The next day.

Esmeralda has to attend a council meeting once a month attended by the leaders of the races imprisoned inside the castle.

She looked at Kate. "Girl, I have to attend a meeting happening somewhere here inside the castle," she informed her.

"C-can I also attend it?" Kate excitedly.

"No. It\'s for the leaders only. The rest are not invited," Esmeralda said.

Kate took a deep breath.

"You need to behave okay while I\'m away?" Esmeralda reminded her.

Kate nodded her head. "Don\'t worry, I will just stay here, so go now and don\'t worry about me."

Esmeralda went inside her room and from there she disappeared.

The council meeting is usually held once a month in one of the dungeons of the castle, presided by Maxwell. When Esmeralda arrived at the venue, everyone was already on their seats and greeted her with animosity in their eyes. They always detested her sight \'coz she represented the reason why they are trapped in the castle for centuries.

Sighing, she chose a seat away from them.

"Now that Esmeralda is here, we can start the meeting," Maxwell said addressing everyone in the room.

There about 20 leaders belong to different race.

"We will now officially start the meeting," Maxwell announced. "Anyone had concern...please raise your hand..."

The leader of the orc stood up. "We\'ve been hungry for centuries, if you keep doing this, the orc race will die!" he protested.

"Yes, that\'s the truth, you are oppressing us... because we are below you!" the leader of the goblin interjected.

"Other races, can have many humans as they like, and we are only given 1000 humans every month to survive?" the leader of the Golem added in distaste.

"We are already killing each other inside the pit. You should give us more space and more human foods!" the leader of the dryad complained bitterly.

The rest of the races down the pit has the same complaint.

Maxwell was showing a calm face outside, but deep inside he can very well smell big trouble brewing in the distance. He wants all the vampires out of the castle before shits hits the fan!

The atmosphere inside the castle is volatile... it could go the other way.

"Everyone, please calm down!" he tried to bring the calm back into their midst. But today might be difficult to do that. He glanced at Esmeralda who receives all the hate, ironically, she was as calm as the morning dew. He very much would like to know what is going on inside that head of hers.

"We\'re fed up with all these shits!" the leader of the minotaur said.

There was much discontent hanging heavily in the air.

Esmeralda can feel the hatred being directed at her silently, it\'s suffocating... even though she has been constantly subjected to this kind of hostility for a thousand years.

She stood up and addressed the attendees.

"So, what you guys are trying to suggest to alleviate the pressing situation we are currently facing!" she asked them sweeping her gaze around them fearlessly.

The leader of the orc stood up and looked at his fellow leaders in the pit. "Increased the monthly ration of humans in the pit up to 100k humans every month! That\'s the only way we can survive there for another century!" he demanded.

"Yes, do that, or else!" the leader of the golem throws Esmeralda a dire look of warning.

Esmeralda\'s eyes widened upon hearing their outrageous demand. If she will give in to their demand it would only take several years before the human race will be wiped out from the face of the earth as food for the monster in the pit. No, she can\'t allow that to happen. "Are you threatening me?" she glowered at them.

"It\'s you, because of you, we\'re being imprisoned here for eternity!" the leader of the dryad shouted and throws her an accusing finger.

Esmeralda calmed her nerves.

"Listen, guys. I have to remind you that I\'m also a prisoner here. The three powerful elders of our tribe make me swallow the Pearl of Life and Death binding us all together. The moment my heart stops beating you all die with me. If you attempt to break the barrier, you are going to die as well. This castle has no way out. I\'m trying hard to stay alive as long as I can so that we all can continue to live. I\'m not only living for myself but everyone else in this forsaken castle!"

She catches her breath for a minute or two and continues...

"The truth is... no one among you is powerful enough to break the barrier that our three elders had forged to imprisoned you all here in the castle. You know why the barrier was made? Because you are worse of the worst kind! If you only had full control of your greedy attitude then you won\'t find yourself trapped here inside the castle.

When you\'re still out there in the open enjoying freedom...what have you done? You massacred innocent people and attack other tribes who only want to live in peace. You bring chaos and destruction to the entire world! That\'s what I call greediness! And now you suffered heavily for it! Don\'t blame me!" she scolded everyone.

Esmeralda saw and feel the hatred flashing in their eyes.

She volunteered to enter this castle for the peace of all and give these monsters a chance to repent and live their lives in peace among their kind. But since they can\'t accept that they were being restricted with their liberties, they were now showing their open hostility towards her.

"I\'m getting tired of hearing the same thing. You always complained that you\'re being treated poorly inside this castle. But once you are allowed to roam the world, you won\'t respect other races\' privilege to live, you always wanted to rule and be the best among the best by subjecting and conquering other races through brutal force! You\'re all hopeless!"

Esmeralda took a moment to breath deeply, she said she won\'t lose her cool but looks like today is not one of those times. "I rest my case! So...if anyone of you wanted to leave the castle do it! I\'m not going to stand on your way, you\'re free to get out, but then I have to remind you that the invincible barrier will burn everyone to ashes once it came in contact with your skin and even your soul is not spared. So, think hard before doing anything..."

Everyone was silent contemplating her words.

They hated Esmeralda with every fiber of their being yet they can\'t bring to kill her or else they all die.

The silence lasted for a few minutes.

"At least increase our human consumption to 10k per month!" the orcs, dryad, goblins, golems protested and demanded.

Maxwell glared at the inhabitants of the pit. "You guys are worse, you wasted and consumed humans like meat, while we the vampires only suck their blood, we are efficient, we can make our victims last for many months and years," he said feeling a hundred times better than those monsters.

Esmeralda twitched her mouth in distaste. \'This vampire Maxwell can easily say that... but once they can get out of the castle alive they will feed on humans like there\'s no tomorrow!\' she said to herself.

The leaders of the pit throw Maxwell a murderous look, not liking the words he uses on them.

"Enough! I\'ll see what can I do with your request," Esmeralda said. She\'s having a headache all of a sudden and want to go back to her home. "This meeting is adjourned!" she dismissed them all.

A protest broke out from the attendees. "What about our request!?" they asked in unison.

"We\'ll have a meeting again soon. Let me think of a solution first..." Esmeralda answered them calmly.

To end the meeting, she made a hasty exit, disappearing in front of everyone, leaving the attendees grumbling not satisfied with the result of the meeting.

Soon enough they dispersed.

Everyone left the room in a troubled condition, more than ever, they are getting restless.