Kristengard was gelid in thick wisps of seafret that the ride needed three more days to arrive.
"Krist had better a valid reason to trek me all the way for this summit,"grumbled Vermail.
Henderson's note hadn't specified his reason for the meeting but insisted all the sovereigns' attendance on word of his new revolutionary discovery.
It wasn't long till the collosal cobblestone towers veered into view.A grand piece for a…..nilkari, a plaything for an infinitri.Sure the stones patterned well and seemed able to fend off a few wildlanders(with maintenance needed).
But in face of true power this stronghold was a game of dominoes to some infinitri and wildlanders whose bloodlust grew by each moon cycle.
Sovereign Vermail,Kristengard's finest service welcome you-"
"So he couldn't grace me with his time,"
"Certainly not dear sovereign,it's only he finds himself at the mercy of the other sovereigns." At least the commander knew his way with words.
"Quick!Lead me to my Chambers, the sooner I'm replenished,the sooner we commence this meeting.
Her Chambers were passable,chalk walls adjourned with infinitri engravings, tapestries depicting old tongues and tales of her puissant ancestors' feats accompanied by their lucid regalia(It would have been offensive had they been the real ones)
She captured the nostalgic whiff of the hearthly hue that welcomed one with an embrace, almost like home…
But this wasn't home,these walls had been made to put Henderson in her good graces.Why was Henderson going through all this trouble to talk about some discovery, he quoted something, something great enough that he needed all the infinitri sovereigns.
A bath followed accompanied by a selection of fine silks before Vermail was escorted to dinner.After navigating the maze of stairways, hallways, turns and the latter, the dining lounge came into view.
Adorned with brusque lighting,her footsteps clicked the hollow halls as she marched to the round table branded with the delicacies of Kristengard.
She acknowledged the presence of her acquaintances as she sat.The Quartet's finest houses had all seemed to grace Kristengard with their presence (Only the infinitri houses it seemed)
From Lord Talos' haunting frame to Nimiyir's silent post,he had managed to bring them all under one roof,at a table.
"Was your ride a good one Ver.You seem more gait…"as usual, Talos' remarks earned him a snicker from the audience.
"Always the one with the sharp tongue,Talos.A shame I would rather not entertain your gluttonous ego for I am here on bus-"
"Quaint coming from you.I for one have grown tired of this inhospitable kingdom," he chimed in with a snarl,"which would've been avoided had you graced us with your presence…..sooner,"
"Sovreigns! I see you have already begun the interactions without me!"All the attention turned to Henderson's nearing frame.
The years had done Henderson Krist well, at close to half a century, the man still carried himself with boast, strands of silver alloying his coal locks, a mimic of his steel eyes which birthed a distraction from the world's chaos.
"Now I reckon you are all wondering why I requested your audience,"
...................♤.....................
"So I trekked the continent on word….of a rock!" The room's energy had shifted birthing a fatigue that had been chained these recent moons.Perhaps Henderson had overdone himself,meeting one infinitri was one thing, but meeting the great 6 infinitri Lords was madness to which he seemed unbothered.
"Lords, ladies,please keep calm. I assure this information is revolutionary-"
"That is all you've been chattering about!" snapped Lady Mer,
"And why so, unless this metal can retrieve the moons I've spent here I have no use for it.The sea waits for no one,neither is it kind to many ores."
"Trust me my lady,this discovery will be beneficial to the mereids….And for its use I would rather I show you all."he replied as he rose escorting the lot to this…discovery.
..................…♤....................
One would've to exit the castle walls entirely to sight the mines.Several mounds bulging from the earth into the grey sky with entrances that devoured the light and birthed pure darkness.
"Several mooncycles ago, my people discovered this strange ore. It was devoid of other metals properties as it appeared in different forms devoid of the temperature.(liquid or solid)" narrated Henderson herding the into the torch lit darkness.
Amidst his narration,the air grew thicker and more sickening, the tunnels cooled with each breath though everyone's skin glistened with sweat.
"I still don't understand how we tie in all of this." Interrupted Lady Vermail.
"Always the wit, my lady."replied Henderson.
" There is another aspect of this ore."he entailed haulting the treck,
"Shortly after its discovery, without the protection of the castles walls, we were at the mercy of several wildlanders who wreaked havoc on my miners affecting the extraction,"
"So I hired a few infinitri mercenaries to counter them.As they protected the miners and in turn exposed to this ore….their reactions to this were.. dire."
"What are you entailing in this nilkari.Our people are not weak-"
"You mistake me lord Talos.With further exposure to this ore, thier senses dulled and their skins paled to a ghast shade.This was accompanied by a series of fevers til…"he said as he dropped a torch.with a clank the object rolled illuminating further down the mined to a halt.
At first glance one only saw deceased malnourished frames, but with further attention, one caught sight of their chests crack to capture a breath along with quivering moans.Their hollow eyes begged for a death to end all this cruelty.
"What is the meaning of this Henderson?!"
"But Henderson didn't reply l, instead came a creak before an infinite slide of rock buried all that was in the mines.