Ch13-4: Champion’s Frustration

As the Arweinydd extended his hands, a pulsar ripple washed through the room, and everything hummed to life.

There’s a problem here — a very big problem! Zento’s knuckles grew white as he gripped the arms of his chair. All conversation around the big table fell into silence as the two heavy doors opened.

Figures were making their way down the carpeted floor. SoYa and SaRa… the dark winged girl Suzume… and LuShi –  not something unusual to see at an Assembly. Except for the fact that LuShi was not following Suzume to go sit in their usual back corner of the meeting room. Instead, the silver haired boy was following SoYa, right up to the table of the Inner Circle. And sitting down beside him.

Zemi, I can’t believe you! You’ve gotta be crazy!

Zento had known of the Dreigiau’s intentions to include the boy-Sygnus in the upcoming Assembly. But nothing had prepared him for seeing it actually come about. Feelings of heavy dread and burning insult rose up within the winged-man’s chest. Grinding his teeth, he found it all he could do to press his anger down into a simmering pool in his stomach.

You NEVER listen to me! I told you and told you… and told you some more.

Usually, Zento would have abided by Kudako’s suggestions to trust in the choices that Zemi made. But even now, at the sight of the silver haired boy, Kudako’s ears had gone flat and his eyes seemed a darker shade of gold. Though it was not open disapproval, for the Dragon rarely showed his thoughts so plainly, it was close enough to be translated as such.

We discussed this till I was blue in the face! We spent three whole hours going over this last week! I thought we had come to an agreement that LuShi shouldn’t be allowed into the Inner Circle!

In fact, if it were up to Zento, LuShi wouldn’t be allowed to remain there within Ceiswyr at all. It wasn’t a matter of being cruel or kind… it was a matter of the safety and survival of their people. As time had passed, it became more and more apparent that LuShi was far removed from an ordinary child… and that the powers and potential he possessed were quickly developing.

If I had known this was how it was going to end up, I would have never chosen to bring him here in the first place.

But no one could have foreseen how quickly the situation would become dangerous and crucial. No one realized upon finding the small silver-haired child in the depths of Nefol that in a little over a year, they would be facing the threat of a nearly full-grown Sygnus.

Zemi when are you going to start taking this seriously!? Does it take the Islands to fall out of the sky before you realize that this is NOT a game!?

Zento had spent much time speaking with Aur in the months that had passed, a good deal of that seeking out information about the truth behind the Sygni of the Time Before. Though Aur rarely offered as much knowledge as he owned, the message was always the same. Sygni were highly imbalanced and unstable creatures that wielded massive ability, skill that eventually threatened the Arweinydd themselves. Insanity usually inflicted the Sygni as they drew nearer to inheriting their full power simply due to the fact that their Earthian mind and body were not capable of dealing with the full essence of Arweinydd they had inherited.

And so far… nothing has ever been able to work around this. It’s part of what caused the great Mistake from the Time Before! And you want to act like this is all a field day!

The Dreigiau had argued strongly in defense of LuShi ever since the boy had been brought to the Islands. Despite the fact that the boy was a creation of a Chaotic Arweinydd, Zemi seemed to believe that if LuShi was given the proper environment and care, that they could raise him to defeat the destiny of the Sygni that had passed before.

I keep telling you that you’re wrong. Aur keeps trying to tell you to be careful. But you just won’t listen no matter what anyone has to say! You’ve always gotta have it your way or no way, don’t you?

And so, between Zemi and SaRa, the boy-Sygnus had been raised in as normal an environment that such a situation could provide. There were a million and one snags to this theory, of course. One being that LuShi was hardly accepted by the normal people of Ceiswyr – either they were afraid of him or they shunned him. But all of the winged people could feel what the silver haired boy was meant to become. It resounded through their land like the dirge of a death bell.

I just don’t get it! What do you think we have to gain by allowing the son of Zeromus to sit in on our council?!

As if she could sense exactly what was going on in the mind of her brother, SaRa glanced up with a warning ‘don’t-start-anything’ look. Zento simply lowered his brows in response, glancing at where LuShi now sat next to his eldest son. The Sygnus’ eyes were lowered, an air of nervousness clinging to him, in swaths of almost visible silver mist.

Fine. We’ll see how this plays out. But I’m not going to agree. And I’m not going to be responsible for whatever happens because of this.

With a glower, Zento picked his way across the room to his own seat, across the table from where SoYa sat, and just next to TsuYa. His wings folded properly behind him, he cast a disapproving glance up at the head of the table.

Zemi… this is all in your court.

-I’m glad that you’ve come to that conclusion.- The voice of the Dreigiau suddenly filled his mind. Though it held a bit of Zemi’s usual banter, there was a certain amount of caution, as if he knew exactly how displeased his Champion would be about the situation.

And then the Arweinydd was there, standing in front of his chair at the head of the table. His wild mane of hair hung long and free about his shoulders, except for the single wrapped lock that hung from behind one ear – a custom that had once been AsaHi’s teaching that the Dreigiau had eventually taken to be his own. His robes hung fine and rich, deep crimson inlayed with patterns of gold weavings. And on the front of his robe, the image of the gold-sheened dragon reared and fluttered with Zemi’s movement, seeming almost alive.

Perched there upon the Dreigiau’s high-backed chair was the tiny, translucent form of the white sparrow, Zeni. And at his side sat the large form of the sharp-faced she wolf, Zazo.

The Trine…

As the Arweinydd extended his hands, a pulsar ripple washed through the room, and everything hummed to life. A pale, golden-white light illuminated the chamber, spreading a pattern of circles, stars and symbols across the entire floor. Tall pillars of light shot up through the central loops of the table, the largest shaft feeding straight up through the skylight.

Zemi’s eyes were sharp as they absorbed the room, as if reading into the souls of each that sat there within the Inner Circle. His gaze lingered longest on Zento, and the winged man could feel the power working to ease the tension, soothe the irritation. The warrior jerked his face away with a grimace.

But before the Dreigiau had a chance to respond to Zento’s disgruntlement, the doors to the room burst open again. The sound of small, running footfalls pattered and echoed off the tall vaulted walls, the panting of breath causing those of the Inner Circle to turn in wonder.

“Sorry…I’m late…!” AsaHi panted, stopping to catch her breath, both hands planted on her knees. Standing just over one of the mystical glowing symbols, her face was illuminated gently from below as she pushed a number of straying locks of hair from her eyes.

“Nah… you’re just in time,” Zemi replied, motioning her to the nearest empty seat, one that had been set aside just for her.

Despite the fact that AsaHi wasn’t an Arweinydd… or one of the great leaders… or a Champion of any nation… there had never been any question on whether or not the girl was allowed to join the Inner Circle of the Trine. And the choice wasn’t just based on Zemi and SoYa’s affection for her, either.

Over the past year, AsaHi had become quite skilled as a mediator of the Assembly. This was especially true since she was the one who could talk sense into Zemi, at even the most stressed times. Though she may not have the vast knowledge or experience of Zemi or Aur or Zento, she had developed a keen sense of sympathy and understanding for the emotions of others. When things started getting out of hand, her level-headed clarity was exactly what was needed to keep people on track.

If I didn’t know better, I’d call her a mini- Athrylith.

Zento had often joked at the fact. But the truth was, she did it all without magic of any sort. Simply through her connections and affections towards others.

I’ve never seen anything quite like it. She can rough up Zemi with just a few words.

AsaHi straightened up her socks under the soft flow of her silk robes and pulled herself up into the indicated chair. She gave everyone an embarrassed, cheerful grin of hello.

I guess that’s part of what love does to people.

There was no doubt, even to simply see the way that Zemi looked at AsaHi, that the Dreigiau still loved her deeply. And yet, the most surprising thing of all was that ever since the battle between Zemi and Zeromus in the Spire of Nefol, where SoYa had risked his life to keep the Dreigiau from falling into Chaos, an understanding between the Arweinydd and the Athrylith had begun to grow.

The war going on in the lands below had also helped to pull them together. It was hard to maintain personal battles when energies had to be devoted to the all-out war that was being waged against a powerful enemy like Zeromus. Things weren’t by and large perfect – there were certainly times of tension that left the room tingling when the three were together. However, it was obvious to Zento that a friendship was forming between Zemi and SoYa out of the depths of shadowy times.

It’s hardly typical… two guys who love the same girl… becoming friends. But there it is.

And all of this was despite the fact that AsaHi had made her final choice. Though it was easy to see that she cared for both SoYa and Zemi deeply, she had somehow found a way to separate the feelings, divide them… and to place the feelings individually in her own mind. It had taken her a number of months and a ton of soul searching, but AsaHi had chosen to remain true to her Promise to SoYa.

But then, neither Zemi nor SoYa are all that typical when it comes down to it. Mind Magery and Arweinydd-ism comes in handy sometimes, after all.

As the room settled down once more, the Dreigiau gave another penetrating look about the room. Then he sat down himself, placing his hands upon the surface of the table, which began to shimmer with its own inner light. Tiny images of winged dragons seemed to caper over the wood’s polished surface for a fleeting moment before they faded.

Very nice, Zemi. Very amusing… but let’s get to the gritty of this. I want to know why that boy-Sygnus is sitting at this table.

Despite the waves of irritation that washed over him, Zento knew the question would only be answered at the Dreigiau’s leisure… if even then. So he leaned back, pursed his lips, and watched the Assembly start.