Chapter Five - The Fallen Elder

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Title: Chapter Five - The Fallen Elder

Author: The Amanuensis


Utter chaos filled the tiny, wooden frame that housed these Brethren of Light. Words, even obscenities, ricocheted off the closing walls, impaling Niltsiar. Yet he stood, unwavering.


Tanthazarus finally spoke. "How dare ye, Niltsiar!? How dare ye do such a thing?!" The Brethren, still in awe that they had been betrayed, argued amongst themselves.


"Here be the tome which shall show thy Brethren the true nature of their Lord Sovereign!" He flung open the doors of the armoire on the west wall, and there, amidst a small pile of clutter, lay the parchment addressed to Niltsiar, and signed by Silvaria, with whom he were just caught entertaining.


As the Brethren gathered around, reading for themselves the words which sealed Niltsiar's fate, the cries of protest and outrage grew louder, until all could be heard, but none understood.


Finally, from the very back of the room, a voice commanded, "Silence!" It was that of Ieon Fallhammer, Erudite to Sir Chalen. He rose quite well to the task of a commander in his mentor's absence. Glancing at the Jabbress, he ordered, "Take her prisoner! Do not let her escape!"


With shocked faces and broken hearts, a few nearby managed to subdue the raging Jabbress. She struggled violently, but finally gave in to the pressure of the daggers at her sides.


"I have proof of Sovereign's innocence!" Ieon proclaimed. "I sat here, in this very room, hiding while I practiced my skills..." The room drew eerily silent. "I witnessed the true Traitor. I saw him as he planted the evidence against Sovereign."


From across the room, Tanthazarus glared deep into the very soul of his soon to be accuser. He took a small amount of pleasure in watching Ieon squirm, restling the thought of whether to go forward with the accusation he was about to make. Ieon's eyes, for a split second, shifted to the near corner of the room, admiring the way his brothers held Silvaria fast. Finally, his eyebrows lowered, he returned the old mage's deathly stare.


"The true Traitor is Tanthazarus."


"Lies! Ye speak nothing but damnable lies!" At that moment, all who were skilled in the art of magery began to call upon the arcane. Tanthazarus had lost his bid for the Sovereignship, and Silvaria had witnessed the entire thing. Worse yet for him, Tanth also lost his life, for even he could not escape the room full of furious Brethren.


Niltsiar finally spoke, but only in the short, broken sentences he could muster. His closest friend and lifelong compatriot had betrayed him. "Away with thee! Never return!" His voice faltered as he screamed at the corpse of the former Elder. "I BANISH THEE!"


The ghost of Tanthazarus uttered not a sound as he floated through the door, away from the home that he'd always known.