The Chronicles of Tenroha

Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-one

Jeremiah was standing in front of everyone in the forbidden room. He along with Matáo and Mrs. Clary had arrived back at the Sanctum four days past. Matáo's arm was badly injured and even with the medicines and magic, it was slow to heal. The arm of the creature that was severed by the portal closing, laid on the table in front of everyone in the room to see.

When the group had arrived, they quickly ran to meet with Wilhelm. They informed him of everything they had learned while in Oaken Meadow. Jeremiah had collected several papers that included the enemy's attack plans, along with maps and other strategic information for their battle plans.

Matáo informed him of the information they had obtained in the interrogation of the worker. Through him, they learned about the catapults that the enemy planned to use in the attack and they confirmed it when they found drawings of the machines in the papers that Jeremiah had gathered from the desk. They also learned that the attack on the capital city was to happen the night of the winter solstice, which was just under five weeks away.

They told Wilhelm that they had also learned the identity of the man leading the attack. They didn't know his full name, the creature referred to him as Master Claremont, and they also made it clear that they (the Luna Stala) and he were working for someone else. Everyone present, rightfully, made the assumption that he was working for Jemot.

After they had told Wilhelm everything that they had learned, he spent the next three days in conference with the elders. Jeremiah went to the palace to inform the king and the other generals and Protector Bridgewater, while Matáo spent that time in the healing ward of the Sanctum.

Jeremiah had arrived back at the Sanctum early this morning and he and Wilhelm called a meeting of the Brotherhood with those that were present at the Sanctum. When the meeting convened, Jäkob confessed that the twins had gone absent and that he had been searching for them the past four days with no sign of where they could be, but he planned to keep searching.

Petra had left with Ryan, Chloé, and Jonah, who were still on their mission in the Crescent Mountains, and he, and they, were unable to return. Rayne had returned from informing the elves of Jemot, and she and Kara were present, along with Bridgewater, Jameson Truwood, and the others. Jeremiah and Protector Bridgewater informed everyone of the king's plans for a preemptive attack on the enemy base at Oaken Meadow and the defensive preparations that were being made at the capital city.

Once everyone had been apprised of the current circumstances, the meeting shifted to a discussion on how to defeat the Luna Stala. Jeremiah demonstrated how light affected their bodies. Even though the arm was no longer connected to the body, it still maintained the properties within. Legends told that the Luna Stala could heal themselves very rapidly within the darkness, but without a body, the arm could not heal itself anymore.

They did discover that in darkness, the arm could be injured. In all of the old tales, the creatures were basically indestructible. If one was mortally wounded it would seek a dark place to heal itself. Once injured, if light was present, they could not be bound with anything, but if it was dark enough to bind them, they would heal. This is why the legends claim that the creatures were unable to be killed in battle.

The Brotherhood discussed the matter for hours and had come to no conclusions on how to destroy them. They left the meeting, each with a new purpose. Kara and Rayne went back to the elves to inform them of the plans and to seek their wisdom about the creatures.

Jeremiah and Matáo set out with Bridgewater and Truwood. They went to the capital city to finalize the attack plans. Jeremiah was to lead his forces through a Sentinel Tree in the herað northwest of Oaken Meadow to flank Claremont's forces. Truwood was to accompany Erík, one of the three princes and his forces through the Oaken Meadow tree, while Matáo and Ködú, another one of the princes, were to enter through a tree to the west.