Series: The Mountain: Book 1: The Awakening

The First Trial

Liam strode through the gate, slowly admiring the rushed yet amazingly detailed handiwork of its frame before arriving at the other side. As he stepped beyond its reach, the massive wooden monstrosity lurched suddenly, slightly startling him as it began to close. Spying both Helen and Chandra who stood fixated in the same spot he'd left them in, through a small gap, a gentle breeze accompanied by a small tuft of dust sputtered at his feet as the gate firmly shut itself. Liam let out another breathy sigh as the fine particles settled once more at his feet before returning his attention to the figures that stood off in the distance. Looking up at them he immediately realized that they were all staring intently in his direction, eyes solely focusing on him as he made his entrance. 

Fueled by his sudden audience, Liam increased his speed to that of a brisk walk, quietly hoping that his legs didn't choose that moment to stumble. As he neared their position, he could just make out Alice's small frame standing awkwardly in front of seven, now seated figures. Closing in on their location, Liam's eyes flickered over to the open air stands where the few viewers that lingered murmured openly as he approached. Seeing no one that he knew, Liam ignored their attention and proceeded with his course. Finally arriving at his destination, he acknowledged Alice with a wave, who smiled nervously back at him as he took his place a few paces away from her. Settling into his new position, Liam observed as seven important looking figures sat before him. Of the seven, three stood out apart from the rest as they sat lavishly wrapped in smooth, silky fabrics. Poking out from under the material, he could just make out a pure sliver sheen lining the throne-like chair's edges with expertly polished gems studding its sides. Atop the three seats were two men and one woman, the latter of which sat in the middle. Wizened and old the two men sat expressionless, faces marred by minute scars, presumably acquired from numerous battles. Unlike the two aged men that sat on either side of her, the woman though clearly older, still appeared to retain much of her youthful beauty. Like Chandra, she too had jet black hair, although, hers was far longer cascading beautifully down her waist before curling into her lap. Shifting his eyes over to the right, Liam counted four others who sat on lesser adorned chairs, staring indifferently at him as if to say he wasn't worth their full attention. Younger by a few years, the two men and women sat irritably, clearly unhappy to be present.

Separated by a gap large enough to fit an eight chair, the four sat apart from their older counterparts. 

'So this is the council,' Liam thought.

As he mused internally over the obvious division between the older and younger generations, Liam was suddenly shaken free from his thoughts as Alice let out a small cough. Snapping out of his stupor he found himself staring face to face with an annoyed young man. 

"Must I repeat myself, or are you incapable of simple speech," the councilor began in an overly upset tone, "Answer me boy!"

Liam, who'd certainly been too infused in his thoughts to hear any questions that were thrown his way studied the man blankly. Unamused by the councilor's tone which painfully reminded him of the pompous nobles that talked down to him and his newly orphaned sister when they'd first entered the now fallen city of Trelsia, Liam beckoned the man to repeat what he'd previously asked.

After Liam had spoken, the councilor's fellow young associates fell silent as the man, now taken aback, scoffed at him in disbelief as if his request had been utterly unreasonable. 

Impatience visibly steaming through his ears, the man repeated his question once more in an irate voice, "Are you aware of the reason you're here?"

Not wanting to waste words on such an ill-mannered person Liam nodded his head at the question. 

"Speak when spoken too!" the young man demanded, seething at what he considered to be an irreverent action. 

"I'm aware," Liam replied in an icy tone, earning a surprised glance from Alice as well as a couple disdainful stares from the young man's fellow councilors.