Mar’si, Holy Marsh
Kerdan Council Chambers, Sarda District
12 Hours Later
The Kerdan Council chamber, a grand hall of ancient stone and sacred symbols, was filled with an air of tension. High ceilings echoed with the whispers of council members, their voices bouncing off the cold, hard walls adorned with centuries-old tapestries depicting the divine lineage of the Arsi’Elkon. The room was dimly lit by the soft glow of ceremonial candles, casting long shadows that danced on the faces of the council members.
The council members, traditionally the decision-makers in the Arsi’Elkon’s absence, were engaged in a heated discussion. Their voices rose and fell, a cacophony of concern and disagreement. The topic: the election of a new leader amidst the ongoing search for Luboski.
However, the tension in the room was not solely due to the crisis. A new player had entered the field - the El’kon’s Council. Installed by Luboski himself, they claimed a religious mandate to lead, backed by the votes of the Faithful. Their refusal to engage with the Kerdan Council had only added fuel to the fire.
Two Kerdans, Great King Sah of the Primitve Sarda and Knight-Mother Ria Svarfeltiu of the Crusader Sarda , walked briskly along the hallway that led to office of High Mother Cerisa Alahana of the Female Sarda, the leader of their efforts tonight. They were both members of the Kerdan Council, and they had been summoned by Cerisa to discuss the situation with the Bishop’s Council.
The hallway was a long, narrow corridor, lined with ancient scripture carved into the stone walls. The scripture told the stories of the Faith, their divine deeds and miracles, their battles and triumphs. The words were written in an old dialect, barely legible to the modern eye, overwritten and overlaid by newer dialects and newer stories, deed upon deed. For all their mounting illegibility, the halls of the Council never failed to evoke reverence from those who walked it.
Sah and Ria glanced at the scripture as they passed by, but today they paid little attention to the meaning. They were too preoccupied with the present crisis, and the looming confrontation with the upstarts.
“This is absurd. Why do we entertain their delusions?” Sah said, his voice low but harsh. He was a tall, thin man, with a sharp nose and a stern expression. He wore the golden jewels and purple diadem of his tribe, a sign of his status and authority, a flowing dress whisping about and showing the scars earned well in his youth..
“The situation is complex, Sah. We cannot pretend it is not.” Ria replied, her voice calm and measured. She was a short, plump woman, with a round face and a friendly smile. You could almost mistake her for a soft woman, were it not for the ritualistic carving of her skin for every nation she had crusaded in. She wore a colorful dress, a sign of her openness and warmth.
“Complex! They are speaking falsehoods and should be ignored. This distracts from the search efforts!” Sah snapped, his voice rising slightly. He was angry and frustrated, and he did not hide it.
“The search efforts are what they are, Sah. It isn’t as if we’re sending Ley out there on a boat herself.” Ria said, her voice soothing and rational. She was worried and concerned, but she did not show it.
They reached the end of the hallway, and stopped in front of a large wooden door. The door had a metal plaque that read, “Kerdan Cerisa Alahana. Embrace Her Will.”
Sah knocked on the door, and a voice from inside said, “Enter.”
Sah opened the door, and he and Ria entered the room. The room was spacious and elegant, with a long table in the center, surrounded by comfortable chairs. The walls were decorated with paintings and sculptures of the various fables of the Female Sarda, their virtues and great leaders. Cerisa was pleased no doubt that the newest and perhaps largest, the one behind her desk, was one of her. The room was well-lit by the natural light that came through the large windows, offering a view of the capital in its endless immensity.
At the table, three other council members were already seated. Along with Cerisaa there was Warmaker Dunnugh, the fiery and newly appointed Kerdan of the Combat Sarda and Sybar VII, the Kerdan of the Singularity Sarda who was the only one who did not turn to see the entrants. Hooked in as the cyborg was, he likely saw everything.
Sah and Ria took their seats at the table, and Alahana spoke.
“As expected, the vote was 52-0. We remain united.” She said, her voice confident and authoritative. She wore a white suit, a sign of her purity and integrity during these negotiations.
“To no effect.” Dunnugh said, his voice gruff and impatient.
“Dunnugh, you speak beyond yourself. A united front remains important in the face of the El’kon’s defiance.” Alahana said, her voice stern and reproachful.
“They are breaking some of our dearest traditions. The Inquisition should handle this. This is clear heresy!” Sah said, his voice echoing Dunnugh’s sentiment. He was angry and frustrated, and he did not hide it.
“Sah! For Her Love, stop being so dramatic.” Ria said, her voice chiding and soothing. She was worried and concerned, but she did not show it.
“For every hour this situation continues, the threat of escalation from insincere elements increases by zero-point zero one percent. Whatever course this takes, it is imperative we do not escalate it ourselves.” Sybar VII said, his voice monotone and analytical.
The five council members looked at each other, and sighed. A moment passed.
“What does the High Practitioner say?” Ria asked, breaking the silence. Ley was well-known to them as a methodical combatant and cool under pressure, but the situation as it existed should have caused more consternation for her than she had showed. Alahana knew her better than most, though.
“As you can imagine, she is frustrated. However, she seems more focused on assuming this role and getting to work far more than she is how she gets there.” Alahana answered, her tone suggesting more than her words would offer. Ley had been unusually curious about the who and why of the El’kon Council’s efforts. Alahana assumed that it was a bad sign for those damnable fools.
“Trust a Combat Sarda Practitioner to be too pragmatic for her own good.” Dunnugh commented. Sometimes you need to rule from the heart, and this was something that Ley was not known for.
“I have leaned on my El’kon as best I can- as we all have. It has proven problematic to a degree I had not expected. The argument Speaker Cayne has been making has proven effective, especially among the younger members of that Council.” Alahana continued, reflecting easily the results of their joint efforts. The El’kon Council was an enormous body of thousands, and Cayne had spent her time gathering support for her various efforts down there. No doubt there was a debt of loyalty being called upon in this fight, and it was an oversight that the overconfident Kerdans were even now being held to account for.
“See? I told all of you that we should not allow such a tradition-mocking body-!” Sah exclaimed, his voice rising before Cerisa silenced him with a raised hand and a dagger smile.
“Silence yourself. It was the Will of Her Holiness that the El’kon Council be given the rights and power it has. You will keep your tongue leashed on that subject. When Her Holiness is recovered and reviews our conduct, I will not have her past decisions being re-litigated being a cause of her just frustration.” Alahana scolded Sah, turning to the rest.
“They will break in time. We will wear on our El’kon and they will abandon Speaker Cayne.” Alahana said, expressing her hope for a resolution.
“Perhaps, Cerisa. But hard to do any more than we are now when Speaker Cayne hasn’t spoken to us, only the media. What does she even want as part of a negotiation?”
**************************************************************
Mar’si, Holy Marsh
El’kon Council Chambers, Sarda District
The El'kon Council's building stood tall and imposing in the heart of the rising Government Hold inside of the Sarda District, its sleek, modern design a stark contrast to the ancient stone edifice of the Kerdan Council's chamber that were just out of sight behind the First Cathedral. Rising several stories high, the building commanded attention with its clean lines and gleaming façade, a testament to the advancement and progressiveness of the Theocracy.
As one approached the entrance, they were greeted by a grand foyer adorned with intricate murals and sculptures depicting the history and tenets of the Faith. The walls were adorned with symbols and insignias representing the various Sardas and their respective roles within the Council, a constant reminder of the diverse array of voices that comprised the governing body.
Upon entering the main atrium, one was met with a vast expanse of space, the ceilings soaring high above in a cathedral-like fashion. The room was bathed in natural light streaming in through large, panoramic windows, offering sweeping views of the bustling city below.
The interior design was a harmonious blend of tradition and modernity, with sleek marble floors juxtaposed against ornate tapestries and stained glass windows depicting scenes from religious texts. The furnishings were elegant yet functional, providing comfortable seating areas for council members to convene and collaborate.
Throughout the building, corridors stretched in all directions, connecting various wings and chambers where council meetings and deliberations took place. Each room was equipped with state-of-the-art technology and communication systems, facilitating the efficient exchange of ideas and information among the thousands of council members.
Despite its modern amenities, the building exuded an aura of reverence and solemnity, a sacred space where the voices of the Faithful converged to shape the destiny of the Theocracy. Every corner, every detail, bore the imprint of centuries of tradition and devotion, a testament to the enduring power of faith and governance intertwined.
The break rooms, however, of the El'kon Council were modest spaces tucked away from the grandeur of the council chambers. Dimly lit by soft overhead lights, it offered a moment of respite for those weary from the weight of their responsibilities. Speaker Halas Cayne, her lupine features illuminated by the gentle glow, stood at the counter pouring herself a cup of tea, lost in thought.
As she reached for the sugar, a fellow council member entered the room, breaking the silence. "I can see it. You've got something to say," Halas remarked, his voice carrying a hint of curiosity.
El’kon Rapini turned to face him, her amber eyes meeting his. "I was speaking with Divine Engineer First Class Trena Savalar. He has expressed bewilderment at our continued... obstinance, was his word."
Halas raised, leaning against the counter. "I bet he is. No offense, but not everything fits on a diagram as well as it should."
"Insults aside," Rapini continued, her tone steady, "what is the goal, Halas? The Saka Tala can't go on forever, and we all have important work to do."
"That we do," Halas agreed, taking a sip of his tea as he sat down. "If only the Kerdan Council would recognize the religious authority we possess as the collective Will of the Faithful, it would go by easier. Or if Ley thinks she is a leader, maybe she should be leading."
"Hard to do that when we don't allow her to take her position," Rapini pointed out, her tone thoughtful as she took a seat.
"Are we stopping her, though?" Halas countered, his gaze piercing. "None of this is written down anywhere. She doesn't require our approval, right? Only the unelected Kerdan Council."
Halas took another sip.
"And she has their approval. By tradition, she leads now. So where is she?"
"You know we would constantly get in her way. You'd be railing against it every minute," Rapini remarked, her expression grave.
"Yes, but millennia-old war-time traditions would be preserved, as they demand. So why should she care?" Halas retorted, his tone tinged with ill-constrained contempt.
A pause.
"So that's all this is? A ploy to force the Kerdan Council to recognize our new authority?" Rapini inquired, her voice quiet yet resolute.
Halas took a sip of his tea and smiled, allowing the pause to linger.
"Yes, that's exactly what this is," he lied.
