The Verdant Grove stretched beneath us, a tangled mass of trunks, leaves, and glimring magic enchantnts that dwarfed the surrounding trees and manors. Two other skyships hovered nearby, hiding from the ground behind particularly thick patches of canopy. The distance reduced their crews to crawling ants, but as we reduced altitude, I could see the occasional white tabard and silver armor of an inquisitor mixed in with the greens and browns of the elvish soldiers.
"Not so many church bastards," Luxxa said, glaring at them.
"No," Victor said, shaking his head. "We were the reinforcents. The ones on those ships would have already been in the city. They’ll mostly be local elvish forces."
A bright light lit up on the helm of the closest skyship, hovering so five hundred feet away.
"What is that? So kind of signal?" I asked.
Captain lvet gave an order, and a mage on our ship cast his own spell in return, his light blinking in an erratic pattern that carried on for a few seconds.
"It’s code for communicating between ships," lvet explained. "They were suspicious of the damage we’d sustained and inquired about our reason for our tardiness."
"And you said...?" Fyren asked, eyes narrowed.
"Demons and storms," he said, grinning. "They all know of my Lady’s demons in the area. The damage to our ship is severe, but we’ve hidden enough that it’s believable we rely suffered lightly in a skirmish."
"Clever," Victor said, nodding in approval. "It seems sparring you and your crew was the right decision."
"Yes, it seems so," the captain replied dryly.
From our vantage, I could see the grove’s grounds through the canopy, there being natural gaps in the absence of trees around the walls, cobblestone courtyards, and gardens. A small crowd had gathered in the main courtyard, outside the grand entrance of the tree that held the council chamber. I recognized R’lissea, Korra, Gayron, and Luke, and even Selena. The rest were from various other houses, all vassals of the three. It was calm and tranquil, but quiet. Too quiet for the countless auras I felt radiating from the grounds.
"There are more souls everywhere," Gith murmured. "Soldiers? Can’t tell whose side."
I nodded, sensing much the sa thing. They were hidden in the walls and towers, lying low in the grove’s gnarled branches, and camped on the roofs of manors and mansions surrounding the grove.
"Should I tell them we’re here?" I asked,
"You want to tell them you ignored all of their advice and ca to the grove yourself?" Fyren asked.
"It’s not like that. We just..." I hesitated, chewing on my lip, and sighed. "No."
He let out an amused snort. "My thoughts exactly. They’d probably try to protect you, and give our advantage away."
I looked down at Luke, smiling despite myself. Even from this far, he looked calm and composed, though his tail was twitching lethargically. What would he think if he knew I was here? He’d probably fly right to us.
"That’s not a good thing. He has a job to do," Fyren said, as if reading my thoughts.
I blushed and turned away from the railing, avoiding his gaze.
"Zephyriss?" I called, looking around for the demon.
I found her drifting sideways by the captain, curiously examining the helm. I’d never given it much thought, but now the questions stirred. How did they manage to steer the ships? It looked like a seabound ship’s wheel, but there were all sorts of levers and magical implents tucked around it. Such a strange blend of magical and mundane engineering. The ships really were amazing.
"Yes, My Lady?"
I blinked, tilting my head as I found Zephyriss now in front of . My cheeks ward as I struggled to recall what I’d been thinking about before getting distracted.
"Oh, um, right! Those ships. Do you think you could disable them?" I asked.
She side-eyed them a mont before grinning. "Can I?"
"Not yet," I said hurriedly. "Just...when it begins. If it begins," I anded.
"Then I’ll be waiting."
She rose a foot into the air, winked at , and promptly vanished. I could still see the approximate location of her soul with the Oracle, and sense her through the mark, but even those were blurry.
"What kind of invisibility spell is that?" I asked.
Fyren shrugged. "Not so much a spell as an art. Or perhaps better explained as a natural ability of storm demons. She’s not so much invisible as just...unseeable. Like the wind."
"Like how Kahlen controls swords?"
He nodded. "Sothing like that."
We waited a few more minutes in silence, observing the grounds and subtle shifts in troop movents below. I kept a careful eye on the Council Chamber entrance, where my friends waited. Then, the great wooden doors creaked open, and Aerion strode out with Elise at his side, a host of nobles and guards at their backs. They didn’t look happy, and Aerion in particular looked grim.
I wanted to reach out to them and verify what the sinking feeling in my stomach already told , but I held my tongue. Asking now would reveal we were watching.
Aerion exchanged so words with Selena. She nodded at Luke, and the two moved away from the group. Once they were in a more secluded part of the courtyard, Selena cast a spell, sprouting a pair of translucent green wings. Had R’lisesa taught her the spell?
Together, the ninth-level mage and apostle took off, streaking away amid a series of gasps and startled cries from those who witnessed it. I felt their gaze on our ship as they broke through the treeline and noticed us, but they continued on, never stopping or slowing. I let out an unconscious breath, sagging slightly. They hadn’t seen us.
"It’s beginning," Fyren said.
I returned my attention to the grove. A second party ca through the entrance, composed of the three great house heads and their entourages. Lord Evlon and a party of inquisitors followed. The high inquisitor half turned, studying the sky, his eyes focusing on our ship through the gaps in the branches. His lip quirked in a slight, confident smirk, and he turned away.
"The fool has no idea," Victor murmured, spitting on the deck.
An elvish mage cast a spell, and a subtle push, like a wave of compressed air, rolled over the grove and into the trees, tousling my hair. Lord Splitbark’s voice, amplified by the magic, followed, booming over Duskwood City.
"After much consideration," he said, looking around the assembled nobles, "Amid rising darkness, from the horrors of the Risen to the encroaching of the demons of our great nation, we’ve finally reached a decision that shall guide the future of Sylvarus for centuries to co. With a final vote of three to two," he said, gesturing to the assembled houses, "the council has decreed..."
He paused for dramatic effect, and the entire city seed to hold its breath.
"...that in order to preserve the safety of our people and maintain the stability of the nation, we shall accept the gracious offer of the Divine’s protection. The demons, fierce and powerful though they may be, shall not be allowed to threaten our prosperity or houses any longer. We are not weak, nor will we surrender our pride and submit to their whims. Why, just last month, one of our very own attained the lauded heights of ninth-level."
Lord Splitbark waved to the Sunsinger group, only to hesitate, confused, as he failed to see Selena. Clearing his throat, he recovered his composure and continued.
"Regardless of the cost, we will pay it. But we will not pay it alone. Our friends and allies, the church of the Divine, stand beside us. Lord Evlon, of whom many of you are familiar, has guaranteed great promises on their behalf. Not only will they support us by sending heroes and armies to fight our battles, but they promise prosperity to our people after the war. No longer will we be sidelined in treaties or shortchanged in trade. No longer will we be oppressed as a lesser race. We will stand beside our human friends as equals, worshipers of the gods who will redeem us. Thus have we voted, and thus shall it be done. Sylvarus stands with the divine."
Lord Splitbark raised his arms as the assembled elves began to cheer. All but the Whitemarshs, who wore solemn, grave expressions. Lord Evlon smiled, a smug, triumphant look. My hands balled into fists, but I took a breath, reminding myself this wasn’t the end. Losing the vote was a devastating loss, sure, but sothing we’d already accounted for.
"Now, there is a small matter I must now address, on the coat tails of such a joyous pronouncent. As conditioned by the church for their aid, we must reject the foe we’ve now committed to fight. There are those among us, sheltered by our own kind, who have sought sedition and treason to convince us to surrender our independence and dignity. Let us suffer these infidels no longer, and commit them to church inquisition to discover the true depths of their plots.
A gasp rang throughout the courtyard as all eyes turned to Aerion and my friends. Elise’s expression was black, her hands clenched in fists, but the elf lord was serene. He didn’t flinch, even as soldiers began to move, surrounding them.
Suddenly, Lady Whitemarsh moved, shoving past a splitbark attendant and standing beside Lord Splitbark under the effects of the amplification spell.
"The hell with that," she said, glaring at him. "You may have forced a vote to reject the rcy of the demons, but I’ll not stand by while you command your people to arrest those I’ve welcod as guests under my roof. Soldiers of Sylvarus, hear the High Commander of your garrisons. Stand down."
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