PHANTASIA (25 page)

The silver cloaks shifted uncomfortably in their seats, murmuring inaudible expressions to each other. Despite their good intentions, Red was satisfied that Prince Arkan had shut them down.
 

“Well whatever the case with WEAPON, such things are irrelevant to the bigger picture. After our presentation today, I am sure Areopa will finally understand our cause and the scope of what we are up against. At least Prince Arkan will, I heard he was a genius of sorts,” Lux replied.
 

“Oh?” Arkan replied with the hint of a smile. “I heard he was a mad man.”
 

“That’s what I think,” the boy across the table laughed. “Heard some of the stories about his experiments with critters. Trying to talk to them and what not?”
 

“That’s my uncle, you know,” Magnus replied. The boy ignored his response, a reaction that slightly irked Red.
 

“Lance Ursaw, Stallion of Light.” The boy had put a slight emphasis on his title, but Red did not know enough about the priori to know if it was significant or not. He extended his hand to shake the three of theirs, which Red took reluctantly.

“Butz Silo, Minister of Death,” a familiar voice replied, behind Red. Arkan snorted back a laughter as a fourth hand extended from behind Red to shake Lance’s hand.
 

“Apologies, my friend here has a rude sense of humor,” S added from right behind Butz.
 

“I think it’s rather brilliant,” Arkan commented.
 

“The titles of the light are nothing to joke about,” Lance replied briskly.
 

“Is there no room here?” Raven interrupted.
 

“You can go sit at the royal table, with Magnus’ brothers,” Red replied as politely as possible. “They’re calling you,” he pointed to the boy that had been talking to Raven earlier, who was gesturing to her from afar. Ignoring Red, Raven took a seat from the end of the table and shoved it in between him and Magnus.

“What are we all discussing?” S asked in a friendly tone.

“Prince Arkan, as a matter of fact,” Arkan replied, looking carefully at S, Raven, and Butz, to make sure they had caught on. “Lux here was recounting how he is a genius, as we were just correcting her about how he is in fact, a mad man.”
 

“A mad man can not author thirty seven books on completely unrelated subjects in less than a year,” Lux replied. “And I’ve read his treatises on the fight against the Xenosite, the priori has been seeking someone of such sense to join our cause.”
 

“Ahh, so that is what you are here for? I have not known the light to be so blunt in their goals.”
 

“Well, it’s time that we were,” Lux replied. “Stupidity has caused the people of every planet to lack in an ability to coordinate a unified attack on the Xenosite — which is exactly what we need. the priori has been waiting a long time for a leader like Arkan.”
 

“Stupidity you say? Are you quite sure that you would prefer genius over stupidity?”
 

“What? Ofcourse. Stupidity is a scary thing in leaders. Do you know how many wars are being fought around our star system over small skirmishes while the Xenosite invasion threatens every race with extinction?”

“Stupidity
is
a scary thing among leaders, but genius, is
far, far
scarier. The light must have seen that in Mej’Lith. Stupidity creates conflicts, but genius creates massacres.” Arkan looked as though he wanted to continue, but a woman in the center of the room with a long flowing silver coat began speaking into a microphone.
 

“Ladies and gentleman, I would now like to present the object of discussion for tonight,” she began. “Let me introduce myself first. I am Gelda Lightheart, Soul of Light, and the Truth Sayer.” Red’s heart stopped as she introduced herself. For a brief second, their eyes met. “The light has traveled far to be here tonight, and I’d like to unveil the object of our presentation straight away before beginning our discussion.” She gestured towards the black box in the center of the room, which slowly began lifting itself into the air. Underneath it, in a tank of what looked like umbriel, was a Xenosite queen.