Chapter IV

She could still so vividly smell the scent of smoke and burning flesh that she could have been convinced that tragedy happened only yesterday. It was like the entire world was collapsing around her, charred bodies lining the streets, resting alongside the rubble of a once bustling and magnificent city. With every step she took, another gruesome sight awaited her, and though she sought to turn away from it—to never think about it again and to pretend it was nothing but a nightmare, she knew that was a cowardly choice. After all, she was one of only two people left in existence who truly understood what unfolded that night. Everybody else had been tampered with, both on her side and on the side that destroyed that beautiful city in the first place. Everybody knew it was a tragic event, but nobody understood the full extent of what made it so tragic. Nobody knew who it was that set off the combustions, nor did they know the circumstances behind the deaths of Master Viiro Noctis and Eko Luz.

“It was all such a mystery,” they would say. “So many people lost their lives in the chaos, and we don’t even understand how they died. How could Viiro Noctis have been so easily defeated? Who was the one that killed him? Or what of Eko? Who killed the rising star of House Luz? How were the Ladies of the NightLight marked by the Teritus? Or Master Acostav in Saientia? Was it Sartella? Was it some other means of infiltration we don’t know about? Who really knows?”

It wasn’t fair.

It was so beyond unfair that she still doubted whether the power of erasure was as all-encompassing as she had been led to believe for her entire life. Erasure magic could upend reality. Erasure magic could unravel the truth of events and turn it into something else entirely, and for much of her practice sessions with that terrible power, it certainly seemed like it could do anything. So in that magnificent city in the sky, what went wrong? She removed the piece at the center of the chaos, the one who made it possible for the Kosah-Rei to achieve what they did. So why didn’t it save anybody but the man who deserved to be saved the least? If Lunara Noctis never existed, then how did the Kosah-Rei mark her family? It just didn’t make sense.

In the end, that fiery night remained a part of Ijirian history—a night shrouded in such mystery that erasure magic decided it didn’t need to change much. If few people understood it to begin with, then for what purpose was there to meddle with reality? It disgusted her. It left her shattered and sick, especially because she used that power illegally. She broke the most taboo law a Luz could break, and it was all for nothing. That city still burned. Her closest friends and her family still died, and there was nothing anybody had to show for it. There was nothing that made their deaths worth it. The Battle of Stellareid was nothing more than a pathetic display of Ijirian arrogance.

Three and a half years later, she would see it in her nightmares. She would be standing there amidst the death, gazing up at the Grand Observatory as it was engulfed in blue fires. She would see that beam of white light shooting into the sky before exploding into orange, and she would see the shattered corpse of Viiro Noctis leaking through the grated platform. Finally, she would see her father laying blackened in Lord Cartigan’s lounge, and she would gaze at Abigail Reiner just before they split up for good, the nature mage disappearing in the midst of the battle, never to be seen from again.

Then, just when everything was becoming too much for her, Album Luz would awake with a scream.

***

Jolting upwards, Album’s hand shot out, desperately grasping at the air as panic set in, sweat drenched her trembling body, and she reoriented herself. Her throat hurt from screaming, so she slowly leaned back against the headboard and wrapped her arms around her small body, trying to ease the anxiety and quell the nausea causing bile to rise through her throat. Lunara’s face was floating around in her mind, grinning then glaring then shouting as she realized her erasure was imminent. A girl who was like her sister, a girl who murdered her entire family, wiped from existence, known only to her and Ryokumo. It was their greatest secret, one that had never been divulged to anybody, and Album intended for it to stay that way forever. As always when her thoughts drifted to that vile creature, she closed her eyes and whispered, “I’m sorry, Neah”, before increasing her grip on herself. Eventually, Album stabilized and regained control over her breathing. She rested a hand on her chest, feeling the slowing of her heartbeat as it returned to a healthy pace.

Deep breaths, Album… Lunara’s gone… She can’t hurt you ever again…

Album sighed, turning her eyes down to her body, only to grimace at how her sweat-soaked pajamas clung to her skin.

I need to shower…

The young woman swung her legs over the side of the bed and gently placed her bare feet against the carpet, stopping momentarily to scan the rather small bedroom of her quarters in the Ijirian Citadel. Rising to her feet, Album approached the window just to the right of the bed, taking a moment to glance out at the sprawling mass of Erika far below, and as they always did, her eyes shifted towards the spot she knew the Academy to be, identified by the massive tree that was the Nature Department’s main building. Her mind went to Abigail for only a second before she forced herself to stop dwelling on the past as she turned away and approached her closet, only to find herself coming to a stop once again as her reflection in the wall mirror entered her periphery. She hated looking at herself these days, but that hatred never stopped her head from tilting towards it.

Six months after the Battle of Stellareid, when everything had been finalized to appoint her as Master of Light, Album returned to Noctalus and underwent the old ritual meant to increase her body’s compatibility with the light affinity. Now, everything that made her seem human was gone. Her skin was pure white, as was the long hair that flowed messily down to her back. In contrast, her eyes had lost all color, having become black and soulless, like a monster’s. She now took on the appearance that her father sported for all those years, as was the duty of the Master of Light. She did it because it was what was expected of her, but never once had she gotten used to the appalling thing she had become.

I wonder what Father thought of it. Did he miss the way he used to look? Did he prefer this? I never really thought to ask him, but there’s no means of doing so now. Whatever he thought about the rituals has been lost to time.

Lunara’s sadistic smile flashed through her head, sparking a spasm of rage that Album swiftly suppressed by averting her eyes from her appearance and sliding open her closet door. Another requirement expected of her as Master of Light, one that came from Noctalus as opposed to Erika, was to wear a white suit and tie much like the one her father was always seen in. Suits such as theirs was a formal style that was popularized near the end of the Age of Destruction, but that had mostly fallen out of the mainstream in the last fifty years. Nevertheless, that didn’t stop Noctalus from adhering to tradition and thus, it was the dress code of the Masters of Darkness and Light. Therefore, obeying the rules, Album pulled out one of her suits, collected a few other articles of clothing, then moved into the hallway just outside her bedroom, crossing into the bathroom for her shower.

Beside the chamber meant for cleaning oneself was a small orb glowing blue that was connected to the showerhead by a charmed metal pipe. It was filled with a limited supply of water mana that could be released into the chamber with the casting of a simple spell. There was about enough magic for one long shower before it would need to be resupplied—a task that was left to the Citadel housekeeping services. Given Album’s absent mind and lack of motivation these days, it wasn’t uncommon for her to zone out and fail to remember to use soap before the orb ran out, so she made sure she didn’t fall into her internal reverie as she stripped naked, activated the orb, and entered the chamber.

The water’s warm touch soothed her aching body, and she wished as she often did that she had some ability with water magic so she could have refilled the thing herself, but unfortunately, Album never did find time to practice any affinity that wasn’t light. The mana deficiencies that plagued her younger life put her so far behind that by the time The Angel healed her, she was too focused playing catch-up on her main affinity to learn the others. Then, when she was suddenly appointed Master of Light before she’d even graduated the Academy, her time was taken up by her studies and her Master duties that, again, learning the others was never an optimal idea, leaving her in the modern day still stuck with only the one type of magic.

But light magic has never failed me, so I suppose I can’t complain… Then again, riding the lifts in this damn tower would be far less of a headache if I had mastered Ortumo…

Naturally, that wasn’t to say she couldn’t cast Ortumo, rather she simply wasn’t good at it, and when she did have to ride the Citadel lifts alone, it was quite a turbulent experience. Noticing that the orb’s glow was nearly extinguished, Album sighed, finished cleaning herself, then deactivated the water and dried off. Within minutes, she had donned her white suit and black tie and was tending to her hair. She wasn’t particularly sure what she was going to do that day, for the Masters were still waiting on Koroha’s return for further information regarding the Kosah-Rei, and with Ryokumo still off on his southern trip with Rennigan, she didn’t have anybody to go see. Her life had become dreadfully lonely and boring when Ryokumo left. After all, her closest friends aside from him had been Abi, Jessi, and Faye, but…

Stop. Don’t think about that. Maybe I’ll…er…go up to the entertainment levels and, uh, just hang out, I guess…

She felt pathetic as her thoughts trailed off, but as she finished drying and brushing her hair, there was a knock at the front door. Album frowned, having not expected a visitor, and she quickly found herself hoping that maybe Ryokumo was back early or that Ilirianna needed something from her. Setting down her brush, Album hopped to her feet and hurried towards the door, pulling it open with anticipation that was so swiftly extinguished it was like that momentary excitement never existed.

You. Why is it you?

“Good morning, Album,” Nigreos Noctis greeted with a mild smile.

Like her, the young man had undergone the ritual, though his resulted in effects on his body that were the complete antithesis to her. His skin was black as shadows, as was his hair, while his eyes were a bright white that was equally as soulless as her own. He wore the required suit and tie as well, further increasing his resemblance to Viiro. With his crimes erased from reality, he had been appointed the Master of Darkness alongside her, and now served in the place of the father he had murdered.

Album’s eyes narrowed despite herself and her tone was sharp even though she knew this man wouldn’t understand why. “What do you want, Nigreos?”

“I, er, am just here with a message,” he stuttered. “King Markreas has summoned us to the Chambers immediately. Master Rhitta returned from Ankalla two hours ago, and it seems he doesn’t want to wait.”

Album straightened up, having not expected her to be back so soon. “So we’re convening now?”

“We are. Are you ready?”

“Yes. Let’s be off.”

Pulling the door to her quarters shut behind her, Album fell into stride beside Nigreos as the two made for the closet lift. She kept her head down, having little desire to speak to him, and she cursed the traditional partnership that was expected of the Noctalus Masters. Just as Viiro and Acostav had before them, Nigreos and Album were almost always assigned missions together, which was a tradition intended to make sure they were never at a disadvantage. Album was at her most powerful during the day, Nigreos was at his during the night. They complemented each other, and that was how it should be.

But…how am I supposed to just forget what he’s done? How am I supposed to like him—to trust him, when I know he’d feed me to the wolves in a heartbeat should the right circumstances be created? He may have forgotten that he ever had little sisters, but that doesn’t change who he is at his core. Nigreos Noctis is a selfish, ruthless killer…

…and it utterly disgusts me, right to my very bones, to fight alongside him.

I’m sorry, Eko. I’m sorry, Father… I’m a disgrace to your memories…

***

As she often did when there was a large development in the hunt for the Kosah-Rei, Ilirianna Iiji stood just beside King Markreas’s throne, watching patiently as they awaited the arrival of the eight Masters of Ijiria. The only ones they were still watching for were the two members of Ilirianna’s old royal team, Nigreos Noctis and Album Luz, but the other six were already in their seats, eyeing both Markreas and Koroha with anticipation. Around two months ago, they received an anonymous tip from a source they had still yet to identify claiming that the Kosah-Rei leadership operated out of the abandoned northern fortress, Ankalla. It was out of the blue, but given the vivid details regarding massive illusion charms, they knew they'd be foolish not to check it out. That was why they sent their stealthiest Master, Koroha, to infiltrate that castle then report back on what she found.

And now she’s here, Ilirianna thought with an internal grin of excitement. She looks happy, like she found something worthwhile, so even if Ankalla isn’t where all six of the leaders are hiding, I have a good feeling that she found something.

Ilirianna’s eyes lingered on Koroha for a few more seconds before she glanced to the right side of the table, absently taking in the expressions of the Masters out of mild curiosity. The Master of Rock, Sinna Cartus, was tapping her finger against the table impatiently, her large form towering over the rest of those gathered in the Chambers. She had darker skin, pitch black hair that fell to her back in a braid, stern amber eyes, and a large build covered by the sleeveless leather jerkin she always wore. Beside Sinna, the white cowl of her cloak pulled over her head, which rested against the table, was the Master of Water, Nyx Rana. Though her features were hidden, Ilirianna knew that beneath that hood, she had long silver hair and a youthful face that never seemed to mature. She was also quite small for a woman her age, a detail that was only emphasized when she sat beside Sinna.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

However, even smaller than Nyx were the other two Masters on that side of the table. The Master of Nature, Edwar Grunly, stood at only four feet tall, with a bald head and a close-cut white beard that framed his aged features. It was clear that he was getting far too old for his role as Master—a topic of heated debate between him and the Iijis in recent days, but the girl he intended to appoint as his successor had vanished years ago, leaving Grunly refusing to step down.

Next was the newest Master of the eight, the Master of the Mind, Seiras Ka. He was a halfling that had promised he could control the dangerous Cansi affinity of mind magic, and who had arrived in Erika mere weeks before Ilirianna and the royal team departed for Noctalus and Stellareid. Back before The Angel left Ijiria with Abigail, it had assured Ilirianna that Seiras could handle his magic, so she reluctantly gave her support for his appointment, and while the Battle of Stellareid heavily delayed any further tests on him, he was eventually confirmed to the position, something Ilirianna suspected may have been more due to a desire for an eighth Master in their desperate hours than any respect for Seiras himself. He was, after all, quite creepy with his tattered white hair framing a gaunt face, bulging blue eyes, and a smile that always seemed to have something twisted hidden behind it. When he noticed her gaze, she quickly looked away.

Finally, Ilirianna’s eyes flickered to the eighth Master, the man with crimson hair and eyes to match it, but since she had no desire for her thoughts to linger on Nakoma Taurus, she was grateful that it was then Nigreos and Album walked through the door and entered the Chambers. The Masters of Darkness and Light bowed to Markreas, as was their duty, then approached the vacant seats on Koroha’s left.

Markreas grinned, his own anticipation of Koroha’s report barely concealed, and once Nigreos and Album were in place, he sat up straighter and spoke. “Well now, I have little interest in dragging this out, so please, Koro, tell the others what you found at Ankalla.”

The Master of Wind gave one of her rare smiles as she did exactly as her King requested. “Well, let me preface with the fact that I cannot say whether or not this tip is still being used as a trap. The Kosah-Rei have always been bold, and we often find ourselves like puppets on their strings. This may very well be one of their risky ploys to draw us out, but regardless of their intentions, I can say this with absolute certainty…” Koroha then paused, as if wanting to add a bit of dramatic effect, before stating, “I got visual confirmation that all six leaders of the Kosah-Rei are, in fact, at Ankalla. On top of that, Rickori Keskivaara is also making his home there.”

Ilirianna’s eyebrows raised with shock as the entire room was suddenly engulfed in pure disbelief. All six plus Keskivaara? Then, this has to be it! Ankalla has to be where they’ve been operating from, but… She quickly snapped herself out of her surprise, her inquisitive brain kicking in as she pondered this information. The Kosah-Rei have always been one step ahead of us, mostly due to Tali Firrik’s foresight, so this almost seems too good to be true. Does Firrik not know she’s been compromised? Or is this tip truly meant to lure us out? I mean…we can’t exactly ignore this…

As those thoughts went through her mind, Nakoma was quick to speak them aloud, something that irritated Ilirianna more than she cared to admit. “Alright, that’s far too alluring of a target. This is a trap. I’m sure of it now. The Kosah-Rei are trying to draw us out.”

“Yes, that seems the most likely,” Sinna agreed with a curt scoff. “Rhitta, you identified all six? How can you be certain? You’ve never seen any of them…”

Koroha nodded. “True, which is why I followed them around to make sure. I stumbled across Sartella and Kristoff, then worked from there. I’d say I was creeping around the castle for roughly a day or so, and was able to track down Miyon and Tyrus, then came across Vesh and Firrik just as I was getting ready to leave. I always waited for someone to use their names first, and each time a name was used, they matched the descriptions we garnered from Hiriech and Stellareid. I’m positive it was them, Cartus.”

“Even more suspicious then,” the Master of Rock grunted. “After all these years of getting tossed around like ragdolls by these maniacs, someone just sends us their location out of the blue? And it just so happens that all six are present? Bullshit. We’re being lured out.”

Markreas cleared his throat, turning the eyes of the Masters his way. “Naturally, we cannot ignore that possibility, but we also can’t ignore the opportunity. Just because we’re being lured out does not necessarily mean we can’t still come out of it the victors.”

“He’s not wrong,” Nigreos agreed. “After all, one of the sole reasons they’ve always gotten the jump on us was because they marked us with their combustion magic. This time, however, they shouldn’t be able to get to us. Not in the Citadel, at least.”

Ilirianna briefly made eye contact with Nigreos before shifting her attention to Album. The former was clearly eager to take advantage of this, but Album seemed almost scared, something Ilirianna understood. She lost her entire family in Stellareid, and she had always been a bit more affected by such things than Nigreos. She must have already been fearing further loss by walking into what was most certainly a trap, but Ilirianna did have to concede the Master of Darkness’s point. There were fewer places in the country as safe from the Kosah-Rei as the white tower that was the Citadel. Scans for changeling magic were made daily, and nobody was allowed entry without a thorough scan and an extensive background check. Anybody with even a slight shot of having relations with the cult were barred entry. There shouldn’t be any way a Master was marked by the combustion curse.

Which means that even if this is a trap, they’ll still have to fight us head-on.

She recalled her battle with Rickori Keskivaara down in the streets of Stellareid with an internal grimace, hating the fact that she couldn’t say with certainty that she could beat him should she ever find herself in the middle of a rematch.

That being said, Keskivaara, Vesh, Tyrus, and Kristoff are their only combatants. The other three would be utterly destroyed should they confront a Master, so it’s not impossible we could win against them… I just fear whatever Firrik is plotting.

The magic of that woman was the reason the Kosah-Rei had always been so effective. If they know they’re going to survive, then they have no reason not to take risks so dangerous that few would do it—risks such as intentionally letting Uma get captured by Stellareid or making themselves known in the Aquesen ballroom despite Ilirianna being present. They don’t fear death, so if Tali Firrik foresaw their survival despite these odds, then maybe she would be bold enough to intentionally expose their location. Ilirianna hated how much credibility she gave the claims of time magic, but she also couldn’t deny that Tali had been right about one claim of hers.

That being said…just because she was right about my father doesn’t mean she isn’t making things up. Even now…I simply do not see myself ever shaking hands with her.

“I’m sorry, I understand your points, but I just don’t like it,” Nakoma was saying, pulling Ilirianna out of her thoughts and making her realize the conversation had progressed while she was mulling things over. “Maybe if Vesh or Tyrus were the only ones there, I’d be more confident, but this is just too good of an opportunity! Your Majesty, you must understand what we’d be walking into by taking this obvious bait! I mean, we don’t even know who sold them out to begin with!”

“King Markreas, if I may,” Nyx muttered, raising her hand and speaking before Markreas could respond to Nakoma. At the King’s nod, the Master of Water went on. “We talk about taking the bait, but what exactly would we be doing? I imagine we’d go after Ankalla, but who would you send? Which Masters? Do we have a plan or is it mostly theoretical right now?”

Markreas leaned back in the golden throne that was the seat of the Grandmaster, his ring-covered fingers rising to scratch at his emerald-colored beard. “That is a good question, Nyx, and I was wondering when someone would ask it. Ever since Koroha departed, I’ve been pondering what to do should that tip be accurate, and naturally, the chances of it being a trap have never left my mind. I’d be a fool to overlook it, after all…but I also think we’d be fools to ignore it. This damned cult has taken away far too much, and I want them gone. We had an opportunity in Stellareid three years ago and it was squandered. I want Rotana Vesh dead. I want Rickori Keskivaara to pay for what he did to the city he claimed he wanted to protect. I want to annihilate these evil bastards, so I’ve decided I want to do something that would ensure that, trap or not, they lose this fight miserably.”

Nakoma and Koroha exchanged uncertain glances, Album and the silent Grunly seemed uncertain, Nigreos and Sinna were watching with anticipation, Nyx was as unreadable as always, and Seiras was just smiling. All of them awaited Markreas next words, and while Ilirianna had begun to expect them, she was nevertheless weary.

“Not only do I intend to send all eight of you to Ankalla to exterminate the Kosah-Rei, but I will personally be joining the fight alongside my daughter here, as well as my wife. I will call upon Alharo Bann of the Korrei-Tarr to lend us his warriors, and I will ensure that this mission to exterminate these vile creatures where they sleep goes off without a damn hitch. I want them all dead and this is the most efficient way to do it. No matter how thorough a trap they lay, they cannot hope to stand against such a force.”

“A-all eight of us?” Koroha stuttered. “But Your Majesty, all eight Masters haven’t been called upon at once since—”

“The Age of Destruction, yes I know,” he interrupted with a dismissive wave. “But I think, if anything justifies it, it’s this.”

It was then that Grunly finally leaned forward and spoke, his voice trembling as he inquired, “And you think the Council of Elders will permit every single Master permission to fight? Kloras Glaus may have eased up on us in recent years, but this is beyond anything he would allow.”

Markreas chuckled. “I know, Ed, but I don’t worry about Council Member Glaus. Nyx, when Rennigan returns from Yisana with Caeli, I want the both of you to approach his father and convince him to give us permission. If you make sure Rennigan knows Quill Tyrus is at Ankalla, the young man will almost certainly speak in our favor.”

“Ah,” Nyx murmured, tilting her head to the side with a soft smile. “Yes, I suppose I can do that, though as always, I must express my distaste in dealing with Kloras. May Sinna come with me?”

The Master of Rock cocked an eyebrow at the smaller woman. “Excuse me? I don’t want to speak with that shitstain either.”

“Please, Sinna…?”

“Er…? Fine…”

Conceding to Nyx’s innocent eyes and sweet voice as she always did, Sinna slumped her shoulders and motioned for the others to continue. Once Water and Rock had given their agreement, Grunly yet again moved to protest.

“B-but, King Markreas, how would we even reach Ankalla without the cult finding out? Even if the Kosah-Rei haven’t managed to infiltrate the Citadel, something I highly doubt, they must have eyes on us. If we all depart the tower at once, they’ll know something’s up—especially if the Iijis and the Korrei-Tarr are alongside us…”

“Actually, I may have a means of counteracting that,” Koroha pointed out as she turned Grunly’s attention towards her. “I’ve told the King of this, but I suppose it’s important for us all to know. The Trovian Speaker of the Flame, Sarillia Martov, was present at the castle, and from what I could gather, King Amund Halcrow is trying to form an alliance with the cult to usurp control of Harunhein from us.”

“He’s doing what?” Sinna exclaimed furiously, her anger reflected in the expressions of Nigreos and Nakoma. “So the Bear King is choosing to snap our treaties then, is he? Bold move…”

Ilirianna exhaled sharply, her thoughts going into overdrive as yet another concerning detail was dropped into her lap. As it stood, the relationship between Ijiria and Trovia was not a pleasant one, with Harunhein as the center of their tension. There had always been fears that one of the neighboring countries may try to aid the Kosah-Rei in the hopes of undermining Ijirian supremacy on the continent, but suspecting it and having it confirmed were two very different things. King Amund clearly wanted to be the King that reclaimed Harunhein, and if Sarillia Martov was at Ankalla, there was little more evidence they needed.

So Harunhein would be the Kosah-Rei’s next move? I see what they’re doing… Attack Harunhein, turn it over to Trovia, and force us into a northern war that would create enough chaos to allow the cult to continue unraveling us.

“I, er, as unsettling as that is, how would that help us slip out?” Grunly asked, to which Koroha grinned.

“We go south,” she stated, as if it were the most obvious thing ever. “We concoct a story to tell most of the Citadel and allow it to leak out into Erika. Perhaps, we claim that the Ring of Kraton sent a request for aid, so some of the Masters had to answer it. Obviously, we wouldn’t claim every Master was going, but we can make it seem like we’re totally ignoring the north. It’ll make them feel comfy and complacent, meanwhile, we secretly make our way to Ankalla.”

“And how would you propose we move such a force without drawing their attention?” Album said. “I mean, it’s not gonna be easy to just slip up into the mountains.”

“Distortion generators, I would imagine,” Nakoma commented. “They were used constantly during the wars that plagued the Age of Destruction, and were powered by a group of wind mages. They cast a mobile shield over a large group, allowing entire armies to move without detection. If we sent a decoy force south to Krato and used these, the Kosah-Rei wouldn’t know we were there until we were on the doorstep.”

Grunly frowned. “And we still have these things?”

“We do,” Markreas confirmed. “Of course, we’ll need Kloras’s go-ahead to get them back out, but I do think he’ll cooperate should Rennigan take our side. Liri, do you think the young man would be willing?”

Addressing her for the first time since the discussion began, Markreas glanced up at the woman he believed to be his daughter, looking for her opinion. “Yes, if Koroha really spotted Quill Tyrus among them, he’ll want this battle to happen. On that same line of thought, may I request Ryokumo Caeli’s aid as well? His power would be needed, he’s one of the few with experience fighting these cultists, and he’s someone I trust implicitly.”

She could see the scowls on the faces of Nakoma, Koroha, and Sinna, all of whom had never kept their dislike for Ryokumo a secret. Nevertheless, it wasn’t up to them, and though Markreas did not much like him either, he wasn’t so foolish that he would deny the aid of one of the most talented wind mages of their generation.

“Very well, recruit Caeli,” he said, then turned back to the others. “Are we satisfied? Nakoma, Ed, you two were the sharpest opponents. What say you?”

Nakoma grimaced. “I say I’m outnumbered. If attacking Ankalla is what we’ve decided on, I’ll give you my flames as you need them.”

“And I…suppose I feel a similar way,” Grunly added. “If this is our decision, I am willing.”

Markreas regarded Grunly for a few seconds, his jaw clenching as if the King was suddenly frustrated by something. Yet, he refrained from questioning the Master of Nature before glancing to two other Masters. “Album? Seiras? You’ve both said very little. What of you?”

“Oh, uh, yeah! I’m ready to fight, if that’s what we have to do,” Album stammered, her hesitant tone clearly not matching her words.

As for Seiras, the halfling almost never spoke in these meetings, instead choosing to merely listen and observe. He knew his affinity made him untrustworthy, and since it wasn’t terribly combat-oriented, he was almost never given assignments. The Master of the Mind was more of a figurehead than a warrior, so Seiras just shrugged and said in his raspy voice,

“I look forward to it, King Markreas.”

“Good.” Markreas then took a look at each Master in turn, before continuing, “We will reconvene tomorrow to discuss the finer details, but for now, you are all excused, except for you, Ed.” Addressing Grunly specifically and causing the Master of Nature to turn back with uncertainty, Markreas added,

“I would like to speak to you in my office.”