The Aspect: The Cessation's Harbinger

by Ajax Lygan

  “I imagine you will adapt rather quickly to it as we all do, but I do think that some fresh air would do you good. Come, let me take you to a place where you can relax.” As they stepped onto the surrounding walkway, the cold air pierced Tempest’s robe, covering his body in goosebumps. Tempest’s jaw dropped as he took in the surrounding view.

  They were in a tall tower on top of a rectangular mountain, the only tall point in the surrounding area. Rolling hills and flatlands surrounded them for miles. To the north, Tempest was almost certain he could see the faint blue glow of the sea. On the mountaintop, a small, ten-foot wall surrounded the tower’s edge segregating its land from the small but dense village that took up the rest of the peak.

  “So, we made it to Joromund’s Peak?” Tempest asked.

  “Yes,” Gregoro said, smiling. “The portal took you to your destination, but not without trouble, it seems. It’s the first time something like that has ever happened in my lifetime. You and your companions were all affected, save for Lady Saïgra.”

  “What about Queen Vatia and King Orum? They went through right before we did.”

  Gregoro just shook his head. “They came through with their entire guard without incident, as did those who have arrived through the infinity mirror since the incident. However, I can assure you that we will do everything in our power to investigate this further. I have several acolytes running through our historical records as we speak.”

  “I appreciate that, Gregoro. Until we figure out what happened, I don’t plan on venturing through one of those again.”

  “Nor would I blame you,” Gregoro said with a slight smile. “Ah, here we are.” The balcony extended out in the middle where there were two elegant wooden chairs with carvings of each of the deities’ common symbols spread throughout. Tempest noticed the wooden railing that surrounded the balcony was removed near the front, allowing those sitting in the chairs an opportunity to look down at the courtyard that surrounded the castle and the village below. Saïgra and Gregoro helped Tempest as he lowered himself into one of the chairs. Gregoro extended his hands toward the second chair as he looked at Saïgra, who shook her head.

  “I’m okay to stand,” she said. “I’ll just root myself here.”

  “Well, if you don’t mind, I’ll take the seat here,” Gregoro said. “These old bones like to rattle on this level.”

  “It is kind of chilly up here,” Tempest said, slipping his arms inside his robe.

  “How absent minded of me, your Eminence,” Gregoro said, stopping mid sit. “Let me fetch us both something warmer.

  “I’ll go get them,” Saïgra said. “You two sit here.” Gregoro smiled and sat next to Tempest.

  “You said, this level, earlier. How many levels does this castle have?” Tempest asked.

  “Five, and we’re on the fifth level,” Gregoro said. “This level is for the Aspect and their companions only. The fourth and third are reserved for any guests we may be hosting. For the IRC members, that is where they stay. The second level is one large room dedicated to events. This is where the deliberations take place. There will be a large table with plenty of seating for each of the IRC members. No guests are allowed during the deliberations. The first floor is the largest. There are rooms dedicated for the staff, storage, kitchen, changing rooms, that sort of thing. We have the courtyard out front and the hot springs in the back.”

  “How long have you been a herald?”

  “Me? Several hundred years, now, but I was sort of an enigma, myself, as I joined the heralds in my midlife. Most join during their youth as an acolyte. I quickly rose to the status of herald, most likely due to my maturity, having lived several generations with many of the other species.”

  “And now you lead them?”

  Gregoro let out a small chuckle, and just shook his head. “No, your Eminence, although many look to me for guidance. The only leader of the heralds is you.”

  “Oh, yeah, I guess that makes sense.”

  “If I may, your Eminence. I have heard you are quite the enigma yourself.”

  “So, I have been told,” Tempest said, shrugging. “Apparently, I do not fit the mold of most Aspects.”

  “Yes, I have heard. Queen Maileath was able to confirm you were, yet you do not possess many of the defining qualities of an Aspect, is that true?” Tempest nodded as he stared off into the distance. “Well, while I have no doubt that Queen Maileath is correct in her assessment of you, we do have a test that must be performed before we can make the announcements. That is, once you are feeling healthy.”

  Tempest furrowed his eyebrow as he looked at Gregoro. “What additional test is there?”

  “Nothing too extensive,” Gregoro said, raising his finger. “We have an ancient artifact, we use, called the Aspect Crystal. All you have to do is place your hand on the crystal, concentrate on it, and pour your magical energy into it. If you are an Aspect, it will glow a specific color. Depending on the color, we will be able to tell which deity you have the most in you.”

  “What are the colors?”

  “Bothnan is gold, Celestra is purple, Feura is green, Nysit is black, Septimus is orange, Ungroth is red, and Yuria is blue.” As Tempest got lost in thought about the implications, Saïgra and Imina returned together. Saïgra brought two white fur cloaks, each completely covering the wearer. She then handed them blankets that they used to wrap around their legs.

  “Thank you so much, Lady Saïgra. Your compassion equates to that of your beauty.” Saïgra smiled and nodded before returning to the side of Tempest. They settled in, allowing Imina to hand each of them a wooden cup with a hot beverage. Tempest took one whiff and gagged and coughed.

  “Oh, my gods, what is this? It smells even stronger of sulfur.”

  “There’s a reason for that,” Gregoro said, laughing. “It’s a medicinal mixture that’s boiled in the water of the hot springs. It should help your body relax and speed up any recovery. I find it best to just get it over with as fast as you can.”

  Tempest powered through and drank the beverage as fast as he could, coughing as the drink itched his throat all the way down into his stomach. “Hopefully that’s the only one of those I need.” Warmth spread from his stomach throughout his body. His headache nearly vanished. Gregoro leaned forward in his chair as he looked at Tempest’s face.

  “You’re getting some color back in your face. Hopefully, it’s working.”

  “Yeah,” Tempest said, smiling. “I think it is. I am already starting to feel a lot better.” Tempest stood from his chair to make sure that he regained his balance. When he was certain he would not fall over, he started with the next test. He took the wooden cup and placed it on the top of the nearby railing and took a few steps away from it. He reached out his hand and attempted to pull it toward himself. After almost a minute of grunting and frustration, he decided to give up. He slammed his palms into the top of the railing as he leaned over.

  “Is something the matter, your Eminence?” Gregoro asked. Tempest turned and crossed his arms, leaning into the railing. He sat there for a moment and looked off into the distance, contemplating how to answer.

  “I’ve lost my abilities,” Tempest said. Imina gasped and Gregoro reached over to calm her.

  “What do you mean, your Eminence?”

  “As far as I can tell, I can’t activate any of my magic after coming through the portal.” Imina yelped, clasped her hands together, and began to pray. Gregoro reached his hands out and placed them on the elder woman’s hands.

  “Calm down, Imina, no reason for the dramatic.”

  “But Greg…” Gregoro’s glared silenced her cry.

  Tempest wasn’t quite paying attention, but for a brief moment he thought he saw fear in Imina’s eyes, before they both shifted into somber smiles.

  “Now, we obviously need to tread cautiously. For starters, we do NOT need this getting out to any members of the IRC. They are expecting us to perform the ceremony tonight after dinner. However, given what has happ
ened, maybe we can delay.”

  “I don’t think that’s going to be possible now that they have seen him,” Saïgra said, nodding over the balcony. Tempest leaned over and saw that there was a small crowd of people gathered in the central courtyard. He could see the familiar faces of Queen Vatia and King Orum, as well as Queen Alyndra among the others. There was no doubt he was staring down at the members of the IRC. Gregoro leaned over the edge and jerked as he recognized the group staring back up at him. The group turned as a young reptikin acolyte approached and addressed the group.

  “Your Eminence, Lady Saïgra, Gregoro, Imina, dinner will be served momentarily,” he said, bowing.

  “Thank you, Timeteo,” Gregoro said.

  “I apologize for the rudeness, but the members of the IRC are asking if they should expect your Eminence to attend?” Tempest looked back down at the courtyard and noticed the crowd was no longer in attendance. He rubbed his forehead, waiting for the moment of a bright idea to come through, only to feel more frustration. He let out a sigh and looked up at Saïgra.

  “What do you think I should do?”

  Saïgra folded her arms under her chest and rubbed her chin, deliberating on the question. “I think you should go. It will give you a chance to see the key players. The last thing you want to do is set an even worse precedence by not showing up. Now’s a time to show them you are strong, given their first impression of you was coming through a portal unconscious.”

  “You’re right…”

  “Since you have no magic and all of Ella’s potions were destroyed when she came through the portal, I think your best option for recovery is a hearty meal.”

  “Which we most certainly can provide,” Gregoro said, stepping forward. “Come, I’ll walk you down.”

  “Before we go, I want to check in on Ella and Riika,” Tempest said, standing from the ledge.

  “Most certainly. I’ll lead you to them.”

  Tempest tried to prepare himself for the state that Ella and Riika were in, but when he walked in, he wasn’t. Both of them were severely feverish and shaking with cold chills. Arigore and Mala were watching over them, replacing cool wet cloths on their foreheads. Tempest spent a few minutes kneeling near them, doing his best to reach out and make out their injuries, to no avail. Even when it mattered, he couldn’t heal them, sending him into a pit of despair as he felt powerless to help his friends. When he was ready, he left them in the herald’s capable hands.

  Gregoro led them down the flights of stairs to the second level where they were to meet the members of the IRC and any guests brought for the festivities. As the door slid open, Tempest had expected more. The entire floor was open and empty, save for the table in the center of the room. Its company, however, were the most powerful individuals on the planet. As the sound of the sliding door echoed throughout the interior, Tempest watched all eyes turn to him. Tempest and Saïgra’s approach silenced the discussions at the table, as everyone turned to look at them. As they approached, Queen Vatia was the first to rise, followed by everyone else.

  “Your Eminence, it’s great to see you up and about after the incident that occurred this morning,” Queen Vatia said brightly. “How fair, your wardens, Lady Fleetfoot and Lady Treehammer?”

  Tempest took a deep breath in an effort to calm his anxiety. “They are still unconscious; however, they are in the great care of the heralds.”

  “Allow me to apologize, then. I feel if I did not push you to follow us through the infinity mirror, none of this would have happened.”

  “True, but neither would have this meeting,” a large male minotaur said. “This must be the will of the gods; a required balance to gather us all here.”

  “Oh, please don’t start with your riddles, Chief Thunderhoof,” the cyan scaled naga said, placing his hand on his head. “I won’t be able to make it through the evening listening to your incessant babble.”

  “Gentlemen, please, let’s at least make it through dinner before we start going after each other’s throats,” Queen Vatia said, waving her glass.

  “Yes, please, the journey has been long, and I am starving,” said the green orc woman who, outside of a massive trophy skull she had on her shoulder armor, was wearing not much save for a fur lined loin cloth and a tattered tan beaded bra.

  With a quick clap from Gregoro, acolytes poured in from the balcony. Each one carrying a full dish of food as big as their arm span. Several members started grabbing food before the servants set the plates. A hurried storm of clanking bowls, spoons, and plates echoed throughout the bottom floor as the members of the table consumed their food and drink. It left Tempest feeling a bit shocked. He expected the leaders of the world to have a bit more self-respect and manners, but then, he thought, maybe this is one of the few places where they could let their guard down and be themselves.

  Tempest’s stomach gurgled as the smell of cooked fish, vegetables, and freshly baked bread hit his nose. He couldn’t wait any longer. He stood from his chair and began scooping, picking up one of each of the assorted food items laid before him. With every bite, each morsel tasted divine as he rolled the amalgamation of flavors around in his mouth.

  “You look like you’re enjoying yourself,” Saïgra said, pointing to his dumb smile.

  “Oh yeah, it’s so good,” he said, his mouth full of food. “But I do feel kind of guilty Riika and Ella aren’t here. Riika would be over the moon.”

  “Don’t worry, I’m sure they just need time to rest.”

  Tempest nodded, then paused as he noticed Saïgra was barely eating. “Are you not hungry? The food is superb.”

  “Not really, though we dryads don’t need to eat all that often. We get everything we need from Freura’s light and water. Most of the time, when we eat normal food, it’s just to be social.”

  “That makes sense; I just never realized.”

  Saïgra nodded and smiled before looking down at the table. She turned back toTempest and lifted her chair to scoot closer. “If you want,” she said, whispering. “I can point out the key players who are here.” Tempest nodded and wiped his mouth with a nearby cloth.

  “Queen Vatia and King Orum, you already know. They represent Halairim. Same with Queen Alyndra, who is representing Ashwreath. It’s rumored that she is going to make a request to assume Meadow’s Crest under her territory now that the Baron is gone. A lot of the fallout from The Cessation will be discussed in the deliberations.”

  “That’s good. Queen Alyndra is a good person.”

  “I agree, and probably the best thing that could happen for the people of Meadow’s Crest. However, we’ll see if that gets approved. That’s a lot of prime territory for her to gain in one fell swoop. She’s got history on the council, being a representative for her father, so that will be in her favor. There’s no doubt she’s going to be spending the majority of tomorrow night earning favor with the other leaders.”

  “What happens tomorrow night?”

  Saïgra leaned back and cocked her brow. “I thought we discussed this already, didn’t we?” Tempest just shrugged, resulting in Saïgra shaking her head. “Each meeting of the IRC is typically a three-day event. The first day, like today, is the gathering. Everyone gets together, eats, and socializes. During the night, especially, it can turn into one giant party. We’ll see how the night goes after your ceremony.”

  “That sounds like it could be fun.”

  Saïgra’s tone shifted to be a bit more direct. “Even though it’s supposed to be social, keep in mind everything you do could be used against you in some shape or form. Something as simple as accepting a glass from someone could be taken by another as a sign of agreement or an alliance. That could drastically influence their perception about you, locking away any opportunities with another person who could be at odds with one another.”

  “It’s never easy,” Tempest said, swirling his cup. “How do I keep an eye out for that?”

  “A few things. Always trust your gut and lean on those you already know.
You can always ask for advice from those you trust, however, they may respond in a manner that may be beneficial to them, not so much how you would ultimately want to decide on something. If something sounds too good to be true, then it likely is.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind, then.”

  “Day two is the day of disposition. Each of the members will have the opportunity to bring something to the table. All of this will be recorded to be decided upon. If there is a conflict between two parties, both sides will get an opportunity to make a case on their position. Once everything has been outlined, the meeting will end and the rest of the day will be used for deliberation, and that is where things will get messy.”

  “How so?”

  “Behind closed doors, deals, manipulation, and bribery are all on the table during this time. The laws are decided based on a majority vote. Everyone will be working in an attempt to secure the majority votes for their proposition. That is typically how things work, however, now that you are here, it turns everything on its head, putting you in everyone’s direct line of sight.”

  “What do I have to do with anything?” Tempest asked, almost spilling his drink as he waved his hands.

  “You’re the Aspect,” Saïgra said plainly. “Part of the original accords that were defined during the founding of the Iðna Ruling Council define The Aspect as a ruling authority on Iðna and consider their word, the word of the divine. With that, comes special voting and vetoing powers during day three, the day of decisions. The Aspect may issue any immediate proclamations, even those unrelated to those defined during day two. This becomes law, unless there is greater than two-thirds of the group that oppose it. The Aspect also votes in the event of a tie. They also have the ability to veto any motion that passes, resulting in the law reversing back to its previous state. Now, this can still be passed with two-thirds majority votes, but it will require another vote which could change the results.”

  “Do you know how often the previous Aspects participated?”

  “Excellent question, and it ultimately came down to the individual. However, most decided not to get involved, and sat as more of a figurehead then an action beacon of change.”