Everett: Revised edition

Chapter 16- Edited

We had made it. A few unplanned hiccups along the way, but we had made it. The cabin had given us entrance into the Shadow Council Center through a secret doorway through the old fireplace. We were able to gain entrance with little fanfare where we were then led to the [Head Council leaders' chamber.

It was Arthur's round table. Candles were set in candelabras on the wall. The walls were a brownish red clay. The candles made saucers of light around the room. Leaders from all over the nations sat in solidarity. Each looked up at us and glared stolidly through the dimness.

This is what the ravages of war looked like: people from all corners of the world hiding in the darkest corners trying to hide the dead which lay in their eyes. Some eyes however glowed, like the small candles, with dim yellow saucers inside the dark.

"Haven't yours caused enough trouble?" One of the round table leaders asked, a scowl across his stern face. All the leaders of the round table looked older than any Shadow Fighter I had seen, other than Noah of course.

"Please," I interjected. "We need your help finding Alis."

"And who is Alis? One of the people you had kidnapped on your watch?" One of the leaders scoffed. I was feeling ashamed. Who had we really helped thus far? Had we helped anyone? Or had we only caused trouble like these leaders said?

"We can't just let her go if she is still alive," I pleaded. "We're fighting for a better tomorrow for everyone. WE can't just sacrifice her!" I was almost hysterical thinking about losing Alis. She was the first thing in this new silent, secret world I'd cared about. I wanted to live out the outcome with her and Greg and Julien, Lovel and Noah and everyone I'd met along the way.

"YOU sacrificed her when you botched the negotiations. Now if you want her, YOU will have to get her back. We won't be providing anyone. We're already too short of soldiers to fight when the time comes. And that time is coming fast."

I stopped arguing. I had lost my campaign. 

"Let's go," I said.

"What's the plan now?" Greg asked.

"We go back to camp," I said.

"What about Alis?" Greg said with a bit of mocking underlined with a curious tone.

"The Council is right. We need to leave her. There's too much else to do and time's too close."

Greg didn't show emotion much, but sadness and concern drooped over his face. And then, working up a weak smile, he said, "Let's get ready to take them down."

With the finality of the statement, Greg and I walked down the Council chamber's [corridors bursting through the chamber's doors and out into the world.] From there, I picked up a brisk pace. Greg trailed behind as the doors clattered shut.

Back at the training ground, I had a fire burning in my eyes, a fire that was not there since the night the West Wing was burned to the ground.

"Everett put the sword down and chill," Julien said.

"You're supposed to be one of the leaders here; can't you see we're not ready," I responded.

"We'll never be as ready as we need to be, but we still move forward when the time comes. You of all people should know that we are not made out [of a group] of fighters, but this is all that we have."

I held the sword loosely in my hand and let the tip of the sword lay on the ground. My shoulders slumped forward. I was exhausted. "I'm not being given clear direction. I feel like I'm barely being trained. The Council brushed us away."

"Greg and the others are working on a plan."

"And when will all of us know?"

"You may not know until the last minute. It's time you be realistic about this," Julian said.

"Then realistically what chance do we actually have?" I asked.

"Realistically, not a lot."

I huffed and looked at the ground in defeat. "I'll go put the sword back."

"I think that is a good idea. We need you ready to fight," Julien said. Julian was about to walk away when he added with a hardly audible sigh, "I'll tell you ... our unit's about to head out soon. So prepare yourself, mentally, Everett."

The title of the book will be changed when it's ready for publishing. Do you have a title suggestion? Let me know!

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