[H3]Chapter Thirty-eight: Pushback[/H3]

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Dunstan fought back the urge to groan as he turned to face Elder Vintner. There it was! He was wondering what dragged the old mummy out of its crypt. Sure enough, the aged husk was staring intently at him, his sunken eyes glowing a soft eerie green.

"Please clarify", he said to him. "What exactly do you wish to know?"

In a voice drier than dust, he was asked. "How did you activate it?"

The young Palace Lord sat back in his throne. "I do not know!"

The old man's pockmarked face furrowed in thought. "Nothing?"

"Nothing at all?"

"No!" Dunstan stated emphatically. "One second it wasn't, the next it was. I genuinely couldn't tell you how it happened."

"I see!" the man said in a tone that practically dripped with disbelief.

Dunstan nearly shrugged in response. Honestly, he had been expecting something like this ever since he came up with the idea to use his dungeon-maker system in this fashion. It was the whole reason he went to the Sixth Preceptor in the first place. For support against this very scenario. Revealing it as a personal ability would raise too many questions. Conversely, labelling it a legacy artefact would bring out those who felt they had a right to it. Add in the traitors and you had quite the soup. He had been waiting for it to come to a boil. That said, now was not the time.

"Moving on to the next item on the ag.."

"Wait, Palace Lord!" the mummy coughed. "I have a couple more questions."

This time, some of his irritation showed. "I thought it was just the one?"

The man laughed politely, "I merely wish to know when the artefact first activated."

Dunstan glanced at the Sixth Preceptor. Unfortunately, the man seemed intent on playing the role of a wall fixture.

'Fine!' Dunstan grumbled mentally. 'Toss me in the deep end, why don't you?'

He turned back to face the retired elder. "Two years and seven months ago!"

A small stir went through the silent council chamber. It nearly startled Dunstan. He had not realised how quiet it had gotten. Elder Vintner meanwhile smiled, his eyes shining brighter with recognition.

"Ah!" he said, the exclamation coming out triumphant, like the revelation meant something. "The date of your exultation, correct?"

"Yes!" Dunstan confirmed.

"I see", the man repeated. "And you didn't mention it?"

"I'm sorry, Elder Vintner, but these matters you are raising have been addressed in an earlier meeting", he said directly. "We are not here to reiterate the subject. I suggest going through the records of the previous meetings when you have the time. Any further…"

"I disagree!" interjected the ancient figure. "This is a matter that requires further discussion, especially given our current circumstances."

Dunstan raised an eyebrow. "You are free to disagree. However, we have more pressing matters to address. The looming conflict with the Jade Dragon Row shou—"

"A conflict brought on by improper use of a legacy artefact, yes?"

The Palace Lord leaned forward. His elbows came to a rest on the table while his fingers formed a steeple right below his chin. His voice took on a dangerous note. Dunstan was reaching his limit.

"Oh! You have objections to our use of the artefact?"

The aged husk snarled. "You are letting vagabonds and traitors traipse through a sacred relic! The contents of the mystic realm are ours and ours alone."

Dunstan said nothing. Elder Vintner had cut him off twice now. He was not going to set himself up for a third. However, after nearly a full minute, he was still forced into action.

"Are you finished?"

"I await an explanation!"

Dunstan nearly growled. 'I don't have to explain shit!'

Honestly. This was his problem? With everything going on, this was the issue he wanted to fixate on? That he was letting other people have access to sect property? The sect was barely keeping afloat and was soon going to be fighting wars on two fronts but his biggest problem was that other people got to play with the family toys? Dunstan was done.

"Moving on to the matter of the Jade Dragon Row…"

Another interruption came. "You have not proffered an explanation, Palace Lord."

Dunstan shot him a look that said, 'Watch me!' The ancient elder rose to the challenge.

"This is an issue regarding the use of sect property, on which I am owed an answer!" Elder Vintner informed the silent room. He panned to the assembled elders, his flying antelope pelt, not his neck or head, turning so he could address them. "The rules on this are clear. I have been a member of this council for two hundred years and contributed to the sect without fail. My standing and record cannot be denied. You cannot ride roughshod over me, Palace Lord!"

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Dunstan snapped. "In a decade, I will have surpassed everything you have ever accomplished!"

Someone on his left drew in a large intake of breath. Another choked on her tea.

His opponent blinked in confusion. "Sorry?"

The palace lord did not care to repeat himself.

"It appears Elder Vintner has grown hard of hearing in his dotage", he continued, his tone now hard and mocking. "Elder Sentrue, please provide him with a copy of the records from the last few meetings. Perhaps, once he has returned to his chambers, he can slowly peruse them at his leisure and learn not to plague future meetings with matters already discussed and decided on."

Elder Sentrue gave a small panicked cough, alarmed at being drawn into this confrontation.

Without sparing him a glance, Dunstan continued to charge forward. "The council has already ruled on the use of the legacy artefact. As for the mystic realm…"

He was interrupted again.

"That's where you're wrong!"

The retired elder tried to smile. Keyword: tried. His worn leather skin failed to stretch as it ought, leaving him with a ghastly rictus that looked more like a horror-themed mask than the slightly condescending grandfatherly smile he was aiming for.

"You are still young, Lord Kaguri", he said through his leather mask. "Council deliberations are not the final knell they may seem. Any issue may be re-deliberated, any decision overturned if there is cause for it. Hindsight and experience are the greatest tools for correcting the mistakes of the reckless and the uninformed."

He continued. "Your disrespect towards me can be excused, but your irreverence towards a sacred relic of our ancestors cannot. The use of a legacy artefact, even one remanded to the care of the Palace Lord, must follow strict rules. I am well within my rights to question your choices on the matter. Most of all, when they are to the detriment of the sect."

Dunstan nodded calmly as if in agreement. "It is as you say. Rules exist for a reason."

He leaned back in his chair, tapping the table as he regarded this new thorn in his side. "I take it from your words that you would like to open an inquiry or contest the decision then?"

The ancient elder smiled again, smaller this time. "I am glad you understand."

The Palace Lord smiled beatifically at him. "I understand perfectly. Unfortunately, such a motion can only be put forward by a seated member of this council. I am afraid you do not qualify."

He then turned his suspicious eyes on the small gathering. "Unless, of course, someone has agreed to back you with their vote."

As obtuse as the rules of The Vast Heaven Palace were, Dunstan had made sure to commit them to memory. He might not be the most conversant with its political factions, but as Palace Lord, this was the least that was expected of him. If anyone claimed that Elder Vintner did not know them as well, he'd chew his boots. The old bastard had probably been present when some of them were written. There was no way he would make such a rookie mistake.

There had to be someone backing him. The question was, who?

Dunstan scanned the room. At least one of these ancient bastards who had smiled and okayed his decisions in the previous meetings had either turned against him or never been on board, to begin with. Was it the reveal of the rewards of the mystic realm that had turned them?

His eyes flicked towards the three elders who were absent for that initial decision. They were the most suspicious. Elder Vugurre was stationed at Thunderfall Redoubt at the time, and so could not attend the first few meetings. His was the easiest to explain. Elder Borkha and Elder Harkness were also away at the time, but for much less concrete reasons. According to precedent, any of these absentees could raise an inquiry and have the rest of the council defend/explain the rulings made in their absence. Still, at the end of the day, they would have to give their approval or disapproval of said decisions.

It was a provision that was rarely used for one reason. Overturning a ruling required a majority vote. It made no sense for a lone dissenter to raise contention over a matter that would ultimately remain unchanged. Dunstan had gone through the council records. It was done from time to time as a form of protest but rarely accomplished anything.

However, that was if it truly was an absentee proposing it. If an elder who approved of the initial ruling tried raising an inquiry, they first had to admit they made a mistake and why. It was only if the reasons they gave generated reasonable doubt among their colleagues that they could then start the process to overturn said decision.

"I am waiting!" he announced to the room, his voice laden with dark promises and his eyes tracking their movements. "Who is it that would be backing Elder Vintner's proposal?"

For a laboured moment, nobody moved. Then, Elder Vintner frowned. His lips moved, but whatever he said was magically drowned out by the sound of the Sixth Preceptor clearing his throat.

The former sect master patted his chest and tried again. "AHEM!"

"Seeing as no one has moved to speak, I think it is best we do as the Palace Lord said and move on to the next item on the agenda", he said innocently.

Dunstan glowered at him. It had no effect. Surprisingly, he noticed Elder Vintner doing the same or, at the very least, trying to. Before he could puzzle out what that meant, he heard a chorus of agreements from the rest of the table as the other Elders quickly gave their assent. The young Palace Lord watched their actions through narrowed eyes. He would remember this but for now…

"Very well", he began, trying to impress on them that he was the one letting the matter go. "I was intrigued to see where this went but we may move on from this."

Something occurred to him then. "I welcome discussions concerning the constructive use of the artefact and the mystic realms, especially considering its recent developments."

All attention in the room was immediately focused on him again. Realising he had them where he wanted, Dunstan continued, "Earlier today, I requested that we place watchers on the Sixteen Families and the major Dragon Row businesses and warehouses. Elder Tevu, please tell us how that is coming along."

The man blinked, completely caught off guard. "Uhm, yes. I– it was done as you ordered…" Before he could fully gather himself, a certain habitual interrupter did as he was known for.

"Lord Kaguri, what has happened to the artefact?" barked a certain fossil.

Dunstan gave Elder Vintner a side glance, his torso still facing the Master of Assignments, before turning back and motioning for the man to give his report.

"Palace Master, please, if something has gone wrong, we need to know!"

Dunstan glanced once more at the man. "It is nothing you need worry about. Suffice it to say, I will soon unlock another mystic realm. This one has something to do with dragons."

The small assembly could not resist the temptation.

"Dragons? What kind?"

"Another mystic realm so soon?"

"Has the artefact spirit communicated with you?"

Dunstan slapped his hand against the old council table to call for silence.

"The realm is still restricted to first-tiers, so I doubt there's anything truly valuable within. As for the artefact itself…"

He paused, hesitating at this final juncture. He had hoped to discuss this first with the Sixth Preceptor and get his opinion and the story straight before revealing this. Going ahead with this could result in some major problems, but at the same time, it would limit the options his opponents had, especially avenues of attack like Elder Vintner was using.

He shrugged mentally. 'We'll deal with it as it comes', he resolved.

"I had hoped to keep this quiet until we had more time to confirm, but recent developments have us reconsidering what we know of the artefact's origins", he began.

"In my meditations, I felt it guide me — push me actually into unlocking something important", he paused again, knowing that everyone was hanging on his words.

"It led me to the Art of Boundlessness, the secrets underpinning Skyshroud!"