Call of the Royal Summit

Chapter 8 –Call of the Royal Summit

A few days before the end of Frostwane, the Indigo Nation hosted a grand celebration.

Nobles from across the Indigo Nation gathered in the magnificent hall, their presence adding both elegance and quiet tension to the atmosphere. Among the honored guests were King Marcellus Azurion of the Blue Nation and his daughter, Princess Thalena Azurion.

From the White Nation, Caelis, Kaelis, and Eryx attended as royal representatives.

Though the hall was filled with music, laughter, and glittering lights, those who truly mattered knew—

this was no ordinary celebration.

Something was coming.

And everyone present could feel it.

Eryx stood silently against a marble pillar, observing the crowd with sharp, watchful eyes.

Kaelis noticed him and walked over with a playful smile.

“Why are you standing alone?” she asked. “Feeling lonely in such a grand celebration?”

Eryx didn’t react to her tone. His gaze remained fixed on the room.

“Don’t lose focus,” he said calmly, his voice low. “This is nothing more than a smokescreen. We all know why we’re really here.”

Before Kaelis could respond—

A voice interrupted them.

“What do you mean by that, Sir Eryx?”

Both turned.

Standing behind them was Princess Thalena Azurion.

Eryx stiffened for a moment before bowing respectfully.

“N—no, Your Highness. You must have misunderstood me.”

Thalena narrowed her eyes slightly.

“Misunderstood? I’m quite certain I heard—”

Kaelis quickly stepped in, smiling brightly.

“Princess Thalena, you look beautiful tonight.”

The tension broke instantly.

Thalena’s expression softened into a smile.

“You think so, Kaelis?”

Then her expression shifted again, curiosity taking over.

“Where is Caelis? Didn’t he come to the celebration?”

“He did,” Eryx answered. “He arrived before you, but stepped away a few moments ago—with his brother.”

“You mean Prince Elion?” Thalena asked, slightly confused.

“My apologies,” Eryx corrected himself. “I meant Prince Lythor.”

Thalena frowned faintly, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

“We haven’t met in ages… and the moment we finally have the chance, he leaves with his cousin?”

Eryx slowly took a step back.

I’m getting the same aura as Kaelis… he thought.

My instincts are telling me to leave before this gets dangerous.

Without another word, he quietly slipped away from the hall—

and headed straight toward Caelis.

On the far side of the hall, away from the music and noise, a long corridor stretched into silence.

Caelis and Lythor walked side by side, their laughter echoing faintly as they caught up after so long.

At the same time, Eryx hurried through the corridor, ignoring everything around him.

As he passed through the doorway, he muttered under his breath,

“I escaped by an inch… It was King Marcellus’s direct order—his daughter must not learn anything about this. And she almost heard me…”

He exhaled quietly and continued forward.

Meanwhile—

Lythor glanced at Caelis, his expression turning serious.

“By the way… what were you discussing with those old men earlier?”

Caelis walked a few steps ahead in silence. Then he turned his head slightly and smiled.

“Some things,” he said calmly, “should remain secret until the right time.”

He looked at Lythor. “And for you… that time hasn’t come yet.”

Lythor leaned back slightly, raising his hands in surrender.

“Alright, alright—you don’t have to scare me like that. If you don’t want to tell me, I won’t push.”

He paused, then added,

“By the way, Princess Thalena doesn’t even know why this celebration is being held. She really thinks it’s just a party.”

They reached a door at the end of the corridor.

Caelis stopped and looked directly into Lythor’s eyes.

“For her,” he said quietly, “that time hasn’t come either… the time to understand what is real and what is not.”

He turned toward the door.

“Perhaps… she’s the luckiest among all of us.”

With that, Caelis stepped inside, and the door closed behind him.

Lythor stood still, staring at the door.

What did he mean by that…?

Why is she the luckiest among us…?

A moment later, Eryx arrived.

“Where is Caelis?” he asked quickly.

Lythor gestured toward the door.

“Relax. He just went inside. We can wait here.”

Eryx finally looked properly at him and straightened.

“My apologies, Prince Lythor. I thought it was someone else.”

Lythor chuckled and placed a hand on Eryx’s shoulder.

“Hey, drop the formality. You’re like a brother to him… so that makes you my brother too.”

Inside the chamber, two figures were already waiting.

King Marcellus of the Blue Nation sat calmly on one side, while King Vorian of the Indigo Nation stood near the window, his gaze fixed outside.

The moment Caelis entered, Vorian spoke.

“You’re late, boy,” he said coldly. “Is this how you intend to rule your nation?”

Caelis bowed respectfully.

“My apologies. I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again… uncle.”

Marcellus let out a quiet laugh.

“Caelis,” he said, “show some confidence. Here, he is not your uncle… and I am not your father’s friend.”

His tone sharpened slightly.

“At this moment, we are kings of our respective nations.”

Caelis straightened.

“I understand.”

He walked forward and took a seat on the couch. Vorian remained by the window, while Marcellus leaned back, watching him closely.

“So,” Marcellus said, “are you going to tell us why you called us here?”

Caelis met his gaze, calm and steady.

“I want both of you to call for a Royal Summit.”

The air in the room shifted.

Marcellus’s expression hardened.

“Do you understand what you’re asking?”

“I do,” Caelis replied without hesitation. “In the coming days, the Council will lose a part of its power. This is the best moment for us to act.”

Vorian turned from the window, now fully focused on him.

“And how exactly will they lose that power?”

Caelis held his gaze.

“I can’t reveal that yet. But you’ll have to trust me… and summon the summit.”

Marcellus narrowed his eyes.

“Then tell me this—do you even understand the conditions required to call a Royal Summit?”

“I do,” Caelis answered. “At least three kings must agree. If a king cannot attend, an equivalent royal representative may decide in their place.”

Vorian stepped closer.

“And the reason must be strong enough to justify it. All nations must be informed at least a week in advance.”

He paused. “So tell us, Caelis… what is your reason?”

Caelis slowly rose to his feet.

“There’s no point in hiding it,” he said.

“In the near future… the Pale Luminary will go missing.”

Both kings froze.

“And when that happens,” Caelis continued calmly, “we will take advantage of the situation.”

Marcellus frowned.

“…And how exactly do you plan to do that?”

A faint smile appeared on Caelis’s face.

“Just wait and watch.”

He turned toward the door.

“Oh—and you’ll need a third king to agree,” he added. “Since this matter is tied to me… I won’t be the third.”

Without another word, Caelis left the room.

Silence filled the chamber.

Marcellus exhaled deeply.

“That boy just made our work a lot harder.”

He looked toward Vorian.

“What do you think?”

Vorian walked over and finally took a seat.

“We’re calling the Royal Summit,” he said.

Marcellus nodded slowly.

“Then we’ll need someone else to support it.”

After that conversation, Caelis left the celebration—and the Indigo Nation—without delay.

Present Day

The heavy dungeon door creaked open as Caelis stepped out from the depths where the Pale Luminary was imprisoned.

Eryx was already waiting.

“Caelis,” he said, stepping forward, “a letter has arrived… regarding the Royal Summit.”

A faint smile appeared on Caelis’s face.

“When will it take place?”

“On the 10th of Deepsnow,” Eryx replied calmly.

“At night… under the full moon.”

Caelis lifted his gaze toward the sky, as if already picturing that night.

“This Royal Summit…” he murmured,

“…is going to be very interesting.”

From behind him, Eryx spoke again, slightly hesitant.

“I won’t pretend I understand everything… but you actually managed to get three kings to agree.”

Caelis’s expression didn’t change.

“I only convinced two,” he said calmly.

“The third… was their decision.”

Somewhere in a Distant Land

The Merchant of Death stood in silence as the news reached him.

Then—he laughed.

“I didn’t see that coming…” he said softly.

“You’ve won this round, Twenty-First King of the White Nation.”

Back in the White Nation

Eryx walked beside Caelis through the palace halls.

“What about that book the Merchant gave you?” he asked.

“Did you find anything?”

Caelis frowned slightly.

“I couldn’t understand what was written,” he admitted.

“But I’m certain of one thing… it’s a diary.”

“A diary?” Eryx repeated. “Do you know whose it is?”

Caelis stopped walking and turned toward him.

“No,” he said.

“But whoever it belonged to… was someone important to the White Nation.”

He paused for a moment, then continued walking.

“For now, that doesn’t matter.”

His voice turned colder.

“We focus on the Royal Summit.”

A faint, almost unreadable smile crossed his face.

“This time… every king will be present.”

To Be Continued…