For a prolonged moment, silence lingered. Yet, Zeke knew all too well that many members wouldn't accept such an accusation lying down. Before they could voice their objections, however, a new voice interjected.
"Would you be willing to elaborate on your objectives?" a woman's voice cut through the tension, her tone soft and warm, reminiscent of a mother speaking to her favorite child. Unlike the others, she appeared entirely devoid of hostility towards Zeke on account of him being a human.
Before he could even inquire, the woman stepped into the light. Her wheat-colored hair framed a face adorned with pointy ears reminiscent of the elves, and atop her head sat two horns curved into a spiral. Her face bore a youthful innocence that was absent from any of the other members. "I am Elder Sheep," she introduced herself.
Zeke smiled at her, confident that he had found his first supporter—or at least a potential ally. "I would like nothing more, Elder Sheep," he said warmly. "I've found that the reason Undercity is in such a poor state is because of its unequal relationship with the capital."
Somebody snorted in disdain, but Zeke didn't let that stop him. "They control the flow of food, minerals, and other essential goods. Armed with such powerful bargaining chips, it is no wonder that Undercity loses every single time. To make matters worse, there is no true leader, making the districts vulnerable to exploitation. My goal is to change that."
"Which part?" Elder Sheep inquired, her innocent eyes fixed on his own.
"All of it," Zeke stated confidently. "My goal is to turn Undercity into a profitable place, abundant with food and riches."
Elder Sheep held his gaze for a while before breaking into a wide smile. She didn't return to the shadows but instead turned in place to address the others, "What are your thoughts on this, fellow councilmen?"
Elder Wolf was the first to speak, her sharp voice unmistakable. "No need to ask. I'll follow your decision either way," she stated before stepping into the light. It was Zeke's first view of her face. Grey hair cascaded past her shoulders, with two furry ears protruding from the untamed mane. Though tall for a woman, she fell within the typical height range for a human. While her facial features resembled a human's, her eyes exuded the predatory gaze of a hunter.
Upon seeing her face, Zeke was immediately reminded of Ash. If somebody had told him that they were siblings, he would have believed it right away.
The woman glanced at him with a slight furrow in her brow. "What are you staring at?" she challenged.
Recognizing his prolonged stare, Zeke quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, Miss. I didn't mean to be impolite. You just reminded me of someone I know."
"And who might that be?" she asked.
"Do you know a man by the name of Ashen Wolf?"
Elder Wolf shook her head. "There are too many pups from me to know them all. I'm not sure if you are aware of this, but each of us, the Elders, are the representatives of our tribes. There are hundreds of packmates depending on me."
Zeke nodded, filing away this crucial piece of information. If what the Elder said was true, they were even less united than he had expected. It was an alliance born out of necessity, with each member representing the interests of their own people.
The thawing atmosphere was disturbed by the voice of Elder Boar, speaking from the darkness. "I don't understand why we are still wasting time on this human. You all can't be seriously considering surrender? It would be the end of us all."
"Isn't it the opposite?" Elder Sheep asked in a soft voice. "According to Elder Rat, fighting would be the end of us, not talking."
"I'm not surprised you would offer yourself up like that, little lamb, but the rest of us don't have to go along with your nonsense."
"Watch your words, Boar," Elder Wolf said sharply. It was the second time she had spoken against him, making Zeke believe they had a bad relationship.
"Maybe YOU should be the one to watch your words, furball," Elder Dragon said, breaking his silence. "I stand with Elder Boar on this matter. Let's kill this human and prepare for war."
For the first time in a while, a new voice chimed in. "It was my people who caught the human. That means that he belongs to me. Shouldn't you ask for my permission before talking about killing?" It was a woman's voice, speaking so fast that Zeke had a hard time following along.
"You can't be serious, Elder Rabbit," Elder Dragon scoffed. "This is a decision that will decide all our fates. How could it be left to you alone?"
As the two bickered, Zeke's mind grasped onto something else—something with sinister implications. "Did you just claim ownership over me?" he interjected, halting the argument. "Could you explain what you mean by that?"
All of a sudden, nobody was willing to speak. The usually vocal council had turned into a collection of mutes. However, Zeke wasn't going to let this go. "Do you take humans as Slaves?" he asked the darkness. There was no reply. Good, at least they still knew to be ashamed of their hypocrisy. Even Elder Sheep and Wolf, who remained in the light, didn't meet his gaze.
"…By force?" he asked.
"So what if we do?" Elder Boar challenged. "It is nothing but payback for the way you've treated us for centuries."
Again, Elder Boar was trying to apply his twisted logic. Zeke would have none of that. "For centuries, you say?" he challenged. "That is very strange, considering the fact that I am only 16 years old, born and raised in a place so far away that I hadn't seen a Chimeroi until just recently. Yet, you claim that I deserve this treatment? What crimes did I commit?"
When Elder Boar didn't know how to respond, Elder Dragon spoke for him. "What crimes, you asked? How about the crime of threatening our lives? The crime of calling yourself a Dragon? The crime of owning Slaves?"
Zeke smiled widely. The man had unwittingly given him exactly what he wanted. But before he could start his rebuttal, he heard a voice calling out to him from the depth of his consciousness. "I am getting tired of this creature," the Dragon said. "Crush him!"
In the next moment, Zeke felt his heartbeat quicken. His pupils dilated into vertical slits, and an overwhelming surge of energy flooded his system. This torrent threatened to overwhelm his senses, making it a struggle to maintain his sanity. Before he even realized what he was doing, Zeke had risen to his full height, snapping the chains like brittle twigs.
His draconic eyes had no problem peering through the darkness, locking onto the shocked face of Elder Dragon.
"Enough!" Zeke roared, forcing the reptilian man to his knees through the force of his voice alone. "I am sick and tired of your insolence, you pathetic creature. Know your place, or suffer the consequences."
Elder Dragon was shivering, his scales having dimmed a few shades. Instead of their earlier vibrant green luster, they now seemed pale and listless. However, that was nothing compared to the change that had come over his eyes. His confident gaze had transformed into one of sheer terror.
Zeke held his gaze, reveling in the sense of power and dominance. However, this state was short-lived. The limited amount of draconic essence his heart had produced over the past weeks granted him only a brief moment in this heightened state. Already, he sensed his heartbeat slowing as the power began to ebb from his body.
Moments later, Zeke returned to normal, his wits fully restored. "Damn you," he cursed in his mind. This outburst hadn't been part of the plan, and he hoped the Dragon hadn't just ruined everything. Before his eyes lost the ability to peer through the darkness, Zeke quickly scanned the faces of the elders, checking their reactions. However, what he discovered left him stunned.
Even though their reactions weren't as exaggerated as Elder Dragon's, all twelve were on their knees. They looked up at him with a mixture of fear and reverence. Even his greatest detractors, Elder Boar and Tiger, now looked at him like he was their long-lost father.
Zeke blinked. What was happening? He was aware that his draconic aura had a subduing effect on Chimeroi, but not to this degree. When he had fought Jaihar near the mine, Gravitas and Vulcanos had not been this overwhelmed. Could it be?
Studying the kneeling figures, he remembered his earlier theory. Was it possible that the Chimeroi with a more feral bloodline would be more susceptible to his aura? They certainly seemed closer to their monster ancestors than most. No, now wasn't the time for his scientific musings! Shelving all unnecessary thoughts, Zeke focused on his current situation.
Even though this outburst had not been planned, he might be able to use it to his advantage if he played his cards right. Judging by the looks in their eyes, most of the Elders feared him now, at least to a certain degree. With that, the basis of this negotiation had just shifted, and he needed to adjust his strategy accordingly.
Zeke cleared his throat as if embarrassed. "My apologies. I didn't mean to use that much. You know how it is…" he said, trailing off. Of course, he was spouting nonsense. But after he had just displayed his aura, acting like a powerful Dragon who lost control came naturally to him. It wasn't even a lie; strictly speaking, he truly had lost control there for a moment.
It took a few moments longer for the Chimeroi to come back to their senses. Elder Monkey was the first to speak, as expected of their leader. Even so, his voice was still a little unsteady at first. "N-no need for a-apologies, lord Blood Dragon."
Zeke nodded at him, surprised by the change in address. The intimidation from his aura seemed even more effective than expected. For a moment, he was tempted to ride this momentum to force the council into submission. However, this fear was likely temporary and wouldn't serve as a solid basis for long-lasting cooperation. He would still need to convince them using honest means if he didn't want to create problems down the line.
Zeke cleared his throat, gathering everyone's attention. "Before I was… interrupted earlier," he said while shooting a warning gaze in the direction of Elder Dragon. "I wanted to explain to you that enslaving others against their will is never acceptable, no matter if it is a human or Chimeroi."
Nobody interrupted him this time.
"In fact, I have already freed the Slaves belonging to the Ember Scar Cartel, Blackthorn Covenant, and all the smaller organizations. Do you know what this means?" he asked the gathered elders. This time, he gave them enough time to consider his question carefully before telling them the answer. He swept his gaze around, making eye contact with everyone he could. "It means," he said dramatically, "that the only Slave holders left in Undercity… are in front of me right now."
A collective gasp resonated through the chamber as numerous elders exchanged nervous glances. Zeke couldn't help but smirk inwardly. It was one thing for them to justify holding humans as Slaves as a form of revenge, but it was an entirely different matter to confront the reality that they were the sole practitioners of such barbaric practices.
Of course, that wasn't entirely accurate. Many families sought refuge in Undercity, and some among them owned Slaves. Ravi was an example of this. However, it could be argued that the Venemous Cabal was the last native power within Undercity who openly condoned their members holding slaves.
"This… this is hard to believe," Elder Monkey said after a while, choosing to speak for the council once more. He didn't dare to criticize Zeke or call him a liar openly, but the doubt was clear in his voice. "There is no way to free a Slave. Only to transfer them to another."
Zeke smirked. It was showtime. "Of course, you require proof," he said, a challenge in his tone. "Bring me one of your slaves, and I will free them right before your very eyes."