Celestial Storm: Golden Dawn

Chapter Thirteen: The Return Home

It took us a few minutes to get to the hangars. Fortunately, the airship that Ethiza had rented from the council was undamaged. Ethiza started up the airship, and we were soon soaring through the clouds. Vlukyn stared silently out at the sunrise. Khanordhoi had disappeared into the back of the ship almost immediately after he had boarded. Dukhiza had also gone to the back shortly after we had boarded the ship. He looked like he was quite ill, which wasn't really surprising given the fact that he had eaten necrotic energy. Fryn was staring down into the ocean with Flame. Gazual was determinedly looking anywhere but down at the ocean. Siegfried sat next to me as Ethiza flew the airship back toward Celestial Storm.

When we landed the airship in the council's hangar, Khanordhoi quickly got off the ship and stalked off down the street. Dukhiza followed looking as though he had a very painful stomachache. Ethiza spoke to someone working in the hangar as Flame, Siegfried, Fryn and I stepped out of the ship. Gazual followed us out looking relieved to be away from the ocean. Vlukyn followed Gazual stretching her legs as she went. Vlukyn paced for a few moments while Ethiza finished speaking to the hangar employee.

Ethiza led us out of the hangar and around the block to the council chambers. Khanordhoi and Dukhiza were waiting for us at the doors. They flanked Ethiza as she walked into the council chambers. Vlukyn moved past Gazual to walk next to Flame and Fryn, who were following Ethiza. Siegfried and I followed everyone else looking around the clean council chamber as we did so.

The walls were white and painted with ocean and beach scenes that looked fairly new. I noticed that the floor tiles seemed unnaturally straight, square and identical. I briefly wondered if Keshee had designed the council building. The dome like roof didn't seem like something he would design, but the interior looked unnaturally tidy, clean and organized. I also noticed that the wood that formed the table the council members sat behind lacked knots and had been made in a way that made the wood grains line up perfectly.

The council members were waiting for us. They seemed to have just finished talking to someone, for a young man with a hood pulled low over his face strode past us just as we walked through the doorframe. It looked like he might have been a messenger of some sort. He certainly didn't look very old, for he was shorter than I was and probably didn't weigh as much as I did.

I didn't get a second glance at the young man as he left the council chambers, for I had already turned my attention back the council. A man that appeared to be the chief councilor bowed his head in greeting.

"I just received word of what happened during your mission to eradicate Blood Beer," he said, "Despite the fact that you destroyed the town and broke many rules imposed by the council, we will not give you any punishment or dock any payments. You made up for your transgressions by vanquishing a demon lord that might have destroyed the entire island. All the locals that lived in the town were grateful that you vanquished the demon lord. We have come to an agreement concerning your reward. You shall be awarded two million four hundred thousand golens for destroying Blood Beer and vanquishing a demon lord."

"Thank you," Ethiza said to them, "You are most generous, and we will happily accept the reward."

Vlukyn seemed too excited to speak, but she had grabbed Flame's arm and was mouthing something at him.

"But before we give it to you, hand me the orb of the Dawn Ancients," the chief councilor said as he held his hand out.

Ethiza retrieved the orb from her pocket. She then gave the orb to the chief councilor's outstretched hand. He then placed it in his pocket.

"Oh, and before I forget, there was another agreement we reached. The newest member of Celestial Storm, Lucina, is now officially an A ranked mage. This is what we decided after learning of her courage and use of magic to summon the spirits that helped vanquish the demon lord," the chief councilor added.