Mana Mutation Menace (Journey to Chaos Book 3) (59 page)

“Nice shot, Second Choice,” said an aide. “Director Enaz,
we have the following items available for your foster daughter’s use.”

Eric didn’t catch the rest of it because it was techno-babble,
but Kallen understood and said they would suit her purpose. The aide nodded and
said he would teleport it to
Albatros IX
.

“
Why can’t
he just hand it to us?
”

 “I’m part of the Enaz family and thus legally an elf,”
Kallen explained. “This means that I can’t give elven technology to anyone
without the Supreme Council’s permission, but I can take it into my ship and
add it to my ship. Once there, I’m in human territory and human society
recognizes me as a chimera demon, so elf laws don't apply.”

To complete the loophole abuse, they had to go to her ship
so she could give it to Eric, technically an elf but not part of the village,
so he could give it to Norej. Out of the mad scientist tree, through the Arch
of Kresnik in the Embassy, walk to the airship hangar, and find Kallen’s
personal craft among the many. All this was necessary to obtain something that
was one room away from them in Dnnac Ledo.

“Is all this really necessary?” Emily asked.

“Part of the Conversion War was abuse of elven technology
by humans,” Eric said. “Besides, lots of humans don’t like relying on elves for
their technology. It’s a complicated racial pride, business interest, national
security, and paranoia issue.”

“Did you read that in a book?”

“No, a vision quest conducted by Eaol.”

“Ah.”

One more lightning teleport later, Eric emptied the loot
on Norej’s bedroom floor. The young master of the mansion stared speechless at
the elven objects.

“I can’t believe you did it.”

“Now can we go?”

With a sigh, Norej stood up. “A noble keeps his word. How
are we going to do this?”

Eric made a motion of drawing a cloak around Norej and he
disappeared from the neck down. Then he pulled the rest over his head and he
disappeared entirely.

“This is divine darkness magic. I stole power from a
reaper and then embraced the Spirit of Darkness to refine it to this level. You
will remain perfectly invisible so long as I will it.”

“As long as you don’t go into Honey’s cafe,” Emily
remarked.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

Norej repeated this under his breath all the way to the Arch
of Kresnik, at which point Eric elbowed him into silence. Fortunately, he
didn’t throw up when they reached the other side, like Eric did, once again.

Ponix had already dismissed everyone else from the area.
Only he himself was present at the security controls. With his top-level
access, he fudged the records to make sure no one noticed that more than three
people had arrived and then made sure that no one noticed his fudging or the
fudging of the fudging.

“Avoiding a revealing cover-up is Lesson 2.0 for elven
intelligence officers.”

Norej broke out into a sweat as soon as they left the Arch
of Kresnik’s chamber. It wasn’t until then that it truly struck him that he was
in the home of elves. His father raised him to think they were the boogeyman.
Adrenaline ran wild through his system. Every time an elf looked in his direction,
he felt like running back to the Universal Embassy. He called himself all kinds
of names until he crossed the threshold into the Enaz home.

Eric led him upstairs and Norej gulped. Above all, his
father told him horror stories about “The Witch of Dnnac Ledo.” If she caught
him in a room with her distraught daughter, she’d cut his testicles off, mutate
them into an alien parasite, and force-feed it to him, then keep him alive with
her arcane magecraft past the point where he would have died so she could test
all sorts of horrendous spells on his undead body.

Eric opened the door and he saw Annala curled up in her
bed. Instantly, he felt nothing but sympathy. The girl he knew was cheery and
confident, but this was abject despair.

“Annala, my lady, I brought someone to see you.”

“Go away. I don’t care.”

Eric elbowed Norej. He swallowed several times to get his
throat wet enough to talk.

“Wh….what if…” He swallowed again. “What if it involves
our club?”

At that, Annala stirred. She removed the covers to check
who her latest visitor could be and Eric's threat alarm went off. The lower
half of every single hair was grey. The collar’s suppression matrix had progressed
more rapidly in ten hours than it had the past day.

“Norej? Is that you?”

Eric dismissed the Shadow Cloak and Norej stood clearly in
the bedroom.

Annala shot upright and exclaimed, “It IS you!” Then dread
rushed in. “What are you doing here!? Do you have any idea what my neighbors
will do to you if they find you?”

“I have many ideas,” Norej replied, “each more terrible
than the last, but here I am nonetheless.”

“Why are you here?”

“To cheer you up, but don’t get the wrong idea! I
wasn’t
worried about you. Your boyfriend bribed me with elven tech and the restoration
of my family’s status.”

“Elven tech….? You didn’t!”

“I paid for it,” Eric assured her. “The smith wanted
grendel skin for forging material.”

“You tore the flesh from your body to make me happy?” Annala’s
voice was adoring and her eyes shined love. “That’s the sweetest thing anyone’s
ever done for me.”

“AHEM!”

Annala turned those eyes on Norej. “And you are the
bravest human I’ve ever met. You certainly saved me from my foul mood.”

She left her bed, stood up, and pecked his check. He blushed
uncontrollably and giggled like a fool. Then he coughed and said, “Good, then
you can go do your thing with your aunt and get the Summit moving.”

Annala shifted back to her bleak mood. She dropped back to
her bed and said, “That’s a non-starter. If Aunt Alexis truly experienced what
I did in that vision quest, then there’s no way she’ll ever agree to allow
humans inside the village and without agreement between the member nations, the
ICDMM will dry up and disintegrate; no cure for anyone.”

“It can work,” Norej insisted. “I know it can because I
have proof.”

“What proof?”

“I’m here. I, who come from a long line of non-human
haters. I, who founded a school club based on hatred for an elf. I, who despite
acknowledging feelings of infatuation for a despairing friend, had to be bribed
to come here.”

Annala smiled slightly. “You’re infatuated with me?”

The boy’s face turned pink. “Not the point!
Don't presume that just because we're human we've forgotten
about the Conversion War. Despite what some of you elves think, we're not
mayflies or goldfish. We had a glorious civilization before you ruined it with
your experiments. Our population was decimated. Even now, there are still fewer
humans in the world then there were before the war. Elves may be terrified of
leaving their forests because of humans, but we humans are terrified of the day
you do.”

Norej paused for breath
and for time to compose himself. What he was about to say next was far more
personal.

 “When you came to
school, I shat myself. I had nightmares of the things you might do to me. I
thought you were some advance scout for an invasion. Then I saw how kind you
were to us mere mortals, and even fell for one. When we started that club, I
began to think that, maybe, just maybe, it wasn't entirely impossible that you
weren't a sinister and eldritch monster wearing an angel's face. If I can come
to such a conclusion, then your aunt can as well.”

 “You think I have the
face of an angel?"

The boy’s face turned
red
.
"Not the point! If you can persuade me with your sound arguments and
lovely voice….arg!” He face palmed.

Eric put a hand on his
shoulder. “I know how you feel.”

Annala giggled. “How
about this? I’ll tell you what I learned, not because I want your help in
finding a solution to this mess, but because I’m trying to convince you how
hopeless it all is. You will use this information to convince me to try with
Aunt Alexis, not because you want me to succeed, but because you want dirt on
my family and my community for your newspaper. Does that sound good?”

“Hmm…I don’t dislike
that idea.”

As the night continued,
Nunnal brought up dinner on trays. Eric was quick to recloak Norej, but no one
could deny that the elven matriarch left one more tray than there were visible
people. The noble boy refused to touch his food until everyone else, including
Emily, took a bite of it. Then he consented and ate the rest. At last, they
came to a solution.

“Yes, yes, I believe
this will work,” Annala said. “If I can convince Aunt Alexis with this, then I
can convince everyone in the village.”

Early the next day,
Annala waited for her aunt at the Guardian Lodge. Everything was ready. The
only step left in her plan was to execute it. Her legs jiggled with nerves. If
it
didn’t
work, then the Mana Mutation Summit would not reconvene until
next year, and Lunas would push forward Order’s agenda. It would divide mortals
and elves, defund the ICDMM, and spread Order’s influence. After the horrors
she’d seen, she could not allow that to happen.

Alexis walked in and
froze when she saw her niece. Annala didn’t say anything and Alexis averted her
gaze from her.

“I heard what
happened….and I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry. I was
insensitive and overly curious. I should have listened to my elder.”

Alexis cocked her head
in Annala’s direction and arched an eyebrow. “Oh? You think you understand my
position now?”

“Yes, I do,” Annala
replied. “Humans are greedy and dangerous. Their short and fragile lives make
them obsessed with control in order to protect themselves. They seek the
greatest power they can find and are too stupid to realize that the power
granted by Order will not bring them control or happiness.”

She shuddered and hugged
herself.

“Even though it wasn’t
my real body, I can still feel that monster’s hands.”

Overwhelmed by sympathy,
Alexis gathered her niece in her arms. She stroked the girl’s head and rocked
her back and forth.

“I shouldn’t have
snapped at you,” she said softly. “You’re bright, inquisitive, and
compassionate. I should’ve known you’d seek out Eaol. What matters now is that
you stay here where you’re safe.”

“You’re right,” Annala
said into her chest. “Elven villages are the safest places in the world, after
the Noitearc Monasteries.”

Alexis moved back. “What
do you mean, ‘after’?”

Annala's tone shifted
into one of scholarly concern. “There have been occasions when a village was
found and destroyed, but no monastery has ever fallen to enemies.”

“True, but our defenses have
grown in leaps and bounds since then. We are stronger and better prepared.
Besides, Noitearc Monasteries have never fallen because they’re rarely
attacked. The Great Tree is neutral in the First War.”

“In other words, they’re
safer because they don’t have enemies.”

“That’s unusually
laconic for you, but yes, you could say that.”

“Then wouldn’t it be
best if
we
didn’t have enemies either?”

Alexis paused, then
switched from stroking her niece to giving her a noogie.

“Instead of Chaotic
Doctrine, you use a Salicratic Dialogue. Have you meant anything you’ve said to
me today?”

Annala squirmed. “Of
course I have. I wouldn’t lie to family. I really
do
think humans are
greedy and stupid and have a need for control. Even Eric is like that. Isn’t that
right, Eric?”

Eric de-cloaked before
Alexis’ eyes and she tightened her grip on Annala in shock. She didn’t notice
the boy despite her practice and training. None of her devices alerted her to
his presence. The Guardian Lodge was supposed to be fully secure and safe. She gripped
Annala so tightly the younger elf eeped and so she loosened her grip.

“Don’t be so surprised,”
she said. “You know who built the lodge’s security system and you also know
that this person agrees with me.”

Annala slipped out of
her embrace to stand by Eric, who slipped his arms around Annala and pulled her
in. She nestled.

“Covetous of my life,
capable of great stupidity, and fond of all that’s gold and glittery? Guilty as
charged.” He kissed Annala's cheek. “But I’d tear the flesh from my body if it
would make my girl happy. If you don’t believe me, ask Sonic Pleaks. He has a
copy of it on display.”

“As bad as humans and
other mortals are,” Annala said, “elves are the same way.”

“We don’t—”

“While they did horrible
things in the Conversion War, elves were not blameless. My grandparents’
generation razed human cities to the ground because of the possibility that
ordercraft might be used against them someday. They severely reduced the human
population, let alone the other mortal races. It’s no wonder they’re scared of
us.”

“If we can defuse that
fear, then there will be less anger, less hatred, and less suffering,” Eric
said. “There’s no better place for this than the Mana Mutation Summit.”

Hand on her sword, her
official sword that marked her status as Priori Guardian, Alexis said, “You two
are wasting your time. It doesn’t matter what you say. My decision will not
change.” Her other hand balled into a fist. “I will protect this village from
all threats and that means no one from any mortal race is ever getting anywhere
near it.”

A red puppet poofed into
existence at her right and sang, “Alexis.”

A blue puppet poofed
into existence at her left and sang, “Alexis.”

A green puppet poofed
into existence above her and sang, “Alexis.

“I’m home,” said a voice
behind her.

At the sound of the
voice, her eyes widened, her body tensed, and her face flushed. She slowly
turned around to see someone standing in the lodge’s doorway. It was an adult
male elf with a face like a movie star. He wore a gold and white cloak with the
symbol of the Dragon’s Lair emblazoned on the back and held in place with a
distinctively elven clasp.

“Q-Quando!? What are you
doing here!? You’re early and I’m not ready and—”

In one motion, Quando
went to one knee, grabbed her hand, and brought it to his lips. She blushed, pulled
it away, and smacked him with it.

“Don’t tell me she roped
you into charming me!”

“Annala did no such
thing. Queen Kasile hired me for the Summit’s security detail. She figured an elven
officer working for a human company hit the right note.”

She crossed her arms. “My
answer is still ‘no.’”

Quando stood up and gave
her his best charmer's grin. The younger couple were pleased to see a momentary
weakening in her knees.

“Alexis, my childhood
friend, you know the depths of my power. I have full use of my chaotic
abilities, even under the harsh glare of an Order Obelisk, and I have only
grown stronger since that day. Match me against
any
ordercrafter and I
will emerge victorious.”

Alexis smiled
indulgingly and placed her hand back into his own.

“My love, I would trust
you with my own life any day of the week, but when it comes to the village, I
can’t take any chances.”

Quando was crestfallen.
“You don’t trust me.”

“No! That’s not—”

Quando turned away. “You
don’t
believe
in me.”

“I do! But—”

Quando reached for the
sky like a tragic actor. “After all these years…Leaving the village, fighting
wars, and working my up the ranks to prove myself worthy of you…!” His hand
dropped like that of a dying man “….All for naught….”

“Grr…Fine! But only the
delegates can come! No guards, no aides, no hangers-on of any kind!
Absolutely
no ordercraft! And I want the Darwoss family to be the vanguard. They have to
make the decision to come on their own; no royal orders! Finally, they have to
praise our village without back-handed compliments or stealth insults.”

“Aunt Alexis, that’s not
fair!” Annala protested. “They’d never agree to that. They’d accuse us of plotting
the assassination of mortal society's leadership.”

Alexis put her hands on
her hips and looked down her nose at her niece. “We’re trusting them by letting
them past our defenses and into our home. It is therefore reasonable to demand
that they trust us in return.”

“What about the Darwosses?
Asking them to praise elves is like asking Order to lie. Surely the Heleti
family would be better for this once-in-an-elven-lifetime opportunity.”

At these words, Alexis’
stern facade cracked. A smug sneer tugged at her lips and a triumphant light
shined in her eyes.

“The Heleti can come
with
the Darwosses. I want to see how committed the humans are to improving
relations. After all, they cast the first stone. Nothing less will convince
me.”

Annala sighed. “You make
a good point. I’ll try to make it happen.”

She left the Guardian’s
lodge in a slouching and despairing posture, but as soon as she was out of
sight, she fist-pumped.

“You know your aunt
well. That meeting went exactly like you thought it would.”

“Of course I know her. I
was
her during a defining moment of her life.”

Eric squeezed her waist.
“About that, how are you feeling?”

Annala shuddered again,
and this time, she didn’t mean to. She took a moment to compose herself before
replying.

“Better. I know it
didn’t happen to me personally and as long as I focus on that, I can keep it in
a box labeled ‘Experience with Empathy’ so it doesn’t overwhelm me. Enough
about me; our next stop is the library.”

With Alexis on their
side, it was easy to convince others in the village to go along with the plan.
Even Meza and his hatemongers agreed to it and promised not to cause trouble.
Eric smelled bloodlust in them and warned Annala, but she dismissed it as
expected. When she stood before the Supreme Council sitting in the Sage Tree,
she outlined her plan with confidence.

“We free our brethren, put
the mortals in our debt, and remove a potent propaganda tool from Order’s
arsenal, thus increasing the hold Grandmother Chaos has on this world,” headman
Jade recapped. “Yes, your plan has merit to it. We, the Supreme Council of
Dnnac Ledo, approve this plan and grant you permission to execute it.”

“Thank you, elders.”
Annala bowed to them. “May you live in interesting times.”

“You’re welcome, young
one.” They inclined their heads to her. “May interesting times live in you.”

All that remained was to
convince the Darwoss family to accept Alexis’ demands. Fortunately, the Young
Minds From Beyond the Pale of the Human-Elf Border think thank ™ anticipated
all of them the night before and passed their recommendations to the queen via
Eric.

 She then summoned First
Baron Isuna Darwoss the Elder to her palace. When he arrived, she informed him
of two choices. The first was to swallow his pride and play nice with the
elves, and for this, he would be rewarded with a return to marquis status along
with enough funds to restore his ancestral mansion. The second was to hang on to
his pride and refuse to meet the elves, and for this, he would be rewarded with
early retirement and permanent residence in her palace. He thought about it,
and shortly after the Supreme Council made their decision, he announced that he
would “volunteer” for the mission.

The Enaz family was
gathered in the living room when Eric received the news from Kasile. When he
passed it on, Annala squeed and glomped him. Her parents hugged her in her
turn, echoing each other in their praise of her. Her mother was especially
proud; her daughter had just accomplished what she herself had failed.

Forge wasn’t happy about
it, so Kallen gave him a noogie. He shapeshifted out of it and returned the
favor. She was promptly flat on her stomach with Forge the sumo wrestler
sitting on her back. Upon her he inflicted the agony of a quadruple noogie.

 “There’s nothing to do
now but wait,” Kallen said from her place on the floor, “so how about you
practice for the
Elven Origins
audition?”

 
Annala pushed her
head clear of the hug. “I forgot all about that! Do we have time?”

“Forge, that’s enough,”
Nunnal said. “Get off your sister.”

Reluctantly, Forge did
so and helped Kallen to her feet.

“The auditions are later
today. Does that answer your question?”

In that very room rested
an old leather-bound book. On its front and back cover was the Flower of Chaos,
ten lines from ten directions entangling in the center. They reached off their
page and across the spine to connect with each other. Its pages were leafed
with gold and its title was spelled out in the same:
Elven Tome
.

The hug broke off and
Annala raced for it. She picked it up and opened it to the story in question.
It was the very first one: “Elven Origin—The Birth of the Parents of Elves.”

“Here’s the one.” She
handed the book to Eric. “I know the story by heart, and after you read it, we
can practice the lines.”

Nunnal left the room and
came back with measuring tape. Without a word, she looped it around Eric’s
arms, his waist, and his neck. Then she did the same to the rest of her family,
starting with Annala and then Kallen. It was distracting to have that going on around
them, but she was deaf to their protests. Then, she disappeared in a flash of
light.

“What was that all
about?” Eric asked.