The Broken Council (The Guardian Chronicles 1) (9 page)

“I
will not lie or betray you again, master.
 
I will only do what you have commanded me to do and no more.
 
With Lord Keb at my side, you can rest
assured that I will not stray again.
 
Please forgive me, master.”
 
She
bowed again and held that position awaiting his approval.

“You
will be forgiven when the damage done has been redressed.
 
Remember, do not fail me again.
 
I will be watching.”
 
His eyes were fixed on Kana in a way that
made it clear that he did not believe her fallacious story at all.
 
He was allowing her to find redemption or
condemnation through her actions.
 
He
would be watching her, so she must be on her guard at all times.

“Of
course you will.
 
I will take your leave
then.”
 
She stood erect now as she waited
for Lord Keb to arise and join her for their immediate departure.

Keb
stood and transformed himself into a misty brown substance.
 
He moved effortlessly to the side of
Kana.
 
She too changed her appearance to
mirror the earth lord.
 
They rose
silently into the air until they reached a strong westward wind current, and
then they were gone.
 
Silence fell once
more as the council sat there watching them go.
 
All eyes returned to meet the gaze of their master.
 
They had a feeling that these events were the
beginning of hard times for everyone and everything in Tuwa.
 
They could sense it from the elements around
them.
 
They could also see the worry in
their leader’s eyes.

“Ladies
Hilzarie and Necia, please monitor the border between the east and the
west.
 
I am concerned that the druids may
get involved and that will only make matters worse.
 
Do not allow any to cross into our lands,” he
said in a commanding voice.
 
“Leave
now.
 
I sense the change caused by our
dear Kana beginning to take hold, and it is already having an adverse effect on
the western lands.
 
We must be
vigilant.”
 
They immediately transformed
and took off like a bolt of lightning.
 
They all felt a sense of urgency to reach their destination without
another moment’s delay.

“Lord
Neb, please patrol the Blaine River and the other major waters of the West
Land.
 
I need you to be my eyes and
ears.
 
Please report anything and
everything directly to me without delay.
 
Do not overlook anything.
 
We must
be prepared for what is to come.”
 
He did
not hide his concern in his voice.
 
He
completely trusted Neb because of his immense wisdom and great power.
 
He knew that he could rely on him to be
faithful in this charge.

“It
will be my pleasure, master.
 
I will go
now to find out what I can.
 
I will send
my messages through the earth, for I do not trust the winds to remain faithful
to us.”
 
He seemed to understand some of
the concerns that his master had.
 
He
knew that his task was vital to maintaining the upper hand in this
ever-disintegrating situation.
 
“I will
also keep in touch with brother earth while he is in harm’s way.
 
Do you wish me to assist him if the need should
arise?”
 
Neb cared deeply for his brother
and knew that Keb’s mission was to remain close to the enemy.
 
He would be in constant danger and would not
be able to take on the powerful Kana by himself.

“Do
not interfere.
 
Report to me everything
you see, hear, and feel using the method you prescribed,” the guardian
commanded.
 
“Please, make haste now and
be ready for anything.
 
Subtly will be
our undoing.
 
We must ward against that.”

“Yes,
master, I will go and do all that I can.
 
Fear not, I will be diligent in my charge.”
 
Lord Neb rose silently and immediately
dissipated into nothing.

“Milady,
the most important task has been reserved for you,” he began as he turned to
face Khalida.
 
“I need you to meet with
our ancient friend in his mountain home.
 
He will be needed in the end.
 
It
will be he who will save us all.
 
I fear
that this is the beginning of an all-out war.
 
He and his kind will be our only hope.
 
Please tell him everything and ask him to find me straight away.
 
I will need to give him special
instructions.”

“I
understand, my lord,” Khalida replied.

“After
you have finished with that task, you will be in charge of managing the West
Land situation.
 
I will be gone for some
time to take care of some pressing matters.
 
Summon our most loyal allies and urge them to prepare for war.”
 
For the first time he showed real emotion on
his face.
 
His jaw was set, and his eyes
turned icy blue.
 
“I will not let her
succeed in whatever she is planning.”

“We
will not fail. We cannot possibly lose with our ancient friend’s support.
 
I will, of course, do as you wish.
 
When shall I see you again?”
 
She looked at her master with such a tender
look that he stopped plotting in his mind to really look at her.

“You
will see me again.
 
I cannot say
when.
 
The future is too full of
possibilities and dangers.
 
With the help
of our friend from the mountain, I will survive this dark tide.
 
We all will.
 
However, many of the peoples of Tuwa will not.
 
This will not be an easy time for us, and it
will not be brief.
 
Evil has awoken at
the bidding of a new master.”
 
A feeling
of dread swept over Khalida when he said this.
 
She finally understood that no one would escape the horrors that were
about to be unleashed upon Tuwa.
 
Not
even the powerful guardians would survive this war unscathed.

“Then
you must go and do that which is necessary, master.
 
I sense the urgency of your quest.
 
Rest assured that I will do my part to
protect the peoples of the West.”
 
She
walked up to her master and kissed him lightly on the cheek.
 
“May the Almighty Kedem bless you and keep
you safe,” she said with a bow.

“He
will see us through these difficult times.
 
Kedem will bless you with power and knowledge as you direct and protect
the peoples of Tuwa.”

He
then rose silently into the air and exploded violently into a ball of pure
energy.
 
The air was alive with
electricity, and he floated momentarily in midair.
 
He then built up enormous pressure behind him
and bolted east out over the sea to his unexplained destination.

Khalida
sat down again at the council table and felt a heavy burden press down upon her
shoulders.
 
This task was more than she
could bear alone.
 
She knew that her
master was wise in sending her to visit their friend in the mountain.
 
He will
be the difference in the pending war
.
 
She did not fully understand their power or even their purpose.
 
She knew that they were more loyal to the
master than anyone else.
 
She could not
explain the unbreakable bond between them, but it was one that would save them
all.
 
She still felt the dread in her
heart and knew that she would not be able to shake the feeling that death and
destruction would soon reign down on the races of Tuwa.
 
She also knew that the elementals would be in
real danger somehow.
 
She did not understand
how that was possible, but she knew it to be true nonetheless.

Princess
Kishi walked mechanically to a secluded bluff overlooking the dwellings of the
high elves’ new mountain home.
 
She did
not want to be in the capital for the completion ceremony, as she did not share
in the supposed success many of the people had worked so hard for.
 
She did not care for the way her sister Kira
was leading the emerging nation.
 
She
thought that her twin and one time friend had started out with good intentions
but somehow she lost her way over the past few months.
 
The idea of freedom was spreading like a
plague amongst the population, which meant that Kira did not have complete
control over her subjects.
 
The queen’s
weakness lay in giving power to the high elven council who were elected by
popular vote.

This
lack of control combined with her sister’s blind trust in an elemental was
cause for Kishi’s severe turmoil.
 
A look
of pain and disappointment crept across her beautifully dark face.
 
She did not like the way she had left things
with Kira three months earlier.
 
She
wished now that she could express her love for her and try to tear down the
wall that had arisen between them.
 
She
had been an absolute terror the last time they had faced each other.
 
She did not feel that her sister would be
willing to forgive her after the way she behaved.
 
She still believed in what she had said but
that did not give her the right to attack her sister the way she did.

While
she stood musing over these myriad of emotions and thoughts, a messenger had
silently approached her from behind.
 
This high elf was being very cautious because of the many stories of
Princess Kishi’s violent temper.
 
He
could not gage what her mood was from where he stood, so he thought it was a
good idea to be guarded in his movements.
 
As the messenger emerged from the shadows cast by the mountain, his long
blonde hair began to sway softly from the wind rushing down the
mountainside.
 
He was dressed in the
black and silver uniform that had the crest of the queen.
 
He was obviously a member of the queen’s
guard and had the unfortunate task of bringing a summons for Kishi to attend a
special hearing called by the queen and the high elven council.
 
He did not know exactly what the meeting was
about, but he knew that it must be related to the rumored dispute between the
siblings.

“Milady,”
the messenger tentatively said.
 
His
voice shook slightly with fear as he spoke.
 
He was straining to get a better look at Kishi to see if she had heard
him.

Princess
Kishi whirled around with her hand raised.
 
A ball of fire had burst into life in her left hand.
 
Anyone who knew the powerful sorceress would
have known not to approach her from behind.
 
He had not realized the extent of the princess’s magic.
 
He cowered at her flaming hand and began to
tremble uncontrollably as he waited to be incinerated.

“Please
do not kill me.
 
I have an urgent summons
from your sister, Queen Kira, and the high elven council,” he said while
shaking all over.

“You
have my apologies. I do not like surprises, and I am afraid you caught me
unawares.
 
Please, give me the summons,”
she said calmly.
 
She lowered her hand,
and the flame died out instantly.
 
That little elf is lucky to be alive.

He
edged closer to the dark figure standing at the precipice and handed her the
message with trembling hands.
 
He then
quickly asked for her leave, and she waved impatiently at him to leave without
even looking up.
 
She truly believed her
sister had conveniently forgotten their agreement they had made all those
months ago.
 
She was not sure now that
she should pursue the question of ascension, but the council had already been
informed, and they were apparently ready to hear arguments from both
sides.
 
She carefully opened the letter
and began to read the summons:

               
Princess Kishi Tiranidrol,

Your presence
is required at a hearing in regards to your claim to the throne.
 
Also, we will discuss your concerns about the
direction of the political affairs of the high elven kingdom.
 
All of the members of the high council will
be present along with the queen and king.
 
A report will be given about the alliances we have formed to date, what
our allies require from us, and what will be gained from our new partnerships.
 
Chairman Bronwen Merindiel will conduct the
meeting with Queen Kira Tiranidrol presiding.
 
The meeting will be held in the new high council chamber and will begin
promptly at noon.
 
Your item of business
will be the first topic on the agenda.

Respectfully
Yours,

Elgin Rinelyn

Vice Chairman

Kishi
stared at this formal request from the council in disbelief.
 
She had
actually kept her word
.
 
Now she did
not know what to think or to do for that matter.
 
She thought that the topic would be avoided
like a horde of nasty, smelly goblins.
 
As she stood there with the letter in her left hand, she had a sinking
feeling that something very similar to what happened to the elves was going to
happen to the high elves.
 
She felt sure
that someone was behind all of this.
 
Nothing about what was happening seemed to fit.
 
She had never fought with her sister like
this; she would never have said such awful and hurtful things.
 
What is
going on?
 
Who is behind all of
this?
 
I feel like a puppet, but who is
the puppeteer?

She
needed to find out some answers, and she needed to do it quickly.
 
She had spent so much time spreading discord
among the people that there very well could be another split.
 
There were many who shared her concerns and
were willing to uproot again to begin anew elsewhere.
 
Some had even gone as far as seeking out a
suitable location.
 
A significant number
of people had found the perfect place on the mountain directly west of Mount
Quang.
 
They had informed the princess of
this spot and had told her that they felt they should start developing a new
capital there.
 
At the time, she had been
so furious with her sister that she agreed with them.
 
That had been two months ago.
 
She needed to have all of the facts before
entering that council room tomorrow, so she determined that she should go and
visit this new settlement to see what the dissenters had completed thus far.

She
took one last moment to look down on the capital city in all of its glory.
 
The wind had increased steadily as she had
mulled this matter over in her mind.
 
The
fog that had clung to parts of the dwellings below had been dispelled by the
wind and the bright sun overhead.
 
The
rooftops glimmered and shined as the sun continued across the morning sky.
 
She then saw signs of celebration below in
the castle’s courtyard.
 
There were
colorful banners and confetti flying through the air.
 
Sounds of music climbed the side of the
mountain as if it were a beast clawing its way to the top.
 
At this moment, the feelings she had had for
the past three months returned with renewed vigor.
 
Those
ignorant fools!
 
Maybe change will shake
them and wake them from repeating the mistakes of my father and the obstinate
woodland elves.

Kishi
began to climb a path made by carts and wagons at the base of Mount Konane.
 
This mountain was situated directly east of
Mount Quang and was a mirror image of its neighbor.
 
She began to feel a sense of purpose and
happiness envelope her as she traversed the trail.
 
These were definite signs that the dissenters
had been hard at work for some time now.
 
She began to formulate a master plan for the meeting tomorrow.
 
The plan was not too different from the one
they had sprung on the elves.
 
If the
construction of a new capital city had progressed unhampered and undiscovered,
they should at least have homes for the people who would be living there
completed.
 
She was too consumed in her
thoughts to notice the buildings popping up before her eyes.
 
It took the familiar voice of one of her most
devout friends to bring her back to reality.

“Queen
Kishi!
 
Welcome to the home of the
dissenters!” shouted a distant harsh voice.

“Dükker
Aellenas?
 
Is that really you?” Kishi
queried as she trotted toward the source of the shouting.
 
She had not even registered the fact he had
called her queen.

“Milady,
I am here as your humble servant,” Dükker said with a bow and an unnerving
smile.
 
He was so tall that he easily
dwarfed anyone who stood next to him.
 
His long, platinum-blonde hair was tied back in a braid so he could work
more freely on the new high council room.
 
As he stood erect once more, his starling gray eyes pierced into Kishi’s
mirthless eyes.
 
They were two of a kind
in almost every way imaginable.
 
Lord
Aellenas was a powerful warlock who had helped train the princess in the ways
of magic.
 
He had also taught Kira, but
Kishi was much more adept at commanding the mystical forces.
 
As a result, she had learned magical powers
that no other living person would comfortably use.

“I
feel reassured now that I have seen you here working,” Kishi said with an
ever-increasing confidence in her voice.
 
If there were two more of her friends here, she would be able to do what
was needed at the meeting with the high council.

“You
do have two more loyal servants here.
 
Jaali Thrarias and Harley Tenanden are both here for the same
reason.
 
Those fools think they have
changed and that they have created a new system that will avoid the pitfalls
your father encountered.
 
They are no
different than those we left behind in the Black Forest,” Lord Aellenas explained
with an icy edge to his voice.
 
He saw a
look of bewilderment on his pupil’s face and laughed tonelessly.
 
“You have forgotten already that you cannot
hide your thoughts from me, young one.
 
I
will have to teach you how to do this someday.
 
Once you have learned that skill, you will even be a match for the elementals.”

“You
will always be the master, Lord Aellenas.
 
I am indebted to you for your guidance and council,” she said with a
slight bow.
 
She truly revered him as the
most powerful magician in Tuwa.
 
He was
capable of accomplishing anything and could learn faster about an opponent than
anyone else.
 
She knew that with him at
her side she would be able to lead a new nation…regardless of any potential
opposition.

“I
have merely been blessed to instruct a capable student who will one day be more
powerful than anyone in all the lands of Tuwa.”
 
He smiled slyly and bade her to follow him with a slight turn of his
body.
 
“Let me take you to our
friends.
 
They will be delighted that you
have come.
 
They will especially like
what you have planned for the meeting you have been summoned to.”
 
Kishi always felt like a mere pupil when he
read her thoughts so readily.
 
She did
not know how he did it.
 
She had learned
how to block her father’s intrusions, but she did not even understand where she
needed to begin to block these invasions.
 
At this point, she did not really care to hide anything from her
master.
 
He is the most deadly ally I could possibly hope for
.
 
With
his help, I will be able to succeed
.

They
had quickly crossed the courtyard of a brand new castle that was still in the
early stages of being built.
 
“Have the
dwellings been completed for the people?” Kishi questioned her mentor with
mounting anticipation.
 

“Yes,
you will be able to unleash the same surprise on your sister as she did on your
father.
 
She will not suspect it or even
think it possible.
 
She truly believes
she is in the right and that you are the one who has been corrupted.
 
I believe that she will try to make you an
outcast because of your defiance,” Aellenas explained knowledgably.
 
He was in the castle the previous day when
her sister had made this plan against her.
 
He had read her thoughts then and knew what would be needed, so he
immediately left for the new capital he had architected on Mount Konane.
 
He knew that Kishi would come there seeking
answers, and he would be there to provide her with the support she would need.