Shadows slowly crept towards the alabaster edges of the large central pavilion of the Radiant Keep’s vast garden when Albron and Augermil arrived after dropping off Isocrates and his niuvhen friend in the headquarters. The clanking of their armor rang through the dusk blanketed garden and as they reached towards the alabaster structure emanating a divinely silver glow though the two paid not much attention to it as they both were occupied with their thoughts.
Beneath the mirrored ceiling the two spotted the umbra kissed slender form of Terrianis draped in three layers of silken robes. The first outer resembled more of a cloak that effortlessly cascaded down his back in while the little silvery light of the dusk appeared in elegant, dancing streaks towards the edges where his magnificently combed long ashen black hair not have reached.
Beneath it he wore a striking robe of myriad hues like his scales, claws and eyes that appeared to be sewn to fit his form in a disciplined stiffness while its arkhaine nature guaranteed the surface remained devoid of creases even as he lifted his hand and let his milk smooth palm be bathed by the ray of silver hitting the floor caressing the bottom of nis naked feet.
And the third and last piece hugging his form consisted of a single piece which encompassed almost his whole body except for his head. It seemed to be sewn from a textile glass with onyx grids similar to mosaiced windows or the borders on the wings of winged insects while blurring his smooth fair skin beneath itself.
Close to his right, Anguraa stood and leaned closer in his own mauve pieces of layered aevhen robes whispering sibilantly while hiding his worry behind a calm demeanor, though the two saw through his guise as he tended to dig his index finger into his palm in occasions like this.
“Brother. Albron.” The two halted in their steps right before the widely curved steps and got down onto their knees as soon as Terrianis rotated around and his prismatic draconic eyes pierced through them while in his presence the air grew heavier, scorching while the nearby flora gleamed with a crimson glow as if reflecting the smothered anger of their owner.
A strong gust of wind blew through the pavilion and its surrounding as his nostrils expanded while his hands folded onto each other in front of him. “Please tell me that the two of you came with good tidings.”
“I am afraid we came with opposing tides my dear brother. The agent of the enemy escaped and this time left no traces which would lead us to their den.” Albron and Anguraa twitched as a cup on the marble balustrade collapsed into itself with the garnishing jewels shattering into thousands of pieces.
“So the Shadow lengthened over our capital.” Terrianis murmured. “There is more to it we see it on your faces. Out with it!”
“There is also a chance that the Order had been infiltrated by the Infaerni.”
“That can’t be!” Before Anguraa could have yelled more, he was gestured into silence. “A chance you say? And which Infaerni would be foolish enough to thread on my territory?”
“Said agent was a long time protégé under the wing of Rhenathorhia and I believe the one dubbing itself as the Beautiful One is behind the attacks.”
“Didn’t poor Moirstyria took care of that one? What makes sure it is that wounded beast?”
“I fought with it many a century ago and that saccharine aethereal stench is unmistakable as well as the tricks it uses to gain worshippers. Two servuothii and the magusos of the Great Weaver also bore the very same taint in their soul.”
Terrianis listened silently while stroking his chin, then turned to Anguraa. “Inspect every single member of the Order. Albron go aid him.” The two nodded then walked away into the central building of the Radiant Keep.
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“If I’m not needed anymore my Elhyrissiar I would like to continue my hunt.”
Halfway through turning to leave, Terrianis called out to him. “It was quite the hectic day and we almost forgot, but after you are finished with hunting, we shall allow you to go through with the Ritual of Change.” Augermil’s puzzled expression was veiled by the shadows, and remained silent for a several moments.
“Though further talks on that business shall have to wait. For now go our dear brother, hunt down this wretch and make them regret their folly of tainting our soil with their breath.”
**
Albron’s muscles tensed under his ebony plates the moment the two stepped through the Greigor Gate and arrived into a large hall of obsidian stones neatly stacked and welded while the six-armed sculptures of the Fateweaver loomed over them near the center and the singular towering blackwood gate ornated with adamantium giving off an iridescent hue while maghieth light fell on them.
“Where are we?” He asked in the echoing chamber while Anguraa silently stopped then looked at his palm bleeding his azure blood. The tip of his left index finger ran across it and the hemorrhaging wound closed as new flesh and skin grew over it in the blink of an eye.
“I am going to be honest. I expected the Draennith Praetoriir to be the ones infiltrated by the enemy. I was mistaken.” Bewilderment was clearly visible on Albron’s face as he witnessed his brother’s admission – even if he knew he was right – for the first time in their centuries long life. His muscles which were prepared to strike down his own kin loosened while the anxiety which heated his body halted.
“Now the answer to your question. This is my little secret laboratory only a few know about including father, not including uncle for good reasons you yourself are aware of probably.” He nodded as he himself many times circled in his own office, coming up with futile thoughts of convincing Augermil to switch sides, to betray which he protected for thousands of years.
The gate slowly revealed a great hollow of basalt and marble walls with metallic tubes in stiff sinewy lineaments growing forth the walls and heading further in. A strange, lightly caustic and musky odor permeated the air, the source the myriad people laying motionless on stone tablets and a small aethgoorn dwarf of pure blood scurrying between them while holding a plaque in his hands of metallic flesh brimming with a golden hue and a tint of natural azure.
His slender dwarfish form enveloped in a robe with the pyramid collars standing proudly, wedging his bulky head graced with a cropped, hanging brownish mane with a few tresses falling over and framing his haggard but excited face lacking in the prized beard of his kin.
“Ah Lord Anguraa, I did not expect a guest. You must be Lord Albron! I heard many tales of you wrestling with Hydra menacing the lake Luernaen!” The moment he noticed the two, he placed the plaque carefully besides the dreaming aevhen maiden of pale white complexion with a tint of silver and rushed to greet the two. A child like joy plastered itself across his face as he stared with his stretching small teal eyes while Albron’s shadow draped all over his withered dwarven form.
“It is my pleasure!” Albron stated while forcing a friendly smile upon his own bearded visage while rassling against repugnant odor which he was not sure if it came from the catatonic people or the dwarf himself.
“Oh my bad, Haznarn-rulih at your service.” For a moment he stopped and looked questioningly at Anguraa as if waiting to get approval. “If I knew you were to visit, I would have freshened the air. My nose already got used to their smell.”
“Are they dead?” Albron asked as he towered over demikin of feline features in a completely frozen state. As he bent down, he noticed the head of the beastfolk elevated slightly as its silhouette appeared on the marble bed. A tube ran from it and disappeared in a metallic disk barely visible.
“In a sense yes. Though I can assure you they felt no pain or agony be it physical or mental. They all lost their self while in the tender realm of Oneiro.” As his eyes lit up, he noticed mauve and azure energies leaking from the tube, and converging towards the rear cranium.
“No need for such assurances. Their sacrifice is for the prosperous, eternal future of the Empire.” Albron said while leaning over the corpse watching as the flow of the aethereal energies matched the flow of vitae and frame of the skeleton. “Though my last question, is this all?”
“No, there are a lot more. And there shall be even more once we expand to the continent.”
Albron’s gaze followed into the distant end of the cavity and his eyes bulged mildly at the sight which he expected, though he still had to quell the rising anger within himself as he gazed upon the beautiful golden form hung above a deep chasm where a vortex of energies condensed and flew into the artifice wedged into the basalt wall. “Though that is what I wanted to show you. Our magnum opus!”