Guardians of Enthia I - Chapter II
Eyrica's highest tower was the Tower of God, a remarkable feat of architecture that loomed over all other buildings in the city one hundred fold. The Tower of God was the home of most of Eyrica's bureaucratic structures -- the King and his staff, the theocracy, the barracks, etc. But most notably, on its highest floors, held the Royal Society of Mages -- and, on its highest level, the High Society conference hall.
Ornate tapestries and ancient tomes lined the walls of the room, while an imposing table of polished oak dominated its center. The High Society, which served as the Region of Spring's oldest and most revered group of mages, convened here on business that spanned the entire planet.
"Another Floutin Expeditionary Association group has gone missing in Nathari," reported one of the high mages, as the group continued with their meeting's items. "It's the third one in the past few months.
One of the older mages, a dark elf, scoffed. "The FEA ought to learn themselves how dangerous the Wastes can be. Continuously sending men out there shows a complete disregard for their lives."
"The expeditionary groups cover dangerous work," a younger high elf replied. "It is not entirely uncommon to see them disappear like this."
"Um...excuse me. If I could interject on this point."
The other high mages turned to the far end of the table. There sat the odd one out of the group -- not only the youngest mage in the High Society (and perhaps its youngest in 400 years), but also a mere low elf; one whom did not experience the natural magical potency of the others. His name was Zeroi.
"As I am sure you are all aware..." Zeroi said, standing up to make his timid voice more easily heard, "most of my studies revolve around analyzing dark magick levels in various 'hot spots' around the world. Nathari, of course, is one of these spots. Now historically Nathari's level of dark magicks has fluctuated in, what seems like to most other experts, a stochastic process. In other words, some years it goes down, other years it goes up, without any sort of pattern. But the past 25 years has seen the longest unbroken chain of continuously increasing activity, and even more bizarrely... the increases are stable. Very stable. As in, decimal-point level exact increases for the past few months."
"Where are you going with this, youth?" The more-flippant dark elf mage asked aloud.
Zeroi bowed his head. "For this next point, I must refer to the literature. As is known in the Adamkhuni, the Nathari Wastes serve as the last resting point of Natas and the Siima Horde. And the Adamkhuni is very particular about this point -- it is a 'resting place'. In other words, the implication is that the Siima were never outright destroyed... they were merely sleeping."
"Citing a millennium-old religious text is hardly scientific, is it not?" Another mage interjected.
"Well, yes... that's true. But on the topic of the FEA, they have shown without a shadow of a doubt that the Siima did use to inhabit the Region. And we know that dark magicks were originally brought to this world by order of the Siima."
"Please!" The dark elf mage got up from his seat to challenge the young boy. "You have been in our society for a mere year and now you wish to tell all of us that a world-reckoning demon horde is on our doorstep, and the rest of us just happened to miss it?"
Zeroi looked at him. "Well, sometimes it's helpful to look at such things with a fresh perspective."
The mage glared at the boy, then turned to the other end of the table. "High Regent Kalykus, please... permission to silence this boy and continue with the meeting?"
An elderly high elf mage, with a long well-maintained white beard and brilliant green eyes, looking at the two of them. For a long time, he said nothing. Finally, after taking a few strokes of his beard, he made his verdict.
"I'm sorry, Deiredas," Kalykus spoke, "But I must reject your request. Because I believe the boy is on to something."
The room erupted into a series of murmurs. Zeroi, while greatly excited, tried his best to not have it show on his face.
The High Regent leaned forward. "Young master Zeroi, I grant you permission to investigate this point further. You are given leave from the council, and I'll grant you funds for your journey."
Zeroi suddenly snapped out of it. "M-my journey, sir?"
"Sounds like this will require field work," Kalykus replied, chuckling. "Perhaps not the Wastes themselves, but certainly in discovering what others know. I have a few hints of leads myself, others who have shared the same concerns. Either way, you should gather your travel kit."
Zeroi bowed. "Of course, High Regent."
The young and impressionable low elf barely stayed longer than he needed before he went off down the steps of the Tower of God to get started on a new journey.