Pasquinelli/Rise 465

“I’m sorry I left like that,” Jon said to Jotea.

“No. Don’t be,” Jotea said lightly. “I expected too much of you too quickly. I must also apologize.”

“We both messed up a little bit.”

“Perhaps,” Jotea conceded.

“Hey we’re going to be here for a while, so you think you can show us our rooms?” said Ray, and she walked right past Jotea into the foyer.

“Of course. As soon as I saw you coming I prepared the castle for your arrival.

“How very thoughtful of you,” Jon said, butterflies in his stomach.

A smile from the empress was his answer.

“So about this ‘seeing’ you do...” Jon said as she led them up the red carpet that bisected the enormous hall.

“I sense you curiosity. I am a mental. I can read minds within reason, I can sense emotions and moods in other people, I also can experience the same moods myself, and I have several offensive capabilities, but most are defensive.”

“What do you mean offensive and defensive?” said Ray.

“I can do this,” said Jotea, and instantly both Jon and Ray were lifted off the ground several inches, they traded places in mid-air, and were set down gently as Jotea continued walking as if nothing happened.

“Very nice,” said Jon.

“Thank you.”

“Can you teach me how to do that?” asked Ray.

“No. You are a Shiftress. You can change form, you cannot levitate. It would be like trying to teach a salmon to give a lion’s roar.”

Ray gave a disappointed sigh.

“But fret not. You have the ability to metamorphose into any thing, any one, or any creature you so wish.”

“I’m liking this,” said Ray. “I want to be...a spoon,” she said and scrunched her face up in concentration. Nothing happened. She looked over at the Empress.

“You will not be able to change your form so drastically this quickly. It will take time, and much practice. The most you could do now is alter your clothing.”

“Hey,” said Ray brightly, “I could live with that.” Jon could tell Ray was enjoying this new status very much.

The three of them continued their journey through and up the castle. Jotea was obviously taking them to a couple of rooms high up. Another few minutes later, they reached their destination because Jotea had stopped walking.

“These are your rooms,” she said pointing to doors on either side of her. The doors were coincidentally carved in the same wildflower pattern as the Oak Tree Manor’s library paneling, in the same wood no less. “Now settle yourselves in and rest. You have an en suite restroom in each bedroom, and I’ve stocked the wardrobes with clothing since I doubt you have brought any...?”

Jon shook his head.

“Right. I will send for you later in the evening. I trust you have made arrangements back on earth to be invisible to your caretakers?”

“We are adults, you know,” said Ray.

“Of course,” Jotea said, “I only meant --”

“Yes,” Jon said, cutting off Jotea. “We won’t be missed back on earth by our...caretaker.”

“And how do you know if we’re tired?” snapped Ray, a little more cranky than normal.

“Because I can feel it, and it’s making me tired. I will send for you, then a feast, and tomorrow, you will attend your first Council meeting.”

“Council?” Jon yawned.

“The governing body of Norea... well, Iannis we hope. Anyway, that will be discussed later. Good day.” Jotea walked back down the corridor they came from.

“She’s right. I’m tired. I’ll knock on your door in an hour or so after a good nap,” said Jon.

“Right. Don’t dream anything right now,” said Ray as she closed the door to her room.

“Right,” said Jon. He went in his own room and was a little shocked by the sight of it all. A huge canopy bed with thin animals carved into the walnut wooded posts greeted him. The canopy itself was vaulted high to the ceiling. Ornate chairs and sofas filled the rest of the room, which Jon suspected he could have fit his father’s entire living and dining room inside with room to spare. Jon was thankful to Jotea as he approached the opposite end of the room. The windows didn’t look out to a landscape like his room at Oak Tree... but they did look out onto the city of Norea below. The city was glittering in the setting sun, and the capitol building rose from the rest of the short structures off to the right, but even at Jon’s height in the castle he looked down onto the capitol’s roof. He deduced his location to be one of the topmost bedrooms in the caste based on their height.

He walked over to the canopy bed and fell onto, or rather into it as Jon sank several inches in the fluffy bedding. He was so comfortable that he dozed off immediately.

By the time he woke up, the sun was practically set, and the lights in the city could be seen glinting far and close. It was nearly two hours since he’d fell asleep. He stood up immediately and nearly fell down again because of the head rush. He swaggered over to the enormous marble bathroom and began to splash himself with cold water that came out of a gold swan fountainhead.

It took a few minutes, but Jon’s brain reconfigured itself and he remembered where he was and how he’d gotten there, and that seemed more like the dream than anything. Then he remembered he was supposed to wake Ray up an hour ago. He trundled to the door and went into the hallway to Ray’s door and knocked. A minute later Ray came and opened the door, looking a lot more sleepy and grumpy than Jon was. Her black hair was twangy-looking and stuck out at odd angles.

“What? What is it?” she said raspily in the doorway.

“We’ve been out for two hours.”

“Oh. Out where?”

“Out. Asleep.”

“Right,” said Ray. She yawned then started laughing in short bursts.

“What?”

“You look bad. Have a wrestle with yourself?”

Jon looked down at himself. His clothes were entirely wrinkled and looked awful. He felt his head, and his hair was matted and pressed in some spots and sticking straight up and out in others. “Oh no. We’re supposed to go to a feast tonight,” he said trying to straighten his hair and stretch out his clothes in a window reflection in the hall. “You know you don’t exactly look like Helen of Troy, you know,” Jon said, glancing back at Ray who was chuckling to herself.

She too stepped out of the doorway and looked into the same window Jon was looking. She noticed her makeup was smudged and it looked like she had a bloody lip from the smear of her lipstick. She started to fix her hair as best she could and formed an ‘O’ with her mouth and was attempting to fix the color with her pinky.

Someone cleared his throat loudly behind them. Jon and Ray froze in place and turned around very slowly.

There was a clean shaven man in simple clothes and gloves before them; he was holding in one hand a wooden box, and the other he held a stately lavender dress on a hanger with heels to match.

“Her majesty anticipated you would need these,” said the man. He looked like a Norean version of a butler, but he seemed to be turning his nose up at them just the same.

“Nice,” said Ray, taking and examining the dress and shoes.

“Thanks,” said Jon as he took the box. He had an idea of what was in it, particularly since a tuxedo probably would not have fit in such a small box.

“The feast shall begin at exactly seven o’clock in Topaz Hall. It is considered rude to be late,” said the stiff butler who turned and left after that.

Ray looked at her cell phone. “Still time for a shower,” and turned off to her room. Jon thought he’d do the same.

Before he turned on the womanly angel showerhead, he opened the wooden box. Just as he’d expected, the Phoenix Amulet lay inside a red velvet interior. Jon thought Jotea must have wanted him to change into the Phoenix robes, but the only way he knew how to do that was say the words and hold the Amulet. Would it even work again? What about that little fainting and fire-spell problem he had in the forest?

As he showered, he noticed the water was especially soft, and the way the room was distorted through the glass shower stall, he figured it might be quartz or crystal. After he got out, he stared at the Amulet on the writing desk, next to the stationary that said atop, “From the Pen of Jonathan D. Kenneth.” He thought about asking Jotea what to do, but he had no idea where in the castle she might be. He tried Ray, but she couldn’t hear him in her bathroom. Finally he decided to just do it, and if anything happened, Jotea was a psychic, so she might know already anyway.

Jon picked up the Amulet and pressed it in between his palms and quietly to himself, “Avitus Incendium Advocare.” It began to burn like last time. He let it go and it hung in midair and began to animate again. Fearing a repeat of what happened in the woods, Jon grabbed the Amulet as it hung in midair. His hand was almost to the point of burning, but he held on.

The Amulet melted in his hand, and the glowing fire began creeping up his fingertips. He closed his eyes tight and planted his feet on the floor as if waiting for a tornado to sweep through the room. The phoenix entity crawled up his arm and spread through his torso in a matter of seconds. Jon felt the same surge of power as before, and was apprehensive, but the surge felt controllable, and he didn’t fall down or pass out. The crawling feeling took over his body and dissipated. After opening his eyes, Jon looked down and was in the same spot he was before, but now was wearing the deep red embroidered Amulet robes. Relief washed over him. Nothing in the room was burned.

Jon went out of his room and knocked again on Ray’s door. This time, she heard him and opened the door to let him inside. Ray was almost apparently done with her makeup.

“How’d you sleep?” asked Jon, who sat down on her bed.

“Damn good. Usually it takes me forever to fall asleep, then I wake up all the time when I do get to sleep. Didn’t happen here.” From Ray this was high praise.

“Good.”

“How about you?”

“Oh. Usually I sleep pretty well, but that was even better.”

“I just can’t believe it, you know?” said Ray, who was applying lip liner.

“What’s that?”

“That we’re here...in this castle...in some magical country.” She turned to Jon. “It’s almost too perfect here.”

“This isn’t exactly a pleasure vacation -- or even a vacation period. We’re supposed to be helping these people.”

“Yeah I know,” she said and turned back to the mirror. “I’m still a little shocked at all this, anyhow.”

“Me too. But somehow it doesn’t feel wrong or bad,” said Jon, not quite knowing what he meant.

“You just like starting fires.”

Jon chuckled at her. “Maybe.” He paused. “Not that I’ve been able to do it again,” he added, downtrodden.

“Relax. At least you’ve done something. I supposedly come from a whole family of shift -- shiftra... freaky changing people,” observed Ray, still examining herself in the mirror.

“At least you’ve got people to look up to,” said Jon. A thought struck him: was his family involved in all this? Were his ancestors passing down this Amulet from generation to generation and it just got lost in time for a while?

“Look up to?” Ray repeated. “I don’t think my parents know anything about this. Not that they would care anyway.”

Jon frowned. “Oh come on, they care.”

Ray scoffed.

“Why are you so at odds with them anyway?”

“Because I like to be in control,” she said and looked at Jon. “They tried to control me and I get tired of it. So I came here...well, they sort of made me come here. They know soon I’ll be going to NYU. They just don’t know what I’m planning after that.” She turned back to the mirror.

Jon stayed quiet and continued to stare at Ray. She finished within the next two minutes. She asked Jon how she looked and did a spin for him. He gave her the thumbs-up and said she looked nice.

“At these prices, I better look damned good,” proclaimed Ray, referring to her makeup bag.

Jon stood up and Ray took his arm (even though he didn’t really offer it, but didn’t mind that she took it). They exited Ray’s bedroom, Jon feeling rather stiff, and Ray gliding alongside him. He briefly remembered what the stuffy butler said about being prompt and pushed it aside when he knew that they were probably worth the wait.

They made their way through several corridors and down the many staircases to finally arrive in the foyer. They asked for directions from a stout smiling little man and went to the proper room. They entered ten minutes late...but Jon was just happy they’d found the Topaz Hall.

A decadent room the length (and height) of a city block opened up before them. A huge crystal chandelier hung from the vaulted ceilings with a hundred or more candles lit on it, and two smaller chandeliers flanked it on either side. Silver leaf adorned the trimming on the cathedral ceilings. Exquisite masonry and woodwork stretched along the paneled walls. Huge and slender windows cut through the walls and provided glittering views of the city at nightfall. A long, ornately carved cherry wood table ran the length of the room with all sorts of food and decorations. There was even a bird-in-flight ice sculpture. At the head of the table stood Empress Jotea, smiling broadly at them.

“Welcome, she echoed, “to Topaz Hall.” She opened both of her hands and arms in an outward and circular welcoming motion to them.

At the long table sat another twenty or so people. Jon noticed some of them were smiling just as sweetly as the Empress, while the others were as cold as the sculpture in the center of the table.

“This hall was named after my great grandmother,” the Empress said. “We use it for our great feasts. Please, sit.” She indicated two seats to her immediate left and right.

Jon and Ray made their way past the beaming and stony faces to where the Empress stood. They sat next to her. And so the feast began, or rather, continued. An assortment of all types of food filled the tabletop. Some Jon recognized whereas some of the fruits and pastries were clearly indigenous. In any case, it was excellent food. As soon as the three of them sat down, the table broke out in conversation. Every now and then, Jon would get a nasty or cold look from someone down the table. He tried to ignore it, but it wasn’t always easy. He even seemed to get an emotion that wasn’t connected with his own mood. First it was disbelief that his own intentions for being there weren’t correct. Then it would wear off and Jon thought he might be going insane and shook his head a few times.

“I am chancellor Divmi, of the Sil Tanik District,” said a squat bald man with a curled mustache next to Ray.

“Ray Cavitt,” she said through a forkful.

“I must say,” continued the chancellor in a heavily affected voice, “it is so wonderful to have you here. And especially to see young people take up our cause and help us in our fight.”

“Oh yeah, no sweat,” said Ray.

“And you,” said chancellor Divmi, “must be Jonathan Kenneth.”

Jon looked at the man across from him. “Yeah, that would be me.”

Several at the table froze in place and stared at him.

“Very good, excellent. With you here, we have naught to worry about,” said the chancellor heartily. “Here here,” and he raised his glass.

Jon’s heart skipped a beat and he looked around the room. Silence fell again and several others raised their glasses. Both Ray and the Empress did, but by the faces of some of the others at the table, it was perfunctory only. Some looked so tight-jawed Jon thought they might break their glasses in their hands. General murmuring broke out once again, and the focus lifted from Jon, at least, so he hoped. It was clear that most of the people in the room were obviously upset that this man who would be their greatest threat was sitting in their inner sanctum next to their Empress like a war hero. If Ray noticed it, she wasn’t showing it.

“So you say it’s...?”

“Lipstick,” said Ray and she pulled out a sample and began to demonstrate. She was explaining to her neighbors what made her eyes and lips so unnaturally colored. They even applauded after she finished her application.

“Remarkable,” the chancellor said. “And you say...all of your females on earth do this?”

“Most do,” said Ray, “at least the ones that know what’s good for them.”

“How fascinating,” he said. “Seems like such nonsense to me, but I suppose that’s why I’m old, and you’re young.” Chancellor Divmi laughed, and to Jon’s surprise, so did Ray.

Jon turned several times to his left to make polite conversation with the young gentleman to his left, but every time he faced him, the man was either turned the other way, or too focused on his plate to notice Jon. Eventually the woman to the left of the man Jon was trying to talk to started conversation with him. “So, Prime Minister, how are the movements on the Frost borders?”

“Not well, I’m afraid,” said the Prime Minister with very little pretense. His annoyance was quite apparent. “The Guild continues to make gains on every front. But I’d rather not talk about that at our feast. We’re supposed to be...celebrating,” the Prime Minister said, and he and the Empress exchanged very tense glances. Again the Prime Minister avoided Jon’s eyes and engrossed himself in his plate. Jon continued to remain quiet. He felt that if he spoke too much, he might say something that would offend someone, or worse, make him sound in genuine. So instead he just interjected whenever he could at the Ray-Chancellor conversation.

“You say you don’t know anything about our fine country? Not an iota?”

“Not a damn thing,” said Ray, nibbling on a neon blue vegetable.

“Well then, I shall simply have to tell you then.”

“Mm,” said Ray. Jon knew this to mean she didn’t really care either way, but didn’t want to say so.

“We’re a parliamentary government in Iannis. There are nineteen districts, and five major cities. We have fifty-seven Councilors, and three mayors per city ... excluding Norea of course. I mean, after all, what’s the point of having a capitol without an Empress, eh?” said Chancellor Divmi.

“Uh huh,” said Ray.

“And that is Kavin Fauntyle,” said the chancellor, indicating the man to Jon’s left. Fauntyle was deep in conversation again, or was pretending to be. “Youngest Prime Minister in our history. Also the youngest Empress” -- he bowed his head to Empress Jotea -- “to ever rule. You might say we’re for the youth.” The chancellor grabbed several pastries and piled them on his dessert plate.

“Finally this place got something right,” Ray said. “...Besides the pretty. And a woman in charge,” she added.

“Yes, well, some aren’t as pleased with the changes. I, for one, think change is inevitable. If the youth wants to feel what it’s like to be in charge, by all means.”

“Empress, what do you think?” said Jon, wanting to engage the Empress more to hear her speak.

“In times such as these, I believe we must do whatever it takes to flourish,” she said slowly. She looked directly at Jon, who flushed and looked away.

“Your Majesty,” said the chancellor, “how is grand vizier Solus?”

“He is doing well. Recovering from an unpleasant flu.”

Jon started to become fidgety when the topic of conversation further down the table turned back to land issues.

“The Onyx Guild is continuing to make progress,” someone said down the table, a bit more loudly than necessary. “We all know this already.”

The room cut into silence once more. Jon looked to the Empress who remained silent as well. He then heard an ethereal and disembodied voice say, ”the Onyx Guild is what Ignus and his followers call themselves.” Oh, Jon thought. The Empress had been speaking to him telepathically. Then, she very calmly shifted the silence into a talk about some of the new artisans who had cropped up in the recent weeks.

The feast ended about thirty minutes later.

“Farewell, my dear,” said chancellor Divmi. “I look forward to seeing you should you ever travel to my district in Sil Tanik.” “Yeah, sure,” said Ray, picking up one last chocolate pastry from a tray.

“Jonathan, Racine,” said the Empress, who had finished saying goodbye to her associates. “Good night, I’ll be sending instructions in the morning.”

“Night,” said Jon. Ray was already on her way out of the hall. Jon trotted behind her, fearing he wouldn’t be able to find his way back up without her. She seemed to know the way and ten minutes later they were up at their rooms. They bid each other good night and went into their rooms. Jon had barely gotten out of his Phoenix garb when he practically fell into the bed and immediately was asleep.

He woke up the next morning to sweetly chirping birds he could hear from his high window down in the courtyard. It took him a second to orient himself. It turned out to be a pleasant surprise -- he was in opulent luxury with the best view of a beautiful city just out his window, and for the moment, had very few cares. He looked over at the Amulet still sitting on a three-legged nightstand he’d put it on the evening before. Jon sat up in his oversized and overstuffed canopy bed. After much eye rubbing and stretching, he pulled himself out of his bed and looked at his mantle clock. It was eight thirty.

Jon thought he should peruse around the castle to get more familiar with it. Doing that proved to be more time-consuming than he thought. He found the conservatory, the library, several lounges, a reading and writing room, and even found his way out to several balconies and terraces, and a very cavernous dark room in one of the underground levels that seemed to be undergoing construction. By that time, he was quite hungry. Finding a smaller dining area off the cavernous main hall, he helped himself to the buffet-like arrangement with lavish entrees. He sat himself down at small circular table next to a window that overlooked the courtyard gardens.

After a few minutes of silent consumption, Ray came bursting through the doors, looking a little worse for wear. She didn’t seem quite awake enough yet, and her eyes were all puffed up.

“Morning bright eyes,” said Jon.

“Shut up.”

Jon heeded her advice and stayed quiet. Ray returned to the table in a few minutes with a few pastries and some fruit.

“Pardon me, sir and ma’am,” came a voice.

Jon and Ray looked up to see another castle servant holding a silver tray in his hand.

“The Empress has sent you this,” he said, and presented them with a letter.

Jon opened it and read:

I hope you slept well. Your presence is requested at the twelfth Iannis Council Meeting of this season. The main talking points will be the Onyx Guild and their influences and latest movements. The Council meeting will begin promptly at ten o’clock this morning in the Capitol building; go in through the main doors facing south, down the pillared hall and make a left turn into the third door of the Alpha Chambers. Jonathan, please wear your Phoenix Amulet robes. Racine, you will have more clothing awaiting you in your wardrobe appropriate for the occasion.

I shall greet you henceforth.

Her Eminence,

Empress Jotea Rosebridge, III

“Ten o’clock...” Jon repeated.

“What time is it now?”

“Almost nine thirty.”

“Holy -- mm mm” mumbled Ray, who had just stuffed a partially eaten scone in her mouth which was now hanging halfway out of, and she scrambled out of her chair.

“Ten o’clock at the doors of the capitol!” called Jon after her.

Ray waved back at him and was out of the dining room in a flash. After a quick bowl of fruit, Jon bounded back up the stairs to his room to get himself ready. After a lightning fast shower, Jon transformed into his Phoenix Amulet robes (the transformation was becoming easier and more familiar every time he did it) and headed back downstairs.

The sun was shining warmly in the sky outside, and several caretakers were tending to the lawns and flowerbeds.

Jonathan walked through the courtyard and smiled at whoever looked his way. Like the feast on the previous evening, some were very nice, but others could have cared less and several deliberately scowled at him. He reached the end of the castle grounds and veered right after he cleared the open (but guarded) gates.

The Capitol building, in it’s Greek and Romanesque style complete with columns on the outside, was in architectural contrast to the French Normandy and Victorian style castle that towered over it. Jon stood at the top of the steps to the entrance of the Capitol and waited for Ray. From there, he could see down Church Street that ran perpendicular to High Street and could see the Imperial Plaza where they intersected. Jon let out a quiet “wow,” to himself when he recognized that he was standing at probably the most powerful street intersection in the continent.

At the island in the center of the Imperial Plaza stood another tall clock that ticked the time away. This was the third Jon had seen on the High Street. The lack of Ray was making Jon nervous as the large clock ticked away... nine fifty seven... nine fifty eight.... Finally, as the clock chimed the time of ten o’clock, Ray came half jogging, half scurrying up the steps. She passed Jon and threw open one of the rectangular metal doors. She wore a plain aqua colored pantsuit that made her look almost twice her age. Jon thought she looked sophisticated.

“I look like an old woman,” she said as they entered the Rotunda.

If they weren’t late already, Jon would have liked to marvel at the inside in greater depth. The blue marble was again ubiquitous. In the castle, it was only on the floor in the main entrance hall; but in the Capitol, it was everywhere -- it made up the columns, it was the flooring and walls, even the desktops were made of it. While the castle was much more homey and luxuriously comfortable, the Capitol was clearly meant to impress and, Jon suspected, to intimidate.

Both Jon and Rays’ footsteps echoed ominously as they hurried to the third door on the left. When they got there, they saw Jotea with two guards on either side of her.

“We’re about to begin,” she said in an almost whisper. She turned and went through the door with her guards just behind her.

She led them into a massive room with at least two hundred people talking and dressed in white robes with silver decorative manacles on each hand that ran from their wrists to their elbows. The mass of chairs and people made a horseshoe shape, where in the center were three very elegant empty chairs.

Jotea directed Jon and Ray to discrete chairs a few rows up, while she proceeded down to the center of the room. On the way to his seat, Jon could hear fierce whispers. One especially was like a jab of an ice pick as someone said, “What is he doing here?” Jon tried to ignore it. Ray didn’t react, but sat down next to Jon.

The Empress took her seat in the center of the room in the middle chair and waited. Prime Minister Fauntyle came into the room and sat on her right, wearing gold manacles with white robes, and another, older gentleman not dressed in the white robes and manacles sat on Jotea’s left.

“We welcome you all to the Twelfth Council meeting of the season,” said Fauntyle genially. “Our primary concern this meeting, is of course, the growing problem of the Onyx Guild.”

Jon shifted uncomfortably in his seat as murmurs began and several people shot contemptuous looks his way. This felt like a larger scale version of the feast last night, but the topic of conversation was entirely about him.

“Their movements,” began the Empress as she stood up from her seat and waved her arm, “are not surprising.” A giant paper map came flying into the room and positioned itself high above her seat so all could see. “They are creeping along the southwestern most tip of the continent and are spreading from there,” she said, pointing to the map of Iannis. The island continent was about two hundred and fifty miles across and about the same in height. Several of the major points of the country were highlighted, including a dot with a label “Sil Tanik” that Jon remembered from the night before, and Norea was on the north east coastline. There were also two major lakes and a peninsula, a large snaking river originating from Mount Adena, and the area the Empress was indicating was called the “Frost,” and it was colored black with uneven borders. The rest of the country and several of the smaller islands were blue in color. The Onyx Guild already had control of ten percent of the country.

“I have ordered the Royal Force Army to the base of the Aurelia mountain chain,” said the Empress. A section of the map lit up in the shape of a backwards ‘L’ that began at the top of the continent, ran south and veered east marked the mountain chain. “They are stationed there, and thanks to Councilor Paget’s Pimicron metal, they are holding our ground -- for now. Psychics and generals alike have been informing me that we will begin losing ground again within two weeks.”

More than a murmur broke out this time. Downright anger and even a couple of yells were echoing in the room. Jotea folded her hands and, Jon thought, remained in perfect form, silently waiting for the noise to stop.

“It can’t be,” one councilor said.

“They could be wrong,” another said.

“If they gain more ground, both Sil Tanik and Berens are within striking distance!”

“They’re not strong enough.”

“I assure you, they are strong enough,” said the Empress, voice rising above the rest. “And my sources are not wrong. Otherwise, they would not be my sources. Ladies and gentlemen, we must come to grips with reality. The question is no longer whether they are growing in power, but it is now what we must do about it?”

“Why don’t we ask him?” said a Councilor who jabbed his thumb in Jon’s direction.

Jon’s heart did a number in his chest. He felt his head get really hot really fast. Every face in the room turned to Jon.

“I have already explained to the Council that our threat is not Jonathan Kenneth, but Ignus,” said the Empress firmly.

“But the more he knows about us now, the better prepared he will --”

“You speak things you do not understand,” said the Empress, her voice raising to a level Jon had not heard before. “Anything Mr. Kenneth learns now will likely not pass on to Ignus.”

“How do you know that?” asked some other Councilor.

“Because this is not as simply linear as you think it is. Ignus found the Amulet, or will find the Amulet approximately twenty-five years from now. He then traveled back through time to now. He has altered the timeline severely. Jonathan’s new memories will not transpire over because of the Temporal Incursion Ignus created. Ignus created a new Timeline. Because of his actions, the Phoenix Amulet was revealed to Mr. Kenneth prematurely to stop this threat. The Amulet will only work for those it chooses to allow it. It is even written that this would happen.”

“How do you know so much about temporal matters?”

At this Fauntyle stood up and was furious. “How dare you question the Empress that way! Think before you speak, Gerren. The high Empress has connections ALL over this country, not to mention powers you could never dream of inherited from her position! You don’t think she knows what she’s talking about?”

Jonathan was glad to see that Fauntyle was at least defending Jotea, even if he still might loathe him.

Gerren stayed silent, but had an arrogant, disbelieving look on his face.

“That’s enough, Minister,” said the Empress, and Fauntyle sat down again.

“Excuse me,” Ray said loudly, “could I hear a little more about this Guild or whatever. I mean, not everyone knows everything about them here.”

“Only you two,” said an elderly female Councilor.

Ray rounded on her and looked venomous. “Look you old fart, last time I checked, we’re here to help you, so shut it and show some damned gratitude.”

Some people actually applauded Ray.

“Order,” said Fauntyle.

“A brief iteration is not uncalled for,” said the Empress, looking at the elderly Councilor, who looked thoroughly insulted.

“Agreed,” said a stout Councilor a few seats from Jon.”

“Would the honorable Councilor Andersen, our resident expert, please give us a brief history?” said Jotea.

A male Councilor stood up, cleared his throat, and began to speak. “Our present plight with the Onyx Guild began approximately five years ago. The exact date is not known. But you must understand it is eleven years ago relative to the present day. Ignus, or Mr. Kenneth at the time, will discover the Phoenix Amulet approximately twenty-five years from now. He learns how to use it and also learns of its immense power within a few months. At around the same time, he learns of Iannis since the two are so obviously connected, and comes to this country.

“Mr. Kenneth then takes another two years and travels all over the continent and even deep in the Nimue and Neptune Oceans. He grew to like the country, but the power of the Amulet and his own enterprising began to corrupt him into wanting control over it. Apparently, it turned into an obsession. He led a campaign with several followers. His powers were strong, but the ruling family at the time was stronger and had much more support. His fire charge nearly spent on the campaign to Norea, he used much of his temporal powers to travel backwards through time approximately three decades back. Mr. Kenneth then renamed himself Ignus. He assumed he would have the element of surprise, and foolishly attempted at attack on the city at only a quarter of his capacity. Believing he would have an easy victory, he failed nonetheless before he even reached ten miles of our city. He was greatly weakened and fled to the only place we would not follow -- the Frost.

“The Council, also foolishly (forgive my impudence, Empress) thought they had seen the last of Ignus. They were wrong. During the past five years, he has been regenerating and once again gaining support. He now has an estimated thousand followers. In the past two years, they named themselves the Onyx Guild.

“Last year, Ignus himself came one night and decided to temporarily forgo Iannis and travel back to Earth to gain control there, then attempt Iannis. Empress Jotea fortunately has placed several of her own powerful Charges around the Gate to erase it from anyone’s view, save for those she wishes to know. She was able to extract that part of the plan from his mind. Few Iannisenes know where the Gate is anymore, many because they have never used it. He again retreated to the Frost.

“And that is basically where we are now. The Guild is now very strong, and is spreading from the Frost. The Royal Force Army is now stationed at the base of the Aurelia Mountain chain. It borders the northern section of the Frost.”

“Thank you, Councilor,” said Fauntyle.

“Now the most pressing question is what do we do about it,” said the Councilor.

“Indeed,” said another.

“Agreed,” said another.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” said the Empress, “I will be enacting a plan of my own. As a matter of fact, I shall be personally carrying it out.”

At this, nervous and almost frantic discussion broke out.

“Unfortunately, I must do this unilaterally and only the Prime Minister, Royal Vizier and myself will know exactly what will happen until the plan is carried out. The only thing I can tell you is that it is a risk-free plan that will provide us with answers.”

Jon heard several people sigh loudly and voice their outrage that the Council was being left in the dark. After the Prime Minister calmed the Council by telling them discretion and the Empress’ presence are necessary and convinced (most of) them, they went on to other topics that were less than intriguing. Jon began to glaze over after discussion about something called “rock minions” and how their continuous pillaging of Drax and the chain of Draxus was becoming irksome. At some point, Ray even took out an NYU pamphlet and started browsing. At first Jon thought it was rude, but as his watch started chiming noon, Jon found that pamphlet quite interesting.

Finally at twelve forty, the final official procedures were complete and the Council adjourned.

As the Councilors were clearing out, Jotea called Jon and Ray to her. They followed her, Fauntyle and Jotea’s advisor into chambers that were privately located in a room off the Alpha meeting room. When everyone was inside the small room, Fauntyle spoke.

“I’ll cut to the chase, your Majesty.”

“Go ahead,” Jotea said placidly.

“Why did you lie to the Council?”

Jotea paused and gave a smile. “You know me too well.”

Fauntyle just kept looking at her.

“I had to. This has to stay top secret. And I believe there is a leak in the Council.”

“What?” Fauntyle gasped.

“I know. It’s a powerful one, too. They’re using powerful Charges to mask their dishonesty. I simply can’t tell two hundred people that this is a risky reconnaissance mission especially if there’s a leak.”

“And you’re sure?” said the vizier.

“Yes. There have been too many coincidences in the past two years. And I can sense it on some level.”

“Very well,” said Fauntyle. “I was just trying to make sure --”

Jotea held up her hand to silence him. “I understand. You were merely doing your job as Prime Minister. You need not apologize.”

Fauntyle grinned at her, nodded curtly at Ray and Jon and left the room. The vizier followed on a look from Jotea.

“You’re going on a reconnaissance mission to that...Frost?” said Ray when the three of them were alone in the room.

“No. WE are going on a reconnaissance mission to the Frost,” corrected Jotea.

“What?” said Ray in a disbelieving monotone.

“Yes. This isn’t exactly an undercover mission. The probability of fighting breaking out is almost certain. The only way Ignus would meet with us was if I went myself. And taking you two with me is a perfect element of surprise I’ll need to catch Ignus mentally off-guard if we’re to be successful.”

Ray stood there with her mouth half open and Jon just stared wide-eyed at her.

“But of course,” said Jotea, “you will have to be trained in your powers.”

“We’re...going up against Ignus? Now?” said Jon.

“Well, not this very moment, no. Our meeting is scheduled in two weeks.”

“And you think we’ll be ready for...this by then?” said Jon.

“Yes. Certainly,” Jotea said, seemingly confident. “And besides. I want Ignus to know something.”

“What?” said Ray.

“There is another Phoenix Amulet out there. And it is on my side.”

Jon felt a small swell of pride at Jotea’s smile.