The chamber was silent as everyone’s attention was focused on the three artifacts at the room’s center. They had argued and argued over which one to give up on for the majority of three days, making absolutely no headway in reaching a decision. And then, suddenly, a dark gate opened, it was the Librarian. He had come for the decision of the Elder Council, a decision that had not yet been made. However, the time limit was up and ready or not, he will have his answer.
“I trust you have reached a decision about which artifact you will give me.”
The room was silent, the Elders unsure of what to choose.
Finally, the Seventh Elder stood, saying, “We haven’t reached a decision just yet, we would like some more time to-”
The Librarian raised a hand, silencing him.
“I gave you three days, you shall have no more time. A decision you shall make now, or I shall decide what it is I shall take.”
As the Seventh Elder attempted to argue for more time, the Librarian promptly ignored him, making his way to the artifacts. He then stood before them all, finally selecting the Sword.
“This I shall take.”
The Seventh Elder asked, “Um, could I ask why?”
The Librarian directed him a glance before returning his attention to the sword.
“It shall make easier the experiment I plan to conduct later.”
He took a hold of the sword, unsheathing it. The Seventh Elder attempted to warn him that if he did, the sword would retaliate but he was too late, the Librarian had already drawn the blade. And as expected, lightning shot forth, however the Librarian’s hand remained unharmed, unsheathing the blade without fear. Once it was fully drawn, the blade threatened to explode with energy, the lightning increasing in intensity.
Then the Librarian spoke a word, a word of the First Language, a word which held the essence of Authority. Upon hearing this word, the sword suddenly fell still, the blade now entirely subservient to his will. He returned it to its scabbard, facing the Elders one last time.
“I shall return in a month’s time when you choose your envoy, I hope then I will not be forced to wait.”
His silver eye held them all in place before he turned and disappeared into the depths of the black gate. With his disappearance, the Elders all let out a collective sigh before they began their preparations for the journey to the Dwarves, they had a month and if they weren’t prepared by it... well they didn’t want to disappoint the Librarian a second time. Preparations were immediately begun, plans thought up, and candidates for the envoys selected.
Since there were two races that were a part of the Alliance, the Elders wished to also have two ambassadors, one an elf and the other a human. This may be difficult to accomplish but the Elders decided that it was for the best, spreading the word throughout the floating cities that two of the best and brightest of their populace would be chosen to represent the Alliance.
Because of this, the great floating cities were filled with a level of activity never before seen in recent memory, not since their building. With nothing to do but wallow away in self-pity and regret, humanity and the elves had begun to atrophy, stuck on their gradually deteriorating prisons of wood. With the decay came conflict, elves and men were first united out of common fear but with that fear now across the sea, they once more saw the flaws in each other.
The millennia since the Calamity was not entirely filled with peace, there had been small conflicts between elves and men, the blood from the dead dripping into the endless ocean. Hundreds died in the conflict and that was when the Elders at the time took action, using what artifacts remained to them to bring an end to the violence. For the sake of peace, the elves and men were segregated and while this prevented violence, for the most part, this did little to alleviate the hostility between the two.
Each side believed that the other possessed secret benefits that they themselves didn’t have and this only increased their spite for each other. And it certainly didn’t help things that Light’s Champion was yet another human, while this, in turn, delighted the humans it only reinforced the elves’ hate of them.
Each side sought ways to humiliate the other and to prove that they were the better and this mindset bled into the process for choosing envoys. Humans and elves competed aggressively, taking this as a chance to prove their superiority. However, with the due date looming over them, the Elder Council did not allow such trivialities to interfere, using their authority and power to expedite the process of choosing the candidates, quickly returning order and making the process as civil as they could get it.
Even so, this did not mean that there was peace and it soon became known that there were groups of both elves and humans who were out to sabotage the envoy candidates. The violence escalated from there, with humans and elves attacking one another even in broad daylight. While the Elder Council did their best to quell the violence, they were but a few trying to stop the many, and most of their soldiers were on land protecting the territory.
And so, rather unsurprisingly, the Elder Council was unable to choose any envoys as when they approached the candidates, asking if they’d be willing to work with a member of the other race, they refused. The enmity between the two races was so strong that no envoys could be chosen among the candidates which showed the greatest amount of promise among the populace and so the Elder Council was once more forced to greet the Librarian a month later with empty hands.
The Librarian had predicted that such an outcome might occur so he wasn’t unduly displeased, although he still made it known to the Council. If they could not rule their population as it was now, how would they rule the lands that they wish to regain? Needless to say, the answer that the Librarian concluded was no, they wouldn’t be able to rule. Things would need to be changed and the Librarian knew how it could be done, although of course, he wouldn’t help unless the proper price was paid.
It seemed that he would have to choose his own envoy, now that he was given no choice. He would’ve rathered that the envoy be chosen by the Alliance but with the enmity between elves and men still burning strong, he would have to take over. And so that was exactly what he did. Instead of selecting two ambassadors as the Council wished, he would only select one and as for the race, he could hardly care less.
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Already, too much time had been wasted, although that couldn’t really be helped. It was best that Alliance’s matters be solved by the Alliance, without his interference. But now such a thing was needed, otherwise, it was likely that the Alliance would take far too long to choose an ambassador.
And so, closing his eye, the Librarian commanded the host of shadows inhabiting the cities to go forth and find him an envoy. An envoy was quickly found, an elven cleric, one who put aside the differences of races to care only for the unfortunate and the orphaned. In her, the Librarian found that the chances for successful negotiation to be the highest, her genuine concern for the Alliance would help in convincing the dwarves to act.
And while the dwarves may not worship Light as their patron goddess, they would still show respect to one of her clerics. Overall, the chances of success were rather high, unless something had happened to the dwarves in their millennia of isolation. Which was highly possible of course, for whatever reason, the shadows within the land of the dwarves were not so easily controlled and while the Surveyor could command them with but little more effort, it was better to go there in a mortal form which would better be able to deal with the strange dampener.
Of course, the Surveyor had a few ideas as to what it was, most notably being Agleon herself. The power of Agleon was not something to be ignored, it had encountered it plenty of times before in shadows deep beneath the earth, in caves that are sealed with no way in or out. He could sense those shadows however the power of Agleon kept him at bay. He could push through, but that would earn the ire of the very essence of the world he was on, to have so large of an enemy that he’d rather not kill, it was simply not desirable. Peaceful would be his method, first an excuse to enter, and then diplomacy.
Much like how the envoy would appear before the dwarves, with an excuse in the shape of their King’s weapon, and negotiations in which hopefully dwarven support is secured. After all, this was the first war of its scale that the Surveyor would bear witness, a war that would encompass half of the world. And that wasn’t even taking into account the conflict that had been continuing throughout the millennia on Ortus, an eternal war between the great Saurians and the Imperial Austerians.
Once things were taken care of here, it would have to direct its attention there. If the war had not yet progressed beyond fighting at the borders, the Surveyor may knock over a few dominoes, war was always such a fascinating thing to study. But, that was for a later time, right now, the Surveyor had to focus on the task before it, beginning first by paying his new envoy a visit.
—ILLITHAR—
“Oh Stefan, did you trip again?”
I knelt down by the crying boy, Stefan nodding his head tearfully, I sighed.
“What did I tell you about running down the stairs Stefan, you can’t do that, otherwise you’ll trip and fall.”
He nodded again and feeling sorry for him, I said, “How about this, I’ll kiss your boo-boos.”
I leaned in and kissed his knee that he was cradling, saying, “There, all better?”
He suddenly burst into laughter, exclaiming, “Haha, I got you good Big Sis! I’m a good actor huh!”
He stood there proudly as I pouted.
“Stefan, you really had me worried!”
He only stuck out his tongue and ran away, causing me to shake my head as I watched him go. I stood up and prepared to go care for the other children when I felt something tug on my habit.
I looked down and saw Irene, asking, “What is it dear?”
She said, “There’s a strange man at the door, he said he wants to see you.”
I frowned, a strange man? As questions whirled around in my mind, I made my way to the door. I felt his presence before I even saw him, it was just so oppressive that I actually had trouble breathing. He had to be a mage, that was the only explanation, was he going to take one of the kids? The thought of them steeled my heart, I wouldn’t allow this mage to take them.
So, I opened the door, saying, “You cannot take these children, I won’t let you, I-”
However, he just held up a hand, saying, “It is not the children that I want, it is you.”
I was prepared to hurl more words at him until I understood what he had just said, my mind pulling a blank. Me? He wanted me?
Seeing my confusion, he said, “Out of the entire population of the Alliance, I have found only you to be worthy of becoming an envoy which is why I am now here, to inform you that you will be the envoy to the Dwarven Kingdom.”
Finally, I found my words.
“W-what are you talking about?”
He said, “You are the only one I found to be suitable for the position and as such, I’m afraid that you do not have much choice in the matter. I simply thought it proper that I inform you first before taking you away.”
I protested, “I can’t just leave the children, they need me, I-”
The hooded man held up a hand, saying, “They shall be cared for, I will have the Elders of the Council swear to it. Their safety is guaranteed so you have-”
More questions filled my mind but the foremost of them I couldn’t help but blurt out.
“Who are you!?”
He tilted his head, seeming to think before saying, “Ah, my apologies, it seems I have forgotten to introduce myself.”
He then bowed his head, saying, “I am the Librarian, otherwise known as the Master of Otium.”
When he raised it, his one remaining eye staring deep into my own, it suddenly clicked. He was the Librarian, the god-like being who resided in his palace of obsidian glass, a being who could answer any wish if one paid the proper price... But why did he choose me?
As if he knew I had the question, he said, “You are simply the most suitable candidate, and of course, I shall repay you for what you do. You will do me a great service and in return, I am willing to grant you a wish. Of course, it cannot be a wish that is exceedingly incredible, but one bound by mortal limitations. There is no time limit on this wish, you may come to me when you have decided upon it. Now, please do come along, we have a journey to begin.”
However, I couldn’t just go.
“But the children, they need me, I-”
The Librarian said, “They shall be cared for, no danger shall befall them. If you so wish, I can have one of my Custodians guard them, their safety shall be assured.”
I shook my head.
“I cannot ask that of you, why would you go to such lengths just for me?”
The Librarian corrected me.
“This is not for you, Illithar, this is for the fate of the entire world. The Alliance will not be able to conquer the orcs without the aid of the dwarves, and you are the only suitable envoy with any chance of making that happen. What you will do will decide the fate of every man and elf alike, even those children. I’m afraid you have no choice in the matter, although you can refuse and doom the Alliance to forever decay on its floating prisons.”
I blinked, only beginning to understand the gravity of the situation.
“I-It’s up to me? But I can’t do that, I-I’m just a cleric, I-”
The Librarian then placed a hand on my shoulder, saying, “Even if you believe you cannot, you must. I will not lie to you, the task before you is daunting and even with Fortune standing by your side, you could still fail. However, Fortune does stand by you, more so than any person here. You must do this for only you alone possess the greatest potential of success.”
I took in those words, it honestly took me a few minutes. After all, it wasn’t every day that such a large responsibility fell on one’s shoulders. But, I thought of the children once more, I could ensure their future with this, I could make sure that they wouldn’t have to suffer as I did. Determination blossomed and I nodded.
“Very-very well then. At least let me say my goodbyes.”
He nodded.
“Please, do take your time. I shall be waiting here.”