The corridor was sparse. Polished floors, bright incandescent bulbs fixed inverted on the ceiling; it looked rather vapid, as if it were a common subway. This corridor, however, was of particular importance in Aeroz — leading petitioners from Ushnik Square, a jam-packed, commercial district, directly into Aglonolis — the presiding government building of the Confederacies of Aeroz. Seven confederacies, who had built this city from the shambles of ancient wars, made up the governing body.

Doctor Marana Skjavok made her way hurriedly through this corridor, apprehensive that she was already too late and that proceedings at the Aglonolis would have carried on without her report. Parpa Dourne had specifically warned her about her lackadaisical attitude since she had returned from the Nightflame Festival — not that he knew about her getaway — Lint had kept his promise, he hadn’t breathed a word about their escapade to anyone.

As she approached the glass doors at the end of the corridor, they slid open automatically, blasting cold air from within. Standing there for a moment, she gazed in awe at the great meeting hall of Aglonolis. It was replete with representatives who were seated in terraced rows arranged in a circle. She had been here several times before, and every time she could not help but feel belittled by its grandeur. The high domed ceiling had hundreds of intricately carved arcs and long pointed pillars supporting the sides, which made it look like the gaping mouth of an enormous creature, menacing  and otherworldly — a terrifying reminder of a lost form of ancient architecture.   

Realising that the Aglonolis was already in session, Marana made her way as silently as she could, towards a central dias, hoping no one would notice her tardiness. An oval desk had been erected there, around which sat twenty-or-so representatives, who were to provide reports on the various initiatives taken by the Confederacies to address the predicament of the raiders’ attack. An empty seat lay waiting for her.

She managed to sneak up, despite some distracted representatives scoffing and shaking their heads as she hurriedly sat down. Parpa Dorne was seated in the first row of the terraced seats. He simply glanced at her, expressionless, before turning his gaze back to a high platform by the northern wall. 

Upon this platform sat a statuesque woman behind a large desk, who Marana recognised as the current Tongue of Aglonolis, a title given to the spokesperson, to maintain order and make sure that rules were being followed. High Knight Gyvaen Ram was seated a level below her, along with some other leaders and members of the Aglonolis.

Directly above the high platform, fluttering lightly with the draft from the air conditioning, were banners of various colours, each with its own white coloured emblem, representing the Confederacies.

The Knights of Evalon’s banner, sewn in black and crimson, was always put first in line recognising it as Aeroz’s primary protection. The KOE was in charge of Aeroz’s security, defence, emergency care centres, and guilds. The Knights were proud of their legacy and none questioned their steadfast loyalty to the city-country. Their emblem was a single sword thrusting upward.

The only banner made of silk, in colours of yellow and white, belonged to the Merchants of Ro. In charge of the treasury, trade, economy, and agriculture, the Merchants were the first to arrive in Aeroz, or so they say. Though they had representatives in other countries, Aeroz remained their headquarters. A curious symbol resembling a pine cone decorated their banner.

Next came, MART — the Mechanov Association of Research and Technology. A distasteful combination of bright orange and dull green on their banner exhibited their adamant need to be represented amongst those who controlled Aeroz. The last confederacy to be included, it is said that they made their way into the government through tactful, yet barely legal means. However, their contribution to education, innovation, and research paved the way for a better life for the Aerozans. Their peculiar emblem looked like a mechanical eye — some argued it may be a butterfly, while others thought it resembled a rack of gears.

Amongst these colourful banners was a dark and brooding one — dark scarlet and off-white — that belonged to the religious confederacy of The Order of Saint Awynyth. Many Aerozans found solace in this faith, dutifully following the rules laid down by the Order. Though The Order was one of the very first to join the seven confederacies, it was no secret that it did not serve Aeroz alone but was rather spread across all the known lands. Involved in social services, aged care, and public services. Fitting their purpose, their emblem was the face of their revered goddess — Saint Marian Awynyth.

One of the two minor confederacies was The Aerozan Fishing Company. Hues of sea-blue and light-green adorned their banner. Fishery, forestry, and port management was under their jurisdiction, and they conducted their affairs dutifully, with little interest in Aeroz’s politics. One would have expected a fish to be their emblem, but to everyone’s surprise, and equal disappointment, they felt it best to go with a four-winged dove.

The other minor confederacy was Sumekahazi Brewery, a company that was started by some of the oldest families of Morowyth. Once a part of the Merchants of Ro, this company had weaselled its way out to make its own profits.Though they dominated the food manufacturing industries in Aeroz, their bright pink and dark grey banners, with a pint filled with frothy ale as its emblem, flew all across Morowyth; even in the villages and outposts that were seized by the raiders.

The last Confederacy was The Department of Aerozan Co-governance, which was formed by members of the other six confederacies. Aeroz’s judiciaries, senators, and everyone driving the heart of the government belonged under the purple and gold banner of this confederacy. A symmetrical sketch of the Aglonolis building was their emblem.

‘Doctor Skjavok,’ came a voice from the high platform by the northern wall. ‘Your report, please.’

Recognising that it was High Knight Gyvaen Ram, Marana cleared her throat, but still sounded a bit shaky, ‘Yeah… I mean, yes. Indeed. I will.’

‘Other than providing specific locations of all the enemy camps and bases, MART was tasked with analysing their weapons that were confiscated by the KOE,’ said another representative next to the High Knight who Marana only knew by sight. ‘Do you have a report?’

‘Some… initial scans, yup,’ Marana continued, a bit more confidently. ‘They all have ‘em — the dark crystals — unknown stuff. I guess… yeah, that’s all we have… for now.’

‘What my scientist is trying to say, Honoured Representatives,’ Parpa Dourne interrupted rudely, but Marana welcomed his interference. Apart from giving her a breather, she knew he was giving her his support. ‘... is that at this point we cannot determine the true nature of this unknown material. We simply are not technologically evolved enough to understand its properties… except that it is destructive.’

Marana knew he was not revealing everything. She had shown Parpa Dourne her analysis in confidence. These were the same crystals that Sinovan had carried that had caused the explosion at the KOE headquarters. It was the same thing that had brought down the entire castle at Lüstravyr. And it revolved around one person — Zov’ha.

Marana’s heart raced as the memories of the night at the festival in Pilopia flooded back into her mind. It was the one thing that she had left out of her report — the one thing that she had not told even to Parpa. What she saw in Zov’ha’s body scan when she had stolen her biochip. The same dark crystals — millions in number. They flowed through Zov’ha’s veins and out through her skin pores; like grains of sand slipping between the fingers, they pervaded the very space around Zov’ha — but microscopic and invisible to the naked eye. Of course, Marana couldn’t have detected them, no matter how close she got to Zov’ha, but the biochip had recorded them and had done a decent analysis on the millions of active crystals. What they really were, though, was still debatable. But Marana had an inkling of what they could be… Autoichorium? Zov’ha had mentioned it to Marana several times. But where did the raiders get hold of that stuff? No, it had to be something else. But until she knew, she would keep it to herself.

‘This weapon was first identified with the runaway visitor named Zovhara, who was an acquaintance of yours, Doctor Skjavok,’ the High Knight said, crossing her arms. Marana’s heart leapt to her throat. It was as if the High Knight had read her thoughts. ‘I believe she was the one who rescued you from Lüstravyr. She carried with her a lance of sorts that you reported earlier had contained the same crystals. What has happened to that artefact?’

‘Oh,’ Marana barked, her eyes darting between the panel and Parpa Dourne. ‘It was… compromised… durin’ field tests. Whole thing blew up,’ she emphasised the explosion with an outward movement of her hands and fingers and a ‘pshshhhhh’ sound from her mouth.

‘I presume, then, that the newly procured weapons did not provide any novel data to corroborate your earlier findings,’ said the Tongue of Aglonolis.

‘Uh-uh,’ Marana shook her head, glancing at Parpa, who was the only one not looking at her.

‘Is there anything else you would like to report, Doctor Skjavok?’ said the High Knight in her usual draconian demeanour.

‘Nope,’ Marana raised her hand dramatically, and when all eyes looked away, she breathed a sigh of relief.

‘This council turns towards Sumekahazi Brewery,’ announced the Tongue of Aglonolis. ‘In the previous sessions you were asked to open your books about dealings with the raiders over the past few years. KOE has received your report. High Knight?’

‘KOE has found a way to infiltrate their ranks from the data provided by the brewers,’ the High Knight declared, raising her hands and smiling in complacency. ‘All we need is a hundred percent vote from the Representatives of Aglonolis. The plan should appear on your screens momentarily, after which we should break for an hour before counting your votes.’

The Tongue of Aglonolis then stood up. She knocked on the top of her desk, ‘This session has been adjourned.’

‘Hey, Parpa!’ Marana jogged down one of the inner passageways of the Aglonolis. When she finally caught up to him he turned around and gave her a slight nod. ‘Why are MART Reps talkin’ bout votin’ against the KOE incursion? That’s just crazy!’

‘If you would like my opinion, I stand with MART,’ he murmured, making sure the conversation was just between them. ‘The mission is too dangerous.’

‘We can’t just chair our asses here, cowerin’ in the ‘polis while our folks are out there!’ She spoke indignantly, a little louder than she had intended too. But this was where she was confident. This was her audience. Parpa could influence MART’s decision. ‘Aeroz’s grub stock’s runnin’ low, Parpa! Farmers gettin’ clipped everyday by a bunch of scumbags and you wanna be cautious?’

‘You overestimate the strength of KOE, Marana,’ he replied, deliberately pulling her aside. ‘Their plan is good, there is no doubt about it, but they will get themselves killed — all of them. It’s a waste of Aeroz’s resources.’

‘So we’re not even gonna try?’ she whispered hotly, becoming increasingly pugnacious.

Parpa took a deep breath and narrowed his eyes. ‘This is about the girl isn’t it?’

‘Zovhara? She isn’t even with ‘em!’ Marana stomped her feet in defiance. Some people were starting to notice the commotion and Parpa gestured to her placatingly. ‘She ran away!’

‘And you know this?’ Parpa’s eyes now widened with this new information. ‘How?’

Marana gulped and looked away. ‘A scouting drone…’ she managed. ‘It was out there in Pilopia hangin’ ‘round. One of ours. Lint sent me a holo… Zovhara hightailed outta there when she saw smoke.’

‘Interesting,’ he mumbled, dismissing the quiver in her voice and change of her tone. ‘Zovhara said she “found” her spear, didn’t she?’

‘What ‘bout it, Parpa? What you gettin’ at?’

‘Nothing of importance,’ he said, suddenly looking at her plainly. ‘The vote shall go ahead as it should. I will not influence anyone’s decision.’

Turning around on his heel, Parpa walked briskly out the passageway towards the hall.

‘The vote stands at eighty-two percent,’ High Knight Gyvaen Ram announced when the session had been reinstated. ‘As per Aerozan law during the State of Emergency, without a hundred percent vote from the Representatives, KOE will not be able to proceed with the incursion. Most of the negative votes come from MART. Parpa Dourne, do you wish to speak or let the matter lay?’

All eyes turned towards Parpa as he stood up slowly, more for dramatic effect than courtesy. ‘I stand by the decision of my fellow members of MART,’ he said crisply. ‘They deem it too risky and the resources used in the incursion may simply be a waste.’

You can’t just let those people die! Marana was about to yell from her oval table, but all she could manage was a scoff, which no one paid attention to.

‘However,’ Parpa continued, looking around the hall for emphasis. ‘New information paves way for another option.’

What is he up to now? Marana shifted in her seat, waiting for Parpa’s proclamation with bated breath and great trepidation.

‘It has come to my knowledge that a certain visitor to Aeroz — the woman named Zovhara, remains loose and dangerous. I do not have to remind the Representatives that the first evidence of dangerous weapons in possession by the enemy came from that very visitor. Catastrophe seems to follow her everywhere she goes.’

Marana was too startled to move. She had to consciously remind herself to breathe. Feeling her fingers and feet go numb, she shifted uneasily as she stared unbelievingly at Parpa who seemed chuffed to be the one providing a concrete solution to Aeroz’s conundrum.

‘It is safe to assume that she may have been a spy, or a scout, for the raiders,’ he continued, a little louder this time. 'Find her, bring her back to Aeroz, and then we may have some answers on how to deal with these raiders!’

The hall erupted with the heated babble of hundreds of tongues. Marana felt like everything around her was spinning, the raised voices deafening her. Trembling in abject terror, she felt her body becoming hot, and her mouth was dry no matter how much she swallowed. So this is how the pain of a razor-sharp stab of betrayal feels… And all the while she kept thinking how this was still all her fault.

‘Silence,’ said the Tongue of Aglonolis, tapping her desk again to conciliate the representatives. She then turned towards High Knight Gyvaen Ram, ‘What do you make of this new information?’

‘KOE needs time to process this,’ the High Knight replied firmly. ‘But going after this Zovhara seems the most likely course for now. We shall reconvene as soon as a decision is made.’