The Chase : Volume One

Opening Part Three

The room was not much more than a long oval table and some chairs. However, the unusually fine quality of the Darkwood table and the intricate carvings in the chairs of the same material betrayed the regality it held. The wall was lined with an ancient art carving of dragons transforming into humans and then back into dragons. The chairs were upholstered with rare griffon-down cushions made of red diamondbeetle silk. The Darkwood of the chairs was carved with sinuous designs in the Zhagonian tongue.

Around the elongated table with Eteocles Dorian Daer'hakan at the head and draped in intricate silk robes were the Keys of Zhagoziè. Adorned with rich traditional embroidery, each in the vibrant colors of their gyn or clan, their attire along with some headdresses, signifying their connection to their gyn and their region. Many with dragon-scale patterns. All with golden trim and accents to denote their ranks as Key. Eteocles, outfitted himself in fit of black silk with gold trimming and bold emblem of a dragon head engulfed in flames embroidered with blood crystal beads. His boots were all black with gold plated truesteel mail. His glorious presence barely outshining the other Keys in the room, he also brought Andraemon Hayd'Enox Draenugahar, the soon to be Key of Daer'Ishaan. He was dressed in a similar attire but much less grand, and he forsook the gold for more red and black, and was only wearing a darkwood circlet instead of a golden one like the rest, an odd propriety since his being present was an obvious stretch of status. Then again, so was Eteocles leading this meeting, and the call for the Usurper Clause, but without a Center no one felt much else could be done

"But what if they did survive?" Jin Drazuma, Key to the Onnixxeaun, elegantly waved his fan. The delicate artwork depicts the silhouette of wingless dragons in flight. His clan, or Gyn, is represented with a mint color of his robe and red petals embroidered as if falling from his shoulders. He stood behind his seat fluttering his fan adorned with the dragon lotus - the Drazuma family crest.

"It is already done" sighed another across the table. Baleketan, the Key of the Vysaries. Being from the tropical islands, his outer robe was more like a long vest with the Vysaries colors of royal blue and green in the intricate traditional beadwork and patterns. Adorned with feathers and dragon totem at the for head his gold ceremonial circlet and matching golden pendants dangling from his ears were all that signified his status. He tapped his staff, decorated with matching bead work and as he stood. His head was shaved on the sides where Vysaries tribal tattoos go along the side of his head above his ears. His long midnight blue hair tied up in a knot atop his head.

"The clause wipes out every royal from Key to cor. All holds and estates burned to the ground. We are inviting rebellion or even civil war if we let them escape."

"The Alimenan are making sure of that now."

"Are we sure he was behind it?" Uriaphim Heralomira sat up in her chair placing her right elbow onto the table and pointing. At the same time her partner Vaviur Zariari, "Servius' lynk a Lock Aurora, is our cousin. Onegai, understand our da'underen ra." Partners from the Lysaludal gyn, their attire was white and cyan. Headdresses adorned with white plumes and carrying staffs with moon and crescent carvings and white crystal.

"A late hour to ask that question." Eteocles clenched his teeth.

"You don't worry that the true culprit could have planned things to turn out this way?" Jin stepped forward leaning in front of Uriaphim blocking her from his view.

"Servius was the real culprit." Eteocles seethed, turning his back to them. "It seems more than a little underen zha et? In my eyes, we all saw the same evidence and voted on it."