When Nethron made his declaration, Rohmhelt had been riding at the head of his army toward the southeast and Methrangia itself, an approach that would certainly take at least a month. Rohmhelt had braced for the monotony of the march itself, but not for what Nethron had blared across every corner of the land. The King had nearly lost control of his horse during Nethron’s proclamation, but managed to avoid the embarrassment of tumbling to the muddy ground in front of the soldiers.
He would likely have escaped their notice in any event. The whole of his own column, some seventy-thousand strong, was far too distracted. Word from the other columns, running parallel to his own some miles apart, indicated much the same phenomenon. Restoring order in the ranks proved difficult. The men couldn’t focus on what their commanders told them, if their commanders had a firm hold of their senses as it was. Marshal Agrehn proposed that the whole army camp early for the day until the commanders could quell the unrest. Rohmhelt’s hesitation at confirming the order was helped along by Queen Evinda prodding him to do so.
That night, with rumors running wildly throughout the camps, Rohmhelt summoned a council in his royal tent consisting of Agrehn, Lohs, Evinda, and several of the senior division commanders. Even some hours after the event, all who attended were disoriented by what they had heard and indeed seen as the Aura’s flashes had danced across their eyes. Rohmhelt noted that the only attendee who seemed to take the matter in stride was Marshal Agrehn.
Nearly blending into the tent’s red and blue patterns with his attire, he stood relatively calm as he called on each of the commanders to provide their assessment of their men’s morale. The reports were varied and confusing. One of the commanders simply succinctly referred to his men as “bewildered.” Another stated that they were “shaken, but loyal.” Two commanders reported definite morale problems with men openly questioning King Rohmhelt’s adherence to Forynda. Agrehn’s response was swift.
“If you know who these men are, have them rounded up and flog them. That’s an inexcusable breach of discipline,” Agrehn ordered.
“Sir, it was an unusual moment. The men were surprised. It…” one of the commanders responded, but Agrehn cut them off.
“Discipline counts for nothing if it doesn’t hold up under strain. If a strange voice can bring loyalty into question, we can’t rely on them for combat,” Agrehn said calmly, but firmly with obvious disappointment. “Your Majesty, you will recall the issue I raised some time ago about concerns regarding the army’s quality. This matter speaks for itself.”
Rohmhelt nodded gloomily. Evinda, however, stepped forward.
“Before we go any further, I think we need to get a firm grasp on how widespread this problem is. Are we going to take a thorough look at all of our columns and see which are wobbly?” the Queen asked.
Agrehn bowed politely toward the Queen.
“Such an exercise is being conducted as we speak now, Your Majesty,” Agrehn replied.
“And there’s more. We need to hear how the ordinary citizens in the King’s lands, and the Emperor’s, responded to this. We can’t have them rebelling around us, or being spies,” Evinda declared.
Agrehn bowed lightly at the Queen again.
“A most wise command. I’ll freely confess I hadn’t thought that far ahead. I will put our scouts on the issue at once.”
Rohmhelt motioned his own agreement, still struck by the gravity of the moment, especially now that Nethron had thrown in with the dissident angels. His whirring mind happened across a question that had not been posed by that point.
“Nethron said he was releasing the Auras so that we could use them. Is there any sign anyone that we’re aware of suddenly wielding these things as the angels would? Anything at all?” Rohmhelt inquired.
The King’s query caused the commanders, including Agrehn, to glance at one another in silence. Each shook their heads in turn.
“Not as of yet, Your Majesty,” Agrehn replied. “I suspect that it’s not yet readily apparent to any of them how such a thing would be done. That fact may be sparing us some grief.”
“Perhaps it was all nothing,” one of the other commanders murmured in a deep rumble. “It might have all been an elaborate lie by Nethron.”
“No, we all saw too much happen for it to have been nothing,” Evinda retorted.
“I quite agree,” Agrehn swiftly replied. “Starting tonight, I will ensure that we are on the lookout for any such occurrences. If nothing else, I needn’t tell you all that such abilities could have profound military consequences. We are most unfamiliar with how to confront anything of this sort.”
The King waved off Agrehn’s worries.
“I’m quite sure of your skills, Marshal Agrehn,” Rohmhelt smiled, masking his growing weariness with the conversation. The marshal only responded with a terse nod. “I should let all of you return to your men. We can discuss this further in the morning.”
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“Yes, Your Majesty,” they all responded in unison.
After they departed, Rohmhelt stood silently as Evinda and Lohs for a moment while he collected his thoughts. It was difficult for him to accept the full scale of the reality that now faced him. With Nethron’s actions, he was certain that the mortal world stood on the edge of the cataclysm he sought so fervently to avoid. The visions that had plagued him for years now lurked just in front of him. He was certain of that.
His entire body ached from the strain of considering it all. Pains shot about his muscles randomly and his eyes twitched.
“Lohs, I need to get some sleep. Write father a letter and dispatch it immediately. Tell him that he shouldn’t take any rash actions against my brother and that he should wait until we arrive to support his armies. I’m worried he’ll do something stupid,” Rohmhelt said.
Lohs nodded.
“I understand. I was concerned about exactly the same thing. Don’t worry. I’ll write it very diplomatically. I know what your father likes to hear,” the old man nodded. “Good night.”
Rohmhelt almost immediately made for the bed in the tent and collapsed upon it. Evinda, however, paced slowly. Her eyes were closed and her arms folded.
“My dear, I don’t think we have anything more intelligent to say about this tonight,” he groaned. “You should get some rest, too.”
“In a moment,” she replied. “I’m trying to think.”
“You’ll think better with sleep.”
“I might forget what I’m thinking about.”
“And what are you thinking about?” Rohmhelt asked, groaning again.
“I’m worried that this ploy by Nethron will cut out our legs from under us,” Evinda said. “I don’t think we can be sure that all of your lands are going to stay loyal. Even if Nethron hasn’t given them nearly as much as he claims, they’ll still think he’s done more than our loyalty to Forynda has. We need something tangible from the angels for our own people. Something now.”
The urgency to her voice was genuine. She never panicked without reason, at least in the short time he had come to know her well.
“I don’t think they’ll see it that way,” Rohmhelt replied. “The entire argument was…”
“Yes, I know!” Evinda snapped back. “The situation has changed more than a little since all of that!”
Her outburst was followed by a brief and uncomfortable silence.
“What did you have in mind?” he asked to clear the air.
“I’m not sure, but it needs to be something drastic or I fear our lands will rip themselves to pieces.”
Much as he wanted to disagree and believe that his people’s loyalty was absolute, he knew better than that. They needed something more.
~~~
In the Auras’ wake, Ceuna was plagued by an unsettled ambience that Rithys had never experienced. She was at a loss for how to even describe it in her own mind. Perhaps it was merely the instability caused by the Auras flinging about freely across both the mortal and angelic realms. It could have been simpler, however. Forynda’s brooding response to Nethron’s betrayal had been so powerful that all could feel it.
It was toward that brooding cloud that both Rithys and Cyrona were called. While Rithys was devastated that Nethron had betrayed Forynda, Cyrona crowed in a certain sense. She had cautioned again and again that Nethron would fail and that he was a poor choice to lead any effort trying to create a lasting peace. Rithys had no view on the matter. She tried to remain isolated in her sanctum as the others fretted.
Forynda, plainly ruminating behind an otherwise stony face, sat upon her throne and glared at Cyrona and Rithys. Both Cyrona and Rithys remained silent until Forynda decided to speak.
“There are few in Ceuna who have not failed me,” Forynda declared at last. “Nethron’s betrayal confirms that I cannot rely on Vorlan on this matter, either. I have summoned both of you because I believe I can rely on you.”
“We are pleased by your faith in us,” Cyrona immediately responded.
Forynda’s gaze fell briefly upon Rithys, but returned to her sanctum’s vacant spaces.
“I have sworn that I will never descend onto the mortal world unless it was an irrevocable crisis. We are now at such a time,” the High Angel declared.
Cyrona indicated her approval while Rithys again had no response.
“However, I cannot see Nethron. His duplicitous deed has blinded us to the locations of the traitor angels. The whirring Auras create a veil through which I cannot see,” Forynda continued. “I need you to find Nethron for me. Find him, reveal his location to me, and I will bring him the justice he deserves. The others will realize that their cause is hopeless at that juncture and abandon their rebellion.”
That sanguine declaration, however, was met with doubts by both Cyrona and Rithys. Rithys wished that it were true, but she could sense that the High Angel herself did not fully believe her own assertion. She recalled the fervency with which her rebellious brethren had declared their sentiments. Imagining Omonrel or Parlon being cowed by Nethron’s punishment was impossible. There was nothing she could foresee that would return those two to Ceuna’s bosom again.
“Rithys, you have been silent this entire time,” Forynda said. “Did you have anything you wished to say?”
Cyrona and Forynda locked their eyes on Rithys.
“I fear it will require more than that,” Rithys said. “They will not return easily.”
“You know this? Have you spoken to any of them? What knowledge do you possess that I do not?” Forynda retorted.
“It is merely a feeling,” Rithys said.
While Forynda appeared to mull a further response, a flash of light appeared at her side. Elaous, the Guardian, stepped forward.
“With the greatest, respect, allow me to punish Nethron,” Elaous said. “It is my duty as Guardian of Ceuna.”
Forynda fumed, but her respect for Elaous must have restrained any rage.
“You chose Nethron as the emissary. You and Vorlan assured me that Nethron could be trusted to negotiate with Omonrel and his brood. Why should I trust your judgment now?”
“Perhaps you should not. This is my responsibility, however, and I will not fail you. I implore you, I will resolve this.”
Forynda’s sanctum filled with a growing tension while the High Angel considered that plea. Cryona’s body roiled, but she managed to stay her tongue.
“Very well, Elaous, but I only do this out of my deepest respects for you,” the High Angel said. “Should you prove yourself unable to resolve the conflict, I will resolve it myself and I will resolve it swiftly.”
Elaous nodded slowly while Cyrona’s expression became mournful. For her part, Rithys tried to convince herself that Elaous would be able to bring the entire unfortunate episode to a close. That, however, was a hope that none of them appeared to share.