The huge, gem-encrusted hall was bustling with bodies big and small, all filing in through a single pair of doors at one end of the room. At the other end were eighteen raised thrones, the two in the middle being particularly large to seat the oversized beings that sat in them.
The last few beings entered the room, closing the doors behind them. The hall was meant to seat fifty beings, plus the eighteen thrones, but currently there were one hundred and forty one beings standing around.
Finally, Mavri Thyra, Thymos and their children, the Dekaexi, made their way to their thrones, pushing through the crowd. As always, Thymos waited for everyone else to sit down before doing so himself. Two of the seats remained empty. Kindyna, the Royal Spy, was unable to make it, and Fotios had been bedridden for the last few weeks.
As they sat down, the Thanatians in the room all turned to face them, their voices quieting down.
“Thank you. Thank you all for coming.” Thymos’s voice was unusually loud and deep. He wasn’t shouting, but even those right at the back of the hall could hear him. “I understand that this may seem a little different, but I wish for you all to listen, just for a while.”
The room remained silent. Thymos nodded a further thank you, then allowed Mavri to stand up and speak. Mavri’s voice wasn’t as deep, but it was somehow louder.
“I am glad you are all here. As you are all aware, I have wanted to do a little election, to make us more democratic. I feel that us Thanatians should be allowed to choose our own leaders via a raise of hands, not a rise in violence. While we can’t have a proper election quite yet, due to many reasons, I would like to discuss these plans with you, the highest ranking members of our Army of the Sixteen.”
Suddenly, the doors at the back of the hall flew open. Standing there were two Thanatians, one male, one female. Rather than act surprised, Mavri welcomed them both.
“Stiassa, Skolex! It’s so lovely to see you two again!” Mavri smiled, showing no fear or concern.
“It is… good to see you too, Mavri Thyra,” Skolex, the large, black, slime-covered male announced. “I hear you wish to have elections. What point is there to an election if you have no one to run against you?”
Mavri continued to smile. “That is a very valid point, Skolex! But we can’t have an election if we can’t agree on the rules of the election. I am perfectly fine with you wanting to try and become the leaders of the Thanatians, but let us do so honourably!”
Skolex didn’t say anything. He felt somewhat flustered, unable to come up with a valid reply. Mavri knew she had him over a barrel. She stepped forward, out of her chair, her arms wide open.
“Stay here, Skolex. You and Stiassa can help us discuss the terms of our election!”
Knowing there was no real way he could retaliate, Skolex simply nodded. “Thank you for considering us.”
“No worries! I like to make sure I care for everyone, not just…” Mavri’s smile faded. Something felt off.
A bolt of energy flew past Mavri, flying through the air and passing straight through Skolex. The hulking Thanatian collapsed as electricity coursed through his body. All Stiassa could do was cry in panic, as a second bolt sent her flying backwards and into unconsciousness.
Mavri spun around to see who fired that shot. It was clearly Trisma, the lightning-powered member of the Dekaexi. She didn’t expect to see her two eldest children, Zoi and Thanatos, holding Thymos hostage.
“What is going on?” Mavri finally asked. The Thanatians behind her were doing nothing and hadn’t moved at all.
Zoi, covered in her traditional green vines, grinned menacingly. “We’ve been discussing democracy too, mother. You see, the Sixteen had a vote of our own. We unanimously agreed that perhaps you and Thymos are getting a little senile in your old age. That it was time for some change…”
Thymos squirmed slightly, only for Thanatos to tighten his grip around Thymos’s neck.
“Children,” Thymos sneered, trying to hide his pain. “This is the opposite of democracy…”
“The Thanatians don’t need democracy, father,” Zoi explained. “We’re animals. You two tried to raise us up from that, but you slowed down. Then you stagnated. And here you are, just… talking, while the other races box us in, steal our lands and peck away at our flesh.”
Mavri didn’t know what to say. Her own children, were they betraying her? Was all this really happening? She tried to speak, but her words would not come out. She could only mutter half-baked sentences.
“But… but… why? Why now?”
“Because you are too slow,” Photianos exclaimed.
“And you’re too obsessed with yourself!” Neraida added. “You’ve been sitting around worried about your own power, not a care about the rest of us. It’s time for change.”
“It’s time for the Sixteen to rule, like we always should have,” Dilitir growled.
More words managed to fumble from Mavri’s mouth. “But… what about Fotios and Kindyna?”
Zoi laughed, a high pitched gurgle. “We all decided. They couldn’t be here, they didn’t want to be. But they know that we speak the truth. Fotios will join us when he is well, and Kindyna is using her newfound popularity to soften the blow when every other race discovers what has happened.”
Thanatos let go of Thymos and pushed him towards Mavri.
“You have just swapped one dictatorship for another,” Thymos warned as he regained his bearings.
“Maybe so,” Zoi tutted. “But we will work for the Thanatians, not for ourselves. Isn’t that right?”
Behind them, the sea of high-ranking Thanatians roared and cheered. Thymos knew he and Mavri were beaten. All he could do now was ensure their safety. Mavri was in too much shock to be able to argue at all, the betrayal by her own children tearing at her soul.
“Very well,” Thymos sighed as the crowd died down. “I’ll let you all rule. You’re right, perhaps we are too old and perhaps you can do better. But I want you all to guarantee three things.”
Thanatos and Photianos both glanced at Zoi, who seemed curious.
“What is it you want?”
“I want myself and Mavri to be exempt from your control. You will not harm us in any way, and you will let us leave freely. I also want you all to promise that you will not violently take over the Thanatian population, you will peacefully remove them from power, unlike what you have done here.”
“Very well,” Zoi smiled. “And what is your third request?”
“We would appreciate it if you leave our sister Phovos alone. Leave her, leave her city. She has done a lot of good work for us, and you would ruin everything the Thanatians live for, if you were to ruin her.”
“Those proposals seem reasonable,” Thanatos muttered as he glanced back at his siblings.
“They are,” Zoi replied. “Very well, parents. You may have your requests. But you must leave these grounds. Go find a new temple to live in.”
A path opened up through the crowd of Thanatians. Thymos took Mavri by the hand, and led her through them, the shock of everything being simply too much for her.
As they reached the exit amidst a sea of cheering, Thymos looked back at his former throne, wondering what they had done wrong. The two former rulers both shed several tears as they closed the doors behind them, abandoning a thousand years of power and hard work.