The Broken Council (The Guardian Chronicles 1) (4 page)

“The
voting has been unanimous in favor of conviction.
 
Now we will have you cast votes to determine
the appropriate punishment.
 
If you want
the punishment of lifetime banishment, your paper will burn blue.
 
If you believe that they should be put to
death, your paper will burn red.
 
At this
time, please vote for the fate of General Yukio Ibreshri.” The chairman
gestured toward the burning
Thraalillith
.
 
The cauldron burned bright red repeatedly,
condemning the general to die for his crimes.
 
The members had rather smug looks on their faces after casting their
votes against him.

“Please
vote now to determine the fate of Princess Kira Tiranidrol.”
 
The fire burned bright blue as the papers hit
the flames.
 
They had chosen banishment
for their beloved princess.
 
It was clear
that they believed she deserved a break and it was clear that the council
thought she had been beguiled by the treacherous general.

The
debate was over now, and there was little that Princess Kira or General Yukio
could do or say to alter the decision.
 
This was the moment that the couple had planned for.
 
This was what they had looked forward to for
months now.
 
While it appeared that the
king had the upper hand and the council had all of the power, it would soon be
clear that they were not taking one simple factor into consideration.
 
Kira and Yukio would now have to show their
hand before this perfect opportunity passed them by.
 
Their announcement would render the decision
of the council inconsequential and set things in motion that would not be
stopped.

“It
appears that the vote has been unanimous for the exile of Princess Kira
Tiranidrol from the Forest of Renshaw.
 
As for General Yukio Ibreshri, all votes were in favor of the death
penalty.
 
General, you will be executed
by beheading in the morning.
 
The penalty
for returning to any part of our land by the princess will result in her
immediate execution,” Conary explained coolly.
 
He struggled to keep his feelings of regret in check while pronouncing
the punishments.
 
This will not benefit the elves; only death will come of this
.
 
He thought the king would have intervened and
put an end to this travesty, but apparently Ciel was at the heart of this
debacle.

There
was an intense look of relief on all of the council members’ faces after the
punishments were announced.
 
They thought
that they were rid of this evil man and the king’s gullible daughter.
 
The council did not know that the new couple
had anticipated this grim outcome.
 
There
was one person who did not expect their ruling at all, and that was Princess
Kishi.
 
She was so enraged by how things
had developed that she looked ready to explode.

“You
imbeciles cannot be serious!
 
You will
pay for what you have done this day! I promise you that!” Princess Kishi
exclaimed.
 
She kicked her chair out once
again, and it shattered again as it hit the wall.
 
She moved her hands in a complicated series
of movements; this was the physical manifestation of her drawing power from
non-sentient entities outside the hall, which shot a long dart of ice at the
Thraalillith
.
 
The cauldron rocked back and forth from the
force of the ice bolt hitting it.
 
The
pot quickly froze, and an instant later it exploded into tiny shards of gold
and silver, which flew in every direction.
 
Everyone in the room ducked in order to avoid these minuscule
projectiles.
 
She then turned toward the
side door she had come in and sent a ball of fire at it.
 
In a split second, the door erupted into
flames and was gone.
 
She stormed from
the room cursing each council member as she stalked past them.

Princess
Kira and General Yukio stood to make their announcement after this violent
outburst.
 
They were not thrown off by
what happened; instead they saw it as a perfect lead in to what they were about
to share with the stunned elves around the table.
 
They smiled at one another in a way that
unnerved the council members as they sat back in their chairs looking at the
council.
 
Many of the members thought
that Kira was about to lose control like her sister.
 
They had not expected a reaction so extreme
from Kishi, so they did not know what to expect from the youngest Tiranidrol.

“We
have come here to finally reveal to you our secret plans and will not hear any
more talk about your meaningless verdict,” General Yukio said with an edge to
his voice.
 
He was no longer
smiling.
 
He had such a hypnotic look in
his eyes that no one could look away.
 
He
was about to use his hidden mental powers to get his way yet again.
 
There was no turning back once he revealed
his psychic abilities on these supposedly superior elves.

“The
spirits of this ancient forest have shown us how the elves have become too
entrenched in their archaic traditions and beliefs.
 
An evolution of the elven race is the only
way that the elves can be saved from utter ruin,” Kira stated succinctly. She
was making reference to the Seda, which are spirit creatures that reside in the
Black Forest.
 
These spirits give
glimpses of the future to travelers that enter their realm.
 
They reveal the future to those that can
manipulate relevant events to bring about the future they have predicted.
 
It is not wise to trifle with these powerful
beings because they are allies to no one.
 
They believe themselves to be vastly superior to every living thing in
Tuwa.

“It
was also shown to us that this inept high council would convict the two of us
based on antiquated laws.
 
The Seda
informed us of what we would need to do to save the elven race from certain
annihilation,” the general said confidently.
 
He was enjoying this feeling of knowing more than these high and mighty
elves.
 
His visage darkened even more as
he looked at the council.

At
this point, it dawned on King Ciel what these conspirators were playing
at.
 
He did not like what he thought they
were about to do.
 
His ability to reads
minds did not work on his daughter or the general for some reason.
 
However, he was able to read the effect that
the general was having on the minds of the council members.
 
He was able to deduce that they were plotting
treasonous acts.
 
The elven kingdom had
stood for countless millennia united in the common cause of caring for Tuwa,
and he was not going to allow these two to ruin that.
 
He realized that he would not be able to stop
what was about to happen without force.
 
He readied himself to command his guard to seize the traitors and to
execute Yukio on the spot while forcibly ejecting Kira once she was restrained.
 
He, just like the council, did not think of
the consequences of such rash actions.

“You
may think that we will allow you to carry out the assigned punishments, but you
could not be more wrong.
 
We have been
planning to leave for some time now, and today was designated to be the day we
leave the main body of the elves, as foretold by the Seda.
 
We will not depart alone either…” Princess
Kira said boldly.
 
She could not wait
another moment; she had waited too long for this day to arrive.
 
She allowed for a thin smile to spread across
her flawless face.

“We
will be accompanied by no less than one-third of the entire elven nation!” the
general exclaimed triumphantly.
 
He
slammed one of his massive fists into the table with such force that it seemed
to emanate some kind of magic.

The
astonished looks on the faces of those seated around the table made all of
their planning worthwhile.
 
The council
had had no inkling that they were so out of touch with their own people.
 
The weighty significance of this mass
dissension was beginning to sink in.
 
No
one spoke because they were all too dazed and confused with what was
happening.
 
The elves had always
considered themselves above such selfish motives; the lesser races were the
ones who fought among themselves, not the enlightened elves.

With
a mischievous grin, the princess cast her hand down toward the ground where an
explosion of fire erupted violently and shot upward so that the flames licked
the polished marble ceiling.
 
Everyone
had directed their attention toward the roof and did not notice that the rebels
had vanished completely.
 
General Yukio
and Princess Kira had left the council with flare and style that would be
remembered for years.
 
The king
immediately called for his guard to search for the convicts.
 
Both of
my daughters are dead to me!
 
They will
soon find out what happens to traitors!
 
He was going to make it clear to his subjects that those who dissent and
leave the magical realm of the elves would suffer the consequences.

While
the king’s guard searched for the treacherous pair, a massive number of elves
were leaving the Black Forest with all of their possessions.
 
They were heading north toward Mount Konane
and Mount Quang.
 
They were making their
way to their new homes in the mountains.
 
The king would not be able to stop them in time; they were no longer his
subjects, and they were out of the reach of his guard.
 
They had established themselves a queen who
was truly enlightened and did not fear change.
 
They would follow her wherever she led them.
 
They felt peace and happiness in their hearts
about the prospect of a new life outside the woodland.
 
They had lost that feeling many years ago
when the elves turned to isolationism and their government became so corrupt
that they would no longer listen to the people.
 
Now they would have a new beginning, a new hope in the mountains of the
north.

General
Yukio Ibreshri sat silently on his horse early in the morning surveying the
vast golden and red canyons of his homeland Nairi.
 
Today was going to be like every other day.
He would lead a small group of soldiers to the mouth of the Blaine River and
begin another week long patrol.
 
They
always followed the river, which ran right through the heart of the land of
Tuwa and was a source of life for many of its creatures.
 
This massive body of water had many roads
running along either bank.
 
These
thoroughfares provided safe passage for travelers and merchants alike because
of the military presence Yukio and his men provided.
 
There was always a chance that the cavalry
would meet someone new during their daily travels.
 
It was truly a melting pot for the different
races and varied beasts of Tuwa and was always full of surprises. That was why
so many Nairians volunteered for this assignment.

As
the general sat pondering the splendor of this particularly peaceful morning,
he had an ominous feeling come over him.
 
He had the impression that today would be one to remember…he simply
could not identify the source of this unusual feeling.
   
Maybe it was another dignitary or even a
member of a race he did not yet know of.
 
This day was filled with the promise of great adventure and risk; he
just knew it.
 
As a man of war, he could
hope for nothing more.
 
Patrolling the
trade routes along the Blaine River had grown mundane and wearisome over the
years.
 
Why do I keep volunteering for this assignment?
 
Maybe my premonition will bring along some
danger with it to break up the monotony.
 
Still, this does beat sitting in the queen’s throne room all day doing
nothing.

His
horse began to paw at the ground nervously as the morning mist clung to
them.
 
The general could tell that the
beast was anxious to begin their routine patrol.
 
General Yukio did not like the cramped dark
spaces of the canyon lands and yearned to ride in the open spaces along the
Blaine River.
 
The stunning black coat
and mane shined magnificently as a few rays of sunlight broke through the swirling
mist.
 
The horse had a noble look to him
that caused the other horses to keep their distance.
 
He was, in fact, the lord of all black
stallions.
 
It had been said that he was
the swiftest four-legged animal in all of Tuwa.
 
The other horses began to scratch at the ground to show their eagerness
to get moving as well.
 
Both the men and
their steeds were longing to be outside the confines of the canyons.

“Men,
enough of this hanging about; let’s move out,” the general commanded.
 
He was more than happy to get this day
started.
 
He thought that no one else in
their right mind would be up this early, so they should be able to enjoy an
open road.
 
Let’s see what this day brings.

As
the squad began to move out, the mist about them began to dissipate as they
crested the canyon walls.
 
They were only
a few minutes away from the mouth of the Blaine River and the vast open spaces,
so they spurred their horses into a gallop.
 
Both man and beast thirsted for the open road and the beauty of the
black oak trees of the Renshaw Forest.
 
The main reason most of them signed on for this patrol was because they
detested the mundane lifestyle of Nairi.
 
Others just wanted to get away from the responsibilities of family
life.
 
Every single one of them silently
believed that this was going to be an adventurous day, one that would help them
forget what they had left behind.
 
Then
again they always felt this way when starting a week long patrol.

The
Nairian guard patrolled the trade routes along the Blaine River as part of a
commerce deal between Nairi and the other friendly races of Tuwa.
 
Queen Daria Thejar was the sovereign ruler of
the Nairi Canyon lands who was both kind and just.
 
The canyons provided plentiful resources in
the way of precious ores and metals, but they lacked basic necessities of
life.
 
While the land was not
particularly pleasing to the eye, the people did benefit from the vast richness
of its soil through trade with their neighbors.
 
The queen did not tax the people at all because their laws make it clear
that the monarchy had to support its own through means other than
taxation.
 
So, the throne usually went to
one of the rich ore or mineral mining families.
 
As a result of this form of rule, her subjects remained fiercely loyal
to Daria’s leadership.
 
They could not
find such freedom under the reign of King Leroy Ishrafle or King Derek Udrugi,
who were kings of the other lands of men.

The
morning fog burned off completely as the sun continued to climb in the
sky.
 
It was going to be another
blistering hot day on the road.
 
They
were able to see the beautiful green plains on the east side of the river now
that the mist was gone as well as the high cliffs of Landen.
 
They heard the sounds of birds singing from
the forest that ran parallel to the banks of the Blaine River as they slowed to
a trot.
 
The water moved steadily south
while making soft rushing sounds as it rolled over rocks and other pieces of
debris.
 
A squirrel ran across their path
heading toward the cover of the nearby woods.
 
Then that same furry rodent ran back into their path toward the river as
though it were on fire.
 
A small red fox
burst out from the tree line toward the defenseless creature.
 
The fox came up short when it caught sight of
Yukio and his men.
 
At least we were here to protect this helpless fur ball
.
 
The general was growing weary of the lack of
anything exciting happening.
 
What I wouldn’t give to have a battle or
even a decent hunt.
 
Maybe we will run
into some filthy orcs further south; that will help get the blood flowing.

By
midday, General Yukio and his men were ready to take a break from their arduous
trek south.
 
The travelers’ earlier
eagerness and anticipation was melting as the day wore on.
 
They led their horses to the edge of the
river for a refreshing drink of cool water and for a brief dip.
 
After the horses had quenched their thirst
and cooled off a bit, they grazed lazily a short distance from where the men
had gathered for their lunch.
 
The men
had taken up refuge under the eaves of the Black Forest to escape the
scorching-hot midday sun.
 
They took out
their daily rations and began to eat a nice, cold lunch.
 
They could not bear the thought of eating a
warm meal on such a blistering hot day.
 
Chilled ale was passed around freely to quench the soldiers’ parched
mouths.

The
sound of the running water and the humming of small insects had a hypnotic
effect on the men.
 
Some of them began to
doze off under the cool shade of the trees as a result.
 
The horses edged closer to the tree line so
that they could stay cool until they resumed their trek.
 
It was early in the afternoon, and the
temperature was still on the rise.
 
The
men were hoping that the general would allow them to stay where they were until
the heat of the day had passed.
 
They
stole quick glances at their imperious leader to see if they could determine
what he was thinking or what kind of mood he was in.
 
Yukio looked around at the landscape and
resigned himself to the fact that the weather was not going to cool down any
time soon, so he decided not to subject his soldiers or their steeds to such unbearable
heat.

“Men,
we will stay here for the remainder of the day.
 
We can still patrol the waters and monitor traffic on either side of the
river from our current locale,” the general declared with a grin.
 
“Captain, take fifteen of your men to the
other side of the river.
 
You will be in
charge of that side of the bank until the heat of the day begins to cool.
 
When the heat becomes tolerable for man and
beast, we will set up camp for the night in the safety of the woods.”

“Yes,
sir!” the captain replied as he snapped to attention.
 
He gathered up the men that were to go with
him, along with their horses.
 
Once they
had mounted, they took off toward the Elgore Bridge, which was big enough for
war machines to cross over.
 
It was only
one mile south from their current location, and they would be able to ride in
the shade for most of that distance.
 
This was going to be a peaceful afternoon judging by the weather, and
the captain could not see how anything could possibly go wrong.

The
men who remained behind with the general were thinking the same thing.
 
This was such a beautiful day that no one
noticed shadows moving in the eaves of the forest.
 
There had heard no reports of possible orc or
goblin raids in this area, so they kicked back and enjoyed the day from within
the shade of the trees.
 
As the men were
daydreaming, the sounds of life abruptly stopped; however, none of the soldiers
noticed the change.
 
The only sound left
was the rushing water.
 
The men were so
caught up in the beauty of their surroundings that they missed these signs of
eminent danger.

The
general looked out over the water to see where the men were that he had sent to
the west bank.
 
They should be there by now.
 
Maybe they stopped to talk with
some travelers or are giving some directions.
 
The general knew that he was merely placating
himself.
 
In that instant, he realized
that there were no other sounds aside from the bustling river.
 
He sat up straight and looked about.

One
of the general’s soldiers gave a sharp cry of warning at two massive blood-red
wolves detached from the shadows of the forest.
 
The beasts caught sight of the men and made directly for them.
 
The two gargantuan creatures converged on one
of Yukio’s men.
 
Before anyone could do
anything to stop it, they ripped the unaware soldier in two.
 
They tossed the torn man to the side and
inched closer to the group of men who were now standing in front of them.

“Get
them!” shouted General Yukio.
 
Two more men
were dead within seconds after Yukio ordered the attack.
 
Roaring in rage, the general jumped in front
of the rest of his men and cut off the two beasts’ heads with two fluid swings.
 
As he stood there panting, a sixth sense
warned him that there were more of the massive brutes within the vicinity.

“Ambush!”
the general yelled.
 
As he shouted his
warning, a pack of enormous wolves that had sent the two scouts to their
location detached from the eaves of the forest right behind them.
 
They had blood-red fur that was standing on
end as they growled menacingly.
 
As the
predators slowly approached the men hemming them in, all escape routes vanished
as they closed in on their prey.
 
As the
general looked closer at these foul creatures, he noticed blood dripping from
their massive maws.
 
He knew that the
detachment he had sent to the west bank never made it to the other side of the
river.

“Everyone
stand back to back and form a circle!
 
We
do not want to give them an easy target!” General Yukio bellowed.
 
There was no point in whispering now that
they were surrounded.
 
This would be a
fight to the death. They were going to show these brutes how much they had
underestimated their prey.
 
They had
never lost a fight with their general in command, and he was not going to let
the men down when they were fighting such an indomitable enemy.

The
red wolves crouched one by one into their attack position.
 
The general’s men shook slightly as they
waited for the inevitable.
 
A look of
fierce determination came across Yukio’s face as he stared back at the enormous
beasts.
 
He was probing the minds of his
enemies, which required eye contact in the case of non-sentient beings.
 
He was trying to force doubt and trepidation
into their cruel and uncouth minds.
 
If
he was able to get these foul creatures to lower their guard for an instant, he
and his men would stand a chance of surviving this deadly encounter.