In the Mourning

                The group of people arrived at the office the next morning around six o clock. Royal arrived first, with a cup of coffee in his hand. He waved hello to Kole, who was sitting in his usual place before taking his seat. He was in a black tux with a deep green undershirt. He held an oddly somber expression. Shera was next. She was in an elegant black dress that trailed along the ground. She didn’t respond to Royals half hearted attempts at humor and sat down in a chair next to Tibias’s desk. Tibias and Keera were the last to appear. Tibias, in very formal black eveningwear, and Keera in a shining black dress inlaid with beads.

  Kole noticed that they all had bags over their eyes, probably up from a late night. Luckily, Kole, needing very little sleep, was perfectly functional, despite his sleepless night preparing for the funeral. He needed to get someone to watch the office while they were gone. Last night he asked Celia to stop by the shop every day to check on the wards and collect the mail. She surprisingly agreed without complaint or sass.

                After the last arrivals, Kole got up and set the wards in place. The Runes were set up years ago by the council that needed only a hand gesture and an activation words to activate.  He turned to the rest of the group. “Everyone ready?” he asked?

                “As ready as we’ll ever be.” Replied Tibias, his cane still in hand. “Although I don’t understand how the council expects us to hunt down the demon and attend the funeral.”

                “You know the Council,” Shera said. “They are more about ceremony than effectiveness.”  

                “That is not for us to decide.” Kole said, reaching into his drawer. “The Council says we go, so we go. If they make mistakes, it’s their own fault.”

                “Anyways,” Tibias interjected. “We should be on our way now. Kole, Do you have the portal set up?”

                Kole found the small rune in his desk. “I’m getting it set up right now”

                “Good.”

                Royal spoke up quickly. “Excuse me, but where exactly will the funeral take place?”

                Tibias answered. “Someplace in Asia, I think that it is Mongolia.”

                “I see.” Royal said

                Kole headed over to the offices closet door. He put on it an ancient rune of some long dead 

language forged from silver. The rune melded into the door as if it was passing through liquid. The door then took on an unearthly silvery sheen and illuminated the room with a very unnatural light.

                “Everyone behave” Kole warned. “Most of the council higher ups will be there who were in favor of Matao and his methods. Be polite to them and show them all respect.”

                “Yes yes,” Tibias said. “No need to tell me twice. Come on.”

                “Very well. “ Kole opened the door which no longer lead to the inside of a closet, but into the Councils own demiplane. He let everyone pass through before him  and before he followed, spoke another word to deactivate the rune inlain in the door.  As soon as he did so, he walked through the still open door to the council and closed the door behind him, severing the connection between the office and the councils own chambers.