A Curse of Anger and Lightning

Chapter 5: Eoaila

I bid farewell to Sani, as she ushered me towards the corridor leading towards the council's great hall. It was adjacent to the Fountain tower and the library, for ease of travel between the two buildings for the Quan’dar.

“Down this way and turn left at the end of the hallway, it will lead you directly into the council waiting room. Do not speak unless spoken to, bow upon entry and do not make direct eye contact” Sani said, suddenly in a hurry to get rid of me.

“Yes yes yes, thank you Morsanth, do not worry about me!’’ I grabbed her hands. ‘’Hopefully our paths will cross again. Let me know if captain Ran’ji is giving you a hard time” I winked.

She blushed and fled my gaze, giving me a slight bow as she took off towards the main entrance of the Fountain, in the direction of the two great doors. I rolled my eyes, Most likely running off to Ran’ji.

I made my way down the hallway, it was dimly lit with copper crystal braziers that left a warm golden blanket glittering against the floor and a faint smell of incense still lingered.

Along the walls were scriptures and mural paintings depicting events from the great war of separation. The great heroes purging the continent of the foul gods who would e*****e the mortal kind.

Colonel Han’lan was on this mural, drawn battling alongside her beloved General against the armies of Remeria and the great beast of the gods– side by side they battled until every single foe surrendered or died.

As I stepped deeper into the glittering hallway, I saw pictures of the imprisonment of Danair, Zanamar and their children in their temples, locked away with the Equilibrium spell of the Quan’dar, made to never leave their prisons and serve as examples. Never would a hand be raised against Feol’daria again.

More steps.

The escape of the trickster god Idris, the punishment of Bei’lin, the traitor. The turning of the earth. The gift and blessing of Zamorra.

It was all here, our history, splattered across the walls of this hallway, going as far as the creation of Feol’daria, when Solum blessed us with the Fountain and our duty to protect the Equilibrium balance– over fifteen thousand years ago.

That’s what it all came down to, keeping the balance. No matter what sacrifice it would take, Ei’ilnam had to put the sake of the Great Balance before anything else, even their entire existence.

The Dar of Galleim paid the steep price of that duty, by losing their beloved General Eimyaraes.

During the great war, she was the leader of the campaign that saved the continent of Remeria– the land beneath.

She wielded a grand scythe, said to split the sky and clouds with every strike. Her proficiency with Equilibrium tipped the scale in our favor during the battle against the Gods. She bested even Danair– the leader of the pantheon, with her combat skills, resourcefulness and unshakable faith in the Fountain.

But, in the end, it is said she exerted herself so much, overused the power provided by the Fountain and consumed herself from within.

Her desire to win the war and her desire for greatness overtook her will to live. She burned from within, in a great light brighter than Nei’il, she burned, before the eyes of her loyal soldiers, she vanished, obliterated by the overspilling Equilibrium within her.

Han’lan still mourned her deeply, and any reference of her or the war made her mood darken instantly. I believe she took a liking to me as a child because I reminded her of her old friend, the famed General Eimyaraes. Me? A general. I scoffed.

It took me almost two thousand years just to make it to Lieutenant, two thousand before that to train and eight hundred before that to simply grow. Four thousand eight hundred years old, and nothing to show for.

If someone was to be appointed the title of General, it should be none other than Han’lan, she deserved it beyond measure and was already the highest Ranking Officer in the Dar of Galleim, as no one had stepped up to take the position of General ever since the war.

I don’t know what the Quan’dar council members were waiting for. Or more like who they were waiting for.

I groaned and pinched my nose, what do these old farts want with me?

Absent minded, I continued down the hallway, admiring the artwork along the walls as I got closer to the council waiting room.

One day, I too would also be depicted here, as a hero, as a legend– as a glorious warrior of Galleim’dar. My deeds would be remembered, songs and ballads would be written in my honor.

Upon arriving at the end of the corridor, I could see the two great golden doors separating me from the council chamber, excitedness took over me, as if knowing good would come from this impromptu summon.

The hall had high ceilings, with golden crystal chandeliers hanging from them, the floor was white and immaculate, and statues of the council members were placed in each corner with one at the center, nestled in an opening within the walls, sculpted out from the marble with veins of gold and white. Each council member represented a Dar: Mina, Leoaïem, Galleim, Eium and Quan.

These five members were the foundations– the roots of our society. Solum had brought life to them. They were the first. They had seen it all– the beginning, the war.

They had built Feol’daria, had raised its tall towers around our Fountain, had built the Library. Had molded the first generation of Ei’Ilnam.

They had seen the corruption seep into the Gods, had raised an army, had taught them to fight, to wield Equilibrium.

So much of our existence revolved around these council members and yet, so few had laid eyes upon them.

And here I was, standing in this chamber, waiting– anticipating. I shuffled around, pacing, checking every fastened lock on my armour, rubbing my helm vigorously, staring at my distorted reflection.

I stretched my mouth, checking my teeth, Fountain save me if a piece of food were to be stuck between them.

I was so absorbed in my inspection I did not hear the muted steps behind me, did not hear the soft cough of the Quan’dar member as he said:

“Lieutenant?…Well… the council is ready for you.”

I froze in frigid horror, a finger still in my mouth, picking at my teeth. My back stiffened and my stomach clenched. I whirled around to face him, clumsily returning the helm in the nook of my elbow, acting as nothing had happened.

As if I had not been completely humiliated just now, hacking away in my mouth in search of bits of food like a preening i***t. I lifted my chin proudly, in attempts to redeem some moderate amount of pride.

“Lead the way then” I said arrogantly.