D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad

Chapter 1983: Chapter 1983 A Day and a Meeting

--- Kat ---

The day that followed wasn’t all that interesting. The tests on the hair needed to be done, Jen hadn’t woken up yet, the barrel of orbs meant that running around looking for work wasn’t necessary either. Steel ended up going to sleep sooner rather than later and just... nothing else happened. Kat explored the city a bit, went on a lunch date with Lily, there was a discussion with Weaver once again, keeping her and the Autumn village updated. Night came and went with nobody sneaking in, and no watchers that Kat noticed. Though she’d been careful not to be seen or flash her eyes this time.

So come morning Kat felt like she had to ask Hedera, ”How long are we going to do this?”

”Do... what? We haven’t even eaten yet?” asked Hedera, unsure what Kat was getting at.

Kat sighed, ”I mean how many days are we just going to sit on watch for? Steel said that sometimes they’re a week late or more, so even this hasn’t broken the pattern. I don’t mind I suppose, but it’s just a worry about what we’re going to be doing longer term. Feels like we’re not really making progress towards ’winning’.”

”Oh, right. Sorry. I’m used to this sort of thing taking weeks or months so I wasn’t really considering things from that angle,” admitted Hedera as she brushed a bit of hair out of her face. ”I guess... it depends on how fast we run out of orbs? Your standards are probably different but to me, just surviving with a healthy backlog of orbs FEELS to me like I’m ahead of the pack and doing well.

”Honestly, I imagine that at some point a lot of the others are going to hit a wall where finding orbs gets a lot harder, at least for a few days, where people start dropping. I wouldn’t be surprised if today or tomorrow we start to hear elimination messages you know?”

Kat nodded slowly, ”I guess this is really just an extension of my frustrations from yesterday where now, instead of ’failing’ we’re just ’not succeeding’. It would be one thing if this was a real contract where I knew I had to guard a location for a month. I could deal with that even if it got boring. This though? It just feels different even though it isn’t too dissimilar in truth.”

”Mindset is a large part of this sort of thing so... yeah the idea this is meant to be a fast pace tournament probably is messing with you a lot. Though, ’fast pace’ was clearly not in the design document. This is meant to be an epic finale I guess. Just feels like... hmmm... best not to say that out loud. It has been fun though,”

Hedera nodded, ”Yes it’s been interesting. Tense in a lot of ways without being too forceful about it. A nice safety net to keep the sense of dread at bay even if it’s easy to forget about that part. The Timmys are cute even if currently not that helpful.”

”Is there a reason why not? I feel like they wouldn’t be bad on lookout,” asked Kat.

”Too complicated,” explained Hedera. What counts as a ’thief’ and they lack nuance. If I’d have said ’catch anyone trying to enter this area’ then they’d have bolted right out after the thief we decided to let go. The correct choice, but not one that a Timmy would know to make.”

”Of course,” sighed Kat. ”They can be strong, fast, and capable... but I forgot the limitations on how long and complex commands can be. More capable than a dog sure, but we’re meant to treat them as about equivalent to a smart one.”

The conversation remained casual as they finished up the meal and Kat headed over to meet with Steel who was once again running the night shift. Took Kat a bit to get there, but when she did it was to a mostly repaired guard station and a much more tired Steel. He was yawning a bit when he dropped in. ”So nothing?” he sighed.

”Nothing,” agreed Kat.

”Welp, I’m tired. I’ve been up and working for a few days now... and we have a meeting with the king apparently,” sighed Steel.

”Oh um... do we need Hedera for that?” asked Kat.

Steel shrugged. ”Maybe, the message wasn’t super clear on that part. It asked for ’the leader’ of your group but then later contradicted itself by saying that ’the group’ would be there. So... really not sure what they want.”

*Does Hedera want to come along to a meeting with the King?*

[Hedera said ’not if I don’t have to, and it sounds like I don’t have to’ so good luck. I’d come with you but I don’t want to leave her alone just in case you know?]

*Yeah that’s fine.*

”Seems like it’ll just be me. If they need Hedera they can ask for her later,” announced Kat.
”Alright,” agreed Steel with a yawn before stripping his stealth armour off, leaving him in a fair bit of armour still, before hopping back into his plate suit. The stealth armour was then folded up into a tiny bag that really shouldn’t be capable of holding it. The bag was then hidden in the underside of the plate boots.

Kat just shrugged at the sight as Steel walked out the door, pausing. ”Can you wait here a moment. Ramor is meant to take the next shift here, just need to ensure he’s ready for it...”

Kat nodded and moved back into the room. As Steel left, Kat checked the room over once, and ’happened’ to notice that the Jen on the bed was still a Thyme copy. *I wonder if that’s just so she doesn’t have to pretend to be asleep? I imagine that, once the copy was made, you might as well keep using it if the person herself doesn’t need to be here.*

Kat didn’t dwell on that thought for long, as she carefully waited for something to happen. It just felt like an assassin was about to swing through the windows or something... but in the end Ramor arrived without issue. Probably smarter to wait, as two of the three stronger combatants were about to leave of their own accord. Still, Kat really had thought something dramatic was going to happen there.

With Ramor safely at his post, it was time to head to the castle. It wasn’t a rush for once, and they were let inside just about instantly and headed for the meeting room. Once they were there... Kat noted the king was actually absent. Which was odd considering it was meant to be a meeting with him. Kat glanced over at Steel but the helmet meant she couldn’t see anything on his face.

Charles was off to the side with another guard, while Malory, Stad, Weth and someone she didn’t recognise sat at the table. Stad seemed equally uninterested in what was going on. ”Hello?” offered Kat uncertainly.

Malory scoffed at the undignified response and Kat had to hold herself back from glaring at her. ”A place has been acquired for the node to be set up. We’d like to handle that momentarily so if you could hand it over for us to do that, we’d appreciate it.”

Kat frowned at the request. *Ok... I don’t like that wording at all. Mostly the fact that I never once said HOW to activate it. Just that you could. There’s also the fact that Malory is making this request instead of any of the others. Shit, apparently I should’ve brought Lily. Then again, I also didn’t bring the node with me. Hedera still has it. Best not mention that part just yet though.*

”Seems like an odd request. Considering this was meant to be a meeting with the King, and I don’t see him here. Additionally, while you have requested it ’for activation’ I notice you didn’t once ask how to DO that. Further, there’s been an uncatchable thief, or group of them running around. Surely it’s not the best time to actually hand over something like that?” Kat said. Not technically denying the request.

Stad smirked slightly at Kat’s response, though no one else was in a position to see it besides Steel. ”The council is capable of calling a meeting in the King’s stead. The fact that he is not here is irrelevant to the topic at hand anyway.”

Kat wasn’t sure that was true... ”Alright... and the other things?”

”Do you not trust the castle’s guards? Charles and Steel can attest to their effectiveness, and I’m quite sure you don’t doubt either of them,” pondered Malory while Charles looked visibly pained, as if what she said was true but really not what he wanted to here.

”I think, without the King here to speak on the matter I’m going to have to refuse. You haven’t provided me any assurance of the safety of the node, nor an understanding of how to activate it, leaving that part completely unaddressed,” said Kat. *I also don’t have it, but once again not your business.*