Dealings in the Council of Avalhein - Chapter 7

Dealings in the Council of Avalhein…

Chapter 7

“Now what would be a good name for a good pet…” wondered a voice in one of the chambers in the council’s halls. She was walking around a massive undead-esque Ceree. “I believe Puli would do councilor Varan.” She laughed in a high-pitched voice that was her own. She admired her handiwork.

Before her stood a now-massive Ceree, whether it could still be called that or not, she could not say. Its skin was rotten in patches, pebbled black where it was not. Strong, well-defined muscles rippled as it shifted in its place. Its ebony eyes gleamed with pet-like adoration. Down its back paraded hollow bone-like spikes that emitted a low keening wail. Down his neck were five pairs of glowing green holes. Apparently, that was where he breathed. They released a winding wisp of smoke that was green too.

The other looked hopefully at the bearer of the voice. Eyes filled with a pleading to be petted. He was stooped, his head now too high for the ceiling built for Ceree height. “Puli, I want you to go to the Dark One and tell him that you will be my eyes and ears over what he will do.”

She smiled and petted the beast. She was answered by a low pleased purring. The beast’s head snuggled against the aleron that was used to pat it. She smiled encouragingly and waved the aleron towards the wall. All of a sudden, there was a large arch that opened out into the night. Where there had once been solid ground, there was now a large ravine.

The beast waddled awkwardly towards the opening; he did not want to damage any of his master’s precious possessions. His tail was in between his legs and that almost tripped him once or twice. Once he was on the ledge, he looked back with one last loving glance at his master. He would do anything for her.

All of a sudden, he dropped of the ledge and his ‘master’ smiled when she heard the leathery snap of wings as they struggled to gain height. In moments, he was but a speck over the horizon.

Without warning, the cliff that had so suddenly appeared was now solid ground again. The archway vanished and the wall was seamless again. With a satisfied smirk, she stepped out of the room.

*** *** *** *** ***

The voice tormented her and she shivered in the coldness of the void. The images had stopped flashing and now she just wanted to wake. She heard a thumping in the darkness, and she ran from it. Ran farther and farther.

She woke to the sound of a frantic thumping on the door. Slowly she got up from the carpets and walked towards the door, her tail dragging sluggishly behind her. She strained to hear the frightened voice that came from the opposite side of the door. “Elder Kimaha! Elder Kimaha!” it screamed with urgency. The pounding continued, intensifying by the second.

“I’m coming! I’m coming!” She shouted, flustered at being so rudely woken at so early a time. Her joints were giving her problems and she seemed to limp towards the door.

When she finally opened it, she saw a frightened elf, but the voice was Councilwoman Geirrha’s. The elf ran in, tears brimming in her eyes, and hugged elder Kimaha. She was surprised at the hug.

The moment the door was closed, the elf began to change. Her body began to elongate, the same with her face. Alerons sprouted at the same time as the tail and hind legs. Before her stood Councilwoman Geirrha, but her teeth chattered and she looked around nervously.

“Geirrha, dear, what happened to you?” said Elder Kimaha in concern. She had never seen anyone so flustered in her life.

“Kimaha, something or someone is after me. I woke up to someone trying to transform me into something else, but it was a good thing that someone was wakened by my screams…” Geirrha said, shuddering at the memory. “The pain! Oh the pain…” she moaned.

“Dear, nothing’s going to get you. Go to Malkknrre’s chambers. Ask him to stay with you all night; he is kind enough to do so. After all, he owes you something for barging in so unceremoniously two days ago,” said Kimaha.

Sniffling, Geirrha reluctantly agreed. For almost a quarter of the journey to Malkknrre’s quarters, Kimaha accompanied Geirrha. After that, Geirrha insisted that Kimaha had already done too much for her and she could go alone.

Kimaha sighed, as much in relief as in disappointment that she could no longer help. Tired, she went back to her quarters, where a different challenge met her.

“Missed me, Kimaha?” said a voice that filled her with such ecstasy that she sagged to the floor laughing. The joint pains that plagued her were gone, and she cried out in joy. “Hope you liked that, Kimaha, what comes next is very painful.”

The next thing Kimaha knew was that her body was being torn apart from sheer agony. She cried out in pain, and her world disappeared into darkness.