Li Yu had been scanning the room since he sat down. He was listening to what Shen Tu was saying but also checking out the people in the room. To his right sat cultivators in fine silk robes and they were looking concerned but composed. Among them, however, were two people that made Li Yu’s eyes narrow.

  They wore robes of deep crimson and were embroidered with a stylized fang dripping gold. Just given their robes it was easy to tell who they were.

  ‘The House of the Crimson Fang. Looks like Kael was right in saying they would surely have some people here.’ Li Yu thought.

  Shen Tu was then done with his speech and the floor was opened up for everyone to talk. After a little bit, one of the men from The House of the Crimson Fang spoke up. He seemed like the leader as the other man next to him looked much younger.

  The leader of the two was a man named Lord Valen. He was handsome in a sharp predatory kind of way. He had long fingers that he kept tapping rhythmically on his own seat. Lord Valen kept staring at Li Yu and his group with intense scrutiny. His eyes lingered on Jian Xuan at the main table and Krell’s mutated form next to Li Yu.

  Even though he kept looking over at them, he did not mention them at all. The conversations were all focused on what to do with each of the five tasks outlined and who should do what. It was clear there was also political maneuvering among the representatives. Some were trying to secure more benefits for their clan, sect or organizations in order to take more action.

  Others were trying to throw other groups forward to lead or do more. It was clear this continent was united in purpose but they all still had their own agenda. This war could drastically change the power landscape of this continent by the end of it. And everyone of them wanted to make sure their group’s own self interests were secured.

  But before Li Yu could analyze them further, a heavy cold pressure rolled off the left side of the room.

  "So the Southern Continent could only send a mere seven people to help?" A deep gravelly voice spoke up.

  Sitting on the left was a delegation that looked starkly different from the natives of this Continent. They wore armor crafted from the bones of behemoths and furs from beasts. Their skin was weathered by harsh winds and their weapons were scarred from constant use.

  "The Northern Continent," Someone said in the crowd. "They have been fighting the Beast Rifts on their own continent for centuries as well."

  The speaker from the Northern Continent was a massive man with a shaved head and tattoos of slain beasts running up his neck. This was Sect Master Torben of the Frost Iron Sect, one of the North’s premier beast hunters. They specialized themselves in killing beasts for the Northern Continent.

  Torben stood up from the main table and his massive frame was casting a shadow over it. He pointed a calloused finger at Krell’s mist form.

  "Shen Tu," Torben rumbled. "We came here to discuss the Beast Tide. Why is there a demon standing in your hall? Is this how you do business here?!" As someone from the Northern Continent, they had to deal with both demonic rifts and beast rifts so the hatred he had for demons was deep. Similarly to the hatred the Southern Continent had for demons.

  The room went silent. Krell stood out starkly and his mist was hiding nothing among the experts in the room. It was clear as day that he was a demon and not a human.

  "He is not a monster," Li Yu stepped forward immediately. His voice was calm but somehow it carried authority. "This is Krell. He fought beside us in the South during the recent war with the Xylarri. He didn’t come there by choice, he was forced to be there from situations outside of his control.”

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  “However, when called upon, Krell and all of the demons there fought alongside us against the Xylarri. He has proven himself and the demons were given a permanent home at the end of the war by Grand Elder Theron. Then when he heard the Eastern Continent needed help, he also chose to come to lend his aid." Li Yu finally finished but remained standing.

  Torben narrowed his eyes as he was assessing Krell after what he had just heard. "That may be so but our hatred for his kind runs deep. We have seen the evils they can do and they shouldn’t be trusted with such sensitive information here."

  “I have seen humans do even worse things, does that mean we should be excluding the humans here as well?” Li Yu retorted and didn’t back down. Krell was someone who was with him when he was crying. Krell gave him respect and care, Li Yu refused to let someone talk to him like he was some kind of monster unwarranted.

  Torben didn’t have a response back and simply scoffed at him. However, he sat back down in his seat. ‘The boy’s words are disrespective but they carry truth. I too have witnessed humans doing just as evil things. However, the strange thing is I can’t see through this boy… he is the most terrifying one in this room. Everyone else I can gauge and read but not him… How odd…’ Torben thought to himself.

  "My mind and what I do is my own," Krell finally couldn’t hold back anymore. "And I am here to help. If you have a problem with that, Northman, we can settle it later. I fear no one and least of all combat. But right now, we have a war to settle here first."

  Torben held Krell’s gaze for a long moment. "Fair enough. The North respects strength. If you can kill and fight you are welcome. But if you lose control or if I see you are up to no good, I will put you down myself."

  "Noted," Krell replied dryly.

  "Enough posturing," Shen Tu commanded. "Let us continue to discuss the threat. The south already informed us that a demon would be among them. There is no foul play here. If Grand Elder Theron trusts them, a man of great honor that is undeniable. Then there is nothing else to discuss on the matter."

  "We have seen similar escalations in the North as of late. Not to the degree that I am hearing about here but there have been more attacks, more activities." Torben said. "The rifts are expanding. The beasts are getting smarter and stronger. Someone or something is happening to them. They aren't just simply attacking; they are probing our defenses."

  “We encountered those from the Beast Rifts before as well.” Jian Xuan spoke up. “They were an organized group with clear leaders and social structure. They were not blood thirsty salvages that had no control. Something must be going on in their home world. It seems like something is affecting beasts, making them lose their minds or is somehow controlling them.”

  “We were able to have an organized fighting tournament with them in order to cut out territory in a small realm that we were at. You cannot do this with mindless creatures. What we saw was almost no different from us humans. The beasts coming through the rifts now must either be from a different beast realm or they have been corrupted.” Jian Xuan concluded with the information he had.

  "The House of the Crimson Fang is... concerned," Lord Valen spoke up, his voice smooth as oil. "We are asked to mobilize our private armies and open our treasuries to help the war efforts. For what? To save mortals? We need to focus on protecting territories that matter."

  His words were grim and self-serving but it echoed the thoughts of several of the clans and sects. They barely had enough forces to help themselves. If it came down to saving themselves or helping mortals it was a very easy decision for them to make.

  "To save this continent, Lord Valen," Shen Tu said sharply. "Or do you think the beasts will stop after they kill just the mortals? We are all helping in this effort, no one can be sitting back and hiding in their shells. If I find out anyone, any group is doing so, I will personally go there after this war is over and destroy them!"

  Valen sat back down as saying anymore would do no good. It was clear what his thoughts were and he was joined by several other houses and clans. Protect their own self interest and do the bare minimum that they can.

  The discussions continued and a surprise came that the others were not expecting. Everyone was trying to avoid this task because it was the hardest at hand and everyone was afraid of it.

  “The southern forces will handle task number 2. We will go to the Whispering Weald and slay the Sky-Iron Dreadnought. We will also destroy the beast tide gathering there. Eliminating that threat.” Li Yu said.

  “Yes! We shall show you all our might and put to bed any questions about our small numbers.” Jian Xuan added.