The council had not gathered yet in its meeting chamber. Lord Kaven arrived first, taking his seat to the right of his brother the king. Dressed in a cyan doublet with the sigil of his house stitched on his right breast, a fox encircled by roses on a field of cyan. His hair short curls of silver, his skin the color of ebony and his eyes a deep blue. Kaven placed his notes on to the table and read them until Lord Carth Taler walked into the room accompanied by his guardsmen. Lord Carth was his brother’s Lord of ships, admiral of the royal fleet.

       Lord Taler’s face was clean shaven, smooth with an ordinary face. His skin was the color of copper and he short black hair with a thin pointy face. He was well past his forties yet there was an agelessness about him, no scars or bruises even though he had seen his battles. His eyes though they matched him perfectly, deep and dark. Eyes void of all emotion. A man of absolute cruelty and violence, a quiet man who barley spoke more than a whisper.

      Lord Taler dismissed his guardsmen and began to walk towards the table. As he approached Kaven stood and bowed slightly “Milord.” Kaven said as Lord Taler took his seat directly across from him. “You humble me milord.” Lord Taler said, Kaven studied the Lord’s face he smiled but his eyes remained the same fixated on him like an animal spotting its prey. “We are early for this meeting.” Said Kaven as he broke his gaze from Lord Taler, “It seems that way.” Lord Taler responded. Kaven wanted to say something but the man across from him was not for conversation. They sat there quietly and he continued reading his notes.

        After a few minutes stumbled in Hesa, the court wizard carrying tomes and scrolls. She was dressed in black mage robes and had her long black braid entangled with gold and crimson wire dangled down to her shoulders. Hesa was from Ajaara and studied at the college of Soria. She was intelligent and well versed in several languages and conjurer. She was still a young woman of twenty, Hesa had an other worldly air about her. Kaven stood up to help her with her things. “Are you alright?” he asked as he caught one her tomes before it hit the floor. "Thank you milord." She said as she took back the tome from him.

       "I have urgent news milord." She said as she placed everything onto the table. "It must wait until everyone arrives." he said as he helped her spread out her works. "Very well milord." She nodded as she unrolled a scroll and placed a crystal into the center and brought her hands together like a prayer. She chanted something in her native tongue and her eyes began to glow white. Immediately after the crystal glowed bright and then a beam of white light shot out. 

        Kevan was astonished he had never seen magic weaved before in this caliber. She was truly a genius. He saw out the corner of his eye Lord Taler expression change to one of wonder. Or maybe it was intent Kevan could not be sure in that moment.  Shortly after the light went out and the scroll transformed from parchment to a stone tablet. The writing was ancient and glowed.

         Slowly her eyes returned to normal. Glowing white to bright brown, "Impressive milady." She smiled and bowed her head "It was not much milord just a simple spell." "What is that?" he asked as he reached his hand out to grab the tablet but was stopped by her surprising strength. "It is a runestone milord. Very dangerous." Hesa picked up the crystal and slid it into one of her pockets.

       She placed her hands and chanted again and casted a barrier over the stone tablet. "Lady Hesa." whispered Lord Taler as he "Yes milord?" she replied as she began to make her way to her seat. "What does this tablet say?" Hesa said something in her native tongue and slid a tome towards him, Lord Taler smiled his creepy smile "Much appreciated milady." The reaming members of the council arrived escorting the king.

       All three of them stood as they approached. His brother the king was no longer the man he once admired.  The peerless Roland Tyndale, strong as a bull and fearless in battle. The man who hunted down and slew Jon Redwood the exile king.  Now he is a sickly man with blotched skin and frail to the point that he needs assistance for his day to day life.  His robes were a light cyan silk, his hair was long and unkempt his eyes sullen. The king breathing struggled and each word followed by a violent coughing fit, his hands were long and thin like tree branches.

        His crown was changed to a smaller one to rest easier on his brother's head. His king's guard escorted the king to the throne bowed and left. Captain of the guard Sir Nicholas Baak took his seat next to Kevan, he was dressed ornate shimmering silver armor with a bright cyan cloak draped around his shoulders, with the head of a fox on the right side and a hammer and chain on the left with his sword on his hip. Across from him was Lord Elmont Pyne the grand advisor, an elderly man who served their grandfather.

       One seat over was Lord magistrate Algon, he was a law keeper from Bardels. The across from him was Lady Reina Shea, she was a merchant lord and lord of the coin. She was elegant with long dark hair, her eyes were a soft violet.  Lord Elmont Pyne began the meeting "Before we get into the notes, Lady Hesa could explain to us why there is a glowing stone on the table?" Hesa stood up "Milords"  she placed her hands over the tablet like she did earlier and chanted and removed the barrier.

         She then took out a different crystal, it was larger and dark in color. She brought her hands together and chanted but it was more of a song.  Her  eyes began to turn the same color as the crystal. She reached out and ran her hand over the crystal which transformed the writing in to the common tongue. "As you can see milords this is a rune stone. The translations are not entirely accurate but my Asdorian is not bad." she stated.

       "This stone was intercepted your agents your grace three days ago, I received it last night." Everything returned to normal "It is an ancient summoning spell your grace, yet I do not know what it summons or how to use it." she continued. She handed a scroll to Kevan and sat back down. "Milady what is this?" he asked as unrolled the scroll and began to examine it. "A scroll about the extinct house Moontower written in the first era. It describes what destroyed them. It might be the same as the tablet."

     "By the gods." muttered Kevan as he handed the scroll to his brother. House Moontower was a prominent house during the first era. Their founder was the first grand advisor to the king, their family conquered the western marches and held those lands for almost two centuries and then one day they all vanished. "Are you sure ?" asked the king  "Yes ,your grace. I would like permission to go out and do research myself."

  The king nodded "Very well if this is true. We need to know what it is. Take a few knights with you and I will have Lord Pyne see you get everything you need." "Thank you, your grace." she replied and bowed her head. Elmont Pyne used his cane and stood up. He was dressed in modest black robes and amulet of the council that befitted a man of his rank.He began reading off the detailed reports off the border skirmishes in both the north with Ielwold and the north with Alesannor, a few deaths on each side and a couple injured; both kings are calling for a meeting. 

     Six men entered the meeting chamber led by the shadow walker Gideon Hywin. He was tall and slender like a knife, he had thick full black beard with large emerald eyes. He was dressed in a emerald waist coat with a black sash around his waist.  Behind him were a few Knights possibly from one of his secret patrols. Gideon made his way towards to the king and knelt. "Your grace." he said gently as he kept his head down. The king tapped his shoulder and he rose to his feet.

        "Your grace I have brought you something." he said as he motioned to the knights and one of them darted over.  A stout man at least in his thirties with a scruffy beard carrying a satchel. He knelt before the king and handed the satchel to Gideon who then bowed his head. Gideon opened the satchel and reached inside and took out a scepter, it was gold with an eagle at the top with diamond eyes with an Asdorian inscription carved into it.

     Gideon handed it to the king and took a step back, his brother's

 eyes darted around the room as he took hold of the scepter. The scepter and the stone tablet began to glow and he began sweating and breathing heavy, his blue eyes turned white. His hands began to tremble; he began muttering something with a few words understandable particularly something about dragons and black winds as he repeated them often. “Send for a healer,” demanded  Kevan as he rushed to his brother’s side, the king returned to normal while clutching his brother’s arm “Are you alright your grace?”  Kevan asked, “My…dream…dark…times,” the king replied as he fought a violent coughing fit.

         Kevan clutched his brother tightly as his breathing returned to normal. He released his grip "I am alright Kevan." the king said as he placed the scepter down. Dangerous magic was at work here and his brother's visions were right. Kevan did not want imagine what forces are at play here. A healer rushed to the side of his brother but he shooed them away.  "Hesa" his brother called and the court wizard who rushed to her king's side.

         His brother whispered something to the court wizard she then promptly picked up the scepter weaved her spells collected the rune stone and the rest of her things and exited the room. "I am fine milords, please continue the meeting." the king said as fixed him self. Lord Elmont Pyne continued the meeting noting  the names of the lords arriving for the Prince's namesake in a few weeks.  When the council meeting concluded with his brother standing up and giving his peace to everyone and then being escorted by his captain of the guard.

             The other council members stood up and left with Kevan and Lord Hywin staying behind. Kevan collected his notes and Lord Hywin stood quietly in the corner, his voice broke the silence "Lord Kevan  we need to speak." "About what Lord Hywin?" asked Kevan "Keeping the realm together." he answered.