Sons of Ironstorm - Book 2: Griffon's Call

Chapter 31: Dark Consequence

"I don't need to tell you why we have gathered the Anvil; you all felt the surge emanating away from the flash point." A wave over hidden crystals set into the table top and an image coalesced into being over the table's heart. It was a silver bladed sword, its length afire with runic light.

"Despite our attempts to ward it, the Sa'anish Weapon of Power known as the Star Sword has been discovered and its Wielder awakened." His empty eyes tracked down the table to the face he was looking for.

"Takaan, your foragers were tasked with preventing this event."

The named councilor, a female demon with straight ice blonde hair tumbling out of her voluminous hood to frame her sculpted face, nodded.

"It was, honored Chancellor. Their failure in this case, is mine," she replied, also using Taren.

"It's heartening to see you take that blame, Takaan," a body-less voice rumbled in the same language before the Chancellor could speak.

Instantly every demon in the room knelt right knee down, a clenched right fist held stiff armed to the floor as a brace, the other held to the hip of the bent but still upright leg.

"Great Lord Meganis, you honor us with your presence," the Chancellor declared to the floor, not daring to lift his head.

If he had, he would've seen a dark shadow appear in the space behind his chair, swiftly growing to dominate that end of the room. In the heart of that shadow a face appeared, its chin resting on the floor, the top of its head pressing against the ceiling. A frown marred the perfect, rectangular features, which seemed to be carved from granite. The face was the only thing solid about the shadow, a twisting mass of darkness that drew in what little light pervaded the chamber until the light crystals embedded in the walls flickered with the strain. Indeed the entire chamber dimmed in Meganis' projected presence, its power biting through every demon's flesh shell to stir the dark substance of their essence.

"Save your honeyed words for Calandris, demon," the voice rumbled, fuller now that the shadow penetrating the chamber had swelled so greatly, each word coated with venom. The walls of the chamber hummed in response to the power lacing each syllable, also in Taren.

"As Tactician, I've no time for them."

The Chancellor shivered as he felt the shadow's attention shift from him to Takaan, halfway down the table.

"I too felt the Sa'anish weapon awaken, like an acid-soaked flail across my heart. The great purpose has been threatened by this failure of yours, Takaan. And that simply can't be allowed."

Before Takaan could do more than shift herself under the weight of the dark giant's attention, a fork of black lighting, consuming light as it darted through the air, lashed out from the shadows surrounding it to smash into her body. She had just enough time to gasp in pain, true pain as her very essence was disturbed before the lightning ripped her shell apart and consumed her essence, leaving nothing but smoldering clothing behind. Such was the power of the dark giant, though this was only a projection of his presence. In reality Meganis stood on the far side of the portal, his attention filled with the task of marshaling the gathered might of their demonic horde.

The Chancellor grimaced as he felt Takaan die. He had warned his sister about being careless before. Now she paid the ultimate price for that lack.

"Allow another Weapon to fall into the hands of the insects fated to wield them and half this council will be ash," the giant face's rumbling voice promised. "We won't tolerate any further failures, or threats to the great purpose."