CHAPTER FIVE.
the prophecy be told.THE THREE ELDERS LED MARS AND KP THROUGH A LONG, GRAND HALLWAY. Mars could barely see the tall, wooden doors that stood at the end of it, and her mind could only imagine what it held for the two of them.
There were golden chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, one every five or so feet. They reflected the decorative wallpaper neatly, the amber colored symbols gleaming and shining at every angle. There wasn't anything else in the hall other than a few sleek tables with flowers and other antiques sitting atop them, even though there was definitely enough room to fit a couch sideways. Mars got the impression that most people didn't spend much time in the hallway itself, but rather in the room it hid at the end.
With guards standing at every point she seemed to look, Mars couldn't help the nervous feeling eating at her stomach. Even though Hebron had acted as if they were welcome guests, she had the idea that wrecking into their gardens with a missing war weapon probably wasn't what got you into a dinner party with the Council.
Beside her, KP's shoulders slumped defeatedly, and his dark eyes stared at the feet of Delia Kane, which happened to be what Mars would call one of the ugliest pairs of heels she'd ever seen. Mars tried to relieve her nerves by calming his, bumping his arm with her elbow, gaining a slight side eye in return. KP quickly shoved his hands into his jacket pockets as he nudged her back.
Mars let out a quiet exhale, thinking that maybe she would be alright and if they were about to be interrogated by the wisest minds of Andromeda, then she had hope that she would be okay. Little hope, but hope nonetheless.
After what felt like a fifteen minute walk, they finally reached the doors, and the two guards standing in front of it lifted their hands to a salute simultaneously, like machines. Their uniforms were a matte gold color, little intricate designs drawn across their chests like the wallpaper in the hall.
" Wills, Taylor, " Delia nodded in recognition, and the two guards, as if on cue, pushed the doors open before them.
As they slowly swung open, the lights from inside the meeting room were instantly in their eyes, bright and blinding as they filled the hall. Shielding her eyes partially, Mars didn't even see the trio of Elders stride inside. KP grabbed her forearm and pulled her forward with him. The doors shut quicker than they had opened.
" Oh, my gods, " KP said in awe while Mars' eyes refocused, now seeing that the striking light was coming from a huge chandelier, much bigger than the ones in the hall; it had many little crystals hanging from it, sparkling from the candles lit behind them.
Mars imagined the Council's meeting room would be larger, but she guessed it didn't need to be when it had so many extravagant looking things inside. A long, glass table sat in the middle of the room, thirteen chairs with golden framing sat on either side of it, with one sitting by itself on the end. The rest of the Elders had already filled the seats, as Hebron, Delia, and Ginae went to take theirs, leaving one chair on the end empty. She knew it was symbolic to the thirteenth planet, Xenia, it was meant to represent that they were still here, or some sappy thing like that.
Any thought of being okay completely left Mars' mind when she saw all of the Elders' eyes on her and KP. She had never seen all of them, at least, not in person. Of course, she'd seen segments on the holograms displayed at school when they'd have open discussions about whether to build a bridge or which planet would hold the X Race, but she never dreamed she'd be standing in front of the twelve Elders, certainly not after she wrecked their precious garden.

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Mars Argo & the Silver Wolf [original]
Science FictionWhat remains of the human race has migrated to the planet Ceren of the Andromeda Galaxy following a nuclear war that eradicated all inhabitable places on Earth, living amongst twelve other species of aliens. Several decades into humans - adapted lat...