While it is true that the news of the war did not come entirely unexpected, it is also true that it aroused considerable agitation on the continent.
In every human kingdom, those who had been supporters of Viren raised their heads. Even some companies of the Katolean army deserted, reinforcing the ranks of the brigands who harassed the region. Among Xadia's elves, many had been against the peace, and this event only confirmed their suspicions that humans were unreliable. It was necessary to act, and quickly, both to prevent Neolandia from gathering supporters, and to definitively cement the alliance between Katolis and Xadia.
First, of course, the troops were mobilized, although King Ezran categorically forbade any military action that was not defensive, still convinced that he could find a peaceful solution. In this he found himself against Queen Aanya, who advocated a swift and direct attack: but Ezran was adamant. It turned out to be a wise decision.
In fact, one of Lord Ilehas' main aims was to make Neolandia appear as a victim of the expansionism of Katolis and Xadia in the hope of gaining the support of Evenere and perhaps even of some Delbarite factions.
Instead, Evenere decided to remain neutral pending further developments, according to a pragmatic policy that would soon become the norm in the island government (the famous "Evenerean prudence", still proverbial today). As for Del Bar, the princes were too busy fighting with each other to deal with foreign policy.
It was then necessary to assure Xadia of Katolis's good faith, and to do this it was necessary to meet with the elven dignitaries. In the previous two years King Ezran had maintained a close correspondence with the Storm Spire and Lux Aurea, but there were many other Elven factions to consider. Of course, the Dragon Queen had expressed her support for peace with humans, and elves respected her too much to disobey her decrees, but that did not mean they were willing to cooperate with Katolis. Moreover, it must be considered that there were also many dragons opposed to the new policy of Queen Zubeia, such as Sol Regem, Archdragon of the Sun.
It was Callum who had the idea of calling the first Grand Senate, a meeting of representatives from all the nations of the continent, in ways not unlike those with which the Pentarchy had met in the previous years.
The designated location was a plain near the Wizard's Pass, where Viren had divided the lava of the Breach to launch his invasion. As the only place of transit between Xadia and the human Kingdoms, it was a point of great symbolic and strategic importance, and it had already been decided that no one, neither elf nor human, could approach it carrying weapons.
Presiding over the meeting came the same Zubeia with her son: a fact in itself unexpected due to the young age of the Dragon Prince, and surely it was a remarkable merit of the Captain of the Dragon Guard, Rayla of Silvergrove, to convince the archdragon to such a step.
At that point the Elven nations, though reluctantly, had to resign themselves to sending ambassadors.
According to Callum's journals, it was a splendid sight. "It seemed a feast day"-he writes-"all these notables from every part of the continent, each competing in splendor and wealth. Never seen so many elves-and so many mages! It is sad that the only way to bring these peoples together is the threat of war!"
Indeed they were all there. From the eastern borders of the continent had come the Earthblood elves, stocky and cheerful, with bodies covered with moss. The queen of Lux Aurea, Janai, had come in person bringing with her the noblest sunfire elves, glittering with gold and gems worked by the skilled artisans of the richest of the elf cities. From the mysterious seas of Xadia came the Tidebound Elves, with webbed hands and blue skins, led by their Foam King. The Skywing elves arrived in six, all magicians, to the delight of Callum. From their villages hidden by magic the Moon Shadow Elves came, as pale as the moon, as silent as death. Their leader was Ethari of Silvergrove. The star-touch elves did not form a proper nation, but some of them came to observe with their own eyes that "seemed to peer beyond the time itself", to quote Callum's words again.
Aanya of Duren, of course, came on horseback and in armor, with thirty knights in full uniform. The queen of Evemere did not come, but sent an envoy anyway.
Then came the dragons, and with them their ruler.
We deal with History, so I will not spend more than necessary to describe the first full meeting of the Companions of Azymondias (or "Team Zym" as it seems they self-defined, according to the journals of Callum). Suffice it to say that it was a very exciting moment for everyone, and especially for Ezran, who had missed the young Archdragon a lot, and for Callum, who was able to meet Rayla again.
The exact nature of their relationship has been speculated upon for years, and lyrical poets have poured the proverbial rivers of ink into it.
Those of you who have read the masterpiece of the great playwright Frinis, the "lament of Silvergrove", will probably expect a tearful story. I am unfortunately forced to disappoint your expectations. I have read the correspondence of Callum and Rayla several times, and I think I got an idea of their mutual feelings that should not deviate too much from reality: namely the feelings of two people among whom there was a deep and sincere affection, but who always put duty first.
This does not mean, however, that their meeting was not a pleasant time. During the weeks in which the Senate continued to work, the two spent as much time together as they could take away from official duties. This too would have had important consequences, but it is a complex subject that I will discuss in a later chapter.
I said weeks: this is because the Grand Senate was much more than just a council of war. He had been summoned, it is true, to resolve the Neolandian crisis, but King Ezran knew well that such an occasion was more unique than rare and could not be wasted. For weeks the notables debated, bargained, quarrelled, and reconciled, even on matters that only concerned the Elven nations but the Xadians had never had a chance to discuss. Moreover, the Elves were extraneous to the concept of law and written agreement as humans had conceived and developed it, and for millennia the Elven society had relied on religious customs and traditions to settle internal matters.
It was a diplomatic success of enormous importance: so much so that the Grand Senate has since become a permanent organ, which even nowadays meets every ten years. At first, however, many were doubtful, even hostile.
During the first meeting, an earthblood elf even attacked Lord Vrigel, guilty of eating a stuffed chicken (remember that the Elves were vegetarian for religious reasons). Only Rayla's prompt intervention prevented a bloodbath, and to be sure the fat councilman decided to go on a diet for the duration of the meeting.
The order of the day at the beginning was precisely the management of the new threat. Colonel Gren, promoted for the occasion, spoke on behalf of General Amaya arguing the need for a joint force. "If Katolis fights alone, it will be a war of humans against humans, and even if we win, people will think that we fought only for our kingdom. But if we fight together, if we join forces, human and elf, then it will be clear to everyone on the continent that this is a war for justice, protected by the gods themselves, and then victory will be inevitable!".
Then Brugel, of the Tidebound elves, got up.
"How can we trust those who until two years ago killed our people and raided our lands? It was the humans who created this situation with their wicked conduct. Let them make it right, and thus show their good faith!"
Lucky for King Ezran, he had a powerful ally in the person of Janai of Lux Aurea. He rose from his seat and addressed the assembly words of fire, recalling the battle of the Storm Spire.
"When Lord Viren was one step closer to annihilating forever the royal line of dragons, when Lux Aurea was in ruins, it was not you, brave offspring of the oceans, who came to our aid. At my side were the humans of Katolis, and the knights of Duren: and it is only because of them that you are not slaves today, that your oceans are still untouched by dark magic. I intend to honor my debt, and support King Ezran. Lux Aurea does not forget."
Harsh words, that had a considerable effect on the audience. And yet, the opinion of Brugel would have prevailed if in the meantime an unexpected event had not happened.
We have said that Lord Ilehas expected an invasion by Katolis: when this did not happen, and news of the great council reached Neolandia, the Regent decided to take the initiative.
The Neolandian army had been reconstituted, but was still weak compared to that of Katolis and Duren, and formed mostly of inexperienced recruits. Attacking the border fortifications of Katolis would have been suicidal. But Ilehas had an ace in the hole. In these years he had strengthened the Neolandian fleet, which was already impressive, seizing many merchant galleons and readapting them for war use. By comparison, Katolis was practically without a navy.
One morning in May, a few days after the opening of the Grand Council, a Neolandian fleet attacked the coastal city of Stesis in southern Katolis. The Neolandians swarmed fast and voracious as locusts, burning and raiding, and before the Standing Battalion could intervene, they were already off, loaded with booty. At the same time, other fleets stormed towns and villages in the upper Duren and even beyond the Breach, taking elven slaves and magical Xadian creatures for the spells of the dark magicians.
At that point, even King Ezran gave up all hope of a diplomatic solution. This tragedy, however, had the effect of passing Janai's motion: the elves would fight alongside the humans.
Actually, there was also a third proposal, supported by the sun dragon Heliodoro-one of Sol Regem's loyalists. He proposed the idea of an attack from above, launched by dragons, to rain fire and death on Neoland. Many elves declared themselves in favour, and it was Ezran himself who had to speak out against it.
"If dragons will attack, thousands of civilians will die, if not millions. Does the justice of Xadia believe it right that many pay for the sins of a few? I intend to create a peaceful and prosperous world, not to rule over an expanse of rubble. Not to mention, then the other human kingdoms would think of Xadians as bloodthirsty invaders, and unite against us."
Dragons are a proud race, and they hate when their words are questioned. But they too must bend when their sovereign speaks.
Zubeia throughout the debate had remained absolutely impartial, not wanting to interfere in the decisions of elves and humans. He only once took a stand, to speak against Heliodoro's proposal in a draconic dialect as old as the world.
"Sol Regem speaks through your mouth, offspring of the sun. Once we followed him, and brought fire and death to humans. Elarion fell, and thousands died, but the war did not end. Still today we pay the consequences of that unholy act. Dragons will not attack, or they will pay the penalty of disobedience to their Queen. So was decided centuries ago by the Judgment of the Half Moon, and now this is the will of Zubeia."
At that time, there was no longer any opposition to the Katolean plan.
It was decided that each Elven nation would contribute directly or indirectly to the war. Tidebound's Elves would use their ships and magic to counter Neolandian raids, which continued to plunder the coasts of Xadia and Katolis on a daily basis. Earthblood elves, skilled farmers, would provide abundant supplies for the army. Janai offered three thousand chosen men, all of whom she could spare. Fifty Skywing elves would fly over the army as lookouts. The Moonshadow elves, too few to send soldiers, supplied the army with enchanted arrows.
Of course, the bulk of the army would be formed by the Katoleans and the Durenians; and yet, the symbolic importance of the gesture was such that even the Startouch elves insisted on sending one of their magicians to support the expedition.
Gathering the army again took weeks, during which the Senate's work did not stop. Finally, on the 9th of June, the Allied army crossed the border with Neolandia. Humans and elves together, united against the common enemy.
But they did the math without the landlord. Beyond the desert, in the white towers of the Ivory Palace of Shafiz, the Regent of Neolandia was ready to receive them.
