The Judgment of the Hall

Hall of Strakuuvindor
The Immortal Realm

Suella was careful not to let her eyes wander as she stepped into the sacred Hall of Strakuunvindor, meeting place of the Katei'mindosh Protectorate. In all of the Immortal Realm, this was the one place where any of the Protectorate were welcome and harm could befall none. At least, that was what was supposed to happen. Sometimes, things went wrong, as had happened when the vile Crusos had offered grave insult to Kama'uel, the Most Deprived of the Stoics. Kama'uel had been wroth with fury and chased Crusos out of the hall with a scourge.

She felt no fear in entering this place, not with the mighty warrior Erastmus lumbering beside her with his usual threatening gaze challenging any who would hold it. Even among Immortals who could not taste death, not many wanted to risk his wrath, even if a few might be able to challenge his strength. She had to constantly remind herself that there was no reason to feel fear or intimidation, not here of all places.

Yes, the various races that made up the Protectorate were supposedly at peace and not to prey on each other, but there were always…disagreements. Immortals couldn't be killed, but they could have great pain inflicted upon them and they could be bound, even if it was against the Treaty to do so to a fellow Katei'mindoshi. Those who encroached where they were not welcome often found themselves wishing they hadn't.

She had never been a warrior and was counted among the weakest of the Elements. Just as Mewela of the Tetrarchy would never grace a battlefield unless at the greatest of needs, neither was it Suella's purpose to strive against the Deta'takame, the forces of Chaos. Her strengths lie in compassion, healing, and the caring of mortals. None but a few of their number could spend any amount of time in the Mortal Realm for fear of losing their strengths. Perhaps due to her compassion and love for the mortals, she was one of those few. That meant that she had some measure of respect here, though she was nowhere near as respected as Erastmus or Maegamus. Those two were among the mightiest of all of the Element's warriors and had earned great glory in the struggle against the Deta'takame.

Her affinity for mortals was why she was here before the Great Council. Against all odds and completely to her bafflement, she had been the one fated to be the guardian of the mortal known as Syler Penion. Each of the Immortal Races had multiple of their number constantly walking among the Mortal Realm searching for the Master of Magic, the Prophesied One, all hoping that they would be the one who could guide and direct them. Nobody, not even the most mighty Tantis of the Tetrarchy, knew where he would come from. Only the Voice knew that, and the Voice had chosen not to reveal it to any as low as the Immortals.

It had been to her absolute shock to discover that one of the Sei boys that had attracted her eye had revealed himself to be the Master of Magic himself. When she first encountered him on that stormy night in the hills, she had seen in him something that spoke of an unique life. The Elements were always gifted at seeing what might come from mortals and she was no different. In him, she saw a man of singular character who would be strong, a great general or a powerful lord. Never had she thought that he would turn out to be the One they all sought. Before finding out his true destiny, she had preserved his life or guided it along a better path, even if he didn't know it. It had not been until his powers activated and he was Realized in the place mortals called Kubei that she and all of the Realm knew what he was. At that very moment, all of the Immortal Realm shook with power as the Voice revealed the presence of the Prophesied One to all.

When she heard the Voice's words, Suella knew it was only a matter of time before being summoned before the Great Council. She had only been here twice before, and neither time had been exactly pleasant. This time, though, it was almost guaranteed that she would be held to task and examined carefully by the Council. She feared what they may decide, though she would stand firm in her beliefs no matter what.

"Relax, Suella," said the deep, almost gravelly voice of Erastmus. "I am here and you could ask for none better to stand at your side save Salgeus himself, and I would fight him for an era for your sake."

She smiled at his kind words. Truth be told, she had never been particularly close to the hulking warrior until their encounter with Syler Penion. She had not expected the dark skinned champion to care about a mere mortal, but he had been drawn in to her encounter and reveled in any chance to bring Crusos down a notch. The two had been running a feud for a great amount of time, though she did not know what started it.

"I know you are here," she replied softly. "It gives me great comfort, but we both know that you cannot defy the will of the Council."

He looked down at her and, with fire in his eyes, replied, "Do not fear for your safety when in my presence. Even if it meant an era in bondage to the Deta'takame, I would stand at your side. You have great honor and great valor, even if you do not see it."

Suella blushed, a unfortunate side effect of spending too much time among mortals. "I thank you for your kind words, Erastmus. I don't know what I did to earn the attention of one as mighty as yourself, but I do not count your friendship lightly."

A strange look crossed the warriors face, but he said nothing. Instead, his fierce gaze passed over the gathered Immortals once again as if seeking out possible threats. To her eyes, they all seemed going about their own business, paying them no mind. This place was neutral ground, and many mixed races of Immortals were gathered in small groups conversing quietly with each other. Nonetheless, it was not proper to insult him by not allowing him to inspect the scene and make his own determination that it was safe. After he was satisfied, he moved aside and allowed her to enter the foyer.

Both of them stood there until being summoned to actually enter the Hall. One as humble and weak as herself would never presume to demand that the Hall bend to her will, so she would wait. Erastmus might have gotten away with barging in, but he did not wish to cause a scene that might make things more difficult for her. All of the Lords Immortal were present and that wasn't a good sign at all.

The great gold doors that led to the Hall cracked open ponderously and a single figure cloaked in radiant gold emerged. Suella forced herself to keep her head held high and not shrink back at the sight of Gatekeeper Zah'elios. The towering Daedash, a servant race of Immortals, was truly a terrifying being to behold, even Erastmus tread lightly around him. With skin and raiment that glowed with brilliant radiant light, it was difficult to look upon him for long. In his hands was a double sided spear that stood twelve feet tall, though next to his nine foot height, it wasn't so awkward looking. On one end of the spear was a point of pure light; on the other was a tip of abject darkness.

"Suella of the Elements," he said in a booming voice, "you have been summoned before the Hall of Strakuuvindor." His eyes fell upon the dark skinned warrior standing next to her. In a much lower, almost threatening voice, he added, "Erastmus of the Elements, you have not been summoned."

Erastmus rested his hands on the pommel of the sword at his side and set his jaw. "Nonetheless, I am here."

Zah'elios did not seem amused in the least. "You will remain here."

With a calm shake of his head, Erastmus replied, "No, where Suella goes, I go."

"You presume to dictate terms to the Hall?" Zah'elios said imperiously.

"Call me inspired by the Master of Magic," replied Erastmus with a mocking smile that didn't do anything to change the hardness in his eyes.

"It is not permi—." For a second, the Daedash's radiance dimmed noticeably as his voice trailed off. Suella was about to ask if something was wrong when the brilliance returned to its previous level. When he spoke, his voice seemed resentful, if not a trifle angry. "It seems the Hall has granted your request to accompany Suella of the Elements. Speak not, for you have not been summoned."

Without giving any acknowledgment or gratitude, Erastmus gently took Suella's arm and guided her around the Gatekeeper and into the Hall itself. Once through the gold doors, they entered an entirely new environment, one that showcased the glory of the Immortal Realm in a way not seen anywhere else.

The first thing she always noticed were the six Seats that ringed the floor. Pillars of the whitest, most pure marble veined with solid gold held up titanic Seats decorated according to the wishes of the one who sat in it. Each Seat was different, but all excluding the bare grey stones that the Stoic Lord Immortal used were exquisite and awe inspiring, showcasing the majesty and strength of the Lords Immortal.

The Seat sitting directly opposite of the Gate was the most magnificent of all and always garnered the most attention of those who came before the Hall. It was clothed in flowing white clouds and framed in golden light that sent rays throughout the Hall. Crowning the Seat were thunderclouds that sent small bursts of lightning down the back of the throne. The arms were of clear crystal, a solid piece that was without flaw or weak spot. Decorating the back of the Seat was a trickling waterfall that emerged just below the thunderclouds and flowed down the seat and into the lush field of white flowers growing at the foot of the Seat. A diamond three feet wide, one foot tall, and three inches thick stood in front of the Seat. Etched into the diamond with the purest platinum were the words proclaiming its name: The Seat of Kae'kadresh'at.

Despite its grandeur, the Seat always remained empty. When this mighty Hall had been created, the Seat of Kae'kadresh'at was already there, waiting for the first Immortals to enter. The name itself had the meaning of "One Who Rules All." At first, it was believed that it was an omen to guide those of the newly formed Katei'mindosh Protectorate to its one true leader. One by one, all of the Immortals in the Realm had been allowed to attempt to sit upon it in the hopes that the Voice would show them the one that was meant to rule them. None of the Immortals could force themselves to sit upon it no matter how hard they may have tried. After a long time of deliberation, the Hall determined that it was never meant for any of the Immortals, but rather was a representation of the power of the Voice and the Voice's inherent rule over them all. It was a symbol of how the Immortals who sat in the other Seats needed to remember that it was their purpose to protect the mortals as the Voice commanded.

The Seats weren't the only thing that caught Suella's eyes. The ceiling of the Hall was breathtaking in and of itself. Even Immortals could not determine how high it went or even if it had an ending. It was called the Sky of a Billion Stars because of the vast multitude of lights of all colors that ringed it. Initially, there had been some doubt that there were actually a thousand million such lights, but when Fessamios of the Grifters defected to their cause, part of his penance included counting each and every one of those lights until he reached a billion. He did and discovered that there were many more not yet counted.

The floor of the Hall was solid crystal that was dotted in bright colors of red, green, blue, violet, and amber. It was transparent enough to see the constantly churning clouds below, but sturdy enough that it had never so much as flaked or chipped in the ages that it had been used.

Suella didn't have much time to bask in the glory of this place because it seemed the Hall was eager to hear from her. "Suella of the Elements," the rich, inflection heavy voice of Tantis of the Tetrarchy called out. She looked at the imposing figure cloaked in forest green robes of the finest cut of softsilk and embroidered in thread of gold. His Seat was a slightly lighter shade than his robes and was gilded in leafy vines. At his side was Gavin'sor, his famous solid bronze spear. The weapon was one of the great wonders of the Realm, wrought using all of his strength and skills in magic. The spear was enchanted with a spell of his own creation that made it invincible and caused it to shatter any metal its head came in contact with. "Thou hast been summoned before us this hour to render forth your knowledge of incidents encompassing the mortal known as Syler Penion of the Sei. What sayest thou?"

She swallowed hard and stepped forward into the center of the floor so that all of the gathered Lords Immortal could see her. "I first encountered Syler when he was but a boy in their eyes. He was strong even then, but I had no idea that he was the one we sought until his Realization. There can be no doubt that he is the Master of Magic." There was no sound of shifting in the Seats, each of these Lords Immortal were too controlled for that.

"And what of his character?" asked Zurisadai, the Evanescent of the Spirits. Her Seat was, like the Spirits whom she led, constantly shifting and fading into the background. The Evanescent herself wore a cloak of changing colors that concealed all but her pale blue eyes.

Suella paused, trying to think of what to say. "He is strong willed and determined," she answered cautiously. "He has a strong sense of honor and valor and consciously tries to do what he sees as right. He is not greedy and does not desire wealth or power. He is extremely loyal to those he loves and will do anything to save them."

"So we saw," murmured Zurisadai with disapproval evident in her voice and demeanor.

"The Evanescent doth speak the truth," said Tantis. "Thou hath much to answer for, Suella of the Elements."

Before she could speak, another of the Lords Immortal interrupted. "Why is it that you indulged the mortal to appease his desires rather than embrace what must be?" Kama'uel was the Lord Immortal of the Stoics and it was not without reason that his title was the Most Deprived. His Seat was nothing but bare, gray slate without any decoration or comfort. His kind had no love for the soft pleasures or riches of either realm, nor did they believe in indulging in anything save deprivation of self. He glared at her with his lifeless grey eyes that so reminded her of Crusos'.

Suella stiffened and nearly snapped at the Stoic. A surprisingly gentle if calloused hand on her forearm brought her to her senses and saved her Judgment for her violation. She had not time to whisper gratitude to Erastmus for halting her, not with things beginning to build up as they were. She took a deep breath and answered in an even voice, "As I testified, Syler is very strong willed for a mortal. He presented an ultimatum to myself and Crusos that we could not negotiate out of."

"Yes," said the nearly song like voice of Se'tet, "we have heard the testimony of Crusos of the Elements and have deemed his actions necessary and irrelevant to this situation." Se'tet was the Highest of the Ethereals, a cousin race to the Spirits. His Seat had mists emerging from its foot that served to obscure most of the one who sat in it. Even so, that did not entirely take away from the black onyx it was made of or the diamonds set within that sparkled with the light from the Seat of Kae'kadresh'at. He appeared to be nothing but a mist with a form vaguely similar to the others. Of all of those present, he was the most secretive and mysterious. "You are not here to cast Judgment upon Crusos. You are here so that we may cast Judgment upon you."

"On me?" she exclaimed before Erastmus could stop her. "What have I done to warrant such charge?"

There was silence for a time as the gathered Lord Immortals seemed to speak among themselves. She could see them occasionally nod or frown, but had no way to know what was being spoken. A glance at Erastmus told her that he was both fuming and clearly concerned for her. She still wasn't so sure what she had done to warrant his friendship, but ever since their encounter with Syler, he had always been close at hand.

She was contemplating asking him what he thought was going on when Tantis' voice boomed throughout the Hall. "Thou hast been summoned to answer for why it hath passed that the Master of Magic was able to enter our sacred Realm without permission and did command thy presence. Most disturbingly, the question comes forth: what failures did ye cause by failing to ensure his cooperation with the word of prophecy?"

Suella was confused at this. "I was not commanded to his presence, Most Majestic. I sensed his great agony and went to him to alleviate that suffering."

"And you did not find it suspicious that he was within our realm?" asked Zurisadai.

She had, but that concern had been fleeting when she looked at the anguish in his soul. Something told her not to say that, though. "It is not for me to question what the Master of Magic can and cannot do," she said, trying to be as humble as possible despite the accusatory tones directed against her.

"That may be," the Spirit answered, "but that does not explain why things proceeded as they did. Is it not our highest law that no mortal shall rule over an Immortal? It is bad enough that you allowed him to summon you and worse that you answered, but those things pale in comparison to your most egregious failing. Your actions have tilted the Scales of Balance away from Order."

Suella couldn't help but gasp and raise her hand to her mouth. To tip the Scales of Balance in such a manner was a serious thing. All too rarely were those Scales able to be righted back toward Order. Most of the time, they were always edging closer and closer to Chaos and the Coming Darkness. To think that any of her actions would have had an effect such as that on them was ghastly. "How did I do such a thing?"

"We know not," Tantis growled. "I summon the Guardian of Balance and the Keeper of the Scale Featwel of the Tetrarchy to stand before the Hall." There were no objections, so he nodded resolutely and pounded the butt of his spear on the ground before his Seat. Thunder rumbled as the summons were sent forth.

Suella was barely able to suppress a gasp of surprise when Featwel manifested himself in front of her and Erastmus. Within moments, her eyes narrowed in contemplation. It was forbidden for any except the Lords Immortal or Guardian Zah'elios to manifest themselves directly into the Hall. That was why she and Erastmus had been waiting in the Foyer before being allowed inside. Judging on the lack of reaction from the other Lords Immortal, Featwel seemed to have somehow received permission to do so, something she had not known before hand.

The Tetrarchy was always jealous of its general prominence among the Protectorate.  Despite being by far the smallest of the Immortal races, it held a great deal of authority due to the large number of mortal followers it had. That and the fact that it retained a far greater number of Daedash than the others gave it a decided edge in many things.

"Keeper Featwel," Tantis boomed, snapping Suella out of her thoughts. "Thou hast been summoned before the Hall to describe the tilting of the Scales which are thy charge."

Featwel bowed his head and shifted the pure white robes that had been disturbed during his manifestation. "It is not known for guaranteed, Most Majestic One, but the damage hath been accomplished and cannot be reversed."

"That is not what you testified to us prior," said Kama'uel.

The newcomer turned to address the Stoic without fear or reserve. "I doth say that it is not known for guaranteed, not that I doth not have speculations."

"Speculate then," Kama'uel shot back.

The god nodded and turned to face Suella. His youthful face that had been the object of many an Immortal woman's dreams and desires was set with grave concern and anger. His blue eyes were hard with resolve and his voice lowered. "I doth believe the Scales tilted in response to a perversion of prophecy. The sacred words hath been defied and fate hath been changed."

Beside her, Erastmus stiffened. Suella felt unwell and struggled to stay on her feet. "I had no idea…" she said quietly.

He wasn't finished. "Furthermore, we doth behold that the Scales hath crossed the Threshold into the favor of Chaos." Suella was speechless, her face paled and her shoulders sagged.

"We all felt the Master of Magic's intrusion into our Realm," continued Featwel. "When it came to pass that you unlocked that which was his to discover upon his own, you upset things that should not have been disturbed. The Scales hath tipped and worse, they hath crossed the balancing point so that they are now, for the first time since the First Violation, in the favor of Chaos."

Tantis nodded to his fellow god and waved dismissal. With a bow, Featwel manifested himself and faded away. When he was gone, Tantis pounded his fist angrily against the vine covered arm of his Seat before exclaiming, "The time of reckoning is upon us all!"

"We have sacrifice much in preparation, but not enough," said Kama'uel. "We must sacrifice even more until the Voice sees us worthy."

"And what do you propose, Most Deprived One?" asked Gusain, the Most Balanced of the Elements. His Seat was one of exacting proportions and complete balance. Instead of being solid stone or crystal, it was composed of countless pieces and materials that made no logical sense to the untrained eye. It seemed to be impossibly fragile as though the slightest breeze of wind might topple it down, but it wasn't. Every piece was precisely placed to provide the maximum support and strength to the rest of the structure. None but an Elemental highly skilled in the Balance could fully dissect the mastery of such a puzzle, but Gusain was able to do so with ease.

"I propose that we bring the one responsible for this to task," Kama'uel snapped. "Suella of the Elements has failed in her responsibility to safeguard and enforce the words of prophecy and in so doing, disturbed the Scales."

"It is incomprehensible to fathom that one such as Suella could upset the Scales as such," said Gusain.

That at least caused the Stoic to pause. Other than Featwel himself, there was none among the Immortals that was as attuned to balance and the Scales as Gusain. This caused Featwel to step forward with a look of interest on his face. "What doth thou mean?"

"The Elements are always seeking Balance. This is widely known," answered Gusain. "We see things that others do not. Of all of our kind, Suella is among the most attuned to the mortals, close enough even to approach the compassion of Mewela of the Tetrarchy." That last part caused Tantis' eyes to narrow. He was quite jealous of his wife's affinity and love for the mortals and did not take kindly to others comparing themselves to it. "She would never do something to intentionally cause them harm, especially not with the appearance of the Master of Magic and the Coming Darkness."

"Perhaps that indulgence in emotions is what made her weak and willing to take these very actions," shot Kama'uel. "She was unwilling to do what was necessary for the greater good because she was unable to set aside her feelings."

Suella was aghast now. They were Judging her because she granted Syler access to his own abilities? "Why am I being Judged for doing what I deemed right? Nowhere is it written that the Master of Magic cannot be helped in his journey. We can all be assured that Chaos will be attempting to stop him at every turn, so why can we not give him aid?"

"Because in doing so," replied Se'tet calmly, "you directly caused him to break apart prophecy."

"What?" cried Suella in astonishment. "What prophecy have I caused to be broken? All I did was grant him access to an element of his powers earlier than he would naturally have. He only used it to save his dying wife, one whom he loved dearly. Her death would have broken him and caused him to give up hope of life, all of which would have made him useless to all of our cause!"

Tantis stood up and spoke in his grandly resounding voice, "The one who shows the world the way to the One shall, after her purpose is fulfilled, be sacrificed by the One himself out of compassion to save her. From the sacrifice, he shall suffer greatly but in the end, grow strong and find the will to face his destiny."

He sat back down and said with regret, "He was to sacrifice the mortal called Bronwyn Antoras whom he loved dearly. Her purpose in pointing the way to the Master of Magic was fulfilled, as was her more important purpose in bonding to the mortal so that he may know sacrifice. In slaying her to save her, he would grow strong through pain and hardened for what doth be before him. It was his place to follow prophecy and thy place to watch. Thou didst decide to change that and by thine actions, hath violated the laws of prophecy."

"But," said Suella with confusion, "I did not do anything except grant him access to that what was his already. I couldn't have altered prophecy without knowing it!"

Zurisadai lifted one of her almost transparent hands and said sternly, "Only an Immortal can affect change upon prophecy, this is known. Syler Penion is but a mortal, so that could only mean that you yourself altered what was to happen."

Erastmus stepped forward a step and said bitterly, "And how do you know it was Suella's doing and not the works of Crusos? Was it not he that transacted safeguarding of the soul of Bronwyn Antoras and then allowed it to be returned to her body?"

Tantis' normally gentle green eyes blazed with barely contained fury at the interruption. "Thou, Erastmus of the Elements, were not invited into this Hall to speak, but only to watch. Hold thy tongue or thou wilt most surely regret it."

"So am I to have no defense?" asked Suella.

"Casting blame upon Crusos is not a defense," Kama'uel said. "It has been determined by the Hall that his actions alone were insufficient to bring about the altercation of prophecy. Someone stayed Syler Penion's hand and it could only have been you. The question we here so do wish to have answered is why you would do such a thing?"

"Indeed," agreed Se'tet in his airy voice. "There is none other that could have done the deed, Suella of the Elements, but we do desire to know why you would defy prophecy. What were your motivations? In understanding these reasons, the Hall may be able to afford you leniency."

"I-I—" Suella stammered, but she was cut off by the Stoic renewed attack.

"Was it because you have a weakness when it comes to mortals?" Kama'uel's weathered, wrinkled face showed only the pleasure of a hunter who was setting a trap.

"What are you—" she tried again.

"Is it because you grow too attached to them that you do not wish to see them meet their ultimate mortal fate? Are you too concerned with their petty emotions and feelings that you cannot bear to see one of your select mortals suffer?" There was definite pleasure on his face now, so much that she began to see a smile on his cracked lips. "You have spent a great deal of time with them, have you not?"

"It was onl—"

"You have, for it is well known among the Hall." The Most Deprived leaned forward intently and reached out a gnarled finger to point at her. "You have even been intimate with them and engaged in carnal relations with some of their number. Have you sought out such relations with this Syler Penion? Is that it? Could you not bear to see him hurt because you have shared a bed with him?"

With enflamed cheeks, Suella's back straightened in total indignation. Beside her, Erastmus stiffened and tightly clasped the hilt of his sword. It was not prohibited for Immortals to have sexual encounters with mortals or even for children to come from such couplings. It was slightly more acceptable for the males among the Immortals since there were fewer ties involved in bearing the offspring, but even the females could carry a non-mortal child if they remained in the Mortal Realm during gestation.

She was not embarrassed about having carried and given birth to non-mortals over the ages, not at all. She was humiliated because it was considered extremely crass and insulting for others to mention such things unless the person involved mentioned it first. That went even more so for those of the other races to speak of it.

Her jaw was clenched to tightly that she could not speak. Unfortunately, that allowed Erastmus to interject on her behalf. "You have no call to intrude in such matters or make such accusations, Stoic," he growled angrily.

Kama'uel's dry lips peeled back to show old and brown teeth. "You have been warned, Element. I cast Judgment upon you for violating the words of your betters and for failing to properly address a Lord Immortal." He cast a quick—very quick—glance around the Hall to see if there were any objections. When he didn't see them, his hands wrapped around the simple looking quarterstaff that sat against his seat and aimed it at the towering warrior.

Erastmus was already drawing power to himself to brace for what was to come, but he had no chance against one of the Lords Immortal, not within the Hall itself. His sword was ripped off of his belt and flew across the Hall to land somewhere behind Zurisadai's Seat. His golden armor cracked and melted away like dust in the wind that erupted from Kama'uel splayed fingers. When it was over, Erastmus stood naked and weakened. "I hereby strip you of your weapon and armor as penance for your arrogance. Now, bow before the Lords Immortal and ask forgiveness or I shall exact further penance."

Erastmus gave one look toward Gusain, but received no reprieve. The Most Balanced shook his head sadly and refused to acknowledge the humiliated warrior. There was nothing he could do in this situation, Erastmus had erred too egregiously for him to offer protection even to one of his own kind. The dark skinned warrior grunted in acceptance of his fate and slowly fell to his knees and lowered his head. It wasn't a deep bow, not by any means, but it was a bow. "I accept my faults and humbly petition the Hall's mercy."

Crystal tears fell from Suella's eyes to see the proud warrior so humbled for her sake. Honorable warriors were always too quick to come to the defense of non-warrior females, even when such aid was not sought. At any other time, she might have been merely annoyed, but this time she was filled with sorrow. Her sorrow and regret quickly turned to anger directed squarely at Kama'uel for doing what he was doing.

The Stoic ignored her and took in the enjoyment at humiliating Erastmus. Stoics always thought that other Immortals were too indulgent in their desires and vanities. They constantly sought ways to strip them of everything but the most simple of things, to follow their own personal philosophy of self deprivation.

The Most Deprived stood up and stretched out his staff. "The Hall does grant mercy to those who humble themselves." He tapped one finger against his clean shaven jaw and looked thoughtful for a moment. Then, another cruel smile came to his lips. "With the Coming Darkness drawing nigh, it will not do for one of our warriors to be unprepared." He stretched out with his power and a mist enveloped Erastmus. It didn't cover him for long, but when it was dissipated, he was clothed in plain, unadorned leather armor with a crude cudgel at his belt. "Behold, Erastmus of the Elements, your armor and weapon. May they serve you well in the upcoming war."

With a wave of dismissal, he cast Erastmus out from the Hall. Without a word, the warrior vanished and was gone. Kama'uel's attention returned to Suella who was now standing alone beneath the scrutiny of the Lords Immortal. "Now, where were we?"

This time, Gusain did speak up, and his voice was full of barely controlled wrath. He might not have been able to save Erastmus, but he did not appear to wish to allow another of his own to be destroyed without giving her a chance. "I believe you were accusing one of my own of some rather personal things. It is beneath one of the Lords Immortal to engage in petty gossip like a mortal. Unless you have evidence of your accusations, I demand you retract your statements." The Most Balanced was clearly not pleased at watching one of his best warriors be humiliated and was not going to allow another of his kind to receive the same treatment without a fight.

Kama'uel smirked at Suella and replied in a condescending voice, "I was merely speculating on what her possible motives might have been based on her past actions."

"To 'speculate' on such a matter is inappropriate and unacceptable for one of your status," Gusain snapped back. "Even the Lords Immortal are not above Judgment."

"That doth be enough," Tantis said with a terrifying growl. "There doth be much of great import that needs be addressed. Most Deprived Kama'uel, consider thyself censured for your transgression against one not of your kind. I doth trust that bringeth the issue to an end. Now, answer, Suella of the Elements, hath thou conducted thyself in a carnal manner with the mortal Syler Penion?"

"No, never," Suella answered immediately.

"But you have lain with other mortals, have you not?" asked Zurisadai. Had it come from anyone else, it would be counted as grave an offense as that which caused Erastmus to speak out. Among Immortals, especially among those of differing races, only another female could ask such a question of her, even if it was normally considered inappropriate. Zurisadai's position as Lord Immortal and the nature of this inquiry allowed her to ask such a question, but only just barely. The tradition of secrecy and privacy concerning the non-mortal offspring of Immortals was strong and with good reason.

Suella refused to look down in shame. "Yes, I have, but not with him. I have no desire to do such with him, either."

The only other female in the Hall looked thoughtful, at least, as thoughtful as one could with only her eyes showing. "And have you carried offspring?"

There was no point in denying it, or the implications. Immortals could not bring forth offspring among themselves. The only way for that to happen was by mingling with mortals. With a clenched jaw, she responded, "Yes, I have."

"How many?" Realizing perhaps that she may have overstepped her bounds because she quickly added, "It is pertinent to the matters of the Hall, but your answer will not leave these sacred walls." She threw a pointed glare in the direction of Kama'uel as she spoke and he did not seem to protest.

"I have carried five."

"And how many do still walk the Mortal Realm?"

This line of questioning brought up painful memories of loss—something that was rare for Immortals to experience. Tears once again formed in the corner of her eyes as she replied, "One still remains. The rest have fallen to death."

"Name this one before the Hall."

That went too far, even for a female of the Lords Immortal. It was no simple question she was asked, and it was not a matter of indignation or embarrassment that caused her to resist. Suella's back arched and her upper lip curled back slightly. She would draw the line at this point and go no farther. "No." This earned her an arched brow from the Evanescent, but she would not budge. "You have no place to ask such information from any of the Katei'mindosh. I invoke the Right to Silence in protest to this treatment. I will answer no further questions if this is where they lead."

This earned her several minutes of silence as the Lords Immortal discussed this matter among themselves beyond her hearing. She didn't care what they did to her, she would not expose her one surviving son to the predations of other Immortals. She didn't trust Kama'uel at all and feared even the Evanescent might try to bring him into harm if she could find him. She had suffered enough watching her other son and three daughters taste the bitterness of death, she didn't think she could bear to see her last one fall into the hands of scheming members of this realm. He already had enough dangers with the schemers and threats from his own realm, he didn't need to add to them.

At last, the silence ended and Most Highest Se'tet, who had so far, been mostly neutral in these matters, spoke. "Suella of the Elements, it is indeed your right to invoke the Right of Silence. As such, this Judgment is at an end. The Hall has decided your fate based on the facts at hand. Are you prepared to receive your verdict?"

She was determined not to give into emotion, but to take whatever penance they gave her with the same dignity that Erastmus had accepted his. "I am," she said with a steady voice.

There was no pleasure in the Ethereal's voice when he said, "Suella of the Elements, you have been found guilty of violation of prophecy. Because of your choice to invoke the Right of Silence, the Hall does not know your motives or what drove to such actions, so we have no way to mitigate your punishment. The intentional subversion of prophecy in any form is among the highest of crimes. The danger of rogue Immortals attempting to alter prophecy is a threat that even the Deta'takame take seriously. To oppose the will of the Voice or of Chaos is reckless and unacceptable for any with the gift of Immortality."

His misty form solidified into a more normal one that allowed him to stand. With mists still steaming from his body as though he had recently been on fire, he cast an imposing image, but his voice was not threatening, only resigned. "Due to the grave nature of the crime and the lack of mitigation, the Hall must deliver the most severe punishment allowed. Suella of the Elements, you are hereby exiled from the Immortal Realm and stripped of your powers for a period of one thousand years. You will dwell among the mortals, doomed to be among them but never of them. You shall not approach another of the Immortals nor shall you attempt to enter this realm for any reason whatsoever, on penalty of being bound and turned over to the Deta'takame for their punishment, as is according to the Unbreakable Pact."

Suella's heart dropped and panic clenched her throat. Exile as a mortal, the worst punishment that could be bestowed upon any of the Katei'mindosh save being turned over to their immortal enemies for endless pain and torture. She wanted to protest, but it would do her no good when the Hall had made its decision. She made her choice in not defending herself and did not regret it. Her son would live free for as long as he could, even if it meant she must suffer for a thousand years. With the Coming Darkness, she doubted that any of them had that long, but even in victory, her home would be denied her until almost all memory of it faded into nothingness.

Se'tet could not execute the Judgment he had rendered, so he sat down upon his Seat. Only one of her own kind could strip her of her powers and bound her to a single form and place. Turning to a rather infuriated but trapped looking Gusain, she spread her arms in acceptance and held her chin high. For a few seconds, he glared at Kama'uel with pure hatred smoldering in his eyes. Suella knew that he had no choice in the matter: he had to abide by the ruling of the Hall.

His face was saturated in regret as his gaze fell upon her standing without resistance in the middle of the hall facing him. He drew the power to him and stretched his hands out toward her without taking his eyes off of her. Suella stood there confident in her decision. No matter how horrible this fate was, she would not beg or humiliate herself. She would accept her punishment with the last thing the Hall of Strakuuvindor had left her, the one thing they could not take away: her dignity.

She managed to stay on her feet as Gusain the power that had been part of her since the beginning of time was sundered from her. She did not cry out, but kept her jaw clenched. For a brief eon, she felt as though a layer of molten metal had been poured over her both inflicting pain and restricting her movement. That told her that her essence had been constricted to a single, mortal form. The sensation was so overpowering and the weight so great that she was forced to her knees. The very last memory she would have of the Immortal Realm that had been her home was blinding pain the likes of which she had never experienced before.

She screamed until her mortal throat was raw, then screamed some more.