Lost Identity: Eloria Series Book 1 | ✓

31: Meeting

7/14/3028

Stanjah and Tor-Kenner were already in the meeting room with King Rit and his advisor. I bowed modestly at a thirty-degree angle with my hands palm-to-palm, making sure to position my hands further away from my chest. The Olourians reciprocated with their hands palm-to-palm, closely held to their chests. The advisor gave a deeper bow expected of a lower ranking visitor, and King Rit gave a cordial nod.

I was a lot tenser when greeting Udi, the Driar king. I could decipher King Rit's body language and his smile, but I couldn't with King Udi. Aside from his intimidating stature of six-foot-six, his eyes were entirely black and void of an iris. It didn't help that it felt like I was staring into a black hole.

After all the formal greetings, I then took my seat around the oval table between Keiran and Stanjah.

Tor-Kenner was the first to speak once we were all seated. He started off by welcoming each leader and their advisors individually. He spent a great deal of time—a good twenty minutes—complimenting each King on the excellence of their leadership, and their willingness to visit Ien.

Stanjah added to Tor-Kenner's brilliant speech by doling out compliments and praise of each King's fair land before getting to the heart of our assembly. "We know Hidelvus continues to advance, reaching into the remotest locations of each continent. I say we act now before he reaches his full strength.

Let me humbly remind you all of the inscription on each of our Elosra Crystals:

'To plot out the course in the Forest of Fears

The heart of a man and the mind of a Sye

Is needed to navigate when it appears

The path to Elosra will then apply

Revealing to only the one it reveres

Or slaying the ones who dare it defy

Granting to thee a wish so dear

Bestowing the power of sun and sky.'"

She paused for a moment, letting the words sink in for everyone. "The power to stop this war is in our hands. With Sye-Liene Anmyn and our Crystals united, we can go to the Forest of Fears to find the path to Elosra. We can bring back the balance lost when the Elosra Tree disappeared. We can stop Hidelvus from attaining greater strength," Stanjah said, assuredly.

"If only our growing concerns could be solved by a simplistic solution such as that, Sorceress," said King Udi. Although I was sure the voice was his, his mouth didn't seem to be moving at all. "The Crystals, individually, retain great power—let us make no pretense of the extent of benefit each of our countries have had as Crystal conservators. Because of the Crystals, our technological and infrastructural advancement in the past ten years is likely equivalent to that of a century."

King Rit nodded passionately in agreement. His medium length fur and full beard of white tousled slightly when he nodded and reflected the light as he moved. "It is true. Since Olouri attained a Crystal and harnessed its seemingly infinite energy, our cities have greatly advanced, technologically speaking, without the use of corin. I know how much it has also improved Incus city for the Ankins as well."

"Indeed." King Udi turned to King Rit politely, before speaking to us all. "If we yield our Crystal to Ankinia, how can we be certain that you will not utilize that power for yourselves?" Although his eyes were entirely black, I knew when he was looking at me—I felt very sure of it. I shifted in my seat, trying to feel more at ease. It didn't help.