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Colder Than Crystal

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"Colder Than Crystal"

    It had been a two days since Indigo returned to the Cistine Sanctuary, bringing along his spunky companion Elizabeth to address the matter of a letter they had received from Headmaster Eric none too long ago. As the previous days passed with renounced vigor, more and more of the distant Scholars travelling throughout the various realms for enlightenment had returned once more to the place they called their home. And even now, within the heart of the Sanctuary, they sat in silence for the Council meeting they had awaited eagerly for to begin. The Council room was rarely, if ever, used. But sure enough, all fourteen members that made up the majority of the Scholars were all situated around the large slab of crystal and granite, the few not addressed as proper were that of the Assistants and  Guardians, whom all stood at the outer ring of the room, watching the Headmaster quietly discuss private matters with his successor, Devon Bainnet, about the situation at hand. The two made sure to be out of earshot of the other Scholars. Indigo knew what they were waiting for. They were waiting for the first person to break the silence and ask the question they had all been dreading to speak of. The fate of their friend. Their Sovereign. He had told his companion that in order to stay in the room with them, she had to remain as silent and observant as possible, as Assistants had no right to address the Council of their beliefs, to which she complied hesitantly. She wasn't one to keep still. However, if it meant the privilege to accompany him on a meeting regarding their missing friend, then so be it. She would stay silent. And wait.

    After Headmaster Eric and brother Bainnet finished their silent conversation, they returned to the granite table to sit with their fellow brothers and sisters. At first, no one dared to speak, but as the silence slowly droned on, a young woman located near the far end of the room decided to speak out and ask the long put-off question. Indigo recalled her as the same gentle woman whom had taught him the privileges of the Sanctuary so long ago. Her name was Arkay.

    Her voice was low and hesitant, as she addressed the Headmaster, "So... Assuming the message you sent out was clear on that fact... what is this calamity that had befallen our Sovereign, Kiesha? Surely the letter you sent does not imply... she..." She trailed off at the thought, to which Eric slowly stood up to speak across the whole council, readily prepared for his part of the speech.

    "I understand you all held our great Lord Kiesha with high regards. As did I, but I was not implying by any means the she had passed away or anything related to the sort. There was a strife... concerning her place of power among the gods, ultimately leading to her simply within a solitary confinement." The whole room seemed to breath out one large sigh of relief at this fact. Indigo didn't make a sound, though. He knew a meeting like this wouldn't be over so quickly. "However..." Eric interjected, "I have recently spoken with her through the internal connection of our minds, and it seems the situation my be far more dire than you think. Our great Sovereign, Kiesha, that who would live under the guidance of peace, neutrality, and Fate, has become corrupted by her own privilege to freedom. It seems her mind has been addled. Even now, she... banters on over her new-found will to live well beyond that of the stars and fulfill her own destiny-"

    "-But that doesn't mean she still isn't our divine inspiration; The foundation of our order and the Sanctuary itself. We cannot turn our backs on her now, belief or not." Bainette cut in, standing up to eye level with Eric. The whole room turned to look at him. "Her beliefs are that of their own. They should not alienate her existence from what it once was, as you seemed to have been so heavily implying, Headmaster."

   Eric shakes his head, subjectively. "The foundations of this Sanctuary and the order of the Council were built on Fate. To be guided by a being that cannot have the will to follow such a concept is frivolous, at best. I love Kiesha to death, truly I do, but even I know when a situation is out of our hands."

    "Yes, but have you not forgotten that we've been guided by the same deity since the dawn of this realm? Why now, of all times, should we change?" Bainette walks around the table as he talks, "Three days ago, I had watched from the safety of the Upper Courtyard as our Sovereign Kiesha was forcibly brought to justice for her "crimes" of self-discovery and enlightenment. Even our very own Crystal Guardian had turned on her to appease the woman whom took her away," Indigo looked to see Eric had a hint of irritation deep within his eyes for his successor's arrogance, but he kept respectfully silent as the others listened. "If anything, this was a sign of revolt. Kiesha had been forced down from her position with no valid reason beyond fear. Why should she suffer for that of another's pathetic paranoia?"

    A young man sitting beside Indigo stood up, placing his hands on the table to lean over slightly, respectfully sizing down from the Headmaster. The cat recognized him instantly. Brother Garan, his best friend and closest comrade. "You both speak as though Kiesha was that above even that of the Headmaster..." He pauses, "I apologize for objecting to your beliefs, but Kiesha was in no way our divine Sovereign. She had proven time and time again that she was simply a fellow sister of the Scholars. Shouldn't we be treating this as a matter of such?"

    The two higher members of the Order looked at eachother, then back at Garan. "...I suppose you're right." Eric sighed. He sat down, while Bainnet remained standing with Garan. "However, I do not believe we have a right in attempting to rescue her. She was rightfully punished for her actions and we must respect that. If anything, we should attempt to find a new Sovereign in her absence."

    "But Headmaster, she still lives! We can't just... replace her!" Bainette gasped and a few others looked shocked as well. Indigo caught a glimpse of Elizabeth behind him, pressing her lips together to keep from so desperately speaking out her own opinion.

    "Then what is it you propose to do, hmm?" Eric questioned.

    "Why not take the bull by the horns, so to speak? Confront the one responsible. Demand to have Kiesha returned to us. After all, she is still one of us."

    "Do you even know who the one responsible possibly is?" Bainnet falls silent, unsure of what to answer. "Do you think any mere being could possibly contain such a force without having to be much stronger than it itself? Take a moment, all of you, and imagine who it could possibly be..." The Scholars looked at eachother, Garan finally sitting back down to shake his head, dumbfounded, at Indigo. But Indigo knew who it could possibly be. He knew through the legends of his mother and father. Even Kiesha herself spoke of her before. The fur on his back stood on end and his tail puffed out with indignation, but he dared not to speak out. Yet.

    A man slowly stood up, the unusual dog-like ears upon his head twitching slightly. Jas Wolf, Indigo seemed to recall was his name. Or just Wolf, for short. His nose constantly twitched as he spoke, "Are you implying that... as a legend turns to legend, she was taken by the one foretold in the oldest scrolls? The Creator?" Eric reassuringly nods, and Wolf just sits back down, snorting. "A tale for the foolish."

    "Child, I have been the Headmaster of this Sanctuary since the day it was founded, and even more so been a believer long before taking my call to duty here. I have witnessed things that only you could fathom in your darkest dreams. I have heard the whispers in the wind. Breathed the very air of legend as it was being created. You call it a tale of the foolish. Perhaps you are the fool."

    "No more a fool than that radiance of yours." Wolf glares. The woman sitting beside him nervously bit her lip as he showed his act of defiance. A woman by the name of Mari. Everyone knew Mari, or so Indigo though. She slunk down a little in her chair, to keep from being seen by the others, knowing Eric didn't tolerate arrogant defiance all too well, but if there was any sign of spite on the older man's face, it was certainly lost once the next person spoke out.

    Mas'Malisa, a peculiar name for a very peculiar woman, Indigo recalled, addressed the courtroom from the comfort of her seat. "To all we know, Sovereign had left under influence of Headmaster himself, da'? No other way to take leave. If decision of Headmaster caused punishment, then Headmaster is responsible too." And as Eric pondered what she said, a look of shame and disgust slowly etched it's way onto his face. Wolf smirked at the woman's quick rebuttal.

    "You think I should be punished for letting her go in the first place?"

    Mas'Malisa only shrugged, "An eye for an eye, da'?" Bainnet looked at her with moderate interest. Her opinion was that of a sensitive topic, but in a way, she was right.

    "But how could I have ever known she would defy the gods?" Eric asked.

    Wolf cut into the conversation, "Why, with that internal connection of yours. Surely you could have heard her plots to "defy the gods", yes?" Some of the other members nodded in agreement while others gave shifting eyes and Wolf was left to smile grimly at Eric.

    "Why would she ever speak of such things to me?"

    "Oh, maybe you were an accomplice? Hmm? You don't want the blame so you can let Kiesha be the one punished as you get off scotch-free!"

   "B-blasphemy! We never spoke of any defiance! Never!"

    "That is a lie and you know it! Kiesha was a magnificent Sovereign and she doesn't deserve your maltreatment!"

    "Enough!! Hold your tongue, Wolf!" Bainnet glared at Wolf. He practically spat out venom as he referred to his name, "You have no right to speak to our Headmaster in such a tone... even if what you say is true..." He slowly turns to Eric as he speaks, giving him a hidden look of disapproval. "...What is it you have against Kiesha?"

     A middle-aged woman stood up to this question, her silver hair falling over her shoulder as she stood eye to eye with Bainnet, the bright violet of her eyes piercing through the tension like daggers. Indigo couldn't recall her name, but she seemed familiar. "Some of us here don't believe that Kiesha is the highest power. We don't need a reason beyond that for believing she is hopeless. She simply cannot be saved." Eric sighed with relief as the woman took his side. Bainnet only snorted.

    "Suit yourselves, then." He adjusted his robes, "If you two believe that we can't save her, then there's nothing stopping those who do from going and confronting the woman ourselves."

     "Oh no, you're not doing anything at all without my valid permission. To which I refuse to give you." Eric stopped him before he could sit back down.

    "That's not fair!" Wolf interjected, shooting up from his seat, "Why give us the right to debate when we can't even choose our own path!?"

    "Because fate speaks different, child!"

    "Well, screw fate!"

    Eric nearly lost it then, his eyes wide with utter shock as he slammed his hands down on the granite table. "Y-you... H-how can you say that!?" He gritted his teeth and Wolf smirked at his loss of control. Mari rushed over to Eric so he wouldn't lash out at the arrogant man. The Scholars began to murmur nervously to each other from the sudden burst of tension. Many of them knew Eric was a kind soul, and it took a lot of pressure to push him to the edge. Indigo knew as well. It was his time to speak.

    "Indigo, don't..." Garan tugged on Indigo's robes as soon as he noticed that he was about to get up, "You know they don't accept you like the others..."

    "Relax, Garan. I'll be fine." He smiled lightly at Garan, then cast a glance at Elizabeth for reassurance. She gave him a thumbs up. Perfect. He decided to stand up once Eric could breath again.  "Er... To all of you... I understand that everyone has their own motives for their own decisions, but please think of what would really be best for the Sanctuary in itself. We truly do need Kiesha."

    "Oh? And what makes you say that? As I recall, you had found her more a nuisance than necessary." A man sitting across from Indigo remarked. Yet another person he could scarcely recall.

    "Well... I know we never saw eye to eye much... but you have to look at the bigger picture. She was not only our divine being, but a function of the Sanctuary itself. She is the very foundation we stand in, keeping us all anchored and in control. Without her, we're just a group of ranting lunatics, unable to agree to anything without causing mass pandemonium in the process." Some people nodded in agreement while others snickered. He could feel the biased glares of a few of his fellow brothers and sisters burning on his pelt, but he remained calm and assertive of his opinion. "Bainnet is right... faith has nothing to do with who she is. She is our sister. She is our god. She is the Sanctuary. We shouldn't just let her be punished without a valid reason. But Eric is also correct... I... I know who took Kiesha." The room looked surprised in his observation, and he even felt Liz caught a bit off- guard. "The woman... she fits the description of the many legends I have heard throughout my few years of travelling. Kiesha occasionally spoke of her emminent punishment to the woman as well, as if she knew it was unavoidable." He turned to Eric, "But... is it true? Can we really not save her?"

    Eric shook  his head, "No. This is beyond our power." Wolf had sat back down in his chair, glaring at Indigo, but he could tell the man understood his reasonings. Many of the others had come to agree with his terms as well, with only a few skeptical looks.

    "If that is the case," Arkay spoke out, "Then I believe we have come to our conclusion..."

    Eric nodded, "Indeed we have. No redemption, but what of our faith? We cannot simply go unguided. That is not the ways of the Sanctuary."

    "We don't have to go unguided. Kiesha still exists, therefore, we should still hold her to the same high regards as we always have. As I already said, why should we change now?" Bainnet added, "She will simply guide us in spirit."

    Mas'Malisa grunted, "So Headmaster goes scotch-free, da'? Sounds unfair almost."

    "How could he have ever known she would revolt?" Indigo interjected, "As far as we know, he was just as misinformed as us."

    "I don't find anything wrong with the scenario at hand. It's completely fair." The silver-haired woman addressed. Eric nodded. He spoke once more to address the Council as a whole.

    "A vote shall be tallied, to all the Scholars of the Cistine Sanctuary. In case any that you are not fully sure of your sidings, we will give you twenty-four hours to make your decision and report them to Bainnet. Once the voting has been tallied, we shall return to the Council room, same time and place as before. Agreed?" The room, almost in unison, nodded. "Good... now then, proceed with your own agenda for the day. This meeting is over." And with that, he left the room, Bainnet and Mari following close behind. The rest of the Scholars began to disperse as well.

    Elizabeth ran up to Garan and Indigo once he gestured that it was fine for her to go as well, a smile etched on her face. "You did good, Indy. If I didn't know any better, I could have mistaken you for the Headmaster himself, with how easily you got the others to agree." Indigo scratched his head and smiled.

    "Heh. Thanks, Liz. I just hope it was all worth the effort, though. It's a shame about Kiesha's situation..."

    Elizabeth got a slight frown, "I suppose it is. It doesn't look as though we'll get a chance at truly saving her. And to think we've lost her again... It just seems... wrong to stand by."

    "I know, but it really can't be helped. She's in the hands of another."

    "Who is this... "Creator" anyways?"

    "A story for another day." Indigo chuckled. He slightly glanced over to see Wolf glaring at him, his ears twitching with indignation. He didn't care. Wolf was just a stubborn and biased Suitor with no purpose in being a Scholar. A follower of fate? No. He wanted the respect of the Order, simply going about it in all the wrong ways.

    As Wolf left the room, Indigo rounded up his companion and left as well. Maybe, just maybe he had gained another enemy, along the way...
This is a personal story for one of my DA friends, :icontdc-blitzkitteh: No reading fo' u! That is all.
© 2013 - 2024 Gloomy-Butt
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TDC-Blitzkitteh's avatar
That was awesome, Gloomy! I really like your writing style, it's so detailed and descriptive. And I loved how everyone had their own distinct characterizations, and stood out from the rest. It also flowed really well, for so many characters. Hope you write moar!