CHAPTER 14: Seven Minus Two
Back on Shaydon, seven Shayd of considerable importance sit within a well-furnished waiting room. Black marble painted the floors and columns, with seats of dark purple fabric peppered throughout the narrow space. Tapestries of gray and white fluttered along the walls and hung across the ceiling, depicting great events in Shaydon’s tumultuous history. In this room, Yuttoguln, Eyve, and Ven sat on opposite walls, Yuttoguln and Ven glaring at each other and Eyve perusing a magazine while the clock on the farthest side of the room ticked on. Eventually, the clock rang out with raspy bells, alerting the three individuals, and two sides of the recent happenings, that it was their time to face their judgment.
The three walked through the doors at the end of the hall into an enormous, elliptical room, stark black and mottled with angular lines that spattered against the walls like that of a spider’s web. Two desks stood before them— one on the left, and one on the right, both facing forwards at what would be their jury for this evening. A semicircle of chairs, five filled, three empty, towered before them, with the middlemost chair immediately in front of a grand throne of pitch iron. The shayd that filled it looked incredibly apathetic, clutching in his ancient hands a scythe wreathed with darkness so black their eyes could hardly perceive it. As they took their seats, the shayd before the one in the throne immediately spoke up.
“Welcome, esteemed members of The Seven. It is with great sorrow that I, Edrip Lalf, must say that tonight’s grand decision involves the fate of two-er, three of our own.”
Eyve and Ven glared at Edrip as he continued.
“Before us are none other than our Chief of Law Enforcement, Yuttoguln Glutt, and our Twin Heads of Research and Development, Ven and Eyve Nellman. I would like to discuss the catastrophic incident that occurred mere hours ago. You’re the main parties associated with this event, I believe, seeing as how your laboratory and your staff were directly involved.” The three accused remained in silence at their desks. Yuttoguln sat still, brow furrowed, while the scientists’ minds were clearly racing at their predicament. Edrip ran his finger down a parchment as he listed off the night’s events.
“Reports of alarms, strange creatures attacking citizens, a daring chase by our law enforcement to catch three individuals, two of which, from what I’m seeing here, were not even Shayd. An event involving all of these factors culminating in an incident that destroyed hundreds of star worth of equipment and infrastructure, as well as the theft of an Aardite-class dredging vessel, along with the retrieval of THIS. Bring it in!” Behind the culprits, two shayd wheeled in a large cage containing the same creature Yuttoguln fought tooth and nail back at the dredging docks. It let out a screech as the room’s seated members widened their eyes and recoiled in horror. One of the workers zapped it with a boltcaster, forcing it to curl up and remain silent as Edrip concluded his statement. “Yuttoguln, you were the only person on the scene remaining to deal with these problems, so tell me…” Edrip thrust his body over the raised counter he stood at, making a resounding THUD that echoed throughout the room.
“WHAT. HAPPENED?” Collecting himself, Yuttoguln stood up to prepare his statement, with Eyve looking like she was ready to tear herself in two with anxiety.
“Eyve and Ven, our chiefs in research and development, have been performing experiments in secret to combine the cores of Shayd and other elementals in an attempt to create living weapons. The three escapees were meant to be test subjects.” A deafening silence filled the room as Ven’s rage built. She lunged from her seat at Yuttoguln and screamed, barely held back by her sister.
“YOU SON OF A-” The two traded blows for a few seconds until the large shayd in the throne, still bored, tapped the butt of his scythe against the ground.
“Thead expresses! There will be order in this meeting,” Edrip followed up, “Now please, continue your explanation.”
Ven collected herself, pleading before the court.
“Please, I did this for our nation! It was going to be a bold new step for our militaristic capabilities!”
“They’d be stronger and better than anything we’ve ever put out before!” Eyve added. Thead glared at her as Edrip continued to get to the bottom of this predicament.
“And how exactly did Mr. Glutt become involved with your acquisition processes? Why did he know of this?”
Before the twins could speak up, Yuttoguln confessed.
“I supplied her with criminals from the prison, while she offered star in exchange. I took it because our division needed funding. Every shayd associated with this project was provided by myself. As for the other elementals, I honestly cannot say.”
“And how did I not know of this?” Edrip glowered.
Yuttoguln took a deep breath.
“Eyve and Ven told me you wouldn’t approve. I kept it secret because we needed the star. It’s too much to hide now, and I will accept any punishment for conspiracy, Edrip.”
A muttering between the other members of the Seven filled the room, concluding with Edrip leaving his seat and walking between the two desks.
“It seems we have been presented with a very complicated situation, that seems as though it should have a very simple and direct solution,” crooned Edrip, looking slyly at the three perpetrators, “I should have the three of you executed on the spot for lying to me and betraying my trust.” The two sisters looked at each other, nervousness painting their half-mechanical faces, while Yuttoguln stood content with the thought he would face appropriate judgment.
Edrip pointed at the twins.“Eyve, Ven. As of today, your experiments are to receive full funding and have been given explicit permission to continue by me, the highest order.”
The two looked positively dumbfounded as Edrip changed direction from them over to the Chief of Law Enforcement. “Yuttoguln, as of today, the law enforcement division is to receive double its original funding. Until further notice, all criminals are to be transported to the research and development sector.” The seemingly unfeeling behemoth of shadow and cloth almost seemed taken aback by the decree, but simply closed his eye and nodded his head. “Are we understood?” Edrip asked, eyeing his subordinates. Some hesitance still flickered between the three at their desks, but a near-simultaneous answer was given.
“… Yes.”
Edrip clasped his hands together and began to return to his seat.
“I believe that’s a suitable decision for today. You are all dismissed.” With his order, the others left their seats in single file, Thead and Edrip electing to remain in the room. Yuttoguln lingered for some time, glowering at Edrip before resuming his work. After a spark of realization, Edrip pointed at the shortest member of the Seven as he prepared to leave.
“Except you Rawth, we still have some business to attend to.” The diminutive shayd grumbled a bit and returned to his elevated seat as he watched the others leave.
CHAPTER 15: Happenings
Eventually the room was occupied by only three, and Edrip returned to his state of importance. “Rawth, I have a direct order for you considering the recent… happenings. I need you to return the escapees.”
Rawth’s eyes flared to life.
“You got it, boss! How should I go about the killin’? Shattering? Split? Ooh, what about-”
“ALIVE,” Emphasized Edrip. “The enthusiasm is appreciated, but if these were former test subjects of Eyve and Ven, there may be certain qualities about them that were valuable to our heads of Research and Development. Not to mention, their knowing the inner machinations of the sisters’ project isn’t something we want to deal with in the long run.”
Rawth sighed.
“I suppose not. So, what are we looking for?”
Edrip reviewed his parchment from earlier in the meeting.
“A small, yellow-flower variant of flauna, a rather large terrian, and a shayd. It’s not often that individuals possess the talent to leave this city, so they should all be considered extremely capable- and dangerous.”
The shayd on the throne behind the two spoke up, for the first time in what seemed like a very long time.
“What is his name?”
“Which one?” Replied Edrip, somewhat startled.
“The shayd.”
“Uh, Orsel Jino. Former construction worker, indicted for not being under full-time employment as of yesterday.”
“What a ridiculous law.” Thead groaned. ”In any case, bring him to me so that I may deal with him personally. Any shayd with a will that great has proven himself worthy of my audience.”
“So you may administer his punishment yourself?” Edrip added, eagerly.
Thead glared down at Edrip.
“Of a sort, yes. Although such things should be none of your concern.”
Edrip pointed out the door.
“You have your orders, General. I do not expect disappointment from your forces.”
Rawth saluted and hurdled over the counter, bolting outwards.
“You can count on me, sir!”
“We TALKED about your exit- and he’s gone.” Edrip griped.
“You are a fool.” Thead grumbled.
Edrip turned back around to face his leader.
“Yes, and what have you found dissatisfactory today, my Grand?”
“You know what.”
“Oh, for— Look, that employment law was signed under YOUR supervision. Besides, keeping the population busy is one of the best methods for quelling rebellions and the like.”
“Not THAT,” Thead hissed, “Your Grand Decision. I know what you’re doing, Edrip. What you’re preparing for. I can say for certain this path will only lead to darkness.”
“We ARE darkness.” Edrip shouted. “And we are glorious for it. Look at what you’ve accomplished in your prime. This spire, this city. You united this nation under this banner, you led the charges of the Umbral Incursion— ruled with iron tendrils for over sixty years of your life! I only wish to match, nay, exceed the standard you’ve set for Shaydon’s leaders.”
Thead sighed and looked upwards at the light.
“I am no role model. My accomplishments were fruitful, but heed my words when I say that my path is not one to be emulated. Mindless conquest is not the answer to establishing the legacy you seek.”
“Well, you’ll be pleased to know this conquest isn’t mindless. I’ve put a lot of thought into it, as a matter of fact.” Edrip pulled out a rather large book, flitting through it to showcase random pages to Thead as he continued to hunch over in his throne, eyelids lowered. “You may have stopped your war over a decade ago, but in my mind the battle never stopped. I’ve charted plans, made deals, maneuvers, secrets, the likes of which we could use to bring Crux trembling to its knees! And now, thanks to Eyve and Ven, we finally have something that can put us over the edge. To think they were afraid to show me their progress.”
“They were afraid because you’re unpredictable,” Thead criticized. “You latch on to the latest shiny trinket or concept you come across like some newformed, and try to twist it into something that belongs to you. It’s a blasted shame I had to be one of them.”
“You speak shamefully of your exploits, yet you bathe in the rewards you have sown.” Edrip claimed, gesturing around the room they were in. “Besides, if you were truly opposed to my philosophy, you would strike me down where I stand. That scythe of yours hasn’t kissed flesh nor core since you gave up”
Thead looked over at his scythe. It was like looking at an endless, starless sky, unfazed by the dim light that wrapped around everything else in the room. Its edges feathered with white energy that outlined its angular shape. Even now it whispered to him, thoughts of violence and despair, lost glory he could obtain once more if he would only listen to its call again. Thead snapped his head away from it, back towards Edrip.
“My actions should not be what dictates yours. You promised me this council of yours would rule on a basis of fairness, and if I am to remain overseeing it, smiting you seems quite contradictory to that philosophy.”
“Bagh, I know the real reason— You are old and weak, unfit to rule this nation— to bring us to greatness!”
A blinding flash of blackness swiped across Edrip’s line of sight. He was knocked on his back to see Thead still sitting in his spot. A small shred of cloth from his hood fluttered onto his lap. Thread inspected his hand.
“I may be old, and unfit to rule by your standards, but one thing I am not is WEAK. I will remain Grand of Shaydon until I am dead. That is the oath I made during my adolescence, and that is the oath you will respect. Now go, see to it that this Orsel situation is dealt with.”
Edrip gathered his things and began to take his leave.
“As you wish, my Grand.”