The ground will shatter as our ons will be brought to life! Dimensions once far away will close in on us like predators cirg prey! The undead will know fear! The Mazurians will knency! The sor races will know pain! The end is nearly upon us! Repent! Repent!-Found in a tome about the end of the world in a church library, predig the end of the world having happened seven hundred years ago

  POV prince Celdium of the kingdom of Dalka

  The dignitary from the Empire had been fuming angrily for a while now. His unreasonable demands for secret information or ht moary pensation of ridiculous amounts going unanswered. The more information the Empire is acquiring oent heroes, the ahey are that they didn't demand for the heroes themselves ht. He has scheduled another audieoday, which I am not looking forward to.

  As he ehe room, there is something different about him. He no longer walks intending to challenge my dad to a fistfight. Rather he seems to be walking like all those snobbish nobles walk when they are cooking something up. I would try to guess what it is, but knowing the little games nobles do so love to py is a fool's errand. Little Alicia has however made great strides in plotting and scheming, acc to mom.

  "The Empire has e to amend the bad retion with Dalka over the ret sdal involving the prophecy of the church."

  What the hell are they pnning?_____________________________________________

  POV Ky'th Mazurio, Queen of Mazurio

  Oh, Luna! Oh, fueone, anyone, please save me from this stress.

  "Ky, you are panig." Jaha usefully chides.

  "OF COURSE I'M PANIG, THE IMPERIAL DIPLOMATS ARE HERE WITHIN THE HOUR!" Why? Why in my lifetime do I have to deal with the biggest nation in the world which could actually destroy Mazurio, and has plenty of iive to? This is all because those assassins who got the information of the First being long dead out somehow. It has to be!

  "Ky, take some deep breaths. You are in your own pad nothing here hurt you. The Empire 't either."

  "But what if I fuck up? What if they decre war?" I heard the empire hasn't gone on one of their world crusades in a while. Are they preparing for a new one?

  "Rex, first off, they would have sent an army if they intended for war. And sedly, they still have more ehan just Mazurio."

  Ok, breathe in. Breathe out. Calm breaths. I am not panig. I have Jaha right here, I am still one of the stro mages in the world. Furthermore, I might not know why they are ing, but they sent a letter in advanf us of them arriving. Deep breaths. I do this!

  "Now announg Imperial dignitary t Steinmann of Rockwell" A lizardman clearly not used to human politinou.

  Why are they here so soon!? I thought I had more time! Jaha save me!

  Instead of savihe traitor has already taken up a pce lower, and to the side. Clearly not intending to get involved.

  "Greetings, Lord of Mazurio, I am here on behalf of the empire for peaegotiatioween our two nations."

  "Wait what?" I ask, dumbfounded and aloud. That was most definitely not something human nobles do.

  The man raises his eyebrow. "If this is ierest of Mazurio of course."

  "Yes? Yes! Please tinue, what is needed for peace?"

  The man is clearly taken aback by the overly emotional Demon Lord.

  "Well we were also thinking of starting trade between our two nations in the same, so I will also e back to that, but the Emperor had a specific demand of you yourself for the y of peace."

  "Yes! Anything for peace! What is it?"____________________________________

  POV The mad princess Esstrey

  "Mining gear?" The burly foreman asks.

  "Yes, I'm serious, mining gear. I will also take any firestarters that still work whe." My shopping spree tinues, funded by a mermaid encve and a small gang.

  "Lady, I have been hearing many dangerous things about you and your purchases." The foreman is clearly oo happy with my ing here.

  "And how much have you heard from people that dehose purchases? I reend you get to work quick, dear foreman. At the very least, I assure you that the money is good." Disgusting, these me even motivated by money. I have to threaten them as well to get any point across here.

  "I-I'll get right on it, ma'am!" I gesture for my escort to head into an alley that heads in the dire of our base.

  "The rat hiding in the shadows e out now. If you don't, I'm afraid I'll have to insist." I turn my wheelchair around while my men take positions on my sides.

  "A paranoid one, aren't you? Not that I bme you." A man that kept himself hidden to the shadows reveals himself. I wouldn't have spotted him if I didn't catch a glimpse of him tailing me while I assing a mirror store.

  "Speak or be spoken fent." I point my crossbow at him, and he doesn't react.

  "I have e to deliver an invitation for you to join the imperial uy of magi Beitzlin." My men already start whispering to each other about the rgest academy in the Empire. Only imperial nobles are said to allowed to attend.

  "Let's say that I believe this fanciful tale of the Empire being suddenly very ied in the less friendly tacts again. Why me? Why not one of the nobles you all love so much?" The man keeps his face hidden, but I see him think behind the unnatural darkness where his face is meant to be. That's weird, dogs are not meant to think.

  "I will be upfront with you as my mission was to ensure you accept this invitation, and I have been allowed quite a bit of leeway as to how to go about this. The prinsisted on attending, and his father wishes to make it something to remember for the young prihe cloaked man is very forthing about all this.

  Let's think. What do I get if I accept? An actual education in this magic stuff I'm supposed to be good at, along with tacts of other iial figures that will no doubt attend. What will I lose? Time spent gathering strength at Quintillius, and possibly my head if I'm deemed a rge enough threat.

  "Is the demon Queen invited?"

  "I was informed the invite was exteo her as well, although I do not know if she accepted." I smile.

  "Well then, my good man. I suppose I accept."

  He walks over to give me a small crystal, which I accept.

  "This is your identification crystal. Ahin the Empire will know that you are ing to attend at the uy, and should get you past checkpoints. I am sure the Emperor will be pleased if you make it." The man quickly vanishes into the shadow as fast as my smile drops. I turn bay goons.

  "Well, rades, it seems you will have to do without me for a while." And I gesture to be pushed to the harbor. There is work to be done, and I didn't fet about the little sve problem the Empire has.