The Prophecy

The Council | The unexpected move

Once again, the groups from the different communities were moving back into the Council Chamber. At least one ray must have passed and everyone seemed more willing to discuss in relative calm and serenity. The doors were sealed as before, and a somewhat embarrassed silence gripped the audience.

Adjuva, who had spoken at length with the leaders of the Seven Walks, rose majestically from his seat and joined the Tribune of the Word. He had to deploy all his knowledge to appear as comfortable as usual. For a time, he remained silent, as if searching for his words, which was unusual. Finally, he took a deep breath of oxygen and his voice broke the silence.

_ Dear members, I humbly entrust myself to you. I stand before you at this moment to ask you to forgive the horrible actions that have taken place in this sacred place. We behaved like the last of the living beings, and know that I, too, am bearing my share of this terrible confrontation. Nevertheless, I would like to reaffirm before you all my will to ensure that the Councils of the Sacred Volcano remain a faithful reflection of the ideals that led us to create the young and noble institution of the inter-community cities 147 years ago. For this, I offer to the four communities gathered here the most precious possession we can hold: here are the Runes of the Gelflings' Community.

Amazement had invaded the hall and the assembly remained frozen while the King discovered a little chest that had been hidden in a part of his ceremonial dress. The chest was made of a precious metal that was as if illuminated from the inside. The splendid gems on which it was adorned shone and reflected bursts of light. Adjuva carefully operated a complex opening system and lifted the lid. Gently, he wrapped his hands around a tablet made of polished black stone. From where Half Moon was located, she could appreciate the delicacy of the engraved writing. The sacred writing. The writing of the Eternals. The King of the Gelflings raised the tablet so that all could see it, wherever they were located, and then he brought it back before his eyes and began to sing a song whose regular and wild rhythm was that of the ancestral texts. He read the Runes as the High Rituals were read, and then, in the same tone, he gave an approximate translation:

But the day will come when they will appear

The Conquerors under the Golden Standard

Marked with the Sacred Seal of the Eternals.

The whole assembly had held its breath. On reading this brief passage from the Sacred text, the entire space of the hall had vibrated to another rhythm, another wave. Confirming in some way the wonderful presence of the Eternals themselves. Half Moon had tears in her eyes and she could see, as her senses gradually returned to her, that she was far from being the only one. However, the reading of the Runes was not the only reason for the heightened tension that shook the communities present in this place: what the Will-o'-the-Wisp King had just done was unprecedented. And unexpected. Everyone was now aware that the dice had just been rolled and that there was no turning back. The leaders of the other communities were thus skillfully forced to hand over their Runes in turn. Failure to do so could not have been understood and would have been immediately interpreted, rightly or wrongly, as a declaration of hostility that would only find reparation in a long and likely bloody war.

Following the order established on the very day the inter-community institution was created, it was the turn of the King of the Humans to go. He rose to join the Tribune that Adjuva had just surrendered to him. As for the precious Gelflings' tablet, it had been left in the care of the Great Repartitor, who looked after it with a protective gaze.

Azilis Le Corsis swiftly climbed the steps with his eyes fixed far ahead, cutting through the space. He seemed in control as never before, and particularly satisfied with the situation. All was going well for the Humans, and to have to deliver their share of the sacred text was a small loss for what they thought they were getting out of it. With a sure gesture, he brought out a splendid lectern carved in the purest white marble, marvelously highlighting the tablet of Runes. The voice of the King of Humans filled the huge space of the Council Chamber as he began to read the Runes. His voice accentuating certain words as he translated them: