The Order of Events: The Council of Eight

by Haines, C. J.

  All the Council agreed, though taking discomfort in the thought of the cold weather, as they all had been living in the warm desert for their entire lives.

  As it was time to continue their journey, Sinfus took his wife Gelga in hold and all took to the sky and flew away towards the great mountains, leaving behind the town of misfortune and ruin, as many lay dead and injured, watching curiously as the mass that had only moments ago took charge upon them in violent manner, flew away to the distance in fleeing manner.

  As all were flying ahead, Hersei kept his thoughts to himself as he felt a plan coming together in mind. Without Gelga, who would Sinfus take blood from, for his hunger? Hersei knew that Sinfus would not be willing to sacrifice any life for his thirst. With this in thought, if Gelga was removed, Sinfus would no longer feed and would die out, leaving the Keraij to the command of another of strong will…Hersei.

  As the plan seemed rather well-formed, Hersei kept at the sides of his council, looking upon them in their flight as he knew they were unsuspecting of his plan to overthrow their leader…his plan for dominance.

  Back at the Order, Hoosun was standing on the outermost wall and was looking out upon the vast horizon, as the sun had fallen long ago and had left him with the moon above, shining down bright beams of glory as he sat in peace and in thought.

  The silence was cut as Henk stood at the side of Hoosun and spoke softly as the owl had his eyes closed and she did not wish to startle him. “Hoosun, is everything okay? You haven’t told us what Samana is up to, and I’m worried!”

  The owl opened his eyes and looked upon the young spectacle-faring Henk and smiled cheerfully as to hide his own worry and spoke, grabbing her fleshy hand with his feathery one.

  “It would be easier this way!”

  Henk felt Hoosun’s thoughts come into hers, the journey of Samana coming to her knowledge as she stood in vice with the great owl and then his grip was released. Henk looked at her hand and then at Hoosun, curiously, and spoke in wonder. “That wasn’t me…it was-”

  The owl bowed his head and gestured to himself with a feathery finger and spoke the very meaning which Henk was to announce. “Me? Yes it was!”

  Henk felt curiosity fill her and spoke to the owl as she had many thoughts crowding her mind. “You have the gift, too! You can extract thoughts…and even plant them?”

  The owl put a feathery arm about the back of the young one and turned her to look out across the vast distance of patchy plains and stars above, as he spoke. “Yes I do, young one. How else would I have taught you all these years? Being one of few alive now that has read from the great library, I can tell you that there is no knowledge in any of the vast collection that details how to control our talent!”

  Henk thought for a moment, feeling excitement, yet disappointment fill her as she wished she had known of their shared talent earlier. “This explains so much. I wish you had told me earlier…”

  The owl patted her hooded head softly and spoke. “Would it have made such a difference, in all these years, young Henk?”

  Henk lowered her head softly and spoke as she looked to the lively, yet dead plains of grass and ash. “It would’ve been nice to know that someone else like me was around, so that I didn’t feel so alone…”

  The owl felt sad for not telling her long ago, and raised her chin as he spoke serenely and in apologetic manner. “I’m sorry, young Henk. I should have told you.”

  The brown-haired Henk removed her hood and let her ponytail hang as a soft wind came over the walls, and smiled upon the owl as she spoke. “It is okay, Hoosun, I forgive you. It’s just that every time when I was young, and you knew how I felt…make sense, now. You helped me so much growing up, and I thank you!”

  The owl smiled upon the young Henk and bowed his head in thanks to her words as he spoke. “You are quite welcome, young Henk. It is I who should be most thankful for having such a young friend as wise as you are. A great rarity it is to find one such as you!”

  Henk leaned on the owl’s shoulder and gave him an affectionate hug, wrapping an arm, as much as she could, around his massive form.

  The owl grinned happily and looked below the walls as his night vision was great, allowing him to spy the silent Amen wandering the grounds. The owl shook softly, signaling release from Henk as he spoke to her. “Amen is down there, I think he is looking for you. You’re lucky to have one such as him care for you so much!”

  Henk looked down from the walls, her vision not being as good as the owl disabling her from seeing Amen as she spoke to the owl in return, a light fluster in her tone as she spoke as if she did not know what the owl spoke of. “Does he really care for me that much, Hoosun?”

  The owl felt surprise grip his feathery brow as he raised his brow regally and spoke to the young one, in a tone of questioning manner, as his form towered over hers as the moon lit the wall top brightly. “Sharing the same talent as I, I thought you would have noticed long before any other did. After all, you’ve been searching his mind for years, and from what Mensh has been telling me lately, it seems the boy has been tightly at your side, as of late.”

  Henk looked to the owl and pulled her hair as she answered him, feeling the moonlight reach upon her features as she spoke. “I guess. I never really paid much attention…maybe I didn’t want to think that anyone would want me after having grown up being an outcast.”

  The owl held the young Henk and shook his feathery features as he spoke. “But Samana and Amen want you. They grew as outcasts as you did. Is it so hard to believe that you could be wanted by another? Does it not fit that it is one that has been through so much with you?”

  Henk took in the words of Hoosun and looked down into the darkness below and spoke as she considered his words to be wise. “It does make sense…I care for him, too. I’m just so afraid that I could mess up and ruin things!”

  The owl was one of understanding and put a gentle hand on Henk as he spoke. “Someone should go inside you and bring your thoughts out for you to see, young Henk! You don’t seem to know what you want at times.”

  Henk looked to the owl and had a look of sadness on her face as she spoke. “I want to help him…make him better!”

  The owl spoke as he knew exactly what she meant; to cure Amen of his silence.

  “Young Henk, I know you wish to help him to speak. He was so bullied and mocked for his manner and still is. It is good to want to help him. I just hope that your fear of him is not brought on by his lack of emotion and words.”

  Henk ruffled the owl’s feathery hands and spoke as she rubbed her face on her shoulder to swipe away her tears. “It isn’t, I just want him to be able to live without their criticism. Will you help me, can you, please? Is there a way?”

  The owl smiled through his beak and spoke wisely as he brushed the young ones face.

  “If I knew a way I would, but…I do not. Perhaps Fate has made him this way for a reason, that purpose suggests that he not be cured.”

  Henk took the grasp of the great owl and looked to the center of the walls as she spoke.

  “What about the library, could there be something there to help, Hoosun?”

  The owl thought for a moment, holding a feathery finger to his beak and then spoke.

  “Perhaps, it has been many years upon years since my readings of the great collections. There is always a possibility. But it is caved in and unstable. You would have to dig in and then hope that it does not cave in on you. It would be a great danger to go through, young Henk!”

  Henk gripped the owl’s feathery hands warmly and looked into his eyes as she spoke in a voice full of devotion. “I don’t care how much danger there could be, Hoosun. I want to help him, will you let me do this?!”

  The owl smiled and looked into the darkness, seeing Amen wandering towards the fruit trees, and returned his gaze upon Henk and gave her the answer he saw fit. “You may go, but go safely. If anyone asks to help, please let them. I have a feeling that Mensh will want to help, when she hear
s of this!”

  Henk smiled upon the owl and hugged his massive form, speaking happily.

  “I won’t disappoint you, Hoosun. I promise!”

  The owl shook his head knowingly, and spoke as he gestured his head in the direction of the fruit trees, past the walls below. “I know you won’t, young Henk. Now go, and be with Amen. He’s over by the fruit trees!”

  Smiling ear to ear, Henk did as Hoosun said and left the wall top to meet Amen. The owl stood on the wall royally, in watchful stance as the young girl went over to the one she cared for very much, thoughts passing through the owls mind as he stood wise in his form.

  “I hope what you say is true, that what you do is not for you!”

  -Chapter 4-

  Past

  As the night was upon the land, the Order stood royal and beautiful under the moonlight. The wife of Kermana, Sinul, sat within the confines of the walls. Her form in bed and spread out as she sat tiredly, her hair, long and red as she lay to hear the chamber door open to reveal a welcome figure to her eyes.

  As the chamber door shut, the lantern light flickered about the chamber, dancing on the walls as the figure that had entered produced herself at Sinul’s bedside. She was the Mother Omegeira, dressed in full fashion of ceremonial clothes and headdress. Her veil pulled up to reveal her friendly and beautiful features as she put a hand on that of Sinul and spoke.

  “How do you feel tonight, my friend?”

  Sinul sat up and looked at her arms and felt her ribs. There were no bruises upon her pale skin anymore, or broken ribs beneath her skin. The Mother Omegeira had treated her well, and Sinul was now in good shape as she spoke return upon the Mother. “I feel great, thank you for everything, Mother. I wouldn’t have made it, without you.”

  The Mother Omegeira held Sinul’s hand firmly and spoke as she held a peaceful gaze with her. “I am glad that Kermana was able to get you here in time, my friend. Now please rest. You can leave in the morning to join him at Oomer, as I assume you wish to do so, as soon as possible.”

  Sinul nodded her head in agreement and lowered herself back into bed softly as she spoke. “I do. Thank you, and goodnight, Mother.”

  The Mother bowed her head and left the side of the bed, snuffing the lantern light before taking leave of the chamber. Sinul looked out through her window and held wonder as she thought of her son Kaimana, her heart desperately wishing to seem him again as she knew he was ever worried about her, after her injuries had been inflicted upon her. With her thoughts held tight, Sinul closed her golden eyes of white gleam and attempted rest as the moonlight drifted through the window serenely.

  Outside the infirmary, which Sinul was confined to, the Mother Omegeira walked about the fruitful trees of the Order, her eyes watchful of the stars above as the night was one of beauty and serenity. Her clothed form was soon met by the presence of the sloth Kheranda, the hunched beast taking place at the side of the Mother as she held her gaze to the glory above as he spoke. “A beautiful night has been brought upon us, we should be thankful.”

  The Mother Omegeira kept her gaze fixed to the white flecked sky above and spoke return upon the beast at her side. “I am. I am also thankful for the recovery of Sinul. Thank fate that she survived.

  The sloth looked upon the Mother and spoke, his claws scraping across the grassy ground beneath his form as he did. “Yes. Tomorrow she will head south to meet the Dawn Bringers at Oomer, will she not? After what she told us, I fear the Dawn Bringers may meet great death upon their battle with the Elushu, as Sinul told us their numbers were greater than ever before.”

  The Mother shook her head and spoke as she knew what Kheranda said to be true.

  “I hold the same fear, my friend. But we cannot lose all hope yet. The Dawn Bringers will surely find a way to protect Oomer and its innocence. Even if it costs their lives, a worthy price to pay so that those within their walls live, is it not?”

  The sloth nodded in agreement upon the Mother, the moonlight shining upon them with its bright light, beaming down through the foliage and tree limbs to meet the two figures as the night was silent, the sloth’s glance set upon many of the stars above as he spoke, his eyes looking upon the stars for answer.

  “Indeed.”

  Back at Oomer, the Council had begun to turn calm and seemed ready to come to a decision as Bledlus looked upon them with his golden eyes and spoke. “Have you come to a decision?”

  As Bledlus surveyed his council, many nodded in agreement or sat waiting to deliver their judgment. Kermana took a seat upon a ring of stone seating that encircled the center podium as he looked to Bledlus with his green eye and spoke. “No matter what the judgment, I will march into battle and fight to defend Oomer. Let them bring their decision.”

  Bledlus nodded upon the view of his friend and turned to the Council and spoke, his hand drawn within his cloak and producing a small colored flag from within, its color blue in his hold. “Let us show judgment now, my council. I say yes. I feel we must defend our city against the Elushu, and that it is the only way. If we leave it, then we leave with our lives. But our city will be destroyed or infested by evil no matter what, and as we tread away, will the Elushu not follow us? I do not know. But I know what my heart is telling me, and it is telling me to say yes. Let us defend ourselves. Spill our blood perhaps, but stand side by side with those loyal to defend all. Tell me, what does your heart tell you to do?”

  As Bledlus stood waiting the judgment of his council in silence, Kermana sat with his eye fixed upon the stone floor as all council began to reveal their decision. Karkor, Fenra, and Borka produced blue in agreement with their leader, all standing proudly in their decision in accord with their great leader.

  As they had voted, many others also showed blue and agreement with Bledlus, the leader finding agreement with their decision as he felt he had gotten through to them. But the thought of his son was still within him, if the vote had come in his favor, what would he tell his son when the time came? He did not know, but perhaps he would never know, as a great mass of the Council produced silver cloths in action against the proposed idea. The mass overwhelming the chamber with silver and only flecks of blue before Bledlus, as Kermana did not view the results, but felt that the decision would come against him, not with him.

  Bledlus looked about the chamber and saw that the decision had been made, and held his head low as Karkor and those that shared the same decision with him did. Bledlus felt sorry as the vote was over, and they were to stay at Oomer and not fight. Bledlus spoke to those of the Council as he dropped his colored cloth of blue. “It is done then. Oomer will not join the fight, but I will!”

  The Council was shocked at the words of Bledlus. He had to fight alongside his friend, if not only for his loyalty to him and for their friendship, but because he felt the right thing to do was to rise against the Elushu, even if death was to come.

  Kermana remained seated as Bledlus stood firm as the Council shouted out against him in question, one particular figure standing up to speak, his hair cut short and dark black. His face covered with scars and torn badly as one eye was completely missing from battle. He held a silver cloth in hand as he spoke. “Bledlus, the vote has been cast. You cannot leave us. You are our leader. You cannot leave us without a proper successor to your purpose!”

  Bledlus held his hands up for silence and received it as he spoke. “I must do what I think is right, and follow my heart. But you are wrong, Hersei, you have a successor if I am to fall in battle, you have my son.”

  The Council shook their heads and spoke vast agreement that the boy was too young, the giant Karkor shaking his head to the noise, and standing high above the others to shout an echoing cry to drown out their sounds of disagreement, his massive form standing with all four arms stretched out as Fenra and Borka were at his side, his deep voice speaking as he looked about through his single eye at the many council members about the chamber.

  “Listen!!! Listen to our leader. We were voting for the mass,
not the individual. Remember that. Also, Sinfus is a prime, young boy, and in time he will be a good man. I believe, as do Borka and Fenra, who stand at my side, that he will be a great leader. He is wise in his young years, and if he needs help, he has a council to do just that!”

  Bledlus and Kermana smiled upon the words of Karkor as many of the Council clapped their hands in mass to his words of wisdom, Bleldus speaking upon him thankfully as he looked upon his massive, blue-skinned form. “Thank you, my friend. Your support is very much appreciated, yours as well, Borka and Fenra.”

  Karkor and those who agreed with Bledlus took bow upon their leader, Bledlus taking speech as he looked about the chamber, moonlight caressing the vast multitude of pillars to add the moon’s glory to the figures of the chamber, before the leader of Oomer as he spoke.

  “There seems nothing else to say of the matter, but this. I am going to fight alongside the Dawn Bringers. Will I die? Maybe, but I know we will all fight until the last of our number falls, for if we do not, Oomer will meet a much swifter death. Those who wish to follow me may, but I ask no individual to do so. Now I go to have council with my son.”

  Kermana rose from his seated stance and looked upon the Council, and spoke as his single eye of sight looked about in green fashion as Bledlus took leave of the high dome.

  “Thank you all for taking your time to consider this. I too ask for none of you to follow, but any that choose to would forever have my gratitude.”

  As Kermana had finished his words, he took a bow and then put his helmet upon his head, leaving the chamber in pursuit of Bledlus, Karkor watching from his place in the higher reachings of the stone seating as Borka took to his side and spoke. “What do you think? I say we join Bledlus and fight, too. What do you say?”

  Karkor shook his head and spoke upon the boar as he heard the continued murmur of disagreement about the chamber. “I feel the same way. Let us join him!”