2536 Rites of Passage (Part 2)



"If he's alive, instead, I can prove to you that Verhen is of human origins and that you have no reason to fear him unless you make this grudge personal. Either way, you win."

"So be it." The King nodded and sent the Nightwalker away. "We'll eagerly wait for your return."

'If we want to leave, this is our cue.' Solus pointed at the honor guard accompanying Urma and the large shadow that the group formed.

'Not yet.' The Voidfeather replied. 'I want to see how they react to the news of my survival and to witness the rites of passage. Scouting the underground complex has great military value, but exterminating the children of Glemos is plan B.

'Understanding their culture might allow us to find a way to earn their trust and convince them to surrender without further pointless bloodshed. That's plan A and the reason you are here.'

'True.' While the senate's session continued and the monsters argued about how many members each race was allowed to spare, Solus noticed the oddities in Lith's condition that she had overlooked until that moment.

'Since when can you turn into this shadow-thingy?' She asked.

'It's a long story.' A partial mind fusion later, Solus was brought up to speed and utterly shocked.

'So, you are the embodiment of his beast life force and I've been talking to you instead of Lith the whole time?'

'Yep.'

'Do you have a name like the Void?'

'Nope. Feel free to call me however you like.' Between the overly friendly attitude and the waves of affection that the Voidfeather sent her every time he looked at Solus, she felt quite uncomfortable.

'Can I speak with Lith, please?'

'I don't recommend it.' The Voidfeather replied. 'If we start sharing control and he messes up with the Shadow Step, I don't see us getting out of here alive.'

'Never mind, then.' Solus tried to focus on the arrays of the senate and the power cores of the weapons the representatives wore, but the loving gaze of the Voidfeather and his shadow form washing over the stone ring in a tender caress made it awkward for her.

Luckily, the wait didn't last long and the Elder of the Undead Courts returned a few minutes later.

"I was right." Urma said. "Verhen is definitely alive but the good news is that he has nothing against you. He was just following orders. Here's his personal file."

The Nightwalker handed his communication amulet to the King who browsed the various pictures taken during Lith's career from Count Lark's protégé to Supreme Magus.

They confirmed Lith's age, origin, and the true nature of the creature that Eryon the Fomor had fought in Ne'sra.

"Don't worry, Eryon. Even if it was just a Divine Beast and not a demon, your feat is still outstanding." The Fomor representative tried and failed to quell the fears of his people. "Thank you for your assistance, Elder Urma.

"You have lifted a heavy burden from our minds." Ymnar gave the undead a deep bow which was promptly returned. "What about our deal?"

"The Undead Courts present you with a counteroffer." He replied. "We'll take the Harmonizers only after you have increased your numbers again, as you requested. 

"Yet we require permission for a small number of our Forgemasters to move in with you and start studying the Harmonizers as soon as your new colony has been established."

"Why the rush?" Ikara asked. "What are a few years to eternal creatures?"

"Nothing, Your Majesty, but the Undead Courts are tired of you moving the goalposts. What we are asking you is concrete proof of good faith. A sign that we have your trust and that you won't change the terms of our deal again the moment we give you what you want."

"What if we were to refuse?"

"Then you and your people would be on your own." The Nightwalker shrugged. "The Undead Courts wouldn't attack you but they won't help you until we get something in return for our services so far."

"So be it." The Hati sighed. "Now please excuse us, there's still much work to do. Give your leaders our regards and notify them that Zelex will remain sealed until we complete our preparations.

"We may be unreachable for a while, but they have no reason to worry nor to stop sending us food."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Urma knelt in front of the King. "The Courts will be pleased with your decision and I'm certain that our Forgemasters will gladly help you with establishing the new arrays and maintaining security if needed."

'Yeah, right.' Ikara inwardly sneered. 'And let you study our defenses and the location of our most sensitive resources? How generous of you.'

After dismissing the envoy of the Undead Courts, silence befell the room and no one dared break it.

"You've heard him." The King said after a few minutes. "The good news is that how our gods Glemos always says, demons are not real. The bad news is that we have even less time than we hoped.

"The terms of our deal with the Courts force us to make haste. Their offer is only apparently harmless. Their goal is to learn the method we use to pass the Harmonizers and use it to take them all for themselves.

"By planting their mages among us while we are at our weakest, they have ensured themselves a privileged position from which to prepare their attack. We can't delay the rites of passage any longer.

"This is the only way to make sure that, by the time we abandon our home, a new and better generation of warriors will be ready to protect our people. I'll go first." Ikara took off his clothes, revealing a metal collar on his neck.

He folded his shirt and pants neatly and left them on the throne before walking to the middle of the room.

At the same time, on the balcony, something seemed to die inside Queen Syrah's eyes.

Her gaze became dull and her expression fixed like those of a doll. Her body stiffened to the point that when she walked away there was no trace of her previous grace in her movements.

"Syrah…" Urhen the Balor wanted to console her friend but everything that came to her mind sounded hollow and stupid.

"Don't worry about me, my friend. Worry about yourself. Your husband is next." The voice of the Queen was flat and emotionless yet her words struck the Balor like a punch to the gut.

She fell onto her knees, her six eyes tearing up with six small streams of the colors of the elements. Her mouth opened up, emitting a soft hiccup that quickly rose in volume and despair, turning into a wail of agony.

"Be strong. We knew this moment would come." Br'ey the orc shaman knelt before the Balor. "If they see you like this, you'll make things even harder for them."

Urhen hugged the shaman, bawling her eyes out and clinging to her hated rival as if they were best friends. The Balor leaned her face on the orc's shoulder as her body was shaken by the sobs.

Br'ey returned the embrace and joined Urhen in her grief, knowing that in a few minutes, they would share the same fate.