Isle of Wysteria: The Monolith Crumbles (8 page)

Chief Hanni of Cocimbas rose to his feet, his decorative palm leaves swaying about. “You just said that the Stonemasters are listening in. Why would you bring one into this convocation?”

Queen Forsythia raised a calming hand. “Do not worry. Odger is a friend of mine. He has severed ties with his people.”

“She fed me lunch once,” Odger boasted, as if that were a perfectly logical reason to betray one’s homeland.

The delegates grew even more concerned as Odger commanded the block to roll off the wheelbarrow and onto the floor. “The Queen asked me to prepare this. This is Kartonite, or ‘truestone’ in my tongue. The alchemically hardened material that makes up the walls of the monolith.”

Queen Forsythia held out her hand to the Artice delegation. “King Turino, your daughter is one of the most powerful of your race, is she not?”

“Quite right,” Turino affirmed, adjusting his monocle.

“If you would please attempt to crack it.”

With her father’s permission, the tall blonde woman stepped forward, the long coattails of her riding jacket trailing behind her. The wood at the far end of the hall opened free, permitting the blast to go out into the night sky without damaging the royal tree.

Princess Turino clapped her hands together and began a long powerful war cry, the sound gathering in between her fingers. Growing and growing, ripples appeared in the air itself, like a sphere of liquid glass. As her war cry reached its crescendo, she forged the energy into a spike. With a crack like thunder, the spike was launched, crashing into the block of stone, all of its power focused into a single point at the tip.

The clouds parted and forest bowed, the mighty trees leaning away for miles in the direction of the blast. But when it was over, the stone remained unbroken and unstained.

Princess Turino took a second to catch her breath, her face astonished. Her father huffed in disappointment.

“There is no shame, good Princess. That was a demonstration of sonic magic worthy of the Thunder Goddess herself,” Queen Forsythia granted, helping the woman to save face.

Princess Turino saluted in thanks and took her seat again.

Next, Queen Forsythia held her hand out to the Mesdan delegation. “I would ask one of your party to break it as well.”

Prince Francisque stood up reluctantly, his long white tail flicking about suspiciously. “I feel like this is a trap,” he commented.

“If you break it, it is because we loosened it up for you first,” someone shouted from the Articeian table.

Many of the delegates chuckled. A few clapped their hands.

The Prince spun around dramatically and kicked his leg in a high arcing strike. A wave of super cooled air rushed along the floor like a blue blade, covering the floor and the black stone with a thick layer of ice. Without missing a beat, the prince followed up with a quick series of five punches. Razor sharp shards of ice shot out from his fists, impacting the stone with precision and strength. One after another, each hit the same exact spot.

The Prince stood up and waved his hand. The ice melted away, revealing an undamaged stone beneath.

“I fail to see the point in this,” King Nattol of Iea grumbled, his large jowls giggling beneath his chin.

“Truestone is the most stubborn element on Aetria,” Odger explained as he swatted at invisible flies buzzing around him. “It is even resistant to sea water. It cannot be unmade by any single magic that you here possess.”

“If it is resistant to seawater, then cannot we create dykes to protect our islands from erosion?” Representative Malitrin of Maliao inquired.

“An astute suggestion, senator,” Queen Forsythia praised, “but I am afraid just this one block took nearly a month to craft by our Stonemaster here.”

Odger gave one final powerful swat to the stone and put himself off balance, falling to the floor.

Queen Forsythia held up her staff and the doors at the far end opened, allowing Mina to enter.

“This is my friend, Mina Duvare,” The Queen explained. “She and I have been working on a way to crack the skin of the monolith for some time. Mina, if you would.”

Mina shook her hands and readied herself. “This takes a lot out of me, so I hope I get it right the first time.”

Every eye was upon her as she stood there, meditating.

Mina’s lavender eyes sprung open. In her right hand, she gathered together a sphere of sound. In her left, she gathered a sphere of cold and ice. With great effort, she brought the two closer and closer together. They resisted, like matched poles on a magnet, but she forced them closer anyway. Sweat formed on her brow. Her muscles trembled. Her feet dug into the wood of the floor to keep herself from falling over. The two spheres deformed, fighting against one another, nearly squashing into discs in her grip, until she broke through their resistance, and the two merged.

A tornado of blue dust leapt from her hands, striking the block of Kartonite. The stone eroded away, from one end to the other, as if it were nothing more than a sand sculpture caught in the wind. In the space of a heartbeat it was completely gone, reduced to nothing more than a pile of ash.

Half the delegates rose to their feet. King Turino’s monocle fell to the floor and cracked.

“What was that?” they asked in a dozen languages.

A slight grin crossed Queen Forsythia’s face.

Mina took a second to catch her breath. “That was a synthesis. Two different kinds of magic working together at the same time, producing a third effect. In this case, I am simultaneously crystallizing ice in the pores of the stone and vibrating them with sympathetic sound waves. The vibrating ice crystals trigger the breaking point of each individual grain, causing the stone particles to break away from their neighbors and slough off.”

Everyone’s joy turned to horror as they realized what she had just done.

“Blasphemy!” Minister Nauru called out.

“How dare you bring such sacrilege into my presence?” King Quarren of Baakuu shouted.

King Turino took particular offense. “Teaching our sonic magic to an outsider is strictly forbidden. Who was your master, Mesdan, that we may bring him to justice?”

Mina wiped the sweat from her brow. “My sonic coach was Marquis de Stint, of the Umor Guild. I doubt he’d care much to appear before your tribunal.”

“A pirate?” President Kaln of Sutor scoffed, tugging at the boutonniere in his finely tailored suit. “You would bring such scum here before us?”

Queen Forsythia held up her regal hand. “Ladies, gentlemen, please. Consider for a moment, if the god Jabint or the goddess Celina truly objected to Mrs. Duvare using their magic, they could remove it from her on a whim, could they not?”

The soundness of her logic took the edge off of their outrage. Reluctantly, they took their seats again to hear her out.

Queen Forsythia stood up and addressed them earnestly. She knew in her heart that the next few moments would be the key to everything. “Individually, not a single one of our islands has the magic to defeat the Stonemasters in their monolith. But by working together, by combining our magics in synthesis, we can save all of Aetria.”

The room became as silent as the grave. You could have heard a feather drop to a table. Suspicious glances were exchanged about. Fear and reluctance, mixed with desperation and unease. A stew of panic was boiling to the surface, but the Queen stood in the center of all of it, weathering their accusatory eyes with a regal calm that seemed almost magical. Just looking at her absolute confidence made their worries diminish, if only a little.

Nikki, in particular, could hardly believe what she was seeing. Without a single word, the Queen was calming the hearts of each person. In Nikki’s eyes, she seemed positively angelic.

Finally, it was Precept Nolocauss who broke the silence.

“Queen Forsythia,” he said, standing up, his long thin beard falling down and getting lost in the folds of his robes. “My team of scholars have studied your treaty.”

He tapped the stack of papers before them. “The terms of your proposal are beyond fair. The rights of each of our peoples are ensured; we maintain self-rule within our own borders, and we are all guaranteed a share of resources, as if we were one great nation. To be honest, just the food your Treesingers could grow for my people is worth ten times to me what you are asking in return.”

He pulled a page out of the stack and held it aloft for all to see. “But this is the most important clause. During the war, Queen Forsythia will have absolute control over all our military forces. This is prudent in wartime. Debates create delays that waste lives. However, once the Stonemasters are defeated, her authority ends, and such power is then to be given to a ruling council in the new Alliance where we each will have an equal voice.”

He turned his old gray eyes to her. “That is the part that made me change my mind about you. When I was summoned here, my advisors warned me that this was a power grab. I now see that no tyrant’s heart beats in your chest.”

“Thank you Precept,” The Queen said.

His countenance fell. “Even still…to share and teach our magic freely like this to others…it’s just…it’s not something I think I can stomach.”

Queen Forsythia could tell that the tide was turning against her, yet she appeared as calm as a spring day. “I know what I am proposing is taboo. But, when faced with utter annihilation, what other choice do we have?”

“Besides, think of all we could learn from each other.” Mina added, unable to hold her tongue. “There is an untapped wealth of magic in this room. Combinations and skills we have never even considered before. Think of what we could accomplish together as a team.”

Underking Meekil slapped his rodent-like tail on the floor. “What good is it to win the war if we betray everything that is sacred to us? There are things that are more important than life itself. Like honor.”

Although she did not show it, his words cut Athel deeply. Not too long ago, she had said almost the exact same thing to Privet. It felt like a lifetime ago.

“If you become the enemy in order to win, then you have already lost,” Guru Inthanos mused through dry lips.

For a brief moment, doubt crept into her heart.
Am I becoming the enemy? Would the old me have stood against me like they do now?
She quickly clamped down on it.

Head monk Uriosa stood up at his table and straightened his robes. “The Kingdom of Schillotaum will never agree to what you are proposing. Our god Awhano is not like Jabint of Celina. He guards his magic jealously. It must never be gifted to anyone outside our order. We will never sign your treaty.”

Without another word, Uriosa and his delegation turned and walked out of the room.

This is bad,
Athel thought to herself. But Queen Forsythia nodded graciously. “You must do what you feel is right, of course.”

Underking Meekil stood up with his aids. “I am sorry. What you are trying to do is admirable. But…I would rather die than teach my skills to a Talidivian.”

Minister Nauru spat out his bite of pudding. “How dare you!”

“How dare I? After you killed our men and enslaved our women?”

“That was over two centuries ago!”

Nauru grabbed his feathered hat from the rack. “Excuse me, Queen Forsythia, but you appear to have a rodent infestation. I will not sit in the presence of a Mertrion one second longer!”

And with that, the two delegations left by separate exits.

This is very bad.
“Ladies, gentlemen. I know that passions can boil close to the surface in the face of old enemies. But, think on your people. When the seas swallow up your lands, what good will your pride do them then? Now is the time to set aside our feelings and do what is necessary to save our families. Your wives, children, and husbands.”

Many more tables began gathering up their things and packing their bags.

For the briefest of moments, a look of despair passed through the Queen’s eyes.

Then the delegation from Kwi stood up. Old Chief Maaturro with his son Naanie, and his grandson Nuutrik. “The tribes of Kwi have already decided,” he announced in his raggedy old tones. “We will sign your treaty. If Tidnaa doesn’t like it, he can come and complain to us about it himself.”

Their seal was placed on the treaty, and they walked up to present it to Queen Forsythia.

“Thank you, friends,” she said in relief.

The process of packing slowed amongst the other delegates. Some began to reconsider, looking over the treaty anew, but they still hesitated.

Guru Inthanos scratched at his long craning neck. “Queen Forsythia, I cannot authorize this myself. I will have to commune with the Goddess Maa’aat first.”

He looked up, determination in his eyes. “But I will try to convince her.”

“I can ask for nothing more.”

“Well, I could care less what Rendas says,” King Dolan bellowed out angrily, slapping his seal on the treaty. “Where was our God Rendas when the Stone Council sent their secret police to punish my people? Eh? Where was he when my own son was taken from his bed at night? If Rendas wouldn’t protect us then, then I say to the pit with him now! Madaringa will sign your treaty with or without his approval.”

The passion of his words enlivened the room, encouraging those who were on the fence.

President Kaln looked up, resolved. “As will Sutor.”

“Hazari too! King Buni called out. “The God of Lightning prefers a good fight any day.”

“And Hoeun,” added King Frians. “Sponatrion owes me a few favors anyway.”

“Hauntailia also,” Proconsul Neriise stated.

Queen Forsythia realized that she had been holding her breath. The tide had turned. A dozen more declared their affirmation. As the treaties were signed and brought up to the Queen, Alder took them and began making stacks around her throne. The Queen sincerely thanked each of them in turn.

As the Wysterian Alliance was formally created, the room took on a celebratory mood. More wine was called for, and enthusiastically given. Delegates greeted and conversed with each other warmly, no longer as rivals, but as brothers. An hour ago, they had each been the masters of their own islands; now they were voices in a new choir. It was a good day.