of action," Denkai agreed. "I shall suggest it to the king for confirmation-"

"-No!" Kairo shouted. Then he realized he had broken two basic rules of politeness: He had both interrupted a fellow speaker, and shouted when the object of his attention was just a few feet away. Additionally, he was suggesting that they commit a treasonous act, and proceed without the king's consent. He continued, more calmly, "I mean, do we really have to ask my father's permission?" He gained in confidence as he spoke, "This is really just a reconnaissance mission anyway, its not like we're doing anything serious. Denkai, you have the authority to send troops on scouting missions into the forest without consulting the king, correct?"

Denkai thought about it for a moment, and seemed to sense the youth's need to prove himself, and to rebel against the restrictions imposed by his father. His own son had done something similar in the not too distant past. While he was not happy with his own son's actions, he realized that it was something that must happen, that it was part of the process toward growing up, and becoming a productive member of society. With this in mind, he responded, "That is correct. And if you wish to go on this quest, then I order you to go and search Carmen's house. I hope you find what you need. But hurry back, for we cannot withhold our council indefinitely.

Once given the opportunity, Kairo did not have to be asked twice. Smiling from ear to ear, he leapt from his seat, and rushed towards the door. Then, he seemed to remember his manners, and turned to face Denkai to say, "I shall do as you instruct, master. And thank you for this opportunity, you shall not be disappointed." This said, the youth run up the steps, taking them two and three at a time in his rush to get out.

"Should we spoil his fun?" One member of the council asked. Her name was Katrina, and she was the enchantress and diviner of the realm. A beautiful woman, she often wore clothes that were a little too thin, or a little too revealing, though usually it was only other women who complained. Though she was now in her late thirties, and past such strenuous activities, it was rumored that she got around when she was younger. She was frequently accused of using her talent for enchantment on unauthorized 'projects'. She continued, "I think we should at least inform the king of his own son's actions."

Denkai gave his own opinion of the situation, "I think we should let him go. I'll send Xanthos with him if it will make you happier. That boy knows what he's doing and will be able to protect the prince should anything happen. Boys need some freedom in their lives, especially ones that are cooped up in libraries and classrooms all day. And besides, with them gone, perhaps some of us will actually be able to get some work done. I realize he's only trying to help, and get a better grasp on the inner workings of the kingdom, but he does frequently get in the way."

This they could all agree upon, and it was decided that they would postpone their consul to the king till a later date. Then they moved on, to decide what they would really do about the intruding monsters.