The Allegory Of Triberias: The Call Of Destiny .

Becoming Banished

COUNCIL CHAMBERS,
Triberias
2420 AA, After the Great Ascension.

Havillah was really surprised when she received the summons to appear before the gathering of the council of Elders, and the fact that her mother was not there to accompany her, having already left that morning to investigate the still crumbling Eastern scaffolds, did not bode well with her.
Something was afoot and she was constantly finding herself wondering if the good elder had finally found a way to rid himself of her, his apparently useless Appriser's apprentice. He had threatened it several times before and even now, as she walked into the gathering of the council Elders, her feet trembled within her red Triban coated boots. After all she had tried many times and failed to guess at what this whole issue was all about.
Had jer scales finally tipped to zero? Had they gone grey? But she could still use her virtue? And as she thought upon this, she stared down at her two feet that were now hovering some several feet above the glittering crystalline floors of the Sanctuary. A flex of a few muscles here and there and she was convinced that she could still apply her Virtue. It was not anything flashy, but it was still there. Therefore, what was the meaning behind those summons?
She walked into the gathering of the council of Elders to find a gloomy chamber. Eleven gloomy faces and one that was seemingly excited behind a mask of faux despondency. It was not obvious to the rest, but to her who had spent a lifetime slaving under his thumb, she could clearly see the glint in his eyes and know that it really meant trouble.
Her gaze drifted up to the lonely empty chair and then, to the familiar faces that made up almost half of the council members that were gathered there. None of them could meet her gaze and it made jet wonder what had been conspired against her.
Most of the elders and especially those that she knew were somewhat allied to her mother, the Elder Tamaar, could not even look her in the eye. No, there was shame on their faces and a hint of something in their eyes...Was that fear? Was that fear she had just seen there?
Her gaze flipped over to her mentor and she could not help herself wondering what it was he was up to now.
What had he done to them? Did he even have that sort of power? He smiled as he noticed her gaze upon him and she could only shudder.
As the Lord Chamberlain went on to read the charges that had been levelled against her, her expression grew ever mortified and in all that, no one rose up to defend her.
What was the meaning of all these? Her eyes widened as she took it all in. After all this time, she was really going to get banished? She almost burst out laughing at the incredulousness of it all.
Yes, she was going to end up exiled, but not for what she had originally worried herself about. It was for a totally different reason. One that had never crossed her mind to begin with.
Havillah had totally underestimated him, even though it actually made sense that he would look for another reason to rid himself of her. One that would not badly reflect upon him or on his status as a Master. No, to have her go down as one of those who had lost Virtue would paint him in a bad light. It would make him lose face as an incompetent master, and Elder Lionel was too proud and conniving to ever allow that to happen, as she had finally come to realise.
As it turned out, all along Moriella had been right. The viewpoint was actually bugged and as she thought hard upon this, she grimaced as she thought back to all the little things that they had talked about and the issues that they had often discussed even as they looked out and reminisced from that particular viewpoint.
Will they really be safe? she found herself wondering as she thought of her friends. She could only hope so. Hope, that deep down in his heart, Elder Lionel's grudge was only with her without extending to her friends who unlike her, all came from less influential families, especially Cjaira. A girl who had been orphaned through the same manner of banishment and now lived at the mercy of the council and her very large extended family.
To be clear, Havillah had been found guilty of the grievous error of breaking the Sanctuary's NEW big laws on association and interference. She was standing accused of having brought a human into the realm and even helped him with the tools that were only meant for use by a Great. An offence that was punishable by banishment and with the evidence that had been accumulated against her, she could only watch helplessly as the elders all voted autonomously to have her exiled.
Eleven votes, she realised with sadness that her mother's presence would not have made any impact whatsoever. Who knew, maybe considering their family background, history and the grievousness of her crime, she too would have voted to have her banished as well. After all she was a stickler for rules, no matter how hard she seemed to fight against some of them. She still lived to abide by them. All in all, her first duty was to the city as the Chief of Fist Virtue and lastly to her as the obnoxious daughter who always drove her into trouble. No, it was better this way, Havillah thought as she turned to look at her mentor who had just started orating.
"So you see Havillah, we have no choice but to cast you out. This city is far greater than any of us, and it is our duty as the Great to uphold it's laws and protect it. In this, you've failed and as a Great, have tainted yourself and the city through your association with that scourge. As such, I feel it is in my duty to let you go as your mentor. It is the law and we must all abide by it." The man, Elder Lionel added quite solemnly as he turned his gaze upon her to pierce her with a set of red gleaming eyes.
To the untrained eye it appeared like he was sombre. Like his eyes were gleaming with unshed tears from bearing the burden of having to be the one to level these charges against her. However, Havillah knew better. The man could not wait to rid himself of her and all these was just an act played out for the benefit of all those observers that were still present and watching. That is, the several citizens and even her peers who had gathered for the sole responsibility of sitting through the hearing and making sure that it was a fair trial.
Havillah turned to the rest of the elders that had turned up to decide her fate, but once again, they all looked away from hrr face and especially her eyes. Her gaze once again drifted to the empty seat. The seat of elder Tamaar and a silent sigh escaped her lips.
What was she thinking? She admonished herself. Not even her mother could save her now. She thought as she brought her gaze down. Defeated and awaiting the sentencing that was soon to be carried out.
A golden seat scraped against the crystalline floors and from her periphery, she observed as the embroidered purple and golden robes that belonged to none other than the Lord Chamberlain floated towards her.
A pregnant silence engulfed the entire chamber even as the man moved forward to perform the final exclusion rights.
Were they sorry or just anxious? She could not help but wonder. What would they report to her mother? Did she even know? Was she aware? Where was she? The questions multiplied in her panic, but the answers remained unattainable. It turned out that Havillah still needed her, even though she felt it was just to see her off. To wave her goodbye or was it, to give her closure?
"Havillah, daughter of Jaykob and Tamaar, elder of the Great, you have been found guilty of abandoning the Sanctuary laws and rebelling against this great city. Through visual evidence that has been supplied to this Great council, it has been determined beyond reasonable doubt that you have tainted yourself and your calling as a Great through associating and interferance in the matter of humans. Therefore, by the high authority that is appointed to me by the Great and Eternal Light as the Lord Chamberlain of this Sanctuary and as the head of the council of the Elders of the Great, I hereby sentence you to exile. You are now banished from this city and from this moment henceforth, you are an outcast!"
He reached out his right hand and touched each of her shoulders. As he did so, the golden embroidery that was on her red Triban robes suddenly disappeared and with it, the awareness of Virtue that had been flowing through her veins up to that moment.
The Lord Chamberlain then withdrew his hand and Havillah gasped, horrified as she watched her once beautiful shiny robes turn from a brilliant red to the colour of a jet black ink that was swirling in darkness.
"Havillah, you are now banished. However, for the sake of your mother, Tamaar, elder of the Great, the elders have all agreed to let you choose your final destination." The Chamberlain added just as the Elder Lionel stood up and regarded her with his signature sinister smile.
It seemed that in celebrating his victory, he had soon forgotten the little act that he had just put on for the benefit of her peers and the present observers.
"Why my Lord Chamberlain? Why not just send her back to that filthy human she is besotted with. After all I am quite sure you are worried about him, aren't you?"
The Lord Chamberlain looked at Elder Lionel and sighed. He then turned back to Havillah and asked her. "Bethesda?"
To think that they even knew the name. What was she supposed to say when all her secrets were laid bare? When she was drowned in failure and her regret at how stupid she had been? Of course they knew? They must have known the moment she had breached those gates and were even aware of the name to a town that until a while ago, had remained unknown to me.
What idiocy? What sublime arrogance had led her to compete with this man? No, with this demon? She should have known better and always remembered her place just like Moriella had warned her so many times before. This time, she had nothing left to say and so, she just nodded. With all that was happening around her, the terror of it all had finally caught up to her and now, she was feeling too distraught to even try to protest or say anything to the contrary.
Where else was shr supposed to go? She was not acquainted with anyone from that world save for the one man.
Killion had been his name and she could only hope that he would at least be somewhat happy to see her, if she was lucky and did manage to find him that is.
"Very well. It is now day in the land below, but the sun will be only up for just for a few more hours. I can only advise that to survive, you must find shelter and stay in. Always remain inside until the sun comes up again." The Lord Chamberlain advised her and as he spoke, he flicked his hands and a white mist appeared and began to invade her vision.
For a moment, she panicked as the mist grew thicker and shimmery. Like little streamers were swimming within a cloud of white. Without her Virtues, she could not tell what was happening. However, she did not have long worry. Not about the situation or the disorientation that soon followed. For when the mist finally cleared some seconds later, Havillah found herself in an empty and narrow pathway and all around her buildings. Huge dilapidated mansions that suddenly dwarfed her.