Legend Of Dragoon Fan Fiction ❯ The Legend of Dragoon II ❯ Dark Council ( Chapter 22 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

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Chapter 22) Dark council

Irving, the leader of the Soanites, stood at a podium, stationed in a dimly lit room filled to the brim by a large crowd. Anger was showing everywhere across his face, since the failure to destroy Deningrad and the failure of the Virage. A small murmuring whispered around the crowd before him, full of fear, full of anxiety, and every one of them awaiting to learn their fate. Most of them figured that the real fault layed with the Virage, since it was defeated, but many others still figured that Irving would find a way to keep the blame on them.

As Irving stood at the podium, a deep snarl escaped his lips, signaling silence, and it was met. He deliberately remained silent, to add effect of his anger. "Would anyone care to tell me HOW we FAILED?" The room remained silent. In a sense, this made Irving pleased, yet in another, it just added to his rage. Slamming the podium, he screamed, "ANYONE? Will ANYONE speak up to answer me?" The room remained silent still. Seeing as no one would answer, Irving continued. "I'll tell all of you why we failed. YOU! You are all losing FAITH! Soa sent us a weak Virage, because you are all losing faith in our great lord." At this, many of them hung their heads in shame, either because they really believed that it was their fault, or because they just didn't want to be executed in his rage.

Irving, seeming to have emptied his system some, said a little more calmly. "Now, we must ask for our forgiveness, for our disobedience, for being wretched little urchins in his power, when we should have been his army." All in the room bowed their heads and closed their eyes, all except for Irving, who lead the prayer. "Oh, great and divine Soa, your followers, your most loyal subjects wish for your divine grace and forgiveness for their insubordination." Irving paused, as if expecting a response. When he heard nothing, he yelled at those praying. "Isn't that RIGHT?" The crowd immediately took the hint. They replied in unison, "Yes, our lord, the Great Creator, Soa."

The prayer continued like that for nearly a half-hour, continuing with the occasional unison chant from the crowd, admitting to the mistakes that they may or may not have made. Irving finished the prayer, "Then let your redeemed followers be blessed by your holy light, to continue to re-fulfill your deed to purify the world." At saying this, a pendent that Irving wore arond his neck began to glow a bright white, pulsating power throughout the crowd. The glow lasted a good minute before it faded. After finishing, Irving told the crowd, "You are dismissed, and may Soa guide your ways. Now, may I see the council in the back room."

The crowd dispersed, Irving headed for the back room, and he was followed by the seven council elders, each garbed in a different color robe. Upon reaching the hidden back room, they all sat around a crescent-like table, so that Irving sat in the center, and the seven council elders sat around the longer end of the table. Irving started off, "So, now that we have that settled, we must discuss our course of actions." Turning to the elder second from the right end, garbed in white, Irving said, "What is the status of the reaches of the Soanites?" Curtly, the white garbed elder responded, "The informants I have sent to Tiberoa report that they may have gained the support of at least one hundred. The ones I have sent to Gloriano have yet to return, but I recieved a message that there are settlements interested in their word." Irving looked pleased. "Anything about Serdio?" A grim expression came across the white garbed elder. "I lost contact with them some time ago. And it was a shame too, they were my right and left hands."

"We will deal with them..... if they return." Irving turned to the third from the left, who was garbed in blue. "Do you have any information about the locations of Soa's other monsters?" With a grin, he responded, "Yes, in fact, I have learned of the location of a Kraken, out in the ocean. I will be heading out tomorrow to tame it." Irving returned to looking pleased, "Good, very good....., but," His gaunt face returned, "The Virage was a complete failure. In the first dragon campaign, they were able to destroy four Dragoons. This one couldn't even handle one." The blue robed elder responded, "I am truly sorry. We did have to travel a long distance. I found it underneath much of the rubble of what used to be The Valley of Corrupted Gravity, which is now just the Corrupted Valley." Irving seemed to understand then how it was so weak. "Well, keep up the good work. As long as those ignorant peons think that I have the power to summon the monsters, you're doing a good job." The blue elder just nodded.

Then, turning to the elder that was sitting second from the left end, garbed in purple, he said, "What do you know about the movement of the Dragoon from Deningrad?" A sinister look spread across his face. Taking his time deliberately, he said, "Everything." This really pleased Irving. "How so?" The purple elder replied, "A new developement I have discovered allows me to control the minds of others. And recently, it has come to great use. When I visited the remains of Deningrad, I came upon a lone knight, and I thought that it would be interesting to learn what he knew." A shadowy figure appeared in the dark corner of the room. No light shed on him, so nothing could be seen of him, except for his blank eyes. "This is he." Turning the the dark figure, the purple elder said, "You may return to your "Queen" now. I will call upon you later." The dark figure remained in the shadows, but headed for the door and left. "The best part is that he won't remember anything he sees while entranced." Irving laughed heartily. "I must commend you greatly, but where is he headed?" The purple elder replied, "They left Deningrad, heading for Furni. Apparently, the Dragoon and two others are leaving for Serdio, to seek out the other Dragoon spirits." Irving inquired, "Does this mean that they have other spirits?" A shameful look spread across the purple elder's face, "Unfortunately, I cannot say. As I am only recently able to mind control, I couldn't extract that information from our... "correspondant".

Irving had a look of intrigue across his face, for he was working out a new plan. "Well, if the Dragoon is heading for sea, then maybe..." he turned to the blue elder, ".... it's time for you to go find that Kraken. I feel we should head to Furni for a "farewell party" for our little "friends"." Laughing, Irving arose from his seat, followed by the other seven. "We must ready the men for a journey to Furni." Turning to the green garbed elder, Irving said, "We must also find a ship. Take care of that." "Yes, master." was the reply. When they all exited the room, the door was shut, leaving it in total darkness.