More of the council scene in which finally some progress is made. Once things in this scene got moving, I really enjoyed it - it just took a while to get off the ground. I like the character of Fion, and her race, which we'll meet and discuss a little more in the next post.
The night was drawing on and the discussion was beginning to go circular. Whilst Gideon was pleased that many of those gathered had chosen to be cooperative, there were still those amongst the council stubbornly refusing to lend their full aid from apparent fear of over stretching their vulnerabilities. Frustrating, he thought to himself, cursing university politics neither for the first nor last time that night.
The sky above was cloudless, and the moon pale and cold with a corona of silver. The stars were faint and weak, though the amphitheatre was well lit by vibrant magelights, reflected and directed onto the main stage by curved mirrors. There was a chill breeze, but the night was otherwise mild and Gideon was quite comfortable in his robes.
"I just don't see how that's at all relevant." snapped the bald Eriad scholar, whom Gideon had learned was called Koja.
"I don't understand how one could not!" Mother Giyan snapped back in her sibilant voice. The ridge of spines down her neck Gideon guessed must hold an evolutionary throwback to threat displays, as they were quivering slightly and had been ever since the discussion had gotten stuck into this tar pit.
"Regardless," called Fion, clearly trying to get the council back onto the rails, "This still doesn't answer why this is happening. The fact of the matter is that it has happened, and now we are left to piece together the why."
"Fion speaks truth." Kamar nodded slowly, "This endless bickering serves no reason other than to frustrate and confound us."
Fion nodded her thanks, "If I may, there is one thing that has struck me as odd since the beginning of this all. Of all the events described, one stands alone from the others."
Of course! Gideon thought to himself suddenly, "The Obsidian Tower of Amlec!"
"Why is that so different?" Snapped Mother Giyan, clearly still reeling from the argument with Koja.
"Of all he tales," Fion continued, "It is the only tale that involves no witnesses. None saw the tower vanish, yet each other event had at least one witness."
"What is the Obsidian Tower?"
Gideon started for a moment, this was the first time that Auden Marr had spoken and he had almost forgotten that the Minotaur was present at all. In fact, he still wasn't sure why he was here - sent as a witness by Mozu-Beric herself, he mused.
"Void Magic." Gideon stated simply.
"Forgive my ignorance, but what exactly is Void Magic? I mean a pyromancer can wield fire to set things alight, to bring light into dark places, or to weld things together, what does Void Magic do?"
"A Void Mage sees into the darkness beyond the sun and stars," Fion stated, "She wields the darkness as a tool of deception and secrecy. It is the study of control and manipulation - domination."
Marr nodded, "And from what deity does one draw this power?"
"Mortelkir himself." Came a voice from above. Every head suddenly turned skyward toward the direction the voice had come from. There atop the stands stood two figures shrouded in shadow, Gideon recognised them both. Mixed emotions washed over him, he was glad that she had come, as he had hoped she would, but nothing could have prepared him, never could he have guessed that with her she would bring Melciah Penrhyn. Five years had passed since they had gone their separate ways, and not a single hair had changed. Five years had this ghost of his past lain dormant and forgotten, and now here he was. A mixture of joy and rage overcame him - joy to see an old friend still alive, rage and disgust remembering what he had become.
"You came." Said Gideon flatly.
Ealm smiled and nodded, "Pen and I got to talking, and we think we know what's happening."
"Melciah." Gideon nodded to his old friend with no trace of emotion. Melciah returned the nod with a smile, his at least seemed genuine.
"Fion has made the same connection we did." Melciah added, speaking clearly so that his voice carried with clarity, "Each incident across Castelmaine had at least one witness. The grander the event, the more people were witness to it. I think, in order to properly assess the situation, we must disregard the tower for now."
"Disregard the tower?!" Started Mother Giyan in an almost shriek like voice, "How dare-"
Melciah snapped a hand up and her voice trailed off into silence.
"The incident of your tower, ma'am, is of a different order to the rest. We will address it in due time."
"So we have declared the tower to be a separate issue," stated Gruhn, the Centaur, "But still none have made the point of why this is significant!"
Melciah smiled, "Peace and I shall explain, friend." He turned to face each individual one at a time, as if asking their permission to continue, or daring another to interrupt. "The magnitude of each incident is almost directly proportional to the number of people who witnessed it. From this we can suggest a direct link. Each of these events is a nightmare made manifest, born from collective consciousness and terror. These are events that have quite literally crawled from our nightmares into reality."
"A weakening of the veil..." Fion muttered. A murmur of fear arose from those assembled. Marr looked puzzled.
"What is the veil?" He asked.
"It is what divides our world from that of shadow." Koja added sharply, "Forgive my rudeness, but why is a Minotaur here?"
"He is Mozu-Beric's proxy," interjected Owin, "And more than that yet."
Marr nodded, brushing over the insult. "Indeed. I know little of the ways of scholars, mages or clerics, but I know enough."
"If this is a shared nightmare, and the scale is proportionate to the audience," Gideon asked slowly, "how is it that Folk, the little girl of Berican, bore witness to the most physical of the manifestations - the only one to actually injure anyone?"
"You have kept close watch over her for many years, Gideon." Marr added, "You are telling me you had not noticed?"
"I always knew the girl had a strong imagination..."
"No Gideon," this time it was Ealm, "She's an Esper."
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