The Irispire Portal Read online

  To his right sits three lesser councilmen, and three others sit to his left. All of them wear red robes with golden swirling patterns, but around The High Councilor's neck is a high gold collar, signifying his status.

  Sitting across from us, on the western long curve of the oval, are ten erolith captains. They wear ceremonial robes of black and gold. Among them sits Lara, her violet eyes focused on her half-brother in the center of the pit.

  On our side of the oval sits the non-elves. Lev and I are the only humans, and the elves were kind enough to provide us with clothing. Our thermal suits were getting a little ripe, so we put them away, and now we're wearing comfortable elven robes draped over a tunic and trouser combo. I'm wearing green, and Lev is wearing blue.

  Tamon is here to represent the Rinmar clans. And King Hurdalin and his retinue of ten are here to represent The Thadamar. The dwarves wear ceremonial, padded, sleeveless, leather jerkins. They display the marks of their clan on their chests. The Thadamar have a gray hammer and mountain design with a red background. And Tamon wears the emblem of a sunburst on his.

  We sit quietly while charges of violating the Omega treaties are laid out against Kyle. There was also something about the Vokscragan Act, which I have no idea about. The proceedings are conducted entirely in Elven, and I am translating everything to Lev. The councilman laying down the charges is a tall, serious elf with a hard, grayish, marble face. He has long black hair, tied at the back, and dark green eyes, the color of leaves in summer.

  "Who is that?" I whisper over to Tamon.

  "That's Councilman Jurasnato Antenetsu," he whispers back.

  Councilman Antenetsu finishes his opening remarks. I think he represents the prosecutor in this trial. Then he turns to the ten erolith captains to his right.

  "Captain Larastrumbala Uthanasa," says Councilman Antenetsu. "I understand you spoke to the accused after he committed his crimes."

  Lara stands up from her seat. Her black hair is a lot longer than I thought it would be. Most of the time she has it tied up or braided, but now it's free and reaches down to the back of her hips.

  "Yes," Lara says. "I intercepted his communication spell. He was trying to contact The High Councilor."

  "And what was the nature of your conversation with him?" asks Councilman Antenetsu.

  "The accused was trying to plead his case,” answers Lara. “He claimed the former Bearer, Nyyx Mara, did nothing wrong, and it was an injustice he suffered The Rending. He claimed the former Bearer was set up and someone tricked him into violating the Omega Treaties. He explained that the ogres the former Bearer killed were altered somehow from the living. He said they were abominations made not from Ashyanthinasi, but from organic material."

  "And how do you find these claims?"

  Lara takes a deep breath, looks to her fellow captains, at us, then finally to her father, The High Councilor.

  "I found these claims to be true," she says.

  Yes! I could kiss her! Murmurs echo throughout the chamber, and everyone shuffles in their seats.

  "Please explain," says Councilman Antenetsu.

  "After my conversation with the accused was terminated,” says Lara, “an erolith squad tracked down the fugitive and the former Bearer. A chase ensued through the streets of their human hive city, where we lost some of our own. After which we lost track of both of them. My squad and I were able to trace them again. This time, Kylanthansa Uthmandir's signature resurfaced in a giant tower of metal and glass, emitting purple light. When we flew into the building, we were witness to such carnage I have never before seen. Humans were ravaged by hundreds, maybe thousands of followers of Asmodeus, and were being torn apart by these manufactured ogres."

  "And how do you know they were manufactured?" asks Councilman Antenetsu.

  "There were so many of them," says Lara. "If they were pure conjurations we would have known. The power it would have taken to summon even a third that amount, would not have gone unnoticed. Not by us."

  Several whispered conversations buzz around the room. I sit up straight in my seat, hopeful that Lara's testimony will be in Kyle's favor.

  "That may be well and good," says Councilman Antenetsu. "The accused's motives will be taken into consideration. However, I must ask. Did the accused, at any point, deny using his magic on a human, and not just any magic, but resurrection magic?"

  There is a brief pause while everyone waited for her answer.

  "No, he did not," Lara admits.

  "Thank you for your testimony, Captain Uthanasa."

  Lara gives Councilman Antenetsu a short bow before sitting back in her seat.

  Councilman Antenetsu turns to The High Councilor, bows, and sits back down in his seat to The High Councilor's right. He turns his dark, green eyes to me. I meet his gaze, which he holds for a moment with flared nostrils and a curling upper lip, before turning back to the proceedings.

  "Sure looks like he doesn't like you, boy," whispers Tamon.

  "Trust me, none of them do. As far as they're concerned I'm the reason we're all here dealing with this mess."

  "Are they wrong?" Tamon asks.

  "Not really," I say.

  Tamon shakes his head with a smile. "Well, you sure know how to make friends."

  Another councilman stands up. This one has a square face, and is thicker than the rest of his elven brothers and sisters, yet doesn't run the risk of being fat. He has ruddy cheeks and a soft look on his clean-shaven, handsome face. He also looks younger than the rest of the council. I would say, six hundred years old — maybe seven, and looks like a human in his forties. He has deep royal blue hair, and orange eyes.

  I lean toward Tamon and am about to whisper in his ear when he says, "That's Councilman Kareen."

  "Thanks."

  "If it pleases the council," says Councilman Kareen. "Now that The Elven Nation of Silanthanos has had her say, the accused shall be allowed, in his own words, to detail the circumstances that have brought us here, and speak in defense of his actions."

  Kyle looks straight up at his stepfather.

  "Why bother," Kyle says. "I am guilty. Do what you will."

  "Kyle, what are you doing?!"

  Am I standing up? Did I yell that? In English? The answer is yes to all three. The elves are looking me like they're preparing spells to incinerate me.

  "I'm sorry," I say in Elven.

  High Councilor Uthanasa holds up a hand, looking at me with a cold, governing glare. I can certainly see where Lara gets her expression. "Former Bearer, Nyyx Mara, in these chambers, we follow procedure and respect order. You are new to our ways, and so I will tolerate this infraction. But if you disrespect our ways again, you will be punished accordingly."

  "I apologize, High Councilor. I did not mean to disrupt your proceedings. But the accused is unwell and is not in the right state of mind. I believe if we took some time to discuss the situation further we would—"

  "The accused has confessed," says The High Councilor. "Your very existence is proof enough of his crimes. What more is there to discuss?"

  My palms are sweating. I look around the room. Lev has no idea what's going on. Lara is hiding, trying to make herself small in her seat, embarrassed that she brought me here in the first place.

  "What are you getting yourself into?" Tamon asks.

  "Uh...I was told I was to give a testimony at this hearing," I say, my voice shaking.

  Lara brings a hand up to hide her face.

  Councilman Antenetsu stands up. "Your testimony is not needed," he says. "The accused's guilt is undeniable. There is nothing your testimony can do to change the circumstances. All that is left is the sentence."

  "Okay," I say. "Well then allow me to speak on that."

  A supercilious smile from Councilman Antenetsu greets that remark. "This is all out of order. What makes you think you have a say in the sentencing of this criminal? High Councilor, I beg you, put an end to this farce. We only await your judgment. We have more pressing issues to consider, like
the defense of Silanthanos if an attack is indeed imminent."

  Lara stands up. "An attack you would not have been aware of had it not been for the efforts of Kylanthansa Uthmandir," she says.

  "Captain Uthanasa, you forget your place," reproaches The High Councilor. "I expect this kind of conduct from an outsider who is a stranger to our ways, but not you."

  "I'm sorry fath—High Councilor," Lara says, "but though the accused has confessed, there are other factors to consider before judgment."

  "I also want to add," I say, "that the laws Kylanthansa broke no longer exist. The Omega Treaties no longer apply."

  "Because you and the accused were the ones who broke the Treaties in the first place. It is because of you we are in this predicament!" says Councilman Antenetsu.

  "That is enough," says The High Councilor. He didn't yell, but his voice filled the chamber. "Shame on all of you. How dare you all act like bickering children in this chamber?"

  "Please High Councilor," I say. "Allow me to plead my case. I do not deny his guilt, but allow me to offer an alternative judgment to Kylanthansa's crimes."

  "This council will abide no trick of procedure," says Councilman Antenetsu.

  "This is no trick," I say. "I am merely trying to offer a better solution."

  "A solution? From you? All you've brought with you are problems," says Councilman Antenetsu.

  "I will hear your plea," says The High Councilor.

  "High Councilor, no. This human deserves no such right. He and the accused are the ones responsible for all this."

  "It is only a plea, Councilman," says The High Councilor. "The decision will still be mine. And may I remind you, Nyyx Mara is Azrael's former Bearer, and once held the title of defender of the human race."

  Councilman Antenetsu bites his tongue, and his lips form a thin line across his gray, marble face.

  "Thank you, High Councilor," I say.

  "You may proceed, former Bearer," says The High Councilor.

  Beads of sweat form on my hairline. My cheeks get hot. Everyone's looking at me. Okay come on, think! I got us here, now what. Your act first, think later strategy isn't doing you any good now.

  "Um...okay... well..."

  Say something!

  "Former Bearer," says The High Councilor. "What is your plea?"

  "I...I apologize, but would it be possible to take a short break so I may confer with the accused?"

  "This is unbelievable!" cries Councilman Antenetsu.

  "Former Bearer, do you mock our proceedings?" asks The High Councilor.

  "Forgive me, High Councilor. If it appears I am making a mockery of his trial, I am not. I have not seen Kylanthansa for a few weeks. I do not know the whole situation."

  Councilman Antenetsu stands in front of The High Councilor. "High Councilor, I beg you. You cannot let this continue any longer."

  "I am afraid Councilman Antenetsu is correct," says The High Councilor. "If you have anything to say, former Bearer, say it now."

  Okay here goes. Open your mouth, and whatever comes out will be it. No! That's a horrible idea. This is not the time for improv. Well, you gotta say something!

  "If it pleases the—"

  Alarms ring out through the chamber before I can finish what was, most likely, going to be a stream of bullshit coming out of my mouth. There is a brief moment where everyone shares worried glances before the room quickens. The four erolith down in the pit with Kyle ready their lances, poised to strike. The erolith captains shoot up from their seats and rush to protect the councilmen and The High Councilor. King Hurdalin issues out commands to his Thadamar retinue. Lev looks around, confused. He isn’t the only one.

  "What is going on?" I ask Tamon.

  "It can only mean one thing, boy. The invasion's begun."

  Thirty-Three

  The erolith offices are located within the Palace of Souls, and its entrance is through a pair of heavy, black metal doors, marked by arabesque etchings, glowing with a pulsing green hue. The heavy doors open to a large circular room with a domed ceiling. At the center is a twenty foot tall statue of an erolith soldier in armor holding a shortsword in one hand. The other hand is held out, palm up, with a crystal hovering over the palm, lighting up the room. There is a lance strapped to its back — the blade and upper shaft sticking up from the statue's right shoulder. The walls of the chamber have a reflective crystalline motif, but instead of seeing one's reflection, scenes are playing on the walls as if one is watching a movie on a refracted surface. The scenes depicted are of battles from an indeterminate time. There are scenes of war against demonic forces. There is even one depicting encounters during the Elven Civil Wars before humans were on Earth.

  "How are they doing this?" Lev asks, looking up and around the chamber as he walks.

  "How are we doing what?" asks Lara.

  "The walls. These scenes. They're so...real."

  "They are memories," says Lara. "When we elves die, our souls join the spirit world, same as yours. We must leave our earthly belongings behind before passing through Ashyanthinasi and crossing over to the realm of the immortals. Our memories are the last thing we must leave behind to become purified spirits. The crystals of this palace store those memories. These walls are filled with the memories of our warriors."

  Lara takes us through the room, past erolith rushing this way and that. The soldiers are at different stages of battle readiness. Some are sheathing silvered shortswords or grabbing silvered lances, while others are strapping on bits of armor as they rush to the doors.

  We walk through a couple more hallways to a set of double doors, where King Hurdalin and his Thadamar retinue are waiting. Lara opens the doors, and ushers all of us into an enormous circular chamber, but as we walk further into it, we find that the room is conical in shape, and gets wider the higher one goes. We are on the bottom floor, and at its center spins a giant multi-colored crystal, about eight feet tall, and three feet across at its widest section. It's shaped like a long diamond, sharp at the top and bottom ends. Multicolored lights shoot out from the top of the diamond, projecting an image above us. Forty feet up is a giant projection of Superior's mountain valley.

  "What's this place?" Lev asks.

  "It's our war room," says Lara.

  Along the circular wall of the war room is a ramp that spirals upward. Lara leads us up the ramp. Forty feet up is a platform twenty feet wide, running in a semicircle along the war room wall. At this height, we are level with the Superior valley map, which is floating in the middle of the room. Only it's not a map. It looks like a three-dimensional live feed of what's happening out there. The detail is flawless. There are no electronic glitches common with human holographic displays. Thousands of floating magic crystals look like stars in the summer twilight. But the beauty of the scene is contrasted by the look of panic on the faces of elves crossing the lake on boats, both through the air and across the water, to take refuge within The Palace of Souls. What's frightening them is hovering at the southern end of the valley.

  Superior's mountain valley is shaped like a teardrop. The wide, north end is home to the city of Superior proper, the lake, and The Palace of Souls. At the pinched, southern end floats a giant mass of, what looks like, uncut obsidian — a solid, hard, and black cloud, which measures fifteen miles wide if I'm estimating the scale correctly. It's hovering there, unmoving.

  Lara and the other nine erolith captains are watching the map of Superior, pointing and whispering among themselves at the giant dark rock floating above the southern pass. Behind us, a floor up is another platform with seven seats for the Superior High Council. Flanking the row of seven seats are two doors.

  The memories of erolith past, playing on the walls, go dark. The ten erolith captains stop talking. The doors on the upper platform open and the erolith captains turn around, stand at attention, and look up at the row of empty chairs. Then the councilmen walk in. The six lesser councilmen enter first, three from the left door, three from the right. High Councilor Rol
anthis Uthanasa enters the room last and sits. After the entire council is seated, the erolith stand at ease and await further instruction.

  "Status report," says Councilman Antenetsu.

  An erolith captain steps forward. He is handsome, tall, and well-built. He has a heroic brow over striking gray eyes. He has short silver hair and a sharp jawline. "The mysterious object appeared five minutes ago, councilman,” he says. “We have escalated the evacuations, and all available erolith warriors have been deployed to the edge of the barrier, ready to defend. They are waiting for us to join them."

  "Thank you, Captain Haloran, and how are our supplies?"

  "We have enough supplies to withstand a siege for fifty years if need be," answers Captain Haloran.

  "What of our patrols? Why was this thing not spotted?" asks Councilman Kareen.

  "They were cloaked, councilman," says Captain Haloran.

  "Not only that," says another captain, whose name I don't know. "It came down from above. Far above. We spotted it as it stopped to hover level with the peaks on the southern pass."

  "What sort of cloaking magic could hide from our detection?" asks Councilman Kareen.

  Fair question. The thing is a flying mountain. The magic it takes to keep that thing afloat would create a big disturbance in Field energies. It should have never gotten this close without anyone noticing.

  The captains look to each other for the answer but find none.

  "We do not know, councilman."

  "Do you not think we should find out?" scolds Councilman Antenetsu.