Editing Announcements - 2002/09 - Verdict (section)

== Teaser ==
=== Part 1 ===
{{Microsoft Zone
 |  Link = <nowiki>http://www.zone.com/asheronscall/news/ASHEeventteaser0902_1.asp</nowiki>
 |  Date = September 4, 2002
 | Title = Verdict
 |  Text =
[[Image:img_sword2.jpg|left]]
<div style="margin-left:15%">
<font color=#FFFFFF>'''Part 1'''</font>
<br>
As she sat at his bedside in the dawning light, Elysa was amazed at the transformation in Asheron. In the weeks following his healing, the color had been slowly returning to his face. After seeing the state he had been in, the pall of death hanging over him, his recovery seemed nothing short of a miracle. Already his strength had returned enough for him to open the ways to weaken Gaerlan's citadel. He hadn't completely healed yet; he still rested more than he once had. Yet soon, she knew, he'd be at full strength.
<br><br>
As she sat there watching Asheron sip his green tea, she grinned as she called to mind something one of her council members had said long ago. She didn't even remember the context--some minor crisis--and Celdiseth had sighed and said in his usual sarcastic manner, "Dereth is full of wonders." Indeed, her son was one such wonder. He was responsible for saving Asheron, and perhaps their people.
<br><br>
At the time she hadn't known if she should praise Borelean for his bravery and selflessness, or punish him for putting himself at risk as like he had. As his mother, she had always thought highly of him, yet never before had she been so proud. He was becoming the man that she'd always known he could be. But underlying her pride there was that maternal twinge, the feeling that he was growing up combined with the gentle pain of knowing he wouldn't need her forever. "Thorsten," she thought, "he's so much like you."
<br><br>
Noticing her grin, Asheron said, "I didn't realize sipping tea was so entertaining."
<br><br>
Elysa blinked, coming out of her fugue. "Sorry. I was just thinking about all that has happened in the span of a few weeks. It almost seems too incredible to believe."
<br><br>
He smiled. "Agreed. I owe my life to your people. Both to young Borelean--" He paused to sip his tea and then said, "and to Candeth."
<br><br>
"What are we going to do about Martine?" she shot back, an edge in her voice. "One act of altruism doesn't make up for all he's done. He's threatened all of our lives and brought us to the brink of disaster."
<br><br>
"I realize that, Elysa, but I sense a change in him. Candeth's mind is no longer tainted by Gaerlan's influence," Asheron said with care. "The clarity your son's actions brought to him was the seed from which Candeth was able to heal his mind."
<br><br>
"Wonderful, he's healed," she said, biting off each word. "He should be dead for what he's done to all of us. For what he tried to do to you."
<br><br>
"Elysa, this calamity that your people face is just another a consequence of my actions," he said forcefully. "Need I remind you of what I am responsible for?"
<br><br>
She sat silent.
<br><br>
"A thousand years ago I didn't have the strength to oppose the Emperor," he continued. "I am responsible for the death of Gaerlan's brother, Delacim. My supposed genius wasn't able to find a way to defeat the Olthoi." He gestured toward Elysa and said, "The portals to Dereth were the result of the mad spell I cast trying to save my people. Your people were enslaved by the Olthoi and died fighting their Queen."
<br><br>
Seeing her wince at the mention of the Olthoi Queen, Asheron paused a moment before continuing more softly, "Candeth lives because I healed the grievous wounds he incurred during his berserk attack on a Virindi complex. If you need to blame someone for the threat that is hanging over your people--" He looked into her eyes. "You should blame me."
<br><br>
She sat for a moment looking down at her hands as they rested in her lap, and then said quietly, "You aren't responsible for all those things, and I realized that long ago. You're a good man."
<br><br>
Asheron laid his hand on hers, "And so was Candeth, once."
<br><br>
They sat for a moment, silent. As the silence began to stretch uncomfortably, Elysa sighed.
<br><br>
"Perhaps," she said, looking up at Asheron. "But that doesn't stop the threat." She began to speak more quickly. "The combined might of my people have destroyed three of the four siphoning crystals, but Gaerlan still threatens them all. And Yanshi. . . you've told me you sense something wrong there."
<br><br>
Before he could say anything, Elysa looked down at her hands again and said, "Asheron, I have to go to them."
<br><br>
Concern entered Asheron's eyes. "You realize you'll be a target for Gaerlan, do you not? My wards are holding the force of his elemental magics back from this castle for now, but I won't be able to protect you if you leave it."
<br><br>
"That doesn't matter, I simply can't hide anymore," she said, looking up at his face intently. "I once left my people, after the towns were settled. I thought they didn't need me anymore. I see now that I was wrong. I was trying to escape. I tried to escape for five years."
<br><br>
"Ely, I am well acquainted with bearing the weight of your race's future," Asheron said sagely. "But I cannot stress the need for care enough. Do not risk yourself in this way."
<br><br>
Before he could say anything more, she rose and strode toward the door. "I'm sorry, I can't abandon them. Rest, heal, regain your strength. You'll need it. I'll be back once I've spoken to my people."
<br><br>
To be continued. . .
<br><br>
'''Unlike any other gaming experience, the world of Asheron's Call continues to evolve. Join us, as we open our September Event, Verdict. Be sure to continue your part in this incredible ongoing story, and we'll see you in Dereth!'''

__________

</div>
}}
=== Part 2 ===
{{Microsoft Zone
 |  Link = <nowiki>http://www.zone.com/asheronscall/news/ASHEeventteaser0902_2.asp</nowiki>
 |  Date = September 6, 2002
 | Title = Verdict
 |  Text =
[[Image:img_sword2.jpg|left]]
<div style="margin-left:15%">
<font color=#FFFFFF>'''Part 2'''</font>
<br>
Asheron had not heard from Elysa since her departure; had she been there, she would have noticed the lines of concern around his eyes. However, she was not, and he was just beginning to realize what her absence meant to him.
<br><br>
"You are concerned about her," said the masked figure across from him.
<br><br>
"Very much so, Candeth," Asheron said as he stroked his beard. "Very much so."
<br><br>
Before Elysa's arrival, before she had activated the portal device and he had summoned her into his presence, he had been alone for five centuries. Recalling that time, he had difficulty believing that he had kept his sanity. Throughout the long years, he'd had only a few constructs, Golems and other magical servants, to keep him company. Then he had offered a place in his castle for Elysa and Borelean, and their presence had warmed his heart in ways he hadn't thought possible. In Elysa he had found a kindred spirit, and in Borelean, a new pupil.
<br><br>
His friendship with Elysa had been through much in the last few months, and only recently did he feel that it had returned to where it once was. Recent events had also brought about a change in what was important to him. Where once he had been solely dedicated to releasing his people or not compounding the crimes he had already committed, he was now focused on helping Elysa's people and those many others that had arrived. And while Elysa could not--or would not--see it, Candeth was one of those who had needed his help.
<br><br>
Already, Candeth Martine was struggling to make amends for what he had done. He had followed Asheron's direction on the siphoning crystals, appearing before those assembled, preparing them for what must come. Where once he had seemed to radiate an aura of insanity and instability, he now radiated one of contrition. In many ways, Asheron and Candeth were alike. Both had brought so much pain to the world, but neither had realized it until much later.
<br><br>
"Your heart is much tied to Melanay--" Martine paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. "No, she is Elysa." He sighed, "My mind still occasionally betrays me. My control is still not perfected."
<br><br>
With a faint, reassuring smile on his lips, Asheron spoke, "That will come in time, Candeth. In time you may even be able to shake off the Virindi trappings your body still expresses."
<br><br>
The inhuman mask stared directly at Asheron. "Be that as it may, it pains me to think of the anguish I have caused her."
<br><br>
"Her forgiveness may also come in time. You need only be patient."
<br><br>
"If the time exists, that is," Martine said quickly. "What more can I do? We can't have much time left."
<br><br>
"Only what you have already done. Prepare yourself. Your people will open the way for us to attack Gaerlan directly."
<br><br>
"The people." The mask turned away from Asheron and stared at a torch hung on the wall. "They've done so much for me. One of them found a letter I had written long ago and returned it to me. It helped me break free of the state my mind was in after the truth was revealed to me.
<br><br>
"I know before, when I was. . ." Martine struggled for a moment. "Different, that I fed off the people's attention. I fed off their fear of me, their respect for my power. I used it to salve my conscience, to block out unwelcome thoughts and memories.
<br><br>
"Even the Virindi part of my mind," Martine continued, twitching at the memory of what had been done to him. "The part that was violently thrust into my mind, enjoyed it. It took pleasure in the concepts and feelings that were alien to it. It is only now that I can see it was pushing me further and further, just so it could gain some new experience."
<br><br>
Martine's voice became nothing more than a whisper. "I became accustomed to its presence, so much so that even after the unnatural union of our two parts resulted in its death, my mind generated a replacement. Why couldn't I see it? Why was Gaerlan able to exploit me so easily?"
<br><br>
"Candeth." At the mention of his name, Martine turned to look at Asheron. "I have lived for over 2,500 years," Asheron said, leaning closer. "And in that time I've studied many different schools of magic. In all my studies, I have yet to find a spell that will send us into the past, as much as our minds want to live there."
<br><br>
"You have healed the damage done to your soul and mind. Be grateful for the chance you have been given. For so long you've been the pawn of others, those who wanted to use you. You were a pawn for Sir Alayne. The Virindi then transformed you into an instrument of destruction. Finally, you became a tool of Gaerlan's revenge.
<br><br>
"Now, for the first time," Asheron paused to let the words sink in. "You are free."
<br><br>
To be continued. . .
<br><br>
'''Unlike any other gaming experience, the world of Asheron's Call continues to evolve. Join us, as we open our September Event, Verdict. Be sure to continue your part in this incredible ongoing story, and we'll see you in Dereth!

__________

</div>
}}
=== Part 3 ===
{{Microsoft Zone
 |  Link = <nowiki>http://www.zone.com/asheronscall/news/ASHEeventteaser0902_3.asp</nowiki>
 |  Date = September 10, 2002
 | Title = Verdict
 |  Text =
[[Image:img_sword2.jpg|left]]
<div style="margin-left:15%">
<font color=#FFFFFF>'''Part 3'''</font>
<br>
Ciandra heard the stirrings in the next room and pulled back her covers. The desert should have been very warm this time of year, searing the sand and making comfort while sleeping a difficulty, but this was no ordinary year. The wind whipped outside, and through a broken slit in her window, she could see the flame creatures dancing around a small prismatic stone with their acidic, lightning, and frost brethren. Nearly one full cycle of the moons had passed, and still there was no reprieve. Asheron and Martine had successfully divined the location of three of the four crystals that siphoned power directly to Gaerlan's floating fortress. The people had dispatched them, but to no avail. The Elementals clung to the ground as though the very essence of the world was creating them.
<br><br>
A soft whisper-hiss snapped her out of her deep thoughts. There was very little light in her hovel as the desert tended to swallow the moonlight. She made her way to her landing using only the wan glow cast by the forces of Elementals outside. She peeked over the banister to where her houseguest slept below.
<br><br>
Nuhmudira had asked that Ciandra not let anyone know she was free, and though Ciandra had been hesitant to oblige, she obeyed. Nuhmudira had moved into Ciandra's home and used the downstairs as a study and bedroom. Her youth and beauty had been stolen from her while she'd been a prisoner in the place of forgetting, but she had regained her knowledge and her power. Ciandra looked down on her now. . . and stifled a cry.
<br><br>
Nuhmudira looked up and saw her. She smiled, and in the orange glow cast by the Elemental invaders, the smile looked like that of a madman. She lowered her head and placed a hand on her guest, a seven-foot tall Chomu Sclavus that had come with a delivery. Nuhmudira beckoned to Ciandra as she stroked the crown of the Chomu.
<br><br>
Ciandra staggered back from the banister and looked about her room. She grabbed a sash and tied it about her waist, pulling her nightshirt tight, then slipped her wand beneath the sash. She trusted Nuhmudira still, but there was a Sclavus in her home, a development that she would never have expected. As she made her way down the stairs, she listened to Nuhmudira's words, barely audible over the sound of the wind outside. They were not Roulean, nor were they any Gharu'ndim dialect. As Ciandra reached the bottom stair, twenty snake-like forms turned to face her in the darkness. She shrank back in shock.
<br><br>
"Worry not, child," Nuhmudira stated very calmly. "They are my servants. It seems that my meddling with the Book--" Nuhmudira broke off when she said the word and gently patted the item the Sclavus had brought to her. So long had this Book absorbed her studies, driving her to commit atrocities and wonders far beyond comprehension. It had been both a boon and bane for the Arcanum. The members of the Arcanum had thought the Book forever lost when Nuhmudira disappeared, yet here it was again, returned to her by the Sclavus. Nuhmudira looked back up from the Book and continued, "My meddling with the Book has awakened something within them. They were my saviors in that hellish place. They have simply come to return my belongings to me."
<br><br>
The old woman smiled again and Ciandra felt her muscles relax. The Sclavus bowed to Nuhmudira, and then to Ciandra, and backed out of the building into the desert night.
<br><br>
"Come, child. You must have many questions. And I have a tale to tell."
<br><br>
<nowiki>*****</nowiki>
<br><br>
Antius watched as the High Queen approached. Several of her guard had come to Yanshi over the past few days and told him that she would soon arrive, and they had helped the devastated town wherever they could. But he conferred more often with the light being that was sent from Asheron. It was quizzical, highly evolved, and incredibly intelligent. Antius was sometimes at a loss for the deductions that it was able to make.
<br><br>
Their study had been slow; Golems had to remove the rubble from the entranceway of what was once the Elemental Sanctum, as they could not gather information until they were within. He pondered what he might say to the High Queen upon her arrival. Asheron's Emissary knelt as she approached, but Antius did not. He forced himself to remain standing, remembering how much she hated the fineries of being Queen. His effort was marked by a knowing look on Elysa's face.
<br><br>
"Antius, I assume you know why I am here?" she asked.
<br><br>
"Yes, Elysa, but. . . there have been some complications." He paused, searching her face for signs of disappointment. He was met only with a look of patience. "The explosion and release of raw mana destroyed the entirety of the Sanctum below us. Golems are below now removing the rubble, but there can be no determinations made until we have access into the lower levels. We know the chambers are there because the floors sound hollow, but--"
<br><br>
He stopped and looked behind the Queen as a force of men and women wearing the colors of the royal guard and bearing her standard marched into the city. Elysa cleared her throat to get Antius back to his story.
<br><br>
"We have yet to find a way into the lower levels," he continued. "We have, however, heard the sounds of something speaking, as if waking from a slumber, and there have been minor quakes in the earth."
<br><br>
Elysa nodded. She looked back to her forces and called out to them.
<br><br>
"We need to assist Scholar Blackmoor. There is a subterranean lair below what used to be the Sanctum where Gaerlan worked his magic to destroy this town. We'll be assisting Asheron's Golems in removing the debris to facilitate further study of this area."
<br><br>
The ground shook violently, causing some to lose their footing. Elysa remained a pillar of calm, and when the tremor ended she turned to Antius.
<br><br>
"Any guesses?"
<br><br>
"Something that was never meant to be. Something that the Aun Tumeroks fear is more powerful than the Olthoi." He shook his head. "If you are asking me for an educated guess, Elysa, I cannot give you one. Too much speculation and fear is running through my mind at the moment, but. . ." He paused and leaned toward the High Queen. "I think that there is something down there, growing and giving itself the very magic of this world. I don't think that it can be stopped, and I worry that if it succeeds in weakening magic any more than it already has, something worse than the Hopeslayer could be released."
<br><br>
Elysa met his eyes for a long moment and then nodded. She turned back to her force and motioned them into action. They descended into the pit and began assisting the Golems beneath the charred landscape of Yanshi.
<br><br>
To be continued. . .
<br><br>
'''Unlike any other gaming experience, the world of Asheron's Call continues to evolve. Join us, as we open our September Event, Verdict. Be sure to continue your part in this incredible ongoing story, and we'll see you in Dereth!'''

__________

</div>
}}
=== Part 4 ===
{{Microsoft Zone
 |  Link = <nowiki>http://www.zone.com/asheronscall/news/ASHEeventteaser0902_4.asp</nowiki>
 |  Date = September 13, 2002
 | Title = Verdict
 |  Text =
[[Image:img_sword2.jpg|left]]
<div style="margin-left:15%">
<font color=#FFFFFF>'''Part 4'''</font>
<br>
(View the teaser movie [https://web.archive.org/web/20031010230253/http://download.microsoft.com/download/asheron/video/sept/WXP/EN-US/Pre-September.mpg <font color=#FFFFCC>here</font>] : 7.5 MB)
<br><br>
The air crackled around him. The ground sizzled where he walked. Beads of acid flew from his hands as he furiously paced his study, located in the highest reaches of his citadel's library. Moisture condensed in his frozen breath and slowly floated to the floor as snow.
<br><br>
"This is inconceivable!" Gaerlan screamed to the empty room.
<br><br>
The words echoed throughout the library, "This is inconceivable. . . is inconceivable. . . inconceivable. . ."
<br><br>
The third crystal had fallen, destroyed by the Isparian vermin. He sensed the power that it once fed him ebbing away to somewhere else, to where the rituals to summon the Harbinger had failed.
<br><br>
"The fools will be the death of the world," he cried.
<br><br>
Through the library, "Death of the world. . . of the world. . . the world. . ." echoed.
<br><br>
Hundreds of years of effort were unraveling before his eyes. When first he had found the citadel, this temple that had lain dormant for centuries, he'd known that it would be the instrument of his ascension. The destiny he knew he had been born to would begin here. He had felt it in the pit of his being and had known he had been fated to find this. Nothing could prevent his destiny, not even the prison between worlds to which Asheron had condemned their people.
<br><br>
After Martine had accidentally returned him to the world, Gaerlan had been so sure--it had been so obvious--that the force of history was behind him. It had all fallen into place, each piece he had used. . . That fool Martine, yearning for the life he had left behind, pushed further into madness. . . Nuhmudira, her unswerving loyalty to her people so readily twisted into a path abhorrent even to her fellow barbarians. . . The vermin's weak-willed Queen, so easy to manipulate, the tool that had exposed Asheron to Martine's assault. He had masterfully placed them against each other, almost as if it had been a game. His revenge, his ascension. . . It had been so close, so very close.
<br><br>
Now he would fall, the world would be consumed by the magics loosed by the vermin, and Asheron would never pay for his crimes.
<br><br>
"I refuse to believe it; it cannot be so!" he said as he turned a corner in his pacing.
<br><br>
"It cannot be so. . . cannot be so. . . be so. . ."
<br><br>
This citadel and its ancient library, constructed by that cabal of undead elementalists, these had been his tools. He had dedicated himself to using the magics found there, to using what those abominations had created, in defense of the Cerulean Throne. Why now, when his plan seemed closest to fruition, would it begin to fall apart around him? How had he failed? What had he done wrong?
<br><br>
"I did everything perfectly!"
<br><br>
"Did everything perfectly. . . everything perfectly. . . perfectly. . ."
<br><br>
Although the magics had been born from those opposed to the Throne, in his capable hands they had become a weapon in defense of the Crown. They were to have been a means for him to rise to prominence in the Empire. Perhaps even a means for him to lay claim to the Throne! Where was the misstep?
<br><br>
A thought occurred to him, and he paused in his frantic pacing. Perhaps Asheron was not the fool he had taken him for. Could the secret of Asheron's long life, the secret Gaerlan had discovered long ago, be a sign of his collusion with those who had forsaken the Light, those loathsome undead? Yes, the undead were infamous for trying to manipulate and control the living. Asheron was the cause of all of this!
<br><br>
Yes! Yes! Asheron's meddling stretched back even to when Gaerlan and his brother had first arrived at the Knorr Lyceum, Asheron's academy for magical study. Asheron must have recognized Gaerlan's innate ability and determined that he would do all he could to hamper it. That was why Gaerlan's brother Delacim had been held in esteem, while Gaerlan had been virtually ignored. Asheron had interfered in Gaerlan's life, even using his own brother against him. And when his brother was of no more use to him, Asheron had arranged for Delacim to be killed. Asheron was behind all the problems that had plagued his plans, and now his corruption would be the doom of the world.
<br><br>
"I am not yet defeated!" he shrieked, his frozen spittle clattering on the floor.
<br><br>
"Not yet defeated. . . yet defeated. . . defeated. . ." returned the echo from the walls of the library.
<br><br>
He would strengthen the guard on the final crystal. It would be inaccessible to all those protected by Asheron's corrupting magics. Gaerlan would focus his remaining power on that location and maintain it; he would resist Asheron's minions. His power would be enough to wipe them off the face of Dereth. The vermin had already seen the extent of his power, as his forces had plagued them for weeks. Now though, with this remaining crystal, the crystal he would secure, Gaerlan would scour the surface of the planet clean. The infestation, the taint brought to this world by Asheron, would be gone forever. Perhaps a scrap of pity had plagued him before, preventing him from using his full might against them.
<br><br>
He smiled to himself when he thought of how future generations would remember this time. They would see it as the turning point between his darkest hour and when he rose to the challenge presented by the world. Yes, those future Empyreans would see this as the beginning of their return to power, when their greatest leader defeated Asheron and led them into a glorious future.
<br><br>
He would not fail, nor would he fall. Asheron's corruption and meddling would be defeated. He would have his revenge on the man. Asheron would pay for Delacim's murder, the massacre of their people, and the near destruction of the world itself.
<br><br>
He raised his head toward the roof and roared, "Asheron! I will see the vision fulfilled!"
<br><br>
The chamber echoed for several minutes with his laughter, and then was silent.
<br><br>
To be continued. . .
<br><br>
'''Unlike any other gaming experience, the world of Asheron's Call continues to evolve. Join us, as we open our September Event, Verdict. Be sure to continue your part in this incredible ongoing story, and we'll see you in Dereth!'''

__________

</div>
}}

=== Part 5 ===
{{Microsoft Zone
 |  Link = <nowiki>http://www.zone.com/asheronscall/news/ASHEeventteaser0902_5.asp</nowiki>
 |  Date = September 18, 2002
 | Title = Verdict
 |  Text =
[[Image:img_sword2.jpg|left]]
<div style="margin-left:15%">
<font color=#FFFFFF>'''Part 5<br />'''
'''(View the final battle between Gaerlan and Martine: [https://web.archive.org/web/20030803092130/http://download.microsoft.com/download/asheron/video/sept9-19-low/WXP/EN-US/919Sept-Low.mpg <font color=#FFFFCC>lower quality</font>] : 18.5 MB or [https://web.archive.org/web/20030803092130/http://download.microsoft.com/download/asheron/video/sept9-19-high/WXP/EN-US/919Sept-High.mpg <font color=#FFFFCC>high quality</font>] : 35.6 MB)'''</font>
<br><br>
Elysa thought to herself that a more unusual council meeting would have been unimaginable just a few months before. Council meetings had been an irregular event in the calm years before the Hopeslayer had been freed, but in recent years they had become more regular as Elysa realized the importance of her role among her people.
<br><br>
After rallying the Guard and examining Yanshi, she'd been able to see that Asheron was relieved at her return. For several hours, they had discussed what she had seen and what was to come. He had agreed that she needed to gather the council, and had set in motion the necessary preparations. He'd also agreed with her decision to invite two more guests to the proceedings, and had sent emissaries to them as well. However, there was another decision she had made, one that she hadn't told him about, one that she knew he wouldn't agree with.
<br><br>
Responding to the summons Asheron had conveyed via his emissaries, the council members slowly filtered into the room. The council was comprised of various members of Isparian society, from the prominent founder of Ayan Baqur to scholars and wise archmages. Elysa had positioned her high-back chair so that she could watch the members as they entered. As some crossed into the room, she noticed a bewildered look on their faces, especially those who had never been to Asheron's castle before. On others, she saw an air of indifference. One in particular seemed almost overwhelmed by the summons and the castle; it was Ciandra, who represented the Arcanum and was now the youngest member of the council. She had distinguished herself in the months following Nuhmudira's disappearance and had become the de facto head of the Arcanum. The last to arrive was Celdiseth the archmage, as usual; just another of his ways of showing that position and rank meant little to him.
<br><br>
As Celdiseth took his seat, Elysa stood up and opened the council. "Thank you all for coming. We have much to discuss, although our time is short. In just the last hour the situation has progressed and we must respond to it. However, before we begin, we have two more who will be joining us."
<br><br>
A curious look crossed the faces of some as she stated this, and a moment later the doors to the chamber swung open. Gasps escaped a few lips as a towering Lugian strode into the room, followed by a Tumerok from the island of Marae Lassel.
<br><br>
Elysa scanned the faces of the council and, gesturing toward the Lugian, said, "This is Lord Kresovus of Linvak Tukal." He inclined his head as he was introduced. Directing her hand toward the Tumerok, she said, "And this is Aun Hareltah of Timaru. The Lugian and Tumerok people face the same doom as we. They have been invited today to serve in an advisory capacity."
<br><br>
Hareltah directed his attention toward Elysa and bowed. "Thank you, Ispar Elysatah."
<br><br>
"Yes, thank you, Queen," Kresovus spoke up. "Although your people still war with our brethren, it is in our best interests, especially now, to work together."
<br><br>
"Thank you for coming," she said with a smile, then turned her attention back to the council and began, "Let me bring you up to date on what has happened. You are all aware that in the past few weeks Asheron has divined the locations of Gaerlan's siphoning crystals. Our people have been successful in shattering these crystals, although with each successive assault, they find the crystal stronger and more difficult to destroy."
<br><br>
As she spoke, she surveyed the faces of the council. "The last one, which Asheron discovered only a few hours ago, was the most powerful and proved to be the most challenging. The intensity of the energy contained there prevented our people from even entering the facility where it was located. In order for our people to enter, they were required to step out from under Asheron's protection. We were also distressed to hear that a few misguided citizens opposed the destruction of the crystal, out of fear of what might be released if it was destroyed. They attacked our people and tried to hamper their efforts. However, in the end our people proved successful. This crystal's destruction has weakened Gaerlan, opening a way to attack him directly."
<br><br>
She paused for a moment and looked down at the table, collecting her thoughts. She returned her attention to the council members and continued, "Martine has been working alongside Asheron to aid our people--"
<br><br>
"And what of Martine?" Celdiseth interrupted loudly. "So nice of you to inform us of this now, even though I had heard reports right after the first crystal was destroyed. How are we to know that this isn't just another of his mad tricks? That he isn't playing us for the fool?"
<br><br>
"Celdiseth," she said slowly, turning to face him. "You are well aware that I have. . . reservations about dealing with Martine. Nevertheless, Asheron has assured me that Martine's intentions are pure and that he is a changed man. In regard to the situation currently confronting us, I have no reason not to believe Asheron. However, do not think for a moment that I have forgotten all Martine has done."
<br><br>
Celdiseth simply snorted in response.
<br><br>
"As I began," she continued, focusing her attention back to the faces of the council. "Martine has been aiding our people, informing them of what is to come. After the last crystal fell, he created portals to a location below Gaerlan's floating citadel. Reports from some of my Guard indicate that he told the crowds that he was going to face Gaerlan personally."
<br><br>
"Yes, a member of--" Ciandra blurted, then stopped an instant as she realized the attention of the entire council was upon her. "A-a-a member of the Arcanum spoke to Sir Olivier Rognath, a member of the Explorer Society. Sir Olivier had known Martine before he was modified by the Virindi and was in attendance when Martine spoke to the crowds. Sir Olivier said that Martine appeared before them as a human. He appeared as Sir Olivier originally remembered him!"
<br><br>
"Amazing," Asheron said quietly, stroking his beard.
<br><br>
"Asheron?" Elysa said, turning her attention toward the man seated next to her.
<br><br>
"I knew that as his mind healed," Asheron addressed the council, "he would gain the ability to appear human once more. However, I'm surprised he gained the ability so quickly. Although Elysa and I differ on our feelings, I feel that Martine's mind is truly healed. I can feel the sincerity in him, the enormous guilt that he feels. I feared that it might move him to take this course, to confront Gaerlan. I only hope he survives."
<br><br>
At one side of the table, the usually quiet and serene archmage Shoyanen Kenchu spoke up, "I can appreciate the need to bring us up to date, Your Highness," she said, agitation clear in her voice. "But you have not yet told us what we are to do. The destruction of the crystals has not removed Gaerlan's elemental creatures from the land. They still surround my tower, and my visitors are slaughtered as they try to approach."
<br><br>
As she continued, a tremor entered her voice. "Just before I was summoned here, I witnessed a horrible murder of someone new to our lands. Although they were returned to life, death still has a price."
<br><br>
As Shoyanen finished, the council broke out into a chorus of voices, each clamoring for Elysa's attention, or the attention of the person seated next to them. Some talked of events they had witnessed, others of the course the Queen should take to rout Gaerlan. Elysa tried to regain their attention, but their voices drowned her out.
<br><br>
Suddenly, from a corner of the room, a voice cried out, "Silence!"
<br><br>
All eyes turned to Lord Kresovus, who simply said, "Among my people it is customary to respect the matriarch."
<br><br>
"Thank you, Lord Kresovus," Elysa said as their eyes turned back to her. "I can appreciate your concerns--all of your concerns. I share them. We will act, and we will focus on the dual threats that face all of our people."
<br><br>
As she spoke, she looked directly at each person in the room. "First, we need to prepare for the assault on Gaerlan. We must face him and rise to the challenge that he presents. Together we faced the Hopeslayer and defeated him; can we do no less with this Gaerlan? Asheron has promised to provide whatever means of support he can to aid us against Gaerlan."
<br><br>
Her voice turned gravely serious. "Although the destruction of the crystals has greatly weakened Gaerlan, he will be a formidable force to counter. It will require the abilities of all our people.
<br><br>
"Lord Kresovus and Aun Hareltah," she said, directing her attention to the two figures that stood to the side of the table. "I would ask that you provide whatever support your people can to help in the battle. Already your support has been invaluable, and I wanted to thank you especially for helping us to try to understand the threat growing below Yanshi."
<br><br>
The scholar Asaina al-Arqis spoke up, "Is this the second threat that you spoke of, your Highness? Something in Yanshi?"
<br><br>
And now they were coming to the decision Elysa had made, the one she knew Asheron would not agree with. There was nothing to be done about that now, though; it was necessary.
<br><br>
"Yes, below Yanshi something is forming. Our scholars feel that this thing, if left unchecked, could destroy this world." She paused to let that point sink into the minds of her listeners, then continued, "However, our people should focus their attention initially on Gaerlan. I will lead my Guard against the threat below Yanshi. If the Mothers smile on us, the threat will be easily countered. If not, then hopefully we can provide the vanguard that will lead our people to its defeat."
<br><br>
"Elysa. . ." Asheron began, but was interrupted by an earth-shattering rumble. He rose and quickly strode to the nearby window. The sky above them was now a sheet of elemental colors, flashing from green to blue to red to purple and back again.
<br><br>
"It has begun." He turned back to face the council. "Candeth is attacking Gaerlan."
<br><br>
Elysa spoke, gaining the council's attention. "We must hurry. Let us conclude our discussions here, then set about our tasks. The fate of our people may well rest on our actions in the coming hours and days."
<br><br>
To be continued. . .
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