Systems In Chaos: Dissention

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Galvin stopped short, just outside the entrance of the citadel. He rolled his shoulders back and forth and stretched his neck until he heard a satisfying crack. He stared at the entrance; it wasn’t a door of any sort. No, it was just a simple hole in the side of the building. The entrance was created as a dual walkway, going straight before it reaches a large pillar in the middle of the path. The pillar rose to the roof, and its width was more than fifty feet. He had to walk around the pillar, either to the left or to the right, and then back towards its centre again where it had cut him off on the opposite side. After the dull task of manoeuvring around this large slab of engraved steel he was free to take another ten steps and enter the Guardian Citadel. Before that, however, he looked back and studied the engravings on the entrance pillar. He looked for the section where scribes had marked in previous, or dead, Titans of the Zeuti Order. A half smile-half frown crept across his face when he saw that the two Titans that he had served with on Fathom had finally been etched into the metal. Titan Lord Kallen Crow and Titan Lord Sara Teng, the seventh and ninth seat holders of the ten Titan seats of the Citadel, had been marked down under the ‘Previous Titan Lords’ section. The section did not provide the details of their deaths, however, which occurred as they defended Fathom during the initial invasion of the Hadi Empire.

After gazing at their names for a moment Galvin turned and strode into the fortress, with a new fire and a revitalized purpose in his heart to convince the rest of the council that they should take the fight to the Hadi.

There were a several Lords and Learners scattered about the main hall. Some were chatting about the issues that concerned the United Alliance, others were talking about the history of the Order which had been engraved in great detail along sections of the metal panels which covered the walls and some just stood around waiting for something unknown. Galvin didn’t stick around for long. He made a right turn a dozen meters from the entrance and headed towards a side hall that led deeper into the citadel. The hall was quiet, and he didn’t come across anyone, but he was able to hear the sounds of talking and laughter in the nearby commons room up ahead. He came to a stop shortly before the Learner’s Lounge and stepped into a small lift. He hit a button and the lift shot upwards. After thirty seconds of ascending motion Galvin felt his stomach lurch up and down again as the elevator came to a speedy stop and he got off one level below the North Eastern tower.

He found himself in another one of the commons rooms; there were a dozen Learners and two Lords sitting around and talking or playing, what seemed to be the timeless classic game of, pool on tables around the lounge. He was shocked when he saw several of them rise from their seats, or put down their pool cues, and walk over to him.

“Lords, Learners,” Galvin said, nodding his head in a way of greeting them.

“Titan Lord Galvin,” several of them said at once, as they bowed their heads as a sign of respect.

“If you’ll excuse me, I have a meeting with the council,” Galvin told them politely and went to move by them. He was, however, stopped when both a Lord and a Learner placed their hands on his chest to stop him from moving.

“My Lord, please give us a moment. There is... an issue which has many Learners and a lot of Lords confused about. Some of them are even upset and angry,” the Lord asked him. The Mentor bowed his head as he asked, it wasn’t the usually thing that anyone did – stopping Titans while they were busy – and the Lord knew it.

Galvin didn’t really mind all too much, but there were other Titans whom would have seen the act as an insult to their status and rank within the Order. He was late for his meeting with the council, but what this Lord said intrigued him. It was clear that the issue was in the foremost of the minds of others. He was also curious as to why they hadn’t brought it up with one of the other Titans, especially if it concerned so many. So, Galvin took a deep breath and nodded for the Lord to proceed.