Codex archive 2

Before we begin let me recount a little more to you.

Creation is vast; obviously you'd need help to control all the different assets of it. So the god like beings known as the Jtholntier searched the stars for lesser races that they could trust and appoint with… caretaking so to speak. My people had already built statues devoted to the deities before they happened across our world. They came bearing promises of power and a rightful place in existence. I was only a little hedgehog at the time. Our King… my late father who had united the entire planet, could not refuse such an offer. We were bestowed with control over an element selected with careful consideration of the council of course. Our planet having been a frost world naturally put us in the stead to receive ice as our matron element. Having humbly accepted we were appointed as the soldiers and guards of the now 6 united worlds, earning us the title "Ice Guardians".

After inheriting the throne, a tale in itself really but not one I will divulge into just now, I took direct responsibility not only as king of my people but also as High General. Upon this I realised something… or rather fooled myself with my own thinking. I realised that my father had lacked ambition; a thirst for more. After all we protected the six worlds from the ravenous demons born within the souls of dead and dying stars, a task with which even the Jtholntier struggled. Is it unusual that we demand more respect than we were given? As I later learnt there was a reason for this…

Enough, I haven't got all the time in the uni-

The text is yet again garbled for a line or so, it resumes midway through a sentence.

-I was in my… ninth term as High General I believe, 19 years ago now; the tenth millennia exactly. The council of which there were twenty four members had been called to an annual summon. I remember walking to the Seer Chamber with an air of determination visible in my stride, I knew what I was going to ask for… and I was determined to get it.

I entered the large chamber much unnoticed. The crystalline walls glowed a mixture purple and blue, pulsating gently between them. It reminded me of the ice… it comforted me. I took my usual seat in the parapets facing the circular podium sitting in the middle of rounded room on which the highest members of the council seated themselves. My world became narrowed for a moment as my eyes became focused… longing to hold my rightful seat on that podium. My attention was pulled away however when a familiar voice filled my ears and I tuned to gaze upon the features of teal hedgehog adorned in robes of blue. "Brother!" he proclaimed with delight. "I was worried nerves would get the better of you." It was Nulthar, king of the water shapers, my oldest and dearest friend.

I put a firm hand on his shoulder and spoke to him in the most courageous voice I could muster. "I wouldn't make a good general if I let nerves get into the equation now would I?" I smiled and embraced him before we both took seats next to one another.

"Will we have a repeat of last time?" he quested me keeping his eyes on the podium. I looked about me a moment before answering also keeping my eyes firmly transfixed on what was in front of me. "I have a card to play this time" I said softly "You will see what I mean." Nulthar sighed but a smile graced his lips. "I wish you the best of luck as always brother, may fortune favour the bold."

I was midway through formulating a reply when the lighting dimmed considerably. A soft wind filtered through the chamber as the surroundings fell silent. The ring that surrounded the central podium now lit up with high flames of a purple colouration and then receded becoming small flickers. A thin wisp of smoke had appeared only made visible by the lighting provided from those small flickering flames. The smoke thickened and began to manifest into a tangible form upon the podium. Finally the smoke thickened to the point where the clear outline of a hedgehog, a cat and fox could be perceived. The faces of each emerged from the smoke all bearing the same grey colour. The cat in the centre, or ma'am as I was forced to call her, spoke in a soft echoing tone that could have soothed a solar dragon. "Greetings nobles, the council is now in session, please state your requests one at a time."

The meeting was the paramount of boredom. Delthar, controller of the wind, wanted the sun that warmed his people's home world moved slightly closer as he "thought it was getting a little chilly" I would have shown him chilly…

I had almost dozed off when my turn had arisen. "Argamon" said that sickly sweet voice. My ears pricked to my name as the room fell deathly silent. What followed next was said with an air of contempt; she knew full well what my request would be as did everyone else in that chamber. "Yes ma'am." I stood slowly and purposefully. I still had my playing card. "I would like to request that the Ice Guardians are granted a seat on the high council your honour"

The room remained silent as every head turned to look at smoke ridden incarnation of a cat. "Argamon." Her voice was able to chill even me. "Is this not the fifth time such a request has been made by yourself and surely by now you must have a pre conceived notion as to what the answer will be?" A faint smile curled on my lips, this is where I was to claim victory at last. "With all due respect your honour, would matters change if the King of the Jtholntier himself, who I am close personal friends with, consented to this proposal?"

An uproar began to fill the room as many of my rival nobles bellowed out in anguish. The flames on the podium leapt up like enraged horses as the head of the council's voice boomed throughout forcing silence into the hearts of everyone in the room. "Our King has no authority over this council, Ice Guardian." Her voice was filled with a certain disgust and the last two words were near spat out. "Surely you must know this by now?" Before I had even a chance to explain myself I'd had a dagger driven into my very soul.

My stomach sank, I felt embarrassed. I could barely speak stuttering like a fool. "Bu- but yo-your honour I- I"

"Enough!" Her voice bellowed once more. "The council is here by dismissed." The nobles filtered out as quickly as they could. I for one made my way out solemnly, both sadness and an indescribable rage building up inside of me. "Argamon" said the high counsellor once more as I approached the dark wooden doorway. "Yes your honour?" I muttered without turning.

"Don't bother showing up to the next meeting unless you have a sudden change in your… desires." I would have happily had driven my ice blade into her heart at that very moment. My hand tightened around the handle and with one last look of disgust at my so called "elders" I slammed the doors shut behind me. I gazed out into the marble hallway and paying no attention to anyone or anything I began to make for the exit out onto the gardens… I needed the fresh air.

As you may have guessed my most brutal and adulterated rivalry lay with my opposite elemental; the very Yin to my Yan, Malthar bearer of fire. I knew as I felt that heated glove fall on my shoulder from behind me just who it would be, was I not composed I would have shown the bastard that I meant business.

"Better luck next time eh?" I turned to look upon the gnarled face of whom I considered near enough my enemy. "If there is a next time" A grin appeared on that smug face of his that churned my very insides.

"Thank you, Malthar" I said coldly. "May all of your endeavours end with a… blaze" I chuckled falsely then turned to resume my intended path. I could just feel that black echidnas smirk as though it was a sword worked into my back.

Finally I was able to push through the crystal doors of the palace and gaze out onto what could only be described as beauty. The gentle winds whipped the white grass, the red tinted trees swayed gently and far off the Blue Mountains looked like a giant ocean. Beyond them sat the sky, the entire cosmos was visible even during the height of the day and there, to the right slightly, my planet… my home... loomed above; a graceful white sphere visible perfectly since being moved here by the Jtholntier. Peace slowly retuned to me as I breathed in the cold, crisp air. A Crullean moth flew from out behind me and I let it grace my fingers softly before flying away again delicately. As I looked back up at my home determination set in once again. I would have what I wanted. By any means and no force within the entire united six worlds could stop me.

By any means necessary…