Leaves of Change [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter 7 - The Council of Melivian

    Serenity followed Toawn through the large oak doors, now opened by two guards on either side. They emerged into what appeared to be a huge throne room. They entered through a hallway flanked by tall marble pillars, reaching all the way up to the top of a high ceiling.

    As they neared the end of the long walkway, the hall opened up into a vast room with white, marble flooring. On the sides of the edges of the room, there were two grand staircases. In the center of the room, stood eight grand thrones in a crescent shape, facing the entrance.

    The thrones themselves, were occupied by regal looking figures. Except for the seat on the left end, for it was empty. The throne next to that was occupied by a man with dark hair and circular glasses that almost completely hid his dark eyes.

    "Earnest Ward," Toawn whispered to her as if reading her thoughts. "He was one of the original members of the council."

    He gestured to the man sitting beside Earnest. "Rufus Winestone, he's one of the wisest members." Rufus had dark skin, and dark, close-shaven hair that clung to his skull, and wore deep purple robes.

    Toawn pointed at the man next to Rufus; a man with wild red hair, with streaks of gray mixed in. He wore strange looking goggles on top of his head, and he had hazel eyes. "That's Exantus Yoneyal. He's a little...different in the head, but he's a brilliant inventor."

    The woman next to Exantus was stern looking, with grey-blond hair pulled up in a tight bun. "That woman there's Tzipora. She's the deputy Council-Mistress. Make sure you don't mess with her; she's tough."

    The man next to her was elderly with an incredibly extensive white beard and hair. He had an eyepatch over his right eye, and he wore long, dark orange and white robes in a striped pattern. His face and eyes were cold. "That's Council Master Durmana. He's in charge of the entire council, and by extent, Melivian. Though, the other members of the Council are there to make all the political decisions together." Toawn explained. 

     The woman seated next to Durmana had olive-toned skin, dark brown hair, woven into a tight braid, and electric-blue eyes. "That woman's Beulah Simmonesa. This may come as a shock to you, but Ms. Simmonesa can read minds."

    It did come a bit as a surprise to Serenity, but with all she had witnessed already, it didn't take her long to recover.

    The last throne was occupied by a young man with dark blue hair, and brown eyes. He wore a dark blue cloak that barely covered his black turtleneck, baggy black pants, and dark brown, knee-high boots. "That's Arias Grey. He's the youngest member to ever enter the council; he's only twenty-two."

    Now that Toawn mentioned it, Arias did look significantly younger than the rest of the council members.

    Toawn and Serenity finally arrived at the foot of the crescent, and Toawn knelt to the council. He glanced at Serenity over his shoulder and she reluctantly repeated after him and knelt at the foot of the mighty Council of Melivian.

    "Rise, Toawn." said a voice. Serenity looked up and saw that the person who had spoken was Durmana, the Council Master.

    "Sir," said Toawn, "I would like to present Serenity Evergreen." Toawn gestured to the girl next to him.

    "It's, uh, nice to meet you, sir." Serenity said awkwardly.

    "Hello Serenity." the man replied. "Now, tell me why you think we have brought you here."

    "Um, well... Toawn didn't really tell me much." Serenity mumbled. "He just said something about a guy called the Shadow Master?" The Council Master's eye narrowed as he glanced at Toawn, who all but flinched under his gaze.