The Beginning After The End novel Chapter 388

Chapter 388

Chapter 31: 387

ALDIR

Lord Indrath’s great hall was as full and loud as I remember it ever being. Representatives of all the great clans were present, but Lord Thyestes had brought an unusually large entourage, rivaling even the Indraths in number. The other clans mingled between the dragons and pantheons, but not freely. One only had to open their eyes to see how the political turmoil shaped the room.

The Eccleiah Clan of the leviathan race had also brought a large delegation, and the leviathans carefully moved between Indrath and Thyestes, making sure to give both clans time and attention.

That was in contrast with the Mapellia Clan, chief among the hamadryad race. Their alliance with the dragons was as old as the foundations of Mount Geolus, and they honored it unflinchingly, lingering among the dragons while giving the pantheons only perfunctory greetings.

The titans, on the other hand, had long been friends of the pantheons. Though they showed no outward signs of enmity toward the dragons, the members of the Grandus Clan gravitated to my own. Conversation between my clan and theirs was open and accessible, whereas the few titans who spoke to dragons did so in a more formal manner.

There were few sylphs in attendance, as the carefree people did not enjoy subjecting themselves to such tensions. Lady Aerind had come herself, however, and the few of her clan to accompany her mingled carelessly between the other clans.

Even fewer were the phoenixes. Their antipathy toward the dragons was deep-rooted and slow to burn, and the Avignis Clan largely kept their people out of both politics and courtly turmoil. After their predecessors, the Asclepius Clan, were removed from the Great Eight, it had been difficult for the Avignis Clan to rebuild trust between the phoenixes and other races of Epheotus. Lord Avignis and his daughters kept to themselves amidst the frustration and anger of the pantheon warriors smoldering in the air.

As I scanned the great hall, my brother caught my eye. It was rare for Kordri to attend court, but, as Taci’s trainer, Lord Thyestes would have demanded his presence. The death of an asura—any asura, much less a pantheon warrior—at the hands of a lesser was unheard of. Our clan demanded answers.

"Ah, General Aldir."

Turning from my brother, I realized that Lord Eccleiah had appeared at my side. The leviathan was an elder of his long-lived race, nearly as old as Lord Indrath. Unlike the lord of dragons, Lord Eccleiah wore his age proudly. His pale skin was thoroughly wrinkled, and the ridges that ran along his temples had lightened from the deep-ocean blue of youth to a light, nearly transparent hue. A milky-white film covered his once sea-green eyes. Even of those with several working eyes, only few could see the world as clearly as he seemed to, however.

"An unpleasant setting for a pleasant meeting," he continued. "It’s been at least a hundred years, I’m sure. Far too long. Please, allow me to extend my great sorrow for your clan’s loss."

He held out a hand to me, palm down. Taking it gently in my own, I bowed and pressed my forehead to the cold skin on the back of his hand. "Thank you, my lord."

He smiled, deepening the wrinkles around his eyes and mouth. "Should Lord Indrath ever allow you even a moment’s rest from your duties, you must visit our clan, Aldir. Zelyna still harbors feelings for you, I believe. She’s settled down a bit now, you know. Not quite the firebrand she used to be."

I said nothing, and Lord Eccleiah’s cheek trembled as he tried to suppress his amusement. "Well, can’t be seen playing favorites between the clans. I suppose I’ll have to find some dragon to talk with until Lord Indrath makes his appearance." He gave me a quick wink, turned, and melted away into the crowd.

After my odd conversation with Lord Eccleiah, I kept to myself, exchanging simple greetings with a few dignitaries, but otherwise doing my best to avoid being pressed into conversation and staying to the rear of the crowd. There was a gnawing sort of guilt growing in me, and it sharpened each time I heard Taci’s name. Although I had no way of knowing the truth, it was possible my actions had contributed to his death.

While I had hoped he would fail to wipe out Virion Eralith and his refugees, I had never imagined he would die in the effort. He was a pantheon. A youth, perhaps, but with decades of advanced training within the aether orb. Had he returned form his mission, he would have been welcomed back as an adult.

The white flames of Lord Indrath’s throne flared, interrupting my thoughts. The myriad voices filling the great hall went silent in an instant.

Lord Kezess Indrath appeared before his throne, stepping through the flames. His perpetually youthful face was carefully impassive, lightly welcoming, and entirely controlled. When his purple eyes swept across the still, silent crowd, however, there was a predatory intensity to his gaze.

Indrath didn’t speak until the silence had reached the point of discomfort. "Lords and Ladies. Greatest among your great clans. It is too rare that we meet in this way. You stand in the heart of my home, and I welcome you."

As one, the attending asuras all bowed. "Hail and welcome to his grace, Lord Indrath."

The ceremonial greeting carried a rough edge, drawn begrudgingly from the lips of my clansfolk. Though I was certain Lord Indrath noticed and kept a carefully mental tally of all who replied without the expected vigor, his demeanor didn’t change.

Once the last asura had stood, Indrath eased himself back on his throne, the white fire dancing harmlessly around him. "I have brought you all here because one of our own has been lost. We all understand how easy it is for lies and misinformation to spread among our people, which is why it is essential you know the truth of this unfortunate death."

Lord Thyestes stepped forward but did not immediately speak. Instead, he waited for Lord Indrath to address him.

Lord Indrath looked him in the eye but continued speaking. "As war with the Vritra Clan creeps closer, pruning our relationships in Dicathen is ever more important. It was also an opportunity for me to see for myself how the young pantheon, Taci of Thyestes Clan, handled himself on the battlefield."

Lord Thyestes took a firm step forward, putting himself directly in line with the throne.

"The rumor has already spread that Taci was defeated in battle by the lessers," Indrath continued gravely. "At best this is a ridiculous falsehood born of fear. At worst, a cruel lie meant to disrupt relations between the clans."

"And who would wish such a thing?" Lord Thyestes snapped, speaking out of turn. My clansfolk burst out with a low rumbling of support for our lord, and those present who were not already watching him carefully turned to stare.

Indrath’s face stayed cool and impassive as his attention settled back on Lord Thyestes. "Ademir. Go on then, speak. You clearly cannot contain your thoughts any longer."

"Nor should I have to, your grace," Lord Thyestes shot back.

The lord of the Thyestes Clan, Ademir, was tall and lean, like most pantheons. His four front eyes stared fearlessly at Indrath. His long black hair was shaved along the sides, revealing two additional eyes, one on each side. These bright purple eyes tracked with a jittery quickness across the faces of the other asura, no doubt scanning the room for support.

Lord Thyestes was in a difficult position. Our clan demanded answers and satisfaction, but if he pushed Indrath too far, the Thyestes Clan could fall just as quickly as the Asclepius Clan had. But pantheons were not easily cowed, and Ademir would find it difficult to back down from Kezess’s threats in front of his peers, a fact Kezess understood full well and would not hesitate to take advantage of. We were a warrior race, and we responded to threats with strength.

"Taci was a talented and promising young pantheon," Ademir said, his words directed to the half of the great hall where the Thyestes pantheons had gathered. "I was unsurprised when Lord Indrath expressed interest in testing the boy. Taci had trained extensively within the aether orb with Kordri, had studied alongside young dragons in this very castle, and was whispered to be a suitable heir to learn the forbidden World Eater technique, currently safeguarded by General Aldir."

A few eyes turned in my direction—most notably Lord Indrath’s—but most of the hall remained fixated on Lord Thyestes.

"But this will never come to pass, because his future has been taken from him, and for what? Why have we been deprived of a son, a friend, a pantheon with thousands of years of grace, strength, and life remaining to him?" Ademir’s eyes turned back on Kezess, who hadn’t moved, not even the flicker of an eyelash. "Tell us, your grace. Explain this escalation. First you fail to destroy the outcast, Agrona Vritra, then you break our treaty with him by using the Thyestes Clan’s forbidden mana art, and now you lose a pantheon warrior to the lessers."

As Ademir spoke, his tone became harsher and sharper and the force of his mana swelled until it distorted the air around him. "You must forgive us if some of your subjects have begun to question your judgment."

Raised voices crashed through the great hall like waves against a rocky shore, rising and falling, tumbling over one another as asura turned against asura.

"How dare you—"

"—not a justification for—"

"—removed from the Great Eight immediately—"

"—damned good question!"

A shadow fell over the hall, and the outpouring of Indrath’s power stole the oxygen from the air, quenching the arguments like candle flames. Each asura in attendance was considered among the strongest of their clans, and yet we all flinched away from our lord, knees going weak, breath shuddering out of our lungs.

Lord Kezess Indrath didn’t move. He didn’t scowl or even frown. His eyes became a slightly darker shade of purple, perhaps, but that was the only outward sign of his displeasure.

"You forget yourselves," he said after a long moment. "We are asura. We do not squabble and yell like lessers."

Lord Thyestes’ hands curled into tight fists, his own King’s Force radiating around him, pushing back at Indrath’s aura. But he kept his silence.

"It is unfortunate that you over-represented Taci’s abilities to me," Indrath continued. "Had you been more open, I could have sent another." Ademir’s scowl deepened, but Indrath kept speaking. "For it wasn’t a lack of martial prowess or control over mana that condemned Taci, but a lack of wisdom. He was not defeated by the lessers but tricked into destroying himself. There are no lessers in either Alacrya or Dicathen that post a threat to us. That is the message you must take home to your clans."