Chương 45: Restraint is a hard learned lesson

Silence had overtaken the room. Georgina and Kesseroth were looking at each other meaningfully. Andy stared at Reginald. A facility? The corrupted beast he had slain, had a name. Onyx. His stomach twisted. For several seconds the silence felt like a blanket, then it felt suffocating. Andy pushed himself upright and the world immediately attempted to leave without him. The floor lurched sideways and the walls moved in. His stomach seemed to flip upside down and then inside out. He laid back down.

The dizziness subsided to a degree.

"Standing," Andy muttered.

"Is off the table." And then added after a beat, "Although I wouldn't envy a table I attempted to stand on. Nobody laughed.

"It was a joke." Andy assured them.

"You appear concussed," Reginald added.

"I can be funny and concussed. That way I'm not helpless and concussed."

"Andy," Georgina said softly.

"You need to take it slow." Andy ignored her but then his brain kicked back around and reminded him of what was happening. Auri. Auri in a facility. Onyx. His ears flattened.

"Auri. That's where they took her, isn't it?" Andy looked at Georgina, and then at Kesseroth. Neither denied it, nor did they look surprised. Something cold settled in his chest.

"You knew" Georgina sighed. Andy's [TRUTH SENSE] wobbled on his very drained reserves. But confirmed. She knew.

"Don't deny it, I can tell you knew."

"We knew about the facility."

"And you didn't tell us?"

"Why do you think I told you to come here? I thought I was protecting you."

"Protecting us? By withholding some pretty serious information?" Neither responded. Andy closed his eyes which somehow made the dizziness worse. When he opened them again Kesseroth was watching him carefully.

"Andy."

"What?"

"You are becoming agitated."

"Gee, you think?"

"Yes. Yes I do." Andy groaned and immediately regretted it as a spike of pain shot through his skull.

"I am a little agitated."

"A little?"

"A moderate sum." He grit his teeth trying to ease the pain.

"Of course I'm agitated. Who wouldn't be? I'm strapped to a table. My best friend has been taken to a frankenstein facility! I can't even move without almost passing out! And worst of all, somehow the people who have been around the longest, who should be helping, knew all along. Now, if you could please stop this room from spinning I will be on my way."

"The room isn't spinning, Andrew."

"Oh, it most certainly is." Gustave shifted his perch at the foot of Andy's bed.

"I would like to add to the record Andrew that neither is the room spinning, nor are you strapped to the bed."

"Traitor." The hawk ruffled his feathers.

"In any case, we are no use to Auriana in this condition." Auri. His thoughts drifted back to her. Alone, captured. The image of her being tugged by the Torchbearer. What Onyx had looked like before he'd killed him. Reginald's descriptions of the facility. The shock sticks, the experiments, the corruption. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Andy swallowed.

"What if they're hurting her?" Nobody answered. Georgina looked away. Kesseroth's expression hardened. For the first time since he got it, his horn felt–empty, hollow. The familiar sense of magic flowing through him was gone. It had been burned away. Burned like all of those soldiers he'd killed.

"How long until the meeting."

"One hour. Twenty seven minutes."

"Why do you know that?"

"I… have a watch." Kesseroth said. The absurdity of a dragon owning a timepiece got to him. Andy started laughing. Tears rolled down his cheeks, and it wasn't until much later that he realized he hadn't actually been laughing at all. He'd been sobbing. When he'd managed to calm himself, Reginald cleared his throat.

"If I may, I have questions." Kesseroth gestured for him to continue.

"If, everyone knew about the facility already. Why has it not been stopped?" A knock on the door caused Kesseroth to quiet the discussion, and then he spoke, "Enter." The slow-moving oak-like person made its way into the room.

"Aaaah. We meet again. You seem larger than the last time we met, also more…horizontal." He then turned and without haste addressed Kesseroth."I apologize for the delay, Councilman Kesseroth."

"That is quite alright Elder Treeven. I appreciate you coming back."

"The Great Elder has waited this long, what is a couple more days?"

"Either way, it is with great courtesy we ask humbly for your healing on Andy here."

"Andy. That is an unusual name." Treeven said addressing Andy once more. A delicate green glow began to emanate from his branches. Buds bloomed in his canopy and delicate white flowers fell from his head landing on Andy's flank with a soft sigh.

"I knew an Andy once, maybe a thousand years back. Perhaps you have crossed paths." Andy's head stopped swimming, the pain began to subside.

"Oh, I haven't been around that long."

"Is that so?" Treeven asked slowly.

"Yeah. I'm not sure how long it's been but I'm relatively young."

"Hmm." The green glow subsided.

"There you are, Andy. I look forward to next we meet." Treeven turned and very slowly began his exit. When the door finally closed behind him Andy was standing.

"Alright, Gustave. You rest up. We head out at dawn."

"Not so fast," Kesseroth said.

"Andy, you are coming with us to the council meeting. Gustave you may rest. Reginald, there are quite a few things that you have information about that must be secured. You too, will come with us to the council meeting where we will decide on what actions need to be taken." Andy, now accompanied by Reginald once again stood on the stage in front of the council. Kesseroth began, "Esteemed council. I welcome you back. Today we had planned on meeting to discuss the Life Nexus.

Before we can, there are additional pieces on the board."

"Our guest, Lady Auriana, was taken from my land. We have reason to believe she is on her way to the facility in the north." Gasps were heard across the room. Several members just shook their heads sadly.

"We have brought the matter of the facility to the council before. Prior to now, we have always agreed abstaining was the best course of action. The Harness grows emboldened to take a sophont from outside of his land."

"We cannot get involved in the Harness' facility." came an unfamiliar voice. A large humanoid sophont with rabbit ears was speaking quickly.

"Not now. There is too much at stake with the two new Nexus'" Once more gasps were heard around the room. Kesseroth quieted the room.

"Yes. If you have not become aware yet, the valley just north of here is currently in the process of becoming a fire Nexus. As it is in my land, and under my jurisdiction I am taking responsibility for it and its protection. This session is not to address the Fire Nexus, but is to address whether or not a guest under our jurisdiction will be protected."

"The answer must be the same as before. If we cross through two separate human territories to raid this facility. We will be inciting another war. Is one guest really worth another war with the humans?" The spider woman from the feast hissed.

"Even I, matron to millions, only produces a sophont once every millenia. Our numbers cannot handle it." Several murmurs of agreement went around the room. Sessaly stood up then, water dripping from her fingertips.

"If we do not, how long will it be before his men are emboldened enough to come for you, Matron? Or for any of us. We know about his experiments, about the contraptions he has been using. About his partnership with the conduit, Madam Tempest. They must be stopped before what happened hundreds of years ago happens again. We are just now seeing magic returning to this world. Finally our numbers are beginning to increase again.

To your point Matron, In your prime you produced a sophont every decade or two, imagine what life will be like if we can get back to that point." Arguing erupted from every corner of the chamber. Kesseroth allowed it to play out for several minutes and then he called order.

"Honored council members. We require a vote. A super majority has not been reached in this matter previously, and that is what we must meet in order to act."

"All in favor." Seven hands, tentacles, or other body parts rose.

"Against." This time there were eight.

"And that leaves three abstaining. Council, we will adjourn for a meal and come back to finish our other discussions. I thank you." Andy looked between Reginald, Kesseroth. Georgina and the rest of the council members.

"Wait. That was it? What just happened? No. That can't be it." Georgina calmly put a hand on his shoulder and led him outside.

"No, Georgina, this can't be over." Andy tried to turn.

"Andy, come with me. Let's talk outside."