CHAPTER 9: Council

"Paladins live for Honor. Paladins live for Order. Paladins live for Life. Paladins live for Death." - Paladin Creed

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The Templar Paladinium, Kingdom State of Galiron, Eiridan Empire

Ezakem 10 AE

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Nash felt so small. He and Eckard stood before fourteen seated council members in a round amphitheater. Seven council members sat on each of the far sides of the chamber, highly elevated by marble pedestals. As expected, the council members were the oldest and wisest of the Paladins.

However, they were not alone in the audience. Eight other Paladins stood behind Nash and Eckard before the High Council, awaiting their turn to air their respective concerns or deliver their usual reports or both.

A middle-aged man looking just a little older than Eckard stood a few paces before them, on a podium, under the direct scrutiny of the High council. Nash knew the man is younger than his mentor in actual age, but he appears to be 5 years Eckard's senior, with more gray hair and a receding hairline. Beside him, stood a younger man in his mid-thirties with dark skin and close-cropped curly hair.

Both men were sweating and seemed to be hanging on to their wits from the invisible Qi onslaught of the High Council.

"Three Vilkasvir were indeed infesting the village of Toth outside of Calholdt. We neutralized them four days ago. That is all, my Lords," said the knight, finishing his succinct report.

"Excellent as always, Lieutenant Harrenhall and Ensign Sten. Thank you," the lead council member said, nodding at the lieutenant in a gesture of dismissal.

"Report to Captain Archevaughn for your next assignment," said another council member, a portly woman. Lieutenant Harrenhall and Ensign Sten seemed relieved to step down from the podium and immediately exited the chamber.

Nash understood their hurry. Being in the presence of the High Council's Qi blast is like standing at the bottom of a waterfall. It requires great mental fortitude to stay on your feet and remain conscious.

However, Nash has easily grown accustomed to the exercise after only a week. Though he tried to keep it to himself and did not like to brag, word of his resilience easily spread throughout the Order and he has been labeled a prodigy ever since.

When he first met them two years ago, Nash's ignorant opinion was that all of the High Council members could use some exercise. They were either too thin or too fat, and definitely too old, to be leading a military organization.

But he later realized that being a Paladin requires more than physical prowess. Though appearing frail or incapable, these fourteen council members are the most powerful Paladins of the Order. Or so he was told. He had never seen them in action. Yet he could feel their power constantly trying to break him at that moment. He needed no other proof.

He approached the podium. Eckard equally strode beside him.

"Oh, we have the Synestra father and son," remarked the lead council member as they stepped to the podium. "As I recall, you explicitly requested to operate alone, young Synestra."

Nash blushed a little at this statement. "I still do, my Lord," he replied curtly.

"Then why are you here, General?" the lead council member now addressed Eckard.

"Oh," Eckard casually replied, completely without any decorum, "I thought I wanna hear the boy's full report. I am his father after all."

"You are aware that you have a class waiting for you, correct?" the lady council member politely interjected, completely unabashed by Eckard's indolent manner.

"Yes, I am. And I prefer to be here listening to the exploits of an ungrateful but talented Paladin first-class than babysit a bunch of untalented starry-eyed children."

The recruits, in truth, are far older than Nash. He was just a special case and Eckard obviously liked to exaggerate.

"And as I told my son here a while ago, I needed the exercise," Eckard continued. "Is this your full blast, by the way? Because I could barely feel a tickle. You sure you can't turn this up a little more?"

Nash outwardly winced but inwardly smiled. He always admired his mentor's courage to speak like that, even to the High Council.

"If you had been so kind to accept our invitation to join us, General, then you would be constantly 'exercising' here with us," another council member spoke.

"Qi is not the sole measure of strength, Council Man. I would rather not rot my physical body here with you," Eckard scorned. "I still want my virility with me, so I prefer being able to walk about, thank you."

"State your report, Lieutenant Synestra," the lead council member interposed.

Nash immediately narrated his encounter with the forty Vilkasvir and the Akharim in the valley. He also added his previous encounters with the other three Akharim over the last three weeks.

"In all these encounters, the Vilkasvir seemed to have been 'led' by the Akharim. I did not immediately conclude the first three encounters because they do usually go hand in hand in most Scourge-infested areas. But the fourth encounter cemented that hypothesis," Nash finished.

"Excellent job, as usual, Lieutenant Synestra," the lead council member said dismissively.

"See Captain Archevaughn for," the lady council member began matter-of-factly, but Nash had to interrupt.

"Wait, this doesn't concern you?"

"Akharim have been known to lead Vilkasvir in the past, Lieutenant. This is nothing new," the lead council member said.

"I thought so too," Eckard finally spoke again. "Tell them."

Nash nodded at this. "The last Akharim I killed also spoke of the return of Lilith and the tendrils of Semiramis."

The atmosphere instantly changed. Nash felt lightheaded as the High Council's Qi blast immediately dissipated. It was like playing tug of war and the other side suddenly let go of the rope.

The center door behind the High Council opened and in walked a little boy of ten. He was dressed in typical Paladin recruit's garb but a small crown on his head and the regal cape that doubled as his cloak spoke his status. Prince Raynor Eiridan, the second prince of the Eiridan Empire.