Unchosen Champion

The entrance of the Town Hall was at the top of a handful of wide stone steps. The building was moderately sized, reaching only half the height of the fort wall. Six white columns dominated the facade, holding a triangular pediment that gave way to a gently curved rooftop. A steeple marked the peak, centered on the top of the roof where it jutted toward the sky.

Coop didn’t spend any time admiring the building that would become the seat of government for Ghost Reef. He jogged up the steps and through the tall double doors, with Jett uncomplaining as she draped both paws over his shoulder and kneaded at the air.

The inside of the Town Hall immediately opened into an auditorium. Comfortable looking rows of seats formed a half-circle that faced a low platform with a podium in the center. A square shaped balcony level duplicated the seating of the first floor, looking over the platform between white columns above the entrance and both sides. The domed ceiling made the room seem spacious, and it contained an impressive skylight, shaped like a five-pointed star, that was situated underneath the steeple that he had noticed as he approached from the outside.

He spotted Marcus facing down a winged humanoid in a cloak, near one of the doors that lined both sides of the auditorium. Large black feathers poked from the sleeves of the alien and out from the bottom of the dark cloak. Coop thought they were on the verge of fighting, or at least Marcus was about to find himself on the receiving end of a beating. The alien gesticulated wildly and kept moving closer to the advisor, jabbing black feathers at his chest like he was scolding a disobedient child.

Marcus was slowly stepping backwards with his palms out, trying to keep the alien calm. Neither had noticed Coop’s entrance from across the auditorium.

Coop set Jett down on the nearest seat and rubbed her chin. He left her, purring, when she began to clean her paws. He quickly navigated through the rows of seats, approaching the aggressive alien from behind while it continued to berate Marcus on the state of the civilization shard.

Marcus noticed Coop approaching and greeted him, pleasantly, even while the alien persisted. “Welcome back, Coop. Did you find what you were looking for?”

His greeting also alerted the alien of Coop’s presence. The alien spun around to see who approached. The alien’s hood extended all the way over its eyes like a blindfold and was looped onto a brass colored bar that pierced through a black, slightly curved beak.

“I did, and a bit more, but what’s going on over here?” Coop asked, pointing between the pair while taking a better look at the alien clerk. There wasn’t much to see, just black feathers, a black beak, and a black hooded cloak. “I don’t like the way you’re speaking to my advisor.” Coop stated, furrowing his eyebrows while he stared at the alien’s beak, not sure where else to look when he was addressing it.

Marcus spoke up. “Ah, Zakronaw doesn’t mean anything by it, he’s just passionate about the safety of the shard.” Coop glanced at Marcus to make sure he wasn’t just saying that out of duress, but he seemed genuine. Still, every other alien had been appreciative when they arrived, thanking him for selecting their service and so on. This one was puffing up to continue his ranting, directed at Coop now that he had another target.

The bird seemed to come to a realization and turned to confront Coop. “Perfect! The Champion arrives! You are the reason the settlement is in such a precarious state! Are you here to begin correcting your ways?” Zakronaw shrieked like a raven imitating speech.

“Well, what’s the problem?” Coop played along, curious to see where the alien’s expectations would be, but with only so much patience left.