NOVEL NEXT 71
Tor Lithanel surrounded by a dome and sieged by Nurgle Daemons and corrupted dryads and ents. The barrier lasts because due to the winds of the magic dam Valariel made, the magic is concentrated enough to make it last longer and more powerful than initially anticipated. Making the barrier can last almost indefinitely unless something stronger breaks through or the Eonir Spellsingers are too tired to maintain it. Overall, there is no indication of both. The Eonir managed to perceive the threat of Wolfe and the Nurgle corruption early on after a survivor managed to reach Tor Lithanel to warn them.
The ruling queen Marrisith bypassed the High Council discussion and vote by immediately decreeing evacuation from border territories and settlements. Not all is well however as there are many stubborn Eonir that did not heed the decree. Particularly the Forestborn kith. Then while the decisiveness of the decree is commended by the Triumvirate, some of the High Council express their dissatisfaction from having their authority bypassed and by those that saw the abandoning of the larger Laurelorn territories as cowardly. These council members were of course part of the Forestborn kith that have most if not all of their territories abandoned in favor of only protecting the capital city which is mostly populated by the cityborn kith.
While they don’t think that the decree is made out of malice to the forestborn kith, they question the lack of direction after. As after the decree, the decision on how to proceed is returned to the High Council and so far, the discussion is at an impasse. The High Council convenes outdoors as per usual, in the Agora, under a massive and ancient silver barked tree with golden leaves. The last remaining Lornalim tree on Laurelorn. Citizens are also encouraged to come and listen to the council proceeding.
The Cityborn wants to wait it out as there is no sign of the barrier failing and for the reinforcement gathered by the ambassador of Amber Hills to arrive as to let the majority of casualties be of men. While the Forestborn think that they should be more proactive and waiting too long will make the restoration of the forest from Nurgle’s corruption more difficult. Both sides also agree that this kind of impasse is the reason the Queen bypassed the High Council in announcing her decree. What’s left is for the Triumvirate to make a decision while the forestborn kith arm themselves and prepare to march out whenever a decision is made.
But so far, the populace support the Forestborn proposal on striking back the Nurgle corruption. Mostly due to the capital's inability to house too many elves. The Eonir live in a dispersed manner that in the last 4000 years, there’s only two proper cities dating back to the elven colonization of the Old World and few towns. The rest live in family units spread around Laurelorn, usually consist of 10 to 40 Eonirs. The Eonirs that were saved by Valariel’s herd are one of such families. This made the city population remain stable for so long hence there’s little to no effort to expand even the capital.
Up on the Silver Tower, the fourth ruling queen of Laurelorn, Queen Marissith, sat on her bed. Patting a golden furred dog pup on her lap. Her crown rests on a pillow on the table in front of her. Her golden hair combed by her two handmaidens, two more handmaidens cleans and massage her beautiful face with one handmaiden each for her eyelashes. as she prepares for another meeting with the other two of the Triumvirate. And the delegation from Ulthuan too. She almost forgot them just like the way Ulthuan forgot of the Eonir’s existence until Finubar’s reign.
Just before the Nurgle corruption strikes, a delegation from Ulthuan, more especially from Caledor, arrives. Delivering good news that many of the dragons are now awake, bringing six adult dragons as a gift to Laurelorn. They also bring two dozen hippogriffs too. While many among her court are visibly elated that the Dragon Tower and the Hippocrene Tower that have been empty for a long time are now refurbished and properly used again, she was not elated. To her, it is a sign of the gathering storm of a terrible war. But she suppose having an additional power to protect themselves is never a bad thing. That is until Nurgle attacks.
It was not the survivor that tells her that Nurgle attacks but a dream. It was a weird dream even for her. There she saw the humans from Nordland submit… no, not submitting, but listens and heeds the Eonir’s guidance on sharing the Laurelorn between both humans and elves. A naive hope beneath her and her mother's disdain for humans. Then a golden wolf collapsed in front of her. Its body rotting and the rot extends to her forest. “Mother.” The golden wolf whines in pain. “No. Not Mother.” It continued and she saw how the wolf’s eye dims as the rot slowly extends to its neck. In that dream, Marrisith decapitates the wolf, she doesn't know why, but she wants to at least save the uncorrupted part of the wolf. It was a very weird dream. After all, if someone has a face similar to her that the golden wolf mistakes her for someone else means that there’s another member of the line of Aenarion that she did not know.
With the preparation complete, Marrisith picks the pup, waking it, and putting it on the floor as she stands and leaves to her throne room. She doesn't know why she saved the pup back then. Regardless, the pup jumps alive and follows her footsteps as she walks with her bodyguard and handmaidens. So far, everything is according to what she plans. The decree gathers the Eonirs to one well fortified place, the Forestborn prepares themselves for war, the Cityborn hold their eagerness in check for the chance of reinforcement from Amber Hill. She understands her people and everything is coming to place. The only thing she did not take into account however, is that the capital does not have enough supply for all her populace through the winter, much less to train a new army. An indolence grown from her people's self-sufficiency.
Then as if sensing her worry, a voice sounds within her mind
“Mother will be here soon.”