Chapter 398: The Lunar Elect

Silver Hall Keep’s pillars loomed over the goblins, so high up that the torchlight did not reach the ceiling. The walls and floor were not built from bricks but carved from the rough-hewn rock of the mountainside itself. Unlike the Celestial Shrine, there were no statues, paintings, or any semblance of art dedicated to Sylvan's history here.

The Keep was built as the greatest line of defense of Evenfall and its final refuge. Even now, 300 years after the fall of Lunis, the grim nature of what was lost and what the people had endured, filled the castle with a bitter gloom that permeated the air.

The Sylvan emissary, Otley, and his small retinue of guards led Stryg, Aurelia, Virella, and Jahn through the vast halls of the castle. Aurelia had at first rejected Stryg’s proposal to join them, but he had insisted, since the whole reason they had come was to petition the Sylvan tribunal for aid and assistance in the defense of Hollow Shade.

Even then Aurelia had refused until Jahn politely added that it would give them a stronger standing if a shaman was with them when they went to meet the Lunar Elect, the tribunal of the Sylvan.

Virella, the Silver Mother, insisted on joining them. Despite Aurelia’s standoffish attitude, she nodded gratefully at her friend’s support. The Silver Mother was still the high priestess of the Sylvan and her voice carried weight, even in the hall of the Lunar Elect.

Tauri and Plum had been left behind in the Celestial Shrine. Everyone had agreed that it would be safer for all parties involved if the drow and orc stayed in the temple instead of coming face-to-face with the most influential and powerful goblins of the realm.

Stryg personally wished they were here, standing by his side. Something about the castle felt off, dangerous even. His droopy ears twitched every few seconds as if searching for something lurking in the shadows.

As a child, Stryg had dreamed of visiting this place, imagining himself a hero returning triumphantly from a great hunt. Now he found himself at the other end of his dream. The guards patrolling the castle kept staring at him and his companions with a wary gaze, almost as if they were the enemy.

After what felt like a short eternity Otley led them through a massive pair of gates and into the throne room. The room was like none Stryg had ever seen. The hall was constructed in an open-air design. While there were walls behind and to the sides of them, there was no wall in front of them, revealing the mountain range sprawled over the horizon, like a giant window into nature. Yet curiously, the howling winds of the mountains did not reach the throne room. In fact, the large chamber was fairly quiet and particularly cold.

“You may wait here for now,” Otley said. “The Elects will arrive soon.”

“I understand,” Jahn nodded.

Otley’s guards left the room without a word, though Otley stayed and waited by the gate. The scars across his face made it difficult to discern if his expression was angry or simply stoic. Stryg wondered to himself if the scars reached past his silver and black beard.

Aurelia and Virella began to whisper to themselves while they waited, but Stryg paid no attention. He walked to the edge of the throne room, where the stone floor met empty air. He glanced about the edges and spotted dozens of arcane sigils etched into the walls and floor. He guessed these were the enchantments protecting the throne room from the elements.

Below the edge lay what every Sylvan child had heard of before, a massive platform protruding from the cliffside itself. The Midnight Mirror, a platform with a dark polished floor and filled with a few inches of water, reflecting the night sky. From atop the castle’s throne room, one could look down at the Midnight Mirror and stare at the reflection, or more importantly, watch goblins fight to the death, no magic, no life force techniques, no weapons, only one’s claws, and fangs. The platform served as a tribute to Lunae but also as an arena where goblins would settle their tribal disputes in front of the Lunar Elect and other Sylvan leaders.

The sounds of chimes abruptly rang from behind, breaking Stryg from his thoughts. He turned away from the edge and looked up at the balcony hanging above the gates. There were no rails on the balcony, nor decorations of any sort, there were only three stone-carved thrones. A goblin herald dressed in forest-green garbs stood at the edge of the balcony and rang the chimes in her hand once more.

Everyone except Stryg moved to the center of the room, in direct sight of the balcony. Realizing a moment too late what was happening, Stryg hurried to join them.

A door opened from behind the thrones and three goblins walked onto the balcony.

The first was a woman, dressed in the deep blue robes of a shaman. Though she still seemed in the prime of her life, her hair was mostly grey, though it was still interwoven with intricate designs and decorated with gilded strings.

She fiddled with the rings on her fingers and sauntered over to the left throne with an air of disinterest. “Shaman-Elect, Lumi, daughter of the Frost Whisper Tribe, stands as the Eye of The Watcher.”

The second was a burly man, taller than any goblin Stryg had ever seen, as tall as any drow he had met. A dire goblin, Stryg realized. Unlike the other two, the man was dressed in heavy armor and wore a leopard pelt over his shoulders as a cloak.

He walked with a heavy, focused gait, almost like a march, and stepped in front of the right throne, arms behind his back. “Warrior-Elect, Lykos, son of the Storm Howler Tribe, stands as the Hand of The Watcher.”

The last was a woman, with white silken robes that draped over her thin body. She wore no rings, nor jewelry, and her dark ebon hair was tied in a simple braid. Her forehead had deep lines of age and crow’s feet touched the edges of her yellow eyes, but her sight was clear and her expression was thoughtful.

She strolled onto the balcony with a slow, relaxed gait that did not come from hubris, but from a deep knowledge of the world around her. She stood in front of the center throne and placed her hand over her heart. “Mother-Elect, Sabina, daughter of the Elder Bloom Tribe, stands as the Voice of The Watcher.”

Sabina raised her arms towards the moon looming in the midnight sky. “Let the tribunal of The Watcher act for the sake and honor of her name as she watches over us all.”

At her words, she and the other two Elects sat down on their thrones.

Sabina clasped her hands together and leaned back in her chair, “I declare this meeting of the Lunar Elect convened. Emissary, you may speak.”

“We thank you for your time,” Otley bowed deeply. “As commanded, I have brought before you First Mother Aurelia along with the other two principal members of the Blood Fang Tribe. Chieftain Jahn and Shaman Stryg.”

Lykos leaned forward with interest. “Ah, so you really have returned after all these years, Aurelia the Blooded.”

Aurelia’s lips formed a thin line and her expression became strained. She nodded stiffly, “I have.”

Virella protectively stepped in front of Aurelia. “Before this tribunal continues I have come to inform you that Aurelia and her tribe are under my direct protection and I will do whatever it takes to honor that vow of protection.”

“Is that right?” Lykos said with an annoyed expression.

“I was wondering why the Silver Mother had come down from her temple,” Lumi noted with a raised eyebrow. “It seems you have friends in high places, Aurelia.” She glanced to the corner of the room, “Have you come to stake a claim in this meeting as well, my chieftain?”

Stryg turned around and was surprised to find the Guardian of the Sylvan, Arden leaning on a pillar, watching silently. Stryg clenched his fists in frustration, just like before he hadn’t noticed the archmage approach.

“No.” Arden bowed respectfully, “I have only come to observe.”

“I understand,” Lumi bowed in kind.

“As always, we thank the Guardian for his impartiality and his steadfast protection of this tribunal,” Sabina stated. “Warrior-Elect, you may continue the trial.”

Trial? Stryg thought, surprised. Since when had this been a trial? A ball of worry began forming in the pit of his stomach. If things came to worst, he was certain he’d be unable to stop Arden from killing them.

Lykos nodded in acknowledgment of Sabina’s words. “We have called this tribunal together to discuss Aurelia’s desertion.” He looked at First Mother with a cold gaze, “21 years ago you fled the city of Evenfall and abandoned your duties, as one of the head priestesses of the Celestial Shrine and heir apparent of the Mother-Elect.”

Stryg turned to Aurelia with shock. Heir apparent? She was to be the next Mother-Elect? Why had she never told him? She had never even mentioned any sort of relationship to the Silver Hall Keep.

Despite the accusations, Aurelia’s expression stayed indiscernible, though her anxious eyes betrayed her.

“You left without a word and never once gave a reason for the abandonment of your sacred duties,” Lumi said.

Lykos pointed an accusing finger at Jahn, “Whenever your brother came to the city we would question him as to your disappearance, but all he would ever say was that you had become incredibly ill and were bedridden, unable to return to the city, even if you wanted to.”

Lumi crossed her arms, “We sent messengers to the Blood Fang tribe in search of you, but curiously you were always never or for some ‘odd’ reason, our messengers never returned. Do you know why that might be, hm?”

“None,” Aurelia answered curtly.

Lumi frowned, “I find that difficult to believe.”

“After we called the Tribal Moot we even sent one of our best Emissaries, the Troll Slayer himself, to find you, Aurelia,” Lykos said. “But curiously Otley was very silent about whether or not he had seen you.”

Otley shrunk in shame under the Warrior-Elect’s glare.

“You have avoided facing justice for the last two decades. This is your last chance to tell us why you abandoned Evenfall,” Lumi stated.

Stryg looked at First Mother worriedly, uncertain of what to do.

Aurelia glanced at him and for the first time since the trial began, her indiscernible expression broke, and she smiled reassuringly at him for the briefest of moments. She took a deep breath and turned to face the tribunal, her expression calm and resolute. “I left Evenfall because I had a mistake that needed to be rectified.”

“And what mistake was that?” Lumi asked.

“It’s personal,” Aurelia replied.

Lumi chuckled coldly, “Is that so…? Do you really think we’d accept such a foolish answer!”

“It is the only answer I have to give.”

Lumi sneered, “You insolent—”

“Why didn’t you come back sooner? Why wait all these years?” Lykos asked, a glimmer of desperate hope in his eyes. “Tell me there was a reason. Tell me you weren’t just a coward, afraid to face her consequences.”

Aurelia took a deep breath, straightened her back, and leveled her gaze, “I stand before you because I am not afraid.”

“Then why? Why wait all these years?” Lykos asked.

“Because I was still rectifying my mistake,” Aurelia replied.

Lykos sighed in disappointment, “I see… I always liked you, Aurelia. Ever since you fought on the Midnight Mirror and won the title The Blooded. When people saw you emerge alone, from the Mirror and its pool of blood and pile of bodies, you were bruised, battered, but victorious, and they were afraid of you, but I saw something different. When I looked at you, I saw the future of our people. For the first time in my life, I saw hope that our people could break free from the cage that is Vulture Woods.”

Lykos smiled at the memory, then he looked at Aurelia and frowned in regret. “I cannot let the Favored of the Moon turn into a disgrace of our people. I will not let you poison their minds with ideas of selfishness. We have only survived this long by working together, putting the needs of the many above the needs of the one. Your desertion challenges everything we stand for and we cannot allow it to continue unpunished any longer.”

“Aurelia is under my protection!” Virella shouted.

“As Silver Mother, you should know better than anyone that a Sylvan Mother should never treat others with favoritism!” Lykos roared. “We have rules! We have vows! Without them, we are nothing better than the animals that betrayed and destroyed Lunis!”

Virella’s shoulders trembled and her eyes were filled with fear. Yet she faced the tribunal with trembling courage, “I will not allow you to lay a hand on my friend.”

Aurelia touched her shoulder and shook her head gently, “It’s alright.”

“Auri? No, we can—”

“It’s alright. Do not take the fall for my mistakes,” Aurelia said softly.

Virella clenched her jaw, but with tears in her eyes, she nodded reluctantly.

“It was an honor to serve by your side, sister,” Jahn whispered in a broken voice.

Aurelia smiled gratefully, “Take care of him for me.”

“Always,” Jahn nodded.

“How the mighty have fallen indeed.” Lumi waved her hand in a casual gesture, “My chieftain and Guardian, if you’d please, take this deserter’s life and put an end to all of this once and for all.”

“...As you wish, Shaman-Elect,” Arden nodded.

Aurelia closed her eyes in acceptance. She bowed her head and took a deep breath.

“Stryg, what are you doing!?” Jahn shouted in alarm.

Aurelia’s eyes snapped open and she looked up to see Stryg standing between her and Arden.

“Stryg, stop! It’s forbidden to raise your weapon in this place!” Aurelia said panickedly.

He ignored her and drew the relic sword from his side, then turned his blade on Arden and the Lunar Elect.

“Kill the shaman, too,” Lumi said.

“Understood,” Arden said.

“Stryg, you stupid boy, stop!” Aurelia screamed. “For once in your life, just listen to me!”

“I’m sorry,” he smiled shakily back at her. “I’m sorry I always fell short of your expectations.”

Aurelia froze. His hands were trembling. He was scared. Then why? Why?

“Why are you doing this?” Aurelia whispered in a broken voice.

Stryg turned his back to her and faced his enemy. “I am the Shield of my friends. Be it monster or man, here I stand proud, and I shall not falter.”

Aurelia’s eyes widened in recognition. Her bottom lip trembled and she bit it until she drew blood. “No,” she whispered. “No, you shall not.”

Aurelia stepped forward and stood next to her son, and kept her cold, steady eyes on Arden. The archmage stopped in his steps and stared at her with a frown.

Jahn joined his family and drew his spear silently.

“STOP!” came the powerful voice from the balcony.

Arden and Aurelia slowly looked up at the central throne in unison.

“There will be no execution today,” Sabina said calmly.