Silver

The general meeting had just begun. General James was in the middle of discussing his plan when the door creaked open, and Eli walked in. 

He greeted the king with a respectful, "Good afternoon, Your Majesty," then glanced at Princess Denise, exchanging a warm smile with her.

General James's voice sliced through the room, his words dripping with sarcasm. "It seems you've wandered into the wrong place," he said, his tone insulting. "This chamber is for officials and military personnel conducting a private meeting with the king, not for guests."

Princess Denise immediately interjected, her voice firm. "I invited him here."

General James fell silent, though his displeasure was evident in his expression. 

The princess gestured for Eli to sit in the chair next to her. Eli thanked her quietly and took his seat.

As the discussion continued, Eli found it hard to focus on the topic at hand. His mind was elsewhere. 'I need to find a way to get Rod out of there. But how?' He glanced around the room, trying to appear attentive. 'Darn it, I forgot to ask him how he feels when he's in werewolf state. Can he still control his mind?'

Eli's thoughts were abruptly interrupted when King Philip addressed him. "Eli, what do you think?"

Eli's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't been paying close attention to the discussion, but he tried to respond. 

"What I think, Your Majesty, is…" he began, his mind racing. "Well, uhm, has anyone tried using weapons made of silver against the werewolves—I mean, lycans?"

The room fell silent, all eyes on Eli.

General James suddenly laughed, breaking the tension. "Silver, you say? That's an unusual idea, Eli."

'Well, that's what I saw in the movies,' Eli thought, feeling a bit defensive. 

General James continued, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Weapons made of silver would be far too expensive."

"At least it's not gold," Eli retorted, his voice laced with a hint of playful defiance.

King Philip spoke up, his voice firm. "Silver will never match the strength and durability of steel as a weapon, especially when it comes to maintaining a sharp edge."

Eli nodded in agreement. "I agree with you, Your Majesty. But in my opinion, it's impossible for a lycan to have no weaknesses."

General James, grinning, interrupted. "And you think their weakness is flimsy silver?"

Eli responded confidently, leaning forward slightly, "I believe that silver burns them when it touches their skin, causing wounds. And if a lycan is wounded by silver, the effect is more fatal and the healing process is much slower compared to steel."

General James chuckled, clearly unconvinced. His expression showed amusement and skepticism.

After Eli's response, King Philip stared intently, deep in thought. The officials began whispering among themselves. 

Suddenly, the king spoke up, commanding the royal guard, "Bring the prisoner infected by the lycan to us."

This command caused a stir among the meeting attendees, while General James smirked, seemingly in disbelief that Eli had convinced the king. 

"This is the only way to find out if your theory is possible, Eli," the king said.

Eli swallowed hard, thinking to himself, 'Tsssk, I hope what I've seen in the movies is true. If not, I'm going to look like a fool in front of this smug general.'

After a few moments, the guards entered, bringing in a shackled Rod. Eli's heart pounded as he whispered under his breath, "Rod."

The tension in the room was palpable. The silver knife that the king had requested arrived, gleaming ominously. King Philip handed the knife to General James, who took it with a smirk.

"Let's see if your theory holds any weight, Eli," General James said, his voice dripping with skepticism.

Eli watched anxiously as General James approached Rod. The general's eyes glinted with a mix of curiosity and disdain. He held the silver knife up, letting the light catch its edge before pressing it against Rod's arm.

Rod winced as the blade touched his skin, a faint sizzle filling the air. The room fell silent, all eyes on the scene unfolding before them. A thin line of smoke rose from the contact point, and Rod's skin began to blister and burn.

Gasps and murmurs spread among the officials, their faces a mix of shock and intrigue. Princess Denise's eyes widened.

Eli's breath caught in his throat. 'It's working,' he thought, feeling relief.

General James stepped back, his expression shifting from smugness to surprise. 

King Philip, observing the scene intently, nodded thoughtfully. "It seems you were right, Eli," he said, his voice carrying a note of respect.

General James's face flushed with embarrassment, unable to hide his discomfort. He glanced around the room, noticing the officials' reactions, and his smirk faded.

"This is valuable information," King Philip continued. "We must consider incorporating silver into our defenses."

General James, still holding the knife, suddenly turned back to Rod with a sinister look. "Let's test this further," he said. "Lycans don't die easily just from wounding their hearts unless the heart is separated from the body or the head is removed. I want to see if simply piercing the heart with silver will kill him."

He turned to the king. "Your Majesty, with your permission, I would like to conduct this test."

King Philip nodded. "Proceed."

Eli's heart raced. He couldn't let this happen. 

"Wait!" he shouted, stepping forward. 

General James turned to him, puzzled. "Why are you stopping me? The king has given his consent."

Eli looked at King Philip, desperation in his eyes. "Your Majesty, I think this isn't necessary."

King Philip raised an eyebrow. "And how will we know if General James doesn't perform the test?"

Eli took a deep breath. "We can't let this man die."

The king's gaze hardened. "And why not?"

Eli hesitated for a moment, then spoke. "Your Majesty, we could use him. I heard he was once your soldier. I believe his loyalty still lies with you."

King Philip looked interested but unsure. "And how do you propose we use him, Eli? What if he can't control himself in his lycan form?"

Eli took a deep breath. "Your Majesty, with proper guidance, I believe he can learn to control his transformations. I will help him. We can use his strength against the lycans. Imagine having someone who understands their weaknesses from the inside."

General James, his eyes sharp, scoffed. "And what makes you think he won't harm or eat others?"

Rod, though struggling from being shackled, bent to his knees, his eyes filled with determination. "I promise, Your Majesty, I will do everything in my power to control myself. I don't want to be a monster. I want to serve you and protect the kingdom."

Princess Denise stepped forward, her voice steady and supportive. "Father, I believe Eli is right. Rod's knowledge and strength could be invaluable to us. With Eli's guidance, he can learn to control his lycan form. Please, give him a chance."

The room fell silent as everyone waited for the king's response. King Philip studied Rod's face, then turned to Eli and Princess Denise. "You truly believe you can help him?"

Eli nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty. With time and training, I believe he can be an asset rather than a threat."

Princess Denise added, "I will personally oversee his progress, Father. We can ensure he remains loyal and in control."

King Philip considered this for a moment, then finally spoke. "Very well. We will give him a chance. But know this, Eli—his life is now your responsibility. If he fails, it will be on your head."

Eli bowed deeply. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I won't let you down."

Rod, still on his knees, looked at Eli and Princess Denise with gratitude and determination. "Thank you both. I won't let you down either."

King Philip then addressed the room, including the officials and a visibly embarrassed General James. "The reason I agreed with Eli is because he has shown that he knows more about lycans than anyone else in this palace."

The officials murmured among themselves, some nodding in agreement, while General James's face showed clear bitterness. 

Moments later, Eli took a deep breath, gathering his courage. "Your Majesty, if we are to trust Rod and give him a chance, we must remove his chains and the steel spike collar around his neck."

A murmur of unease spread through the meeting hall. The officials exchanged worried glances, and General James's eyes narrowed with suspicion.

King Philip's gaze hardened as he looked at Eli. "You ask a lot, Eli. The safety of my people is very important. How can we be sure he won't turn on us the moment he is freed?"

Eli met the king's eyes with unwavering determination. "I believe in Rod's loyalty, Your Majesty. He deserves the chance to prove himself without the chains that bind him."

As the room fell into a tense silence, Eli's mind raced. 'Come on, King Philip. Give him this chance. Trust from you is all Rod needs to hold onto. With this, he will not let you down. I know he won't.'

All eyes were on King Philip as he thought about Eli's request. The fate of Rod—and perhaps the entire kingdom—hung in the balance.