"What are you here to report?" Kanieta snapped, not bothering to look at the messenger as she pretended to study a scroll. She honestly didn't even know what it was about. She should, but doing Faction Leader work was tedious. It was best to leave such work to those under her.
The only reason she had even touched the cursed object in acknowledgment of its existence was she needed some way to look busy while the Crescent Moon messenger waited.
"Two legions are marching on our fort from the south, and there is movement on the bridge suggesting another." Crowed the pompous eagle. "The High Chieftain demands you send troops to hold the fort."
"Ahh. You demand?" Asked Kanieta tasting the unpleasant words while she looked up from the scroll for the first time since the bird entered the chamber. It was a good thing too. She actually remembered that it was about a dispute between two clans over a plot of land in the new city.
"And who is this… high chieftain?" The eagle, like most birds but especially the eagles, was shirtless. She could see spell foci scattered over his body in the shapes of bracelets and necklaces.
The largest necklace, a combination of multi-colored strings and beads leading to a quarts disk with a carving of the sun, was glowing. She could tell, at a glance, that the effect was purely aesthetic. There wasn't even a feature to blind those that attacked him or something.
From the ripples of the spell caused in the ambient mana, Kanieta could also tell that the spell was sucking up a lot of the bird's mana. More than a spell that simple really should, but what could one expect from a faction that refused to take long-range spell casting seriously. Their spell forms for anything other than physical enhancement were trash.
The bird might even be burning so much mana that it was more than his regeneration could handle. All while he is requesting our help to fight a battle. I wonder if he knows there is such a thing as humility. She thought, her mind filled with scorn. It is quite the effect, though, she admitted, if only to herself.
The quarts disk of the neckless hung at his sternum, and the yellow light emphasized the contours of his muscles. Even his brown and gold winds spread out behind his back had a deeper richness to them, and the light danced over the feathers. As Kanieta studied the spell closer, she noticed something odd. That spell shouldn't be using that much mana. Why… Wait, is that?
Lips twitching, she moved her eyes to the ground and saw spots of golden light shining against the ground. Every feather that had the slightest tinge of gold on the bird was projecting a ray of light. Like it was actually a gold feather or something.
Resisting the urge to roll her eyes so hard they fell out of her head, she shifted to the side and looked at her cousin. Nareta was already turned around and appeared to be making some tea. But Kanieta could see her face twisted as she tried to suppress her laughter and the slight shaking in her hands.
"The High Chieftain is Derg, Leader of the Crescent Moon Faction. Enemy to all who oppose our will…" Said the condescending bird, wiping away any humor she felt. And the way he trailed off bothered her. It was like he was going to say more.
"Leader of a faction or not, he is still just a chieftain." She said, her voice growing cold. No one is superior among The People. We are all equal."
"Caww." scoffed the bird, "Maybe for you lesser factions. But in our clans and faction, everyone knows their place." His winds puffed out, and his already straight back straightened more as his head tilted back. "The strong rule, the weak obey."
"A chieftain only rules by the will of their clan. A faction leader only rules by the will of the chieftains. And a faction only exists by the lenience of the Conclave. This is how The People work, have always worked. Or am I wrong?" Kanieta, looking around the hall.
Other chieftains of her faction were nodding along at her world, murmuring. She noted a few that were frowning as they looked at the bird.
"You know nothing. Change is coming, and we will not bow to the Olimpians or Letairry, readying our necks to be collard." Snapped the bird in a huff, "It's in your best interest to gather your forces and march them out to support us." The ominous warning in his tone and words sent a shiver of suspicion running down her spine as she narrowed her eyes.
"Oh? Why? If you truly wanted to hold the fort, maybe Derg should have stationed more than two thousand warriors there. Or improved the defenses. He had over a month to reinforce it for the attack a child could say was coming. Maybe your mighty warriors can meet them in the field and win. It should be easier than fighting in a fort." She said while lounging back in her seat and looking at her nails.
"Are you refusing to come to our aid?" The eagle asked, gritting his teeth.
"What!" Kanieta said, feigning shock while holding her hand to her chest, "Is the Crescent moon so weak that they cannot hold back three legions while hiding behind their fortifications? Where are these mighty warbands I am constantly hearing about?"
"This slight will be remembered." said the bird, his voice shaking with barely suppressed rage, "The High Chieftain will not be pleased."
"I tremble in fear," Kanieta said flatly, flicking her wrist as if shooing a pest away.
With a swirl of feathers and light, the messenger turned and walked from the hall. He passed between and under the carved pillars that looked like long fox tails and were connected with arches in the shape of foxes leaping toward each other, their noses just touching.
Not a sound was made except the sound of the bird's footfalls until he walked down the hall, and the doors leading to the dark night slammed shut behind him. Even then, seconds passed as the silence grew heavy.
A small clink sounded in the deafening silence, and Kanieta looked over to see the cup of tea Nareta had placed on the small stand next to her chair.
Grabbing the porcelain cup, Kanieta breathed in the smell of the leaves, enjoying the aroma before taking a sip.
"So you were wrong," Lurta said from her spot behind Kanieta and to the left. "The legion did decide to attack."
"I told you we should have pressed our advantage while we could," Croaked Elder Hartloe from his spot on the right, "Trusting the Olimpians to act logically is a fool's errand."
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"Our positions are secure and reinforced. The Olimpians will be in for quite the surprise, and we all agreed the gains would be worth the risks. And we all know it is better for us to defend than attack. If the Olimpians want to throw themselves against our walls in futile gestures of aggression, let them." Snapped Lurta, immediately coming to Kanieta's support. Kanieta almost felt some gratitude towards Lurta, but she could easily imagine the heat of the glares passing between the two behind her. At least it's only glaring this time.
While Lurta would have happily harangued her for hours more, it would look like she agreed with Hartloe. And the mountains would be ground to pebbles before that happened. "They cannot possibly be hiding the numbers that would be needed to actually press us."
As her words settled into the minds of those gathered, Kanieta spoke, "What legions are attacking?"
"Why does that matter?" Rumbled Chieftain Marow, the bear-kin stepping into the center of the chamber from where he lounged against the wall.
"Because it will tell us who is attacking and possibly why," Kanieta replied, setting her cup down and lacing her fingers together over her lap. "I haven't heard of legions coming from the west or east… Unless someone failed to tell me?" She looked around, checking to see if anyone appeared anxious, "So where did they come from? Who's commanding them? From what we know, only the major cities in the north have a single legion, and most of those are civic legions. The provinces have a single legion scattered over their area, but stripping that would leave every village and town undefended in a time of fear. Pulling the personal legions from the high noble families would be like stripping a chief of his warriors in a time of war. And would most likely cause a rebellion."
"So what are you saying?" Asked the bear chieftain.
"I am saying that we cannot discard the thought of peace when we don't know the perpetrator or intentions of the attack." Kanieta said while looking at everyone present, "For all we know, this is a single high noble looking for glory. How often has one of our factions or clans acted without the other's knowledge? Too many to count. The stakes are too high for a single act to write off one entire possible branch of our future. Even if every single warrior and mage in the forts were slaughtered, I would still consider peace if I thought they were being sincere."
She could see the chieftains nodding along with her words, even if some were not entirely enthusiastic. "But that does not mean we will be caught unprepared. Or enact a price upon them for their actions." This time everyone growled in agreement. "Marow, can I count on you to deal with our defenses while we hold the Conclave, but do not interfere with what happens to the wolves and birds."
The Bear-kin slowly nodded and rumbled, "As you say. No Olimpian will get into the fort," before turning and lumbering his way out of the room.
"I didn't say that!" Kanieta called after him, "If you have to fall back, fall back. Just make sure they don't break our lines."
"I want to know why the Crescent Moon is so confident." Said Chieftain Brie after Marow waved a hand over his head in acknowledgment, "They have always been overconfident and condescending, but this is going a little far even for them. Why was he so sure of himself. And isn't it strange they would ask us for help? Usually, we have to force them to be a part of any of their battles."
"That was outside the norm," Lurta agreed pleasantly, the click click of her knitting needles sounding. "And I will have the Shades look into it while we hold this morning's Conclave. Speaking of which, has everyone finally arrived?"
"Everyone but the Blood Claw Faction," Nareta answered. "But they should arrive at daybreak."
"Or they might not show up at all. Or they could show up halfway through our meeting and make a scene." Sighed Lurta in annoyed resignation, "I can't believe they are our oldest faction most of the time."
"Most of the time?" A chieftain in the crowd called out, "Why are they still a faction at all if they never do anything."
"Because no one who has seen them fight is stupid enough to stand in their way." Snapped Lurta, "If you want to take their rights away, be my guest."
The crowd stepped away, leaving a young chieftain standing in their center, whose face was now bloodless. His eyes were flicking around at those who were abandoning him as if he expected to see a childhood nightmare leap out at him.
"Thought not," Snorted Lurta. "So don't speak if you won't back up your words."
Bowing his head, the young man's face flushed from the chastisement. "All factions should be represented?"
"Yes," replied Nareta.
"Then we have nothing else to say here. I will be taking my leave." Lurta said, "Kanieta, will you be so kind as to join me as I head to the Grand Hall."
"As you wish, Elder," Kanieta said as she got up and started to move out of the hall.
Before she left, Kanieta turned and said, "Any chieftain is welcome to join me in our section for the Conclave, of course. I hope to see you all there."
Moving into the side passageway for the Faction leader and elders, she found Elder Lurta and Hartloe waiting for her a little way down the hall. Coming up next to them, they looked at them before moving into the door they were blocking.
They entered the room they were blocking together and were greeted by the sight of a small reading room. Three plush armchairs were facing each other and arranged around a small table. The walls, while nearly bare at the moment, had shelves running from ceiling to floor, destined to be filled with the events that transpired in the Clan Hall. In the room's corners were lamp stands with crystals on their tops enchanted to give off light.
The light they gave off wasn't strong enough to light up every nook of the room, but just enough to cast everything in the room in thick shadows. Because this room was designed to hold events that may never see the light of day.
Lurta grabbed the jar of moonjuice in the center of the table and poured herself a half glass before downing the expensive alcohol. She then threw the glass at Hartloe.
"Temper temper, Lurta," Hartloe said, hand snaping out, catching the glass, and moving to pour himself some. "I haven't seen you made enough to simply lash out since someone put that stink boom spell in your bed."
"Ha! That was quite the joke. And the trigger being three rapid bumps was clever."
"Four," Hartloe said offhandedly as he smelled the spirits, "And there had to be a certain amount of weight on the bed."
"I knew it!" Lurta shouted triumphantly as she burst to her feet and pointed at the old man in righteous rage as his eyes went wide in alarm. "All these years, you have denied it. But I knew it was you're doing, you old coot!"
"Waa?!" Spluttered Hartloe as he coughed up his drink before his back straitened, "Your damn right it was me, you vindictive harpy! All you had to do was not sleep with someone for three days, and it wouldn't go off, but no~! That was too much for you! You literally couldn't make it twelve hours!"
"How dare you!" Seethed Lurta, "And to think I let you—
"Ahem," coughed Kanieta. "I think we have other things to do rather than bring up old, and best forgotten, history."
The two old husks stared death at each other before they both turned to face her in a huff.
"So," Asked Hartloe after he took a sip of the Moonjuice, "Why are you mad."
"The investigators have nothing," Lurta said.
"Nothing other than the Fact Jolten made the formation for the Soul Harvest Spell." Added Nareta.
"Are you sure there is more to this?" Hartloe asked, not even questioning how they knew. The Shades' abilities were an open secret.
"They were too practiced," Kanieta answered. "Everything went smoothly like they had done it so many times in the past that it was an old habit. You can't fake that."
"So this Conclave is a trap." Intuited Hartloe.
"Probably."
"And now the chickens and dogs have more ammunition with us refusing to help their defense. A fact that is suspicious in itself. You got a plan?"
"Other than keeping my eyes open and on the balls of my feet? Nope."
"Ahh, I see," Hartloe said, sipping the alcoholic liquid that glowed a soft silver in his glass, and they all quieted down to think their own thoughts.
After they sipped a few more glasses and most of the night was over, they got up to leave. "I guess we should get going." Said Kanieta. "We don't want to be late."
"Don't worry, Kanieta," Nareta said as the group moved to the door, "I grabbed your Chieftain Staff from where you left it."
"Great," Kanieta said, not meaning a syllable as the door opened, revealing the stupid stick.