Part 4/5 of the Highborne Backstory Segment.
Maluineth and Tylarwin meet with A'oraen, they reveal to him the depths of Mildreas' corruption and that he had plans for them all.
Transcendence: Gaiden
The Important Meeting
Court of Nobles
"They escaped?" Maluineth asked, looking to Tylarwin as she made the inquiry.
"Yes, I was there when it happened." He Knight Captain replied, a small bruise on his forehead.
Maluineth found it impossible to believe, two people escaping from not only a few of her mages but also a large contingent of this man's knights. Even more unbelievable was the reports that the human they saw was carrying one on his back, yet somehow he got away from thirty mages and warriors.
The large group of thirty invaders had escaped into some reclusive location within the city, not without taking some casualties after their failed attempt to reach the Palace. But their escape may have been expected if they employed aid from the rogue forces under the command of Mordent. It was likely he was responsible for bringing them here, as Codexia Fairchild was among the ranks of the invaders.
"Two, one was wounded and the other carrying her." Maluineth said, shaking her head.
This would only cause them a headache when they got to the meeting with A'oraen. Luckily this little incident had been able to expedite their private gathering with the Head Councillor, it was best that few knew of this. The longer it was delayed the more chance there was that someone would catch wind of it.
Their failure to capture the intruders would be a good cover for them being summoned with such haste, but that did not feel like a win for these two nobles. For they failed and this meeting being called early is in part thanks to that failure.
"Enough. We have to present this evidence to A'oraen, he must know what Mildreas is up to alongside his conspirators." Tylarwin stated, forcefully changing the conversation to one that both knew to be of greater importance.
Maluineth was silent, even with the hall being empty of all that could overhear them she did not trust even the walls and inanimate stone to keep this hidden. For what she had learned was damning, no, it was utterly corrupt and evil.
Mildreas she knew had overstepped himself and done wrong, yet, she could not help but recoil when she had heard of the deeds he had committed. The dark magics he had invoked with her spellbook along with the many artefacts he had taken. The dark energies that polluted them only adding further proof to the damage and corruption he had brought to their people.
'How many others could have turned, believing the Draught he concocted to be of a pure source rather than that of foul demons?' Maluineth thought.
It was an implication that could spell the end of many lives, for the taint of the Fel was even more dire and dangerous than that of the Arcane. For their addiction to the Arcane had made them arrogant and greedy, that she would not doubt. These last few days have made her realize just how twisted their ways had been and how the hunger had made them volatile and monstrous.
That was when they hungered for magic, it was their worst moment.
Yet the Fel was even more diabolical than that, by leagues it was worse than anything they had dabbled or risked to control and use. For it corrupted the mind, body and soul of the user so quickly and twisted them into the very demons in which the power originates. It changes the mage, making them into something else and taking away their very identity and converting it towards devilry.
"Let us hope that A'oraen listens." Maluineth said, standing before the large doors and letting the two magi present open it.
Magic seals danced across the door and eventually it began to part.
They quickly made their way inside and did not bother to wait for it to fully open, words needed to be broken immediately and they must not waste time for a slab of decorated metal to open. They moved for the plinth and railing that held and barred the Heart of Veles, still thrumming with power that did not even seem to be waning.
"I am gladdened that both of you came with such haste." A'oraen said, smiling pleasantly before he adopted a more guarded and serious smile. "I wish to discuss some things regarding todays incident."
"That is something I am certain holds greater concern than invaders my Lord." Tylarwin interjected, and this caught the Head Councillor by surprise by the abrupt interruption.
"How great a concern?" A'oraen inquired.
"The corruption and complete destruction of our people." Maluineth replied, frown deepening and her words oddly low as she spoke. "We have evidence that Mildreas is using the Fel and possibly corrupting others without the Court and also the Shen'dralar and Guard."
A'oraen looked surprised, shock and incredibility moving over his face in rapid succession, they had expected this. Mildreas may be a brash and arrogant man but he was not without allies and friends, he kept both at a distance however but there was someone he did respect.
"This is an accusation I do not take lightly, but I doubt that he would go to the lengths you are suggesting." A'oraen replied.
A'oraen was the man that Mildreas respected greatly, they were almost like brothers. They had both once been childhood friends and served within the Shen'dralar before the Sundering and many centuries after. Even when Mildreas was cast from the order he was aided by A'oraen and given shelter and protection.
A'oraen had even been there to help Mildreas return to power, through marriage and manipulating the Noble courts to get him into a more prestigious rank. Within a few thousand years he had been able to elevate Mildreas to a position that was even greater than when he was deposed.
While there were disagreements, arguments between the two on the methods and philosophies either adhered to were common, their friendship could never be questioned. A'oraen and Mildreas would be an unlikely friendship that none would expect to exist yet it did.
That made this meeting all the more harder, for convincing A'oraen that his old friend had turned to the dark arts was not going to be easily done.
"We have proof, never would we dream of saying this without evidence to support it." Maluineth replied, pulling out one of the artefacts that had been stolen.
It was the Tyet stone, the so called blood tinged gem. Said to be able to draw in the life force of any being that wears it, stealing their life force so that it could be used for something else. Originally a tool that had been used by Azshara herself to punish priestesses and princesses that displeased her, considering where it was found it likely had been used on the former ruler of Shari'adune.
"Look at this artefact, feel for the energies within and tell me what you sense." Maluineth asked, handing the stone to the Head Councillor.
It took but a moment for him to sense it, he likely did not even need concentrate to feel the foul essence within the red crystal. He jerked as if pricked by a thorn, he looked up to her and then back to the stone. With a scowl he slammed the object back into the hand of the woman who presented it.
"This could still be the taint of the Satyr's from Shari'adune, you know this."
"No, this taint was removed with the Cup of Elune and the Draught. We drew out the Fel in the artefacts and cleansed them, all the artefacts that we took had been cleansed and catalogued, there is no way they could be exposed again on these levels unless someone was harnessing the Fel." Maluineth replied, shaking her head sadly as A'oraen seemed to be conflicted over what he was being told.
"How can you be certain that it was he who did this? Not anyone else?" A'oraen asked.
"Because I found where he took the Artefacts after the reliquary was raided, and found what he had been doing with them." Tylarwin replied.
"Mildreas did not tell us the truth in the meeting when we last convened; he took the artefacts for a different purpose." Maluineth said.
From here she explained in detail what she suspected to be the truth in the matter, of why these specific artefacts had been taken. But some eluded her understanding, such as the Tyet, Palangine, and Wast, but the rest were understandable.
The Armour of Yealdan and the Allaminar were given to his son, so that the boy could succeed in Maraudon and return to the city a hero. Praised by the people and seen as a figurehead that Mildreas could use to garner favour towards the nobles and particularly himself. No different than how he was using his own disowned son to make the people praise him.
Then Tylarwin presented his own evidence, a patch of decaying skin from a Centaur along with a broken weapon that was suffering from a strange state of deterioration. A'oraen had been shocked by this presentation of the rotting flesh and demanded an answer.
It was no less horrifying. The flesh was being used to be burned in the Brazier of Elune, it alongside hundreds of other bloody morsels thrown into the fire to be burned. This had been what had created the great abundance of ash that Mildreas had provided to his troops in Maraudon, gifting them with great healing powers.
Tylarwin told of the ten stone chests he found within underground cellar, filled with sickly rotting blood that likely housed each three hundred similar patches of skin each. The amount of ash they would have created would have been enormous, so much that there would likely be great amounts of it spare even after being used by the soldiers that had descended and not returned from Maraudon.
The weapons also came from the Centaur, likely taken during the end of battles during the assault on Maraudon. With the many hundreds of Centaur present in the mountain they had ample amounts of flesh to carve and weapons to pilfer.
Enough to create the waters through extracting what magical energies remained within these archaic objects of war, imbued with the memories of the events that held power within them. Power that the Brush and Chisel had been used to enchant the armour Mildreas provided for his soldiers. It was probably the only truth he had told.
"But this does not condemn him, while he has committed a horrifying act that borders on barbarism this does not condemn him." A'oraen said.
"But what he used the Seal of Sulayman and the Seven League Greaves for do, for he used them to capture the demons of Shari'adune and return them here." Maluineth replied.
While Mildreas had been telling mostly truth in regards to why he took the Greaves and the Ring he did not reveal the whole truth. He went to those ruins to capture the demons there, sealing them with the ring designed specifically to capture their foul ilk.
Returning he trapped each within prisons of similar designs as those that now hold the Primal Spirits, created through the same spells within her Spellbook. A spellbook he also pilfered from her, using her exact spells to seal and extract the power from them and distil it into liquid form.
Once sealed it would be extracted to be washed and cleansed in the Cup of Elune, their attempts to cleanse the taint similarly to how they had done it with many of the smaller artefacts. But they did not use the magical extracts from Druantia, they did not harvest the sap of her trees to draw out the taint. All they did was corrupt to Cup, make it so that with each purification the Draught became less pure.
By the end if they realized it they were already too late to stop, even a single taste could make one addicted to the power it gave you.
When they had explained this in detail they knew that A'oraen was on the brink of accepting the horrible truth of what his friend had committed. How he had doomed himself and likely the many others that had followed him on this mad quest.
"Are you certain? Could he truly have done this?" A'oraen asked.
"I did some research into why Mildreas was cast from the order so long ago, it turns out that this is not the first time he dabbled into the Fel." Maluineth said. "Did you know why he was thrown out of the Shen'dralar? Because he was researching the demonic and what powers it could bring."
A'oraen may not have heard her, he seemed to still be digesting what she had told him before.
"I know that this is hard to accept, it is possible he never intended to let the corruption take him and did intend to remove it with all his ability but…"
She never finished as the Head Councillor raised his hand and stopped her, he was motionless again for a moment before he let out a heavy sigh. As if the world was bearing down on his shoulders he leaned against the railing and took in a deep shuddering breath so to speak again.
"I have always argued with him over the ethics of why it is best to not become drunk on power, for it leads to greed and eventual ruin." A'oraen said, reminiscing of his old times with his now changed friend. "He never agreed with me, saying that power and control are important and that so long as one can wield that level of power they are fit to have it."
He took a seat, leaning against one of the supports for the railing and resting. It was quiet for a short time, him trying to understand how this could have happened and what evil his friend had been consumed by.
"How many others?" A'oraen asked. "How many more of our people have been corrupted by the Fel?"
"Elaallaes and Nytheas, we know they have been receiving Draught from Mildreas. He is also selling his daughter to one of them as a bride. Elaallaes is vying for my position." Tylarwin replied, finding it more than likely that the three intended to all take up key roles in the city.
Mildreas would naturally place himself as the leader of the Highborne overall, while Nytheas and Elaallaes would take control of the Shen'dralar and the Guard respectfully. But to do that the three current holders of those positions needed to die, and all of them were in the room as they spoke. That fact was not lost to A'oraen.
"Can either of you account for your Orders?" A'oraen inquired.
"We know there are traitors in the Shen'dralar, Mildreas said as such that he had agents in my midst. But the Guard is much harder to determine, but we suspect that he has turned some of the Officers." Maluineth replied.
"Do you know who specifically?" A'oraen asked once more.
"No, we do not." Tylarwin replied when Maluineth seemed hesitant to give a definite answer.
A'oraen sighed as he realized the situation they were in, they had many enemies about and most of them seemed to be within the very orders that they thought incorruptible. More than that, he never would have expected this sort of evil to surface in this new city and a reinvigorated people.
After so many centuries suffering they were happy and content with their lives. Yet there were those that still schemed and intended for greater harm to befall their people just so that they can revel in more power.
"I think it is best we put an end to this, once and for all." Tylarwin said.
"I agree, I won't let our people be shamed by this or be responsible for more evil befalling the world." A'oraen said, somewhat to the surprise of his two fellow Nobles. "What you have alerted me to outside these walls, what is befalling the land has given me pause. To turn back and have to contemplate on what our people wish to be, how we should be perceived amongst the world."
For so long he had thought that the people envied them, hated them for their might and magical prowess that had brought them a great empire. He believed that the lesser races simply were envious of their mighty spellcraft, the brilliant cities that shone in the moonlight, and the beauty of their race.
That was what he had thought. But in truth it was a delusion on his part.
They hated them for their arrogance and belief that they could do no wrong, yet in turn he came to realize just how wrong their people can be. How much harm they have caused the world and how wicked they could be, it was shocking it had taken him so long to realize it. Not even through the madness of Azshara, the tyranny of Tortheldrin, and even his own plans to commit genocide had not roused him to this horrifying revelation.
A mad queen that sought to have all life on this planet exterminated.
The tyrannical prince that through his maddening hunger for magic slaughtered the majority of his own city's population so that he would not need to share the magic.
Then there was himself. What would be his moniker? Would he be seen as the callous and monstrous elf that committed genocide and wholesale slaughter? Did he want to be remembered as a monster to be hated for good reason?
"The Obelisk… the tool that Mildreas wishes to use to exterminate all life here in the Desolace, I do not wish for it to be used." A'oraen said, another surprise to the two nobles. "Recent events have made me consider our actions, the consequences they bring upon us and what they lead to."
Maluineth could understand that better than most would, she took had been forced to consider many things in her time in Ethel Rethor. One such thing was her control over the Shen'dralar, being her worthiness to hold it and if she should maintain that hold. Was she truly someone that could say that she earned her place and the respect of the Mages?
But for so many had turned against her showed her much, from those that turned towards Mildreas and others deciding to turn their nose up to her in muted disrespect. That was the esteem she had earned for her efforts.
In spite of how much it infuriated her and how many years she had planned and plotted the downfall of Mordent and the reclamation of the Shen'dralar. How she had plotted the murder of a man that she knew deserved to pay for his crimes, for betraying not only her father but the people also. That he did the bidding of a man that saw to the near extinction of their people and way of life.
Despite everything she saw as right with her actions. She could not help but accept that she had earned that contempt from her subordinates, for every wrong she had committed.
"I agree my Lord, maybe it is best we hold off on using the Obelisk. Maybe indefinitely." Maluineth said. "If this elemental invasion is as chaotic as we suspect than it should be our next priority after we deal with Mildreas' corruption and Mordent's civil unrest."
"Both of those will be dealt with in the now." A'oraen responded, rising back to his feet. "I will deal with Mildreas personally, end this one way or another if I am forced to. But you and Tylarwin will find Mordent and end this civil war immediately."
"Of course, we will…"
"Let me finish." A'oraen said, raising a hand and halting the words of confidence from the Archmage. "You will find him and all his allies, you offer him amnesty and that his crimes will be forgiven. He will bring his people back into the fold and we will no longer be divided."
Maluineth was silent and did not reply, when A'oraen looked towards her he saw the shock and horror in her eyes. It was as if what he had said was some kind of monstrous utterance that should never be spoken or heard by mortal ears.
"What?" Maluineth croaked out, words failing her for a moment. "You wish to pardon him?"
A'oraen's gaze hardened and he prepared for her verbal assault.
"Yes, the actions against the man were unjust and we are as much to blame for this civil unrest as he is. I want this to be ended peacefully, no more lives lost or chaos wrought because of the slights we have already dealt to one another." A'oraen replied.
"He…!"
"Is no longer a threat!" A'oraen said, forcefully halting the rant that was to come. He would have no argument in this, regardless of personal feelings and the still smouldering hatred she held in her heart. "Right now we are facing more than just a civil war and possible corruption, but an event caused by our people that could see us all dead and if not than us seen as the monsters that caused it. We will be dealing with another catastrophe that will see the end of our people in its entirety."
Maluineth looked stricken and unable to say anything, wishing to voice her grievances towards the idea of letting the man off the hook. It was true that they conspired his murder and had also taken the lives of maybe a dozen others to see to his demise but she still held onto the past sins he had yet to pay for.
"I will do as you wish my Lord." Maluineth replied, straining to keep her words level and calm. "Should he not accept?"
"I think he would, the man is far from a fool and as much as you hate him and think little of his ways I know for a fact he values our people very highly." A'oraen said, turning to Tylarwin he added for him. "Find him and deliver the massage, I will not accept his death being the result of this meeting."
Tylarwin nodded, understanding that he is entrusting him to ensure that Maluineth did not go against the orders and attempt to kill Mordent when she had the chance. He doubted that she would go against the Head Councillor's words but she had a temper at times and it could not always be accounted for.
"Get too it then, we don't have much time." A'oraen said, dismissing the two and turning back to the Heart that hovered nearby.
As the door closed and he was left alone he contemplated his next move. Mildreas he knew was someone that would not give up his dreams and goals, not for anything. He valued power in all its forms and even the slightest of losses wounded his pride beyond any measure.
He had seen that wound when he was forced to hand over the artefacts back to Maluineth, although he was surprised that it was not more pronounced than before. Yet it remained the same, Mildreas would not take this lightly, being called corrupt and forced to surrender or die.
"I am sorry, my oldest friend, but I know how this will end." A'oraen said aloud, as if preparing himself to say the words when he needed to. "But I hope against hope that you will listen to my plea and not dismiss my words."