Sanctum of the World

As Adam’s image disappears, the Sages suddenly grow agitated and concerned. They offer disjointed apologies and, one by one, leave Amethyst and Angel alone, heading off in different directions.

“What do you think that is all about?” Amethyst watches Elphaba head toward some stairs leading down.

Angel frowns slightly, “I’m not sure, but with how they are reacting, I don’t think Uncle Adam calls for a council meeting very often. This must be pretty big.”

Amethyst smiles mischievously, “Should we find out what it’s about, then?”

Angel returns a disbelieving look, “I don’t even know where they’re going.” The Fae’s smile doesn’t waver. “They didn’t invite us. I don’t think it would be a good idea to intrude.”

Amethyst’s grin widens. A coy, playful tone enters her voice, “Oh, they won’t know we are there.” Her expression shifts, “Besides, I have a feeling this will involve us in the end.”

Angel frowns. “You sound rather certain about that…” she replies with doubt in her voice.

“My child, one has not been around the universe as long as I have and miss the patterns. They will eventually bring us into this. It’s best we hear it from the source.”

“You mean bring you into this. I don’t think this involves me at all,” Angel argues.

“Of course, you’re involved in this, Child. Come, we need to get there before they do.” Angel follows her out of the building. “So, we have two choices, My Dear: Fly or Teleport?”

“Which would be the most discreet?” Angel returns hesitantly, still worried about being caught eavesdropping on a meeting she’s not invited to.

They step out into the open. “Teleport it is then,” Amethyst sings in a playful tone, “now I just need to get my bearings…” she mumbles, looking around.

“You know where they’re meeting?” Angel probes.

“I better. I helped build the place! If it’s not drifted too far from its original location, it’s this way!” The Fae points excitedly and skips off toward the left side of the building. Amethyst looks around, “Yes, definitely this way.”

“How are we getting there again?” Angel follows in confusion.

“Why we hop, of course!” Amethyst grins. “Grab my hand.”

“What do you mean, we hop?” Angel tilts her head as she reaches out for Amethyst’s hand.

Without answering her question, the girl twirls around, grabs Angel’s other hand, and ‘leaps’ backwards…

The world vanishes from view as Angel feels herself being tugged forward. In a little more than a blink of an eye, the two of them land on the top of a large marble dome.

Amethyst looks around, “Perfect, just where I remembered it was!”

“We’re on the roof…” Angel objects.

“Of course, we are, My Dear. You can’t sneak in unnoticed by walking through the front door,” she waves dismissively.

They more slide than walk down the dome to a two-meter-wide lip. From her vantage point, Angel can see the Sages arriving. A rune circle marks the ‘landing point’ on the large, round platform. The Teleportation Circle can easily fit ten people, but the Sages are arriving one by one. They walk some thirty meters along a lit marble path into the building. Angel tries her best to stay hidden as she looks around. Compared to their surroundings, the islands and debris, the Council Chambers are miraculously untouched. Amethyst is slowly walking along the ledge, feeling the smooth surface as she goes.

“I wonder how this place survived the cataclysm?” Angel’s voice is barely above a whisper, hoping her voice doesn’t carry far or be heard below.

“Protection runes, it would take more than what has happened here to destroy this place, as was intended,” Amethyst chimes as she continues searching the surface of the dome. “Ah, here it is!” she exclaims in a loud whisper. Suddenly a portion of the dome quietly, gently pushes inward, showing a doorway.

Angel catches up to her and looks down the makeshift entrance. “How?”

“Maintenance hatch. One has to reach the roof easily from inside… for cleaning and other such matters,” Amethyst replies, matter-of-fact, leaving the human to shake her head.

“What am I getting myself into?” Angel mutters.

The two make their way inside. As Amethyst turns to close the opening, Angel takes a moment to adjust to the change in lighting. They are on some sort of balcony that surrounds the circular chamber, some fifteen meters above the floor level. From her vantage point, they are overlooking staged seating. It’s some sort of amphitheatre. The centre of the room features a large crystal ball on a pillar. There’s enough seating for a good hundred people, divided into slices or sections. Today there are only twelve seated in a small arc, flanking a large chair.

“What is this place?” Angel whispers.

“The Grand Arcanium Assembly. All the great mages, and their houses, used to sit here. The purpose was to allow each house and its members a voice in the debate. The house leader would sit at the front of the wedge, the further back one sat, the less one’s voice was of importance,” Amethyst chimes. “The Sanctum was to be a place of refuge, order and study. Magic follows family bloodlines, which led to a caste system of sorts. A caste system that your father and their friends were kept away from — for their safety, according to our friend Lyric.”

“You know so much about this place…” Angel muses.

“I helped design it millennia ago. Quiet now, not so loud; we designed this place as an amphitheatre and I can do only so much to mask our conversation.”

“From the way they divided the ‘wedges’, this building held a good twenty houses,” Angel remarks.

“Yes, this is a glimpse of how few there are left today,” Amethyst notes sadly.

Adam walks in followed by Melody and Penny, his voice easily carries through the building.

“The old Council of Magi Chambers. One of the few places that remained intact when we came back to the Realm. We use this place from time to time for special meetings.”

Amethyst gasps as she sees Melody, who takes a moment to look around. Angel ducks when Melody glances upward before taking a step forward, “I haven’t been here in a very long time…”

Angel glances over at the Fae, who sobs. “By the stars, what have they done to you, My Child?” Amethyst whimpers, a tear running down her cheek.

Neither Adam nor Penny seems to hear them. The two are glancing at Melody. “Honey, you know this place?” Penny’s voice rings through the room.

Melody smiles, “I guess it would be a surprise to some that, at one time, I sat on the council.” She glances around the room, “Oh, I wasn’t sitting in one of the front chairs, but my voice was a strong one many years ago. It almost feels like another lifetime.”

“Are you done reminiscing? We are here for a meeting. Why did you summon us here, Adam?” Morgyn voices from a chair at the far end of the room.

There is a gasp of surprise from Elphaba to his left. She has almost the same expression as Amethyst in seeing Melody.

“What is she doing here?” Simeon grumbles next.

Adam ushers them to the middle of the room before making his introduction. “La Comtesse Mélodie de La Rivière has a warning for us, and I thought it was best that she explain the situation personally.”

“Let her proceed, then,” Elphaba nods and then shoots Simeon a warning glare to not object. He’s about to say something, looks at her, then settles back in his chair, apparently unhappy.

From here it’s clear Elphaba and Melody trade an unspoken agreement. Penny has that expression on her face when her mind is trying to sort something out. Angel can clearly see the resemblances. Melody, Elphaba, and her Fae friend here are obviously from the same plane of existence. Though they lack wings, their skin tone, hair and eye colour are too similar. If Penny could see Amethyst, she would draw the same conclusion, but she’s missing Angel’s piece of the puzzle. Melody whispers something to Penny that the two on the balcony can’t hear. The wives quietly talk while Adam joins the other Sages.

Melody waits for Adam to sit down before speaking again.

“Sages of the Realm, I bring you dire news. A warning that could hold a larger threat over the realm should my fears become reality.”

She pauses for dramatic effect, letting it sink in for a moment before continuing, “Most of you seated here today were not present when the tragedy befell this Realm in the last age, but I was here in the beginning. Now I see this new threat as an outsider.”

She looks at each Sage, making sure she has everyone’s attention.

“It is not common knowledge that The Council of Elders that rules over most Vampire families were the ones responsible for the fall of this Realm in the last age. By the time they revealed their involvement, it was too late. Most of the Council of Magi had fallen into petty arguments and bickering. The Vampires had sown lies, hatred, and deceit among the council members, poisoning their thoughts and motives. When the mages were at their weakest, the Vampires attacked. As accusations flew, and fingers pointed at each other, no one knew who was the enemy anymore. The resulting war tore this realm apart! They fought each other as much as they fought their invaders until all that remained is what you see here today.”

Her words hit the Council like a hammer. All but Adam stammer, argue, and talk over each other. Amethyst leans against Angel quietly crying. Hearing the events that lead to the fall of the Realm from one of her own children must be hard to bear. Angel can feel herself well up from the overflowing emotion.

This is the first time, in her memory, that Angel has ever seen her Uncle Adam lose his temper. He pounds his fist and suddenly shouts, “Quiet! Hear her out or I will make you!” his voice is near deafening as it rings through the chamber.

The room suddenly grows quiet. There is a look of actual fear from some and only contempt from others. Angel follows Melody’s gaze as Elphaba nods. There’s definitely an unspoken agreement between the two pale-skinned cousins, as if they were working on the same wavelength.

Melody waits until everyone settles down before she continues. “Like you, the Elder Vampire Council sees my family as a threat!” Some Sages speak up to argue. Melody holds up a finger to let them know she’s not finished.

“You may deny it, but you see me as a threat. I can feel it from most of you. It is tangible. I am here today to reinforce that my family is of no threat to The Sanctum,” she glances at Adam. “Some of you are like family to me. I was once a prominent member of this Realm, and I refuse to see an outside source threaten it again!”

Melody takes Penny’s left hand in hers and raises their clasped hands up in the air.

“While the Sages know of these rings, and the powers that they may contain, the Elder Vampire Council does not. We can use this to our advantage. They see my family as an obstacle to reaching you. With powers laying in both Light and Darkness, my wife and I are a threat to them larger than we are a threat to you. Our recent contact with the Arch Mage has led the Vampire Collective to worry we are no longer a neutral party. They were not to know of my wife Penny, but having a very public wedding has made it clear to them who and what we are. The whispers of prophecy hang heavy in their ears. They also fear we may now be allies. Since the fall of The Sanctum, their rule on Earth has grown relatively unchecked. Your rebuilding of the magical community has made them nervous. They may be foolish enough to counter what plans they think you might have.”

She lets this sink in.

“Yes, the Vampires are a paranoid and overly confident society. In the time that you’ve worked slowly rebuilding this realm, their numbers have swelled! They know they could easily overpower the Sages and the Realm in numbers. You are vulnerable, weak, and a potentially easy target.”

“So, what’s stopping them?” asks the Sage, sitting behind Elphaba.

“Two things,” Melody smirks. “My family and your Arch Mage. Not to offend the other members of this council, but we are the only ones truly powerful enough to overcome them, and they know this. The Vampires’ most competent of assassins has recently threatened my family.”

This draws a few gasps of surprise from among the Sages.

“It was a test of my allegiance. The Black Widow will soon relay my answer to them. If we do not respond to this threat, then it may push them to make their next move and go for one of you next,” Melody stresses. “Unlike your predecessors, you are a united council. They do not have the element of instability or surprise in their favour. With the Arch Mage by your side, your council is currently a power unmatched by anything they can throw at you. As is their way, they will first attempt to divide and conquer. Starting with your weakest, they will pick you off one at a time to break your resolve.”

“What do you propose?” Morgyn queries, now interested.

“To strengthen you, of course. Let us confirm their fears and allow my family an allegiance with the Council of Sages.”

“What if we don’t accept your offer?” Morgyn counters.

“We could wait and see what their next move will be, but mark my words, that could prove to be a fatal mistake. The realm cannot afford to lose any of you. I propose we strike at them instead,” Melody states flatly.

“What?” Simeon interjects, almost getting out of his chair.

“I am not asking any of you to put your lives at risk. However, I want to warn you all that there may be repercussions for my next actions. In order to reduce the threat to yourselves, I will make the first move.” She looks at Adam, “This is my formal request that you assist my family in making a front-line attack on the Elder Vampire Council’s main meeting chambers. A small decisive strike force is harder to predict than a large offensive.”

Adam smiles, “I had a feeling you were leading towards this.” He looks among the council, and all but Simeon immediately nod in agreement. It’s clear he’s still holding some sort of bitterness toward Melody that’s colouring his judgment.

With no objections, Adam returns his attention to Melody, “It is agreed.” He looks to Morgyn, “I want the Sages to prepare for any possible retributive response.” Morgyn nods. “The remaining host will likely come here for revenge. The vampires can still overpower us in numbers, so we’ll need to prepare for that. We’re stronger in pure arcane power, but they can overrun us if we do not place barriers. Make sure they cannot come at us from behind, agreed?”

This time Simeon answers with the rest of them, “Agreed.”

Melody looks relieved. Angel wonders if Melody was expecting more resistance to her plan. Angel always wondered why others call her Uncle Adam, the Arch Mage, and now it’s clear. He holds a lot of power over the Realm, both in station and in arcane ability. With all the Sages assembled, Adam’s aura is the strongest among them.

Melody smiles, “Good, I will leave this council to sort out your defensive. I have plans of my own to make. Ready to go, Penny?”

Angel tries her best to remain hidden as they watch Penny and Melody leave. Once the two are past the marble-pillared entrance, Amethyst emits one last sniffle. “She saw us,” the Fae whimpers quietly, “She knows she now has even more support than she had expected.”

Angel leans back against the wall as the Sages rise from their chairs. They seem too focused on each other to glance upwards. “Are you sure?” Angel whispers worriedly.

“Certain of it, I could feel her relax when she realized she had another card to play,” the Fae draws a deep breath to compose herself. She reaches out to Angel, “Come, take my hands. We have much to prepare, and you need to contact your father.”

“Is that a good idea?” Angel formulates an argument, thinking of how angry her father will be when she tells him she crossed into Sanctum without his permission.

“It is necessary,” Amethyst answers firmly.

Angel leans forward, and the two of them blink out of the dome. The flash may have been noticeable if any of the Sages were still seated, but they all had their backs to the two as they were leaving.