Chapter Six

A Council Disrupted

"How long have I slept?"

"Almost a full day. You needed it."

"For the other day, thanks. I reckon I would've gone to Lumbridge if you hadn't been there."

She shrugged. "I said I'd be there. This war is as much mine as it is yours. Kryarn was my friend too."

It was dusk. The orange fireball hung over the village to the west, garbing its druidical residents in gold. The previous night... I remembered a hard night stumbling through the trees towards the castle of Camelot.

On arrival, I came up to this room, took off my armor and had slept ever since. Parrea had been escorted to the room across the corridor from mine. Now we were standing on the balcony overlooking Seers village to the west.

"Are you rested enough?" Parrea broke the silence with a question. "King Arthur and his knights have been informed of the situation, and will organize a council as soon as we're both ready to attend." She spoke slowly and deliberately, as if unused to formal speech.

"Yeah sure, I'm ready. But councils aren't what we need now, the noobs should be knocking on Camelot gates now, we need soldiers not meetings." I said, my voice portraying some of my frustration despite my best attempts to keep it level. Parrea shrugged.

"King Arthur is a great commander, and he's won many wars. He should know better how to handle this than any of us." I swear I could detect contempt in her voice. Before I could question it she said, "I'll go downstairs and tell them you're ready." And she turned and walked towards the staircase.

Half an hour later, I was seated at the famed round table of King Arthur's court, wearing my rune armor minus the helmet. Two hours after that, I was still seated at the table, listening to the many knights stand and recite tales of how they'd handled events like this in the past.

The cool night air was streaming off the mountains through the open doors, making me shiver inside my armor. Throughout the entire discourse, Parrea had been like stone. I could see her bare arms prickling with the cold now, and still she remained totally immobile. Even though I had just spent the last two days in bed, I felt ready to sleep again. I tried to concentrate on Sir Gawain's steady drone and keep my eyelids open at the same time. I was loosing. My eyes were closing...closing...shut...

"Sir Zanathir, you may speak." Wha? Me... um... yeah... ok... speak? I was fully awake now. All eyes around the table were staring at me. I rose, and simply explained about the noobs, from my point of view. I told them the abridged version of my story from the destruction of Lumbridge to my arrival at Camelot. Then I asked questions.

"Why is the wise old man helping the noobs?"

"How did noobs get hold of a cannon?"

"Why didn't I get entranced when the noobs had me down twice?"

"Why hasn't Kysin returned?"

"Where's Gunthor?"

"The noob's leader is dead, so are the noobs still a threat?"

etc. etc. I finished my questions, then the King's wizard Merlin rose and said, "I have answers for you on every one of those matters. Sit down Zanathir, and listen.

The tale of the wise old man is a long one, but it will answer many of your questions in one. He has been granted immortality by some forgotten deity causing him to live longer than anyone else bar the Gods.

He has seen great civilizations, wars, inventions and magics. He has also seen them cast down and destroyed in one fell blow. He had friends once, yet they were mortal and died by sword, disease or old age - it doesn't matter how. So began his long search for a method to make life continue, evermore.

For centuries he worked, studying potions, stars and creatures while his companions fell dead around him. And then the war began, one that would maim the land of Runescape forever. For decades the armies of Saradomin and Zamorak fought over only they know what.

The war ended when the Greatest god Guthix arose, and looked down upon the world he created. With a word of power Guthix bade Zamorak and Saradomin to cease fighting. They obeyed. Then Guthix worked, casting and weaving the same spell around every living thing. From ducks to demons.

From gnomes to trolls, every living thing benefited from this spell. The spell was a gift, for every living creature that received it would never die. They would simply come back to life again, exactly the same as how they left it.

The old man was much angered by this, but dared not display his anger openly to Guthix. For centuries he had been working on a formula to make life continue forever, and Guthix had completed the entire process overnight. Guthix had stolen his ambition, his passion - what would've given him the honor he lived for.

Stubbornly, the old man kept at his studies, vowing to use the results against Guthix's world. Eventually, he came across a spell, that would override Guthix's enchantment. The old man's spell kept people from dying in the first place. Unfortunately, its side effects meant that the victim would be deprived of his spirit and soul, thus restricted to an everlasting life of wandering around in a deadened state.

And because he had created this spell, only he would know how to reverse it. He would enchant all of Runescape; performing simple memory- charms on the victims. Then, after the entire Runescape world had been entranced, he would lift the curse and the victims would praise him for it.

They would know him, and respect him as the one who had saved them from the curse. The old man would have the honor he searched for. It was then that the old man truly began.

He told no one about his spell, save his long-time powerful friend, Rorthan. Together, they built a trap. The old man would destroy Guthix's world runescape, while hiding behind the story of a power-crazy war leader named Rorthan.

Rorthan, in turn, would build an army of the only creatures that would want vengeance on the majority of Runescape population. Noobs. When they had the entire Runescape world succumbed to their evils, Rorthan would rule and have the utter power that he craved, and the old man would have his respect, his honor.

One by one, Rorthan and the old man called the noobs to their cause. They performed spells on the noobs to make them remain at the same level of intellect and warring ability until they were ready.

Rorthan didn't equip the noobs well, for fear that the enemy would guess that there was some greater force that had granted the noobs good items. But they needed a cannon, or something that would destroy walls, towers, gates and structures.

So Rorthan singled out the most powerful noob, one skilled at magics but not at any other form of combat. This noob mage was called Skraine. Rorthan gave Skraine enough money to purchase a cannon, and thus Skraine did. So the noob wars began.

As to you're other questions Zanathir, the noob's leader Rorthan isn't dead - simply because he has gift that Guthix granted to all living creatures. I know nothing of Kysin, but if the tale you told me is true, it seems likely that he was captured or entranced by the noobs or the old man.

But Gunthor... Gunthor is a great warrior, the greatest barbarian Runescape has ever known. He is wise as well as bold, wise enough to know when to flee and when to fight. He would've run north, into the chaos land called the Wilderness. From there... I know not of his plans. He could loose the noobs easily enough in the wilderness, and perhaps attempt to cross the troll-infested mountains to the west. Once over those mountains, he would join his kin at Relleka. But whatever his plans, he will find some means of joining the war - on our side.

And you say they had had you at their mercy twice, yet harmed you not? Strange...very strange... Tell me, were you wearing or holding anything? Any amulet or enchanted device that may have kept them off?"

Ok, what was I wearing the first time? Nothing extraordinary. Just regular rune armor, the team-9 cape isn't really magical or anything. The whip...

"When I was first attacked, I was carrying an abyssal whip. I was wearing full, normal rune armor, a team-9 cape and glory am...No wait, I wasn't wearing a glory amulet - I was wearing an emerald pendant given to me by the elven Lord Iowerth."

Merlin thought for a moment then asked, "Does the amulet have any powers, abilities or bonuses?"

"No. It just proves that I'm favored by Lord Iowerth." I replied

His answer was abrupt. "How do you know that this amulet proves that you're favored by the elven lord?"

"Because he gave it to me, to show to an elvish tracker. The elven tracker recognized it as Lord Iowerth's pendant; a gift granted to only those who were in Lord Iowerth's favor. He never said he wanted it back, so I kept it." I ended my explanation. On the other side of the table, an elf rose.

"To this council, I am Adrilor, a spy in Lord Iowerth's camp. Lord Iowerth has long been in league with king Lathas of Ardougne in their evil plot to take over Kandarin. I have pretended to serve Lord Iowerth loyally, but instead I have been watching him, and reporting. I know the pendant of which this adventurer speaks, and would recognize it easily were it shown to me."

All eyes turned to me. I thought for a moment then replied. "I don't have the pendant anymore. I misplaced it a Nora's house."

"How did you loose something so valuable as Lord Iowerth's pendant of goodwill?" retorted Adrilor, angrily.

Hey, that's another good question damit. How the hek did I loose that pendant when it was hanging around my neck the whole time? Did I have it when I entered Nora's? Or did the noobs take it after the struck me? No I swear I had it when I was in Nora's house... it was just after Kysin left that I misplaced it...Kysin...

They were staring at me, the entire council, every one of them searching my face for an answer. "Um... I don't really know how I misplaced it, but I noticed it was gone right after Kysin left to assassinate the old man, about an before sunset."

Adrilor's voice held an unmistakable tone of contempt. "So in your accusation of Kysin as a thief, you state that he stole the pendant from around your neck. Either this says a lot for his abilities, or little for yours."

Hey, wait... I never accused Kysin of stealing... did I? No I didn't. "I never said that Kysin took it, I only said that I noticed it directly after he left."

Adrilor opened his mouth, undoubtedly ready with a clever retort when Merlin cut across him. "But does it really matter? Zanathir claims that he had the pendant and there is no reason for us to suspect him of lies. We must assume that he gained it like he says, and lost it to the hands of this thief Kysin as he would not have let it go lightly."

You tell him! I thought. Merlin was speaking again.

"So we must assume that the pendant is now in the hands of Kysin, thus protecting him from the old man's spells. As we do not have the pendant, we cannot study it and force it to reveal it's powers. Zanathir, when do you think that Kysin will return to us?"

"He said that he'd be back before sunset but that was some days ago." I answered. "But the pendant protects him from the old man's spells so he isn't in a trance or anything. So the noobs must've found him so... so now he's either dead and in Lumbridge or lying senseless somewhere..."

Beside me, I heard Parrea stir. Her voice held an unrestrained impatience. "Ok so now we know. The noobs are all detained at Burthorpe, Al Kharid and Falador and the old man and Rorthan are around there somewhere too, east. There's no way they can get to us except over or under White Wolf Mountain, or through troll territory. The pendant is gone, it's obvious that it protected Zanathir but that doesn't matter now cause it's lost or Kysin's got it. Either way we can't get it back very easily. And no one knows where Kysin is... Does anyone really care where Kysin is? And no one knows where Nora T. Hagg is either, but no one really cares because she's a crazy old witch. Is there anything else to add? If not, good. I'm going to bed."

And she just walked out on the council. I bent my face to hide a smile. In less than a minute, she had explained the situation better than anyone else who had spoken within the last three hours. She was right, too. Did it really matter who led the army, or where the old man or the cannon came from, or what powers the pendant had? All we really had to know was the facts. The noobs are taking over runescape and the old man is involved. How easy and uncomplicated. Comparing her with Kryarn, what a difference.

I wiped the grin off my face and lifted my head to look at the rest of the council. King Aurthur looked horrified. Sir Gawain was muttering something about women attending councils. Adrilor's head was bent towards the table; making his face impossible to see. Merlin looked stunned. He opened his mouth to speak, but it was a few seconds before he actually did.

"Well. Yes, quite. As I was saying... The enemy is at Burthorpe, and they're really no immediate threat there. In the morning, we'll post guards at the mountain passes. For now, I deem this council finished. I hope you've all received answers to you're many questions, now you should rest and meditate on what you have learnt. Goodnight."

Chatter broke out across the table. The attendants rose and headed off towards different corridors; in the directions of their rooms. Adrilor lifted his face, now making little attempt to check the laughter that was echoing from it. King Arthur rose and grabbed Merlin by one arm and led him over to the throne, where he broke out into a wild rant. Passing them, I heard the King saying, "It's an outrage, I tell you! An absolute scandal! And you..." I headed toward my rooms.

It was some distance to my room, but I knew the way. I reached the door, and was about to enter when I thought of something and changed direction. I walked across the corridor to Parrea's room.

I knocked, then entered. Parrea was sitting on her bed; she rose as I opened the door. She spoke before I had a chance to talk.

"Are you going to tell me that I was stupid at the council? I don't care damit. It was freezing cold and how annoying is it to have those 'Sirs' go on for two whole hours about how many pretty helpless ladies they've saved? And how many dragon's they've killed? What did the dragons ever do to them? And why weren't the damsels capable of saving themselves? If they couldn't, they should've stayed in the tower. What's an old magician doing stealing princesses and locking them in towers for anyway? So he can watch men in, in tin suits rescue them? If any of those stories were true, I'll swallow my dagger and put my armor back on the dragon it came from."

She completed her tirade. "Why are you here anyway?" she questioned.

Actually, now that I think of it, I don't know. I just thought... "No, you weren't stupid at the council and it was real funny to see the council members react to you're leaving. Anyway, thanks for ending it there. It would've gone on longer than that if you hadn't walked off."

She grinned. "Well thanks, I guess."

I remembered King Arthur. "King Arthur wasn't really impressed though. And neither were his knights. They..."

"God who cares about them? The shiny men that slay innocent beasts and steal stupid ladies from magicians! The only thing they can do right is talk."

"You should care about them." I said, with some admiration. "They're housing you, and it's gonna be really hard going if you got them as well as the noobs on your back."

She sighed. "Well, can we talk about it tomorrow? I'm real tired now. Half the reason why I walked out."

"Ok." I said. "Goodnight." I walked out and closed the door. Before I did so, I heard her echo my last word. I crossed the corridor to my room. I entered, took my armor off and fell into bed. I was asleep within the next few minutes.