Mana Mutation Menace (Journey to Chaos Book 3) (29 page)

“Order will occupy every area on which an obelisk is
placed. If they covered the world, then Order would occupy the world. We all
know Order is a Manifestation of Absolute Control; he wouldn’t be satisfied
with only the mana of the area.”

The illusion obelisk put out feelers that grabbed the
plants, the animals, and landscape itself. Then it pulled mana out of them and
the very color out of the image. It assimilated all of them into itself and
directed them in clockwork patterns.

“No, he would want control of the air, the water, the
ground, and the very souls of the inhabitants. Everyone would be under his
control and nothing could happen without his knowledge and approval. He would
outlaw all forms of magic, suppress spiritual power, and impose a strict caste
system where everyone would fit into a neat box. Breaking out of this box would
be literally impossible because Order would forbid it. Is this correct, Your
Highness?”

Lunas said nothing.

 “If that question is too difficult, then would Your
Highness like to explain the materials needed to construct an Order Obelisk?”

Lunas remained silent. He stared at the elf, attempting to
invade her mind and compel her to fawn over him like other girls. His attempt
failed. A barrier of will, love, and chaos kept him out. Kasile had regained so
much confidence by now that he couldn’t use her to stop the elf either. In the
end, he waved his hand as if magnanimously granting her permission to speak.

“Souls. To power an Order Obelisk, one must confine a soul
within it. This is what animates the obelisk and enables Order to work his
power through it. In other words, at least one person would have to be killed
and confined inside it for each obelisk to operate. This fate would be eternal;
there would be no ‘shifts.’ Cold stone isolation and constant penetration by
Order forever. Is anything I’ve said regarding Order Obelisks incorrect, Your
Highness?”

A third time, Lunas refused to speak.

Kasile banged her gavel. “Prince Lunas of Latrot, you have
been asked a simple question that is of the greatest relevance to our mission
and purpose. Please answer immediately.”

Kasile had regained her regal confidence. The Leash of
Influence was broken. The answer was either “yes” or “no.” There was nothing he
could do to avoid the truth any longer.

“No, Miss Enaz. It is all correct.”

Within his mind, hatred brewed. He had nothing against
elves in general, but this one was getting under his skin. She was ruining his
plan, and worse, she taunted him with those smug eyes and polite smile. She
would be his next slave.

“A witch’s magic doesn’t sound so bad when contrasted with
a warlock’s authority, now does it, honorable delegates?”

“Miss Enaz, am I correct in thinking that you consider
me
this warlock? Someone as bad as the perpetrator of the Butchin Tragedy?”

Annala shook her head. “Oh no, of course not. Perish the
thought.” Despite her polite tone, everyone could see the daggers in her eyes.
“
You’re worse.
The only word suitable for you and your father is ‘fiend.’
After all, you
are
denying the elves living in your country their
chaos-given right to freedom, are you not?”

“Yes, we are.”

“You realize that your father’s regime commits acts, every
day, that are banned everywhere else in the word, right?”

“Yes, I do.”

“You are aware that other countries consider yours a
cancer
,
right?”

“Yes, I am.”

“You of Latrot are truly honest. No other totalitarian, exploitive,
silver-tongued tyrant has ever admitted to such accusations so quickly and
freely. You deserve a round of applause!”

She started off and, for a moment, the only sound in the
room was that of her gloves beating against each other. Then others joined in.
Lunas stood, took a bow, and then sat down again. He was imagining a collar
around her neck and a gag in her insolent mouth.

“That is an additional benefit to the Order Obelisks.
Because Order does not abide lies, any and all forms of deceptions would be
impossible anywhere within an Order Obelisk’s area of effect, and every vow or
promise would have be adhered to in letter
and
spirit.” Annala spun to
catch the eye of all the politicians at the table. “Please consider that in
your answer.”

They most certainly did.

“Instead of giving up your way of life, as Prince Lunas
suggests, my mother only asks for a token of friendship. All the Supreme
Council needs is a show of good faith. Isn’t that right, Ambassador Enaz?”

“Yes, it is. If I had some grand gesture to show the
Supreme Council, even the hardliners would be hard pressed to refuse.”

Annala grimaced at her father’s fondness for bad puns but
recovered quickly.

“As this will be a ‘borrow’ instead of a ‘lease,’ there
will be no extra expense incurred by the member nations at this table, thus
causing still fewer disturbances in your societies than the Order Obelisk plan
suggested by Prince Lunas.”

“Such deceptive double speak is common among elves. Your
mother tried the same thing,” Lunas said. “If your proposal involves the
removal of critical laborers, then the economies of member nations will be
harmed.”

Annala raised a hand to her mouth and said, “Oh dear, we
can’t have that!” She returned to clasping her hands at her waist. “For every
elf freed in this proposal, the member nation that freed them will contribute
less to the ICDMM budget provided that they do not replace this elven slave
with another elven slave. Also, they will be looked upon more favorably by the Supreme
Councils of both Dnnac Ledo and Avalon in consideration for future diplomatic
relations. Finally, the elves in question may decide to remain in their current
employment as paid workers and contribute to the economy with their wages.”

 “Latrot has the world’s largest population of elven
slaves and I guarantee they would all leave if granted freedom,” Lunas
countered. “This would plunge Latrot back in chaos. My father has only just
pulled it back together the
last time
an elf loaned something to a human
country.”

“THAT WAS YOUR FAULT AND YOU KNOW IT!” Kallen screamed.
She was halfway to her true form. “
YOU DESPICABLE, ABYSS-CURSED…
”

Eric became a grendel and covered two of her four mouths.
The third he head-butted and the fourth he stepped on. With some resistance,
she calmed down and returned to human form. Lunas opened his mouth to
capitalize on the moment, but Annala beat him to it.

“Then, Your Highness, deliver this message to your father.
Free
some
of his elven slaves; not all of them but some. He should allow
them to return home to their friends and families and not follow them or place
trackers on them but grant them unconditional and unrestricted freedom. In
exchange, I will travel to Latrot for a tour and then attempt to convince my
fellow elves that your country is a not living nightmare or a physical
incarnation of the torment plane of Pox and instead can be a nice place to live
or visit.”

Lunas slouched with his head on his fist. “How do we know
this won’t be an elven prank? You might want to ‘bless’ our national monument
with your water balloon rituals.”

Annala smiled politely. "We elves are a proud scholar
race. While we joke about many things, up to and including death, we do not
joke about our research. We have already achieved what the ICDMM is struggling
to grasp and all we seek is a friend to share it with. As the chaotic good book
says, ‘When two people share water, they can take turns cleaning the latrine.’”

Some laughed, some nodded in understanding, and others
looked confused or disgusted. The only one angry or frustrated one was Lunas
himself. It was impossible for him to tighten his hold on anyone without
alerting them and impossible for him to direct their actions without
ordercraft. The latter would make him look bad even if it were possible in a
room where everyone wore anti-ordercraft runes on every piece of clothing on
their bodies. However, not all was lost.

“I will speak with my father and attempt to influence his
decision on this matter. However, I am still concerned about the funding. You
must agree that it is too high.”

“Yes, I do agree that it is too high. To show that they
appreciate what they have been given so far, and since my village’s technology
will reduce the need for future R&D and testing, the ICDMM will accept a general
decrease in funding of twenty percent.”

The delegates liked the sound of this and even the ICDMM
seriously considered it. Not all of them were happy and some firebrands
demanded an increase instead, but fortunately, their more reasonable coworkers
clamped hands over their mouths. Percy Tota told the delegates that they would
accept a funding cut if it meant an opportunity to work with their elven
counterparts.

Kasile struck her gavel.

“Are there any other proposals?” She waited for the
official amount of time. “We will now break for refreshment. Think about the
proposals and we will vote on a template after lunch. Following the vote, we will
discuss the details of the template.”

All the diplomats and their entourages left the hall for
other parts of the castle. This was a time for stretching one’s legs, private
discussion, and personal reflection. They made the appearance of considering
each proposal’s merits, but in truth, their motivations were personal: How will
my government react as a whole and what about the ruling party or general
populace? How will this contribute toward my country’s ideology and to my
career? Which will my country gain more from? Mana Mutation itself was less
important than these questions and Eric heard it all with his grendel ears.

Petty humans.

In classical mythology, grendels attacked parties like
weddings or a coming of age ceremony and a hero would kill it. It was said that
they despised revelry and happiness. Eric decided that they couldn’t stand the
self-important posturing. Annala pressed into him and he realized anew how
beautiful she looked in formal dress and jeweled choker.
Maybe parties
aren’t all bad.

He hugged her close, one arm around her waist and the
other around her head. “You are the most amazing girl in the world,” he
whispered into her ear.

She blushed and hid it in his chest. “Oh stop. I was only
stating the obvious.”

He held her closer. She was so soft and feminine...His hand
grazed the back of the choker...
And mine
. Keeping one arm around her
waist, he walked to a more private area. There were too many people staring at
her; men and women together. He wanted to admire his lady without having to
watch out for an attack or kidnapping. All of a sudden, he started laughing.

“What’s so funny?”

“I just realized that a knight is not so different from a
dragon. Both of them wear scale mail, wield blades, and obsess over beautiful
princesses.”

“I recall Basilard stating that I was in your metaphorical
lair.” She slid her gloved hands up his chest and around his neck. “Are you
going to make it literal?”

He grasped her chin. “I just might have to.”

They kissed and, a yard away, Tiza retched. She, Nolien, and
Basilard were watching them, and had been for several minutes. Despite this,
the lovers were unaware of their presence.

“I feel like a peeping tom,” Nolien said.

“It’s not safe for them to be alone,” Basilard said. “If
Lunas is anything like his father, he won’t tolerate the defeat Annala handed
him.”

At that very moment, Lunas sat in the castle’s cafeteria.
Like the audience chamber, it had been specially fitted for the occasion. There
were staples and delicacies from every visiting country and banners drawn up to
represent them on the walls. The delegates enjoyed themselves and the company
of allies in the hospitality of their host.

Sacred Fire burned above them. Its flame was warm and
gentle, and awed the delegates while they ate the food prepared by its torch’s
staff. While her guests spoke of it and Annala’s proposal, Kasile sent a subtle
and satisfied smirk in the direction of Lunas.

The prince shrugged and tapped a button on his scry. It
sent a pre-written message to the crew of his airship. At his command, they
activated the Order Obelisk installed within the ship and established an Order
Domination Field. It was a small one, just big enough to cover the ship itself.
Anything bigger would violate international statute regulating the use of Ordercraft
on the unwilling. It was enough to empower Nulso. It boosted his formidable
ability enough to perform the next step in the prince’s plan.

In the courtyard, the sky bent and twisted. Eric and
Annala broke their embrace to stare at the anomaly. Eldritch light spread out
over the castle and tore open a hole in the air. An obelisk dropped from it and
dug into the ground. Arrays of light up on its surface, illuminating ordercraft
runes. A tidal wave of dominance rolled through the area up to the curtain
wall.

It washed over Eric and Annala, provoking a deep sense of
hatred and disgust. It washed over Nolien and Tiza, compelling them to kowtow,
and over Basilard, who clutched BloodDrinker. It washed over Kasile and she
altered Fairtheora while fighting down panic. It washed over Fairtheora himself
and did absolutely nothing but tell him its location. It washed over the Royal Ordercrafter
Team and warped their sense of reality. It washed over Lunas, who whispered,
“This castle will soon be mine.”

A thick grey-silver cloud arose from his clothing and
gathered over his head. The bodyguards bared their weapons and it selectively
drained them of all mana. They fainted on the spot. Then it elevated over Kasile’s
divine fire and projected a voice inside their heads.

Mortal
Flesh, greetings from the Highest Authority. This has been sent with a message
for the girl who dares to call herself a divine queen.