'Plankus. What is the state of the barrier?', Albertus motioned to a perabel elder who sat on the lowest row of seats, directly before him. The elder stood and turned to face the rest of the senate. He wore a similar navy-blue robe to elder Albertus' but it was lacking the gold threading. He had slicked-back black hair which was slowly graying in several areas. He was rather tall and lanky and exceedingly thin. Virion worried that the elder was not getting enough to eat.
'The barrier holds strong. As long as the gates remain closed, the warlocks will be unable to even set up camp within a one-kilometer area surrounding the stronghold!'
Many of the perabels whispered among each other excitedly as Plankus' voice resounded through the hall.
'I am currently conducting research on how we may be able to open the gates without lowering the extended barrier, but I am yet to arrive at results...'
The perabel elders nodded emphatically. Many of them were aware of the difficulty of maintaining a barrier of the scale that Plankus had devised.
Plankus was the foremost scientist in the study of magic manipulation using particles of matter. His research had allowed him to develop the two-stage barrier enveloping the stronghold. The first stage hugged the walls of the stronghold, preventing entry of any and all who may try. An invisible wall of magic would repel unwanted intruders and keep the citizens of the stronghold safe from the vicious warlock forces. The second stage, however, was the truly disruptive stage of the barrier. It extended to a range of one kilometer around the stronghold and would cause any being with open magic channels that entered to suffer a slow, building pain that could culminate to an unbearable stage. Virion had experienced the effects of the barrier firsthand when he had approached the stronghold two weeks earlier. At first, his magic channels had felt like how they had when they had first formed in his body when he was a child; slowly burning themselves into existence. However, the pain had continued to build as he neared the stronghold and when he had stumbled weakly into the city, clutching his wounded mother, he could barely move from the pain racking his limbs.
This barrier was ingenious as the perabels were born with naturally smaller magic channels than the elves or the warlocks. Furthermore, the perabels refused to use magic channels to manipulate magic as it opposed their scientific approach to the world. In the words of a famous perabel philosopher, Galakus,
'Using magic channels to manipulate natural magic is akin to setting oneself aflame to feel warm.'
As a result, the majority of perabels had left their magic channels closed. The perabels preferred to exploit natural interactions between matter and magic, allowing them to construct barriers like the one Plankus had made for the stronghold. Plankus' barrier was linked to the gates. Whenever the main gates of the stronghold would swing open, both layers of the barrier would collapse temporarily. This was of concern to the perabels as the outer layer of the barrier was actively preventing the warlocks from setting up camp near the stronghold to observe their movements and come up with a plan of attack. However, when the gates were open, warlocks would be able to approach within one kilometer of the stronghold.
'A promising report, Plankus', said Albertus as he flipped through the pages of his agenda. 'I implore you to continue your research and report to us on any findings you may come across.'
Plankus bowed to the senate as they applauded and took his seat. Albertus swiftly moved on, gesturing to a perabel to his right seated in the second row of seats, a few seats to the right of where Virion sat with elder Symonticus.
'Grinyard! What is the state of provisions?'
The elder stood. He was short and pudgy with a balding head and a hunched back, causing him to appear even shorter. He rubbed his hands together nervously as he spoke.
'I will not mince words, provisions are low, members of the senate', he said defeatedly. 'The farmers are working hard in the limited cultivable area present within the walls, but crops take their time...'
Many of the perabels in the senate hall began to mutter as they exchanged worried looks. Elder Albertus simply nodded and gestured for elder Grinyard to carry on.
'I have performed the calculations and will start the circulation of a slightly decreased portion of rations', Grinyard said quickly, his eyes flitting around the hall. After a beat there was outrage. The perabel elders began to speak in raised voices, many of them standing and some shaking their fists in Grinyard's direction.
'My children are starving!'
'How could you decrease the meager rations further!'
'Have you no empathy!'
The uproar rose in volume as more and more of the elders rose up and began to shout in Grinyard's direction. Virion stared around at the pandemonium and looked at elder Symonticus who was also staring at the elders in confusion. Then a single voice rang through the room.
'That's quite enough!', said elder Albertus. His position at the center of the room compounded with his raised voice gave him the loudest voice in the hall, capable of drowning out the sounds of the shouting perabels. The uproar ceased as the perabels turned to look at the Speaker, who had a very stern look on his face. A ringing silence enveloped the hall as the noise suddenly came to a halt.
'Calm yourselves and take your seats, members of the senate! I will listen to your pleas one by one.'
The perabels slowly shuffled back to their places, some wearing slightly embarrassed expressions on their faces while others remained every bit as upset.
'Charkon', Albertus gestured to one of the elders who had spoken out in anger at Grinyard's declaration.
'Please state your case'
Charkon stood, glaring at Grinyard. His brown eyes betrayed a fierce determination. He was short and stocky, with a majestic white beard that flowed down the front of his robes. His hair was short, but his sideburns ran down his face to meet his mustache and beard, which covered most of his face. His eyebrows were twisted in anger.
'As I said Grinyard, my children are starving. The rations being handed out are already insufficient. Look at Plankus!', he raised his arms as he began to address the entire senate. Plankus, who sat in the front row, stared at Charkon in worry. Plankus had been among the few perabels who remained quiet during the entire uproar and had seemingly not anticipated being called upon in such a manner.
'Plankus has been giving his own rations to his children. He has taken such a punishment upon himself in order for his children to receive sufficient nutrition!'
Many of the perabels expressed assent, some standing in their places to point angrily at Grinyard or shake their fists at him and others straining to get a look at Plankus.
'Can you confirm this, Plankus?', said Albertus from his place on the podium.
'Y-Yes but-' Plankus began but he was immediately cut off by Charkon.
'You would decrease the rations further, Grinyard?', he demanded, receiving several cheers from the other senate members.
'You would snatch the spoon from a starving babe's mouth and stunt its growth for years to come?'
The cheers grew louder as Charkon stared angrily at Grinyard.
'Have you nothing to say, you hoarder of rations?!', his voice turned slightly shrill at this sentence as he furiously shook a fist at Grinyard, who visibly flinched.
'Now now, Charkon', said Albertus, raising a hand to calm the senate which had erupted into cheers.
'Please let us remain civilized about this.' He gestured to Grinyard who was standing stiffly in his place, beads of sweat rolling down his pudgy forehead.
'Grinyard, please provide us with your response.'
Grinyard shuffled uncomfortably where he stood and continued to rub his hands together nervously. Virion stared at the old perabel wondering how he would respond to the passionate arguments of Charkon.
'I-I am very much aware of the limited quantity of rations currently being handed out.', he licked his lips and his eyes flitted around the room quickly before resting on the seat in front of him.
'I-I do not wish for any w-within the stronghold to starve. However, the harvest season will soon end. Winter is coming...'
At this many of the perabels looked at each other nervously. Even Charkon's expression contorted from one of anger into worry. A low buzz filled the room as many of the perabels began to mutter amongst each other. Albertus raised a hand and the hall fell silent. He gestured at Grinyard to continue.
'We need to store rations for the winter, m-members of the senate. It is for this reason that I propose a slight decrease in the current supply.'
Many of the perabels' faces fell. Albertus nodded at Grinyard and turned to face the senate.
'So, we have heard the testimony from both sides. Does anyone have anything to add?'
Virion stood up, much to the surprise of elder Symonticus beside him. But he had seen his opening and he would take it.
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