Elemental Blitz

6

The Senate Chamber is a buzz as Senators talk amongst each other around the massive circular fire oak table. The chamber was formally the throne room. It is located at the very center of the palace. Sitting in an outer ring around the table are aides, military officers, and runners. Things quiet down some when Eshoni walks in, but not completely. That doesn’t happen until Eshoni, as the one who called this session, picks up the ride that leans against the only empty seat at the table and bangs the metal ball at the end against the marble floor. It echoes through the chamber, and every voice goes silent.

“I will not sugarcoat this,” says Eshoni without pause, “I believe we have lost Orleanspire to a Devil army.”

That plunges the room into a deeper silence, so she steps into that one, too.

“I have already dispatched orders from scouts to be sent out from the nearest barracks,” says Eshoni as she pulls out a crystal from her pocket, “In the meantime, all we have is the message sent by someone within the city and the hawk that carried it. I had a mage pull the hawk’s most recent memories.”

She places the crystal on the table and taps the top twice with her finger. Light projects from it into the air. It shows a city on fire from the point of view of the messenger hawk. They can see the c*****e happening in the streets as people are ran down and torn apart by Devils, thousands of Devils. They are skin as black as tar, eyes like glowing rubies, and of all shapes and sizes. Gasps fill the chamber, and several people are violently ill. For long minutes after the crystal stops casting, no one speaks.

“What do we do,” asks Senator Beth Pham, her voice shaking, “We can’t stop that many Devils. What do we do?”

“We pull together every warrior, every mage, every hunter, every man of fighting,” says Sir Donte Whitney, the High General of the Imperial Army, “And we beat these bastards back into whatever pit they crawled out of. Devils are tough, but they can be killed. A fact I can personally attest to.”

Sir Donte is born First Seat and a knight. He was given the title by the Devil Empress and served with distinction. His duties brought him into contact with Devils several times, and he bore the scars to prove it. When the rebellion took the capital, he was one of the few First Seats who turned and joined them. When it was all over he was instrumental in helping to stem the chaos and help establish the Senate. He was given command of the army and has done his level best to turn it from a machine of fear and death to something the people could depend on to protect them.

“Are you mad,” asks Senator Wyatt Neal, a high ranking Second Seat, “What do you think will happen if you start a draft asking regular citizens to send their fathers, sons, and brothers to be thrown into the meat grinder against Devils, they will rebel against us!”

“They can volunteer for the grinder or wait until we are all dead and die at home with the Devils reach them,” says Donte as he favors Senator Neal with his coldest glare, “That is your choice. The men and women who are paid to lay down their lives for this Empire have families, too, yet I will be ordering them into the same grinder. I have a family. I will be walking into that same grinder. So, tell me, Senator, will you be standing on the line when the time comes, or will you be hiding?”

“How dare you, sir,” yells Wyatt as he springs up from his chair.

“Enough,” yells Eshoni as she bangs the staff again, “We are facing a crisis here. We do not have time to fight amongst ourselves. We can talk further about a draft in time. Right now, we need to get our cities and towns secured against this. We need to get every hunter guild and magical order involved as well. This is not a threat we can face divided. Which we have been for a decade.”

“What are you talking about, Senator,” asks a First Seat Senator named Zelma Mercer, “We have never been more united. Every Seat has a representative on this Senate. We are changing years of inequality. How are we divided?”

“Because the man who we need most right now hasn’t been seen for a decade,” says Eshoni, meeting Zelma’s eyes, “Our Bearer is not here.”

“Our Bearer is a mass murderer,” says Zelma, her voice cold as ice, “Or have you forgotten? I don’t think that you have, considering that you are the one who helped him escape justice.”

Zelma hates Rexx since he is the one who killed her brother and his family on orders from Liluth. She has tried many times to have Eshoni brought up on charges for aiding his escape. She could never get enough votes and so there is resentment between them that usually ends in them falling on opposite sides of any Senate issue. It is no secret that Eshoni had him removed from the city. She has also made it clear why she did it and that she has no idea where they took him. Or she didn’t until a few hours ago.

“Let me ask you,” says Eshoni, not taking her eyes off Zelma, “What do you think would happen if we ever found Rexx? What do you think would happen if we sent an army after him? How many do you think would return?”

Zelma doesn’t say anything, but she doesn’t look away.

“You say I helped him escape because I loved him,” says Eshoni, fighting to keep the emotion from her voice, “And I did. I still do. With all my heart but, I love this Empire and I love its people. So, I used that love to lure him away, and I poisoned him. It didn’t kill him, but it put him in a coma. Yes, I had the chance to kill him right there, but instead, I had him smuggled out of the city. I did that because I love him, and I love this Empire. Tell me, what would have happened if I had killed him? Would right now, with Devils at our door, would we have a new Bearer, or would the ring be sitting dormant for another five hundred years?”

This time, she looks around the entire chamber, waiting for anyone to answer. Once again, thank you, silence. Eshoni closes her eyes and lets out a long breath.

“I never lied about not knowing where he was,” says Eshoni slowly, “I never did until today. He was taken to a small town in the western plains called Redpole. Those who I trusted with this task went a step further without my knowledge. They have been actively keeping tabs on him. They have agents in the area still and they tell me that he has rarely ever left. He is still there now, and I have asked them to keep tabs on his movements. In an attempt to secure his help, I will be leaving the capital and going to find and talk to him in person.”

There is an uproar as people yell in protest or anger. Zelma wears a look of triumph on her face as she continues to stare into her eyes. Then she raises her hand, which is the standard action for someone who wants to speak. Eshoni takes the staff and bangs it again, silencing the chamber.

“Senator Mercer would like the floor,” says Eshoni.

“Thank you, Senator TyVon,” says Zelma as she stands, “I agree with Senator TyVon that seeking the help of the Bearer.”

This shocks everyone in the chamber as much or more than the revelation about Rexx. Eshoni waits for the other shoe to drop.

“However, I do not agree that she would be the only one to go on this mission to seek him out.”

There it is. She wants to come along as if this wasn’t going to be hard enough.

“I feel that at least three of us should go,” says Zelma, “If for nothing more than safety reasons. We do not know where his loyalties lie, and as she said, she is the one who poisoned him. With three of us there, if something happens, we have a better chance if at least one of us gets away to report it. I volunteer to join her in this.”

Eshoni doesn’t speak as they vote in favor of Zelma’s motion. In the end, Wyatt is the second to volunteer. Sir Donte volunteers a company of his best to escort them and will not be dissuaded. They decide to leave tomorrow. Eshoni is so afraid to do it but she knows that she has to. She is going to bring Braxian as well. No matter what happens, he deserves to meet his father, and Rexx deserves to meet his son. She can only hope she survives to see it.