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Here ya go, Their Mistake chapter 2. I hope you like the hint at the end. 
- Spoiler:
- Metus ran harder than he had ever run before. His heart pounded in his chest, and the freezing air burned his lungs. He was out of breath, but he never stopped running. He had never been so alarmed. One minute he and Caxtus had been exploring the cave for exsidian, the next his friend was dead. The two Agori villagers had been waiting out the storm outside, when Caxtus had decided to make their stay profitable by hunting for any exsidian reserves that might be left in the cave. From there it had all gone wrong. The pool had been at the back of the tunnel in the mountainside. It looked like such a calm, still pool, that Caxtus had ventured to get a sample of the strange liquid with his bare hand. The particles of his body had made no sound as they disintegrated before Metus’s shocked eyes. So Metus ran. He ran from what he did not know, and what he no sane being wished to find out. But he had to tell someone.
Metus: The Ice Lord. Yes, he will know what to do!
The snow storm raged on and the nearest village was miles away, but Metus still ran.
***
Of all the things he did in his service to the Great Beings, Kyry disliked negotiating with the Element Lord of Ice most of all. Oh, he was polite and cordial most times, but there was something cold about his presence that made the Fire Agori shudder. On this day, he had been sent by his masters to ask for permission to buy a shipment of exsidian metal for their various projects. The two extremely different beings had been talking over terms for a confidential purchase that would not draw much attention to the real buyers, until an Ice Agori had been ushered in by two guards. The villager quickly whispered something in the Ice Lord’s ear, then the titan rose and dismissed Kyry.
Ice Lord: I am afraid I don’t have time to settle this private agreement. The markets of my capitol are open, and you can buy your exsidian there. I trust the Great Beings would not object?
Kyry paused, replying hesitantly.
Kyry: Yes, of course. I can use the markets if you have urgent business at hand.
The being of Ice walked off with the Agori to a side room of his palace hall. When Kyry went to purchase what he came for, he tried to think of all the things that would warrant interrupting a negotiation with the Great Beings. The list was not long. The sharp Agori decided to make a trip to Atero when his errand was completed. Villager rumor traveled fast, and all news, no matter how secret, reached that central city quicker than a sand bat chasing its prey. Goading his living caravan into life, Kyry set out at the fastest pace the loaded down Sand Stalkers could manage. He had a feeling that something important was going to happen in the coming weeks. He had no idea how right he was.
***
Life, Raanu reflected, was not so bad. As an aide to the Element Lord of Fire, he held certain honors and privileges that most beings did not have. He was never bored, as the intricate workings of a kingdom could keep anyone busy. When he walked down the streets of Atero, villagers dipped their heads in recognition, although the Ice Agori were usually too frosty to show respect, not that he minded in the least. Which was why he somewhat surprised when a Glatorian of the Ice tribe whom he did not recognize suddenly walked up and fell in step with him. He spoke with a particular accent common to the most northern of the Ice tribe.
Surel(Scottish accent): A grand day, isn’t it? Name’s Surel, of the Ice Lord’s Guard. I hope you don’t mind me going with you a bit. I trust we are both headed to the same place?
After recovering from his initial puzzlement, Raanu realized that his companion was referring to the joint conference of the six kingdoms that had recently been called.
Raanu: Oh, well yes. You must have traveled a long way to get here.
Surel: Someone’s got to do it. It’s my duty to go wherever my ruler goes.
Raanu: You could say the same about me.
Surel: So… what do you think of the recent turn of events? A convocation! Not in over a millennia have the Lords decided to endure one another’s presence to actually solve a problem! No disrespect meant to your leader, or course.
Raanu: None taken, Surel. But you are right. I wonder what this could all be about.
Surel: I’ve heard the rumors. They found something in your White Quartz mountains. An immeasurable source of pure exsidian, a mountain full of precious stones; the list goes on and on. I never held much to Agori gossip myself.
Raanu: Ahem, no offense taken there either.
Shortly, the two beings came to and entered the large, and usually empty, joint administration and convocation building. Upon entering they were met with a short, high ceilinged passageway with entrances to rooms on either side. The door on the end wall lead to a special, again seldom used, viewing box for the arena. The furthest room on the left was the appropriated meeting place. As the Glatorian and Agori walked toward it, a cloaked figure peered after them from the adjacent chamber.
***
Fiery fingertips drummed in heated repetition on the stone tabletop. The Element Lord of flame could not deny it. He was agitated, curious, impatient, and angry, yes. All these things he had been before. But now, he was… bored. It was a new experience. He did not like it.
Fire: I assume that we are here for negotiations of some kind, but how can we start when we are not all here to negotiate!
Most of the others had already arrived before the Fire Lord. The only thing that had happened since he had arrived was the subsequent arrival of his personal aide, apparently with the same of the Ice Lord, and in friendly conversation! He would remember to have a private word with Raanu concerning undesirable acquaintances, particularly with the Ice tribe.
Water: Our frosty brother better have a good reason to keep us waiting. He must have called this… gathering. I have a kingdom to run.
No one responded, confirming the goddess of water’s surmise.
Water: I have heard rumors.
Sand: I’m hardly surprised at that! You know how Agori talk. I have just arrived today and already five different stories have reached my ears, each one more ridiculous than the next.
Jungle: But they all had one thing in common, did they not? All these tales involve the northern White Quartz Mountains in the territory of our missing companion. Whatever has happened, it originated there.
Rock: No matter what the villagers have been saying, what interests me is what cold shoulder will tell us when he gets here, and whether it will be the truth…
Jungle(sarcastically): Such wisdom from the talking rock. I’m impressed.
Before any more could be said, the door to the chamber slammed open. The five Element Lords fell silent, as a cold chill swept through the air, and an icy mist swirled into the room, followed by its owner, who nodded to Surel and sat down.
Ice: “Greetings, my friends. I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.”
Sand: (muttering) “You can say that again.”
Fire: Let’s cut the pleasantries, brother. We’ve all been called here, and I want to know what is going on.
Ice: …Er, ahem, I think you all know of the talk that has been circulating. I regret that I haven’t gotten information on this to you sooner.
Water: Information on what?
The Element Lord of Ice paused, then produced a crystalline jar with a silvery liquid inside that bubbled and swirled, as if it was trying to escape its confinement.
Ice: Recently, my villagers stumbled upon this, or rather a pool of it, in my mountains. One of them touched it and he is… no longer functioning.
Silence reined.
Ice: Of course the secret of this could not be kept for long. Soon, others discovered it. And I, with a mind to be knowledgeable about this substance, let them experiment with it.
Water(snorts): You let innocent travelers go to their doom, you mean.
Ice: The element can do more than destroy, sister. It can transform… sometimes with shocking results.
Fire(coming out of brooding silence): Whoever controls this liquid could do anything…
The Lord of Sand widened his eyes with realization.
Sand: Perhaps even rival even the Great Beings.
Rock: Rival? You think too small, brother. With this power in his grasp, one could dwarf them with ease.
Water: Imagine what we could do if we put this to use. Our empires today would be nothing compared to what we could accomplish!
Jungle: Well said sister.
Fire: When the trade caravans from your kingdom, my brother, I-
Ice: No!
The assembled titans immediately stopped their exclamations and turned to face the one who spoke. The stone table was cracked where the icy fist had come down in cold anger. The container holding the silver liquid had toppled to the floor. Scorch marks where it had spilled spread along the ground. The Ice Lord glared around at his brothers.
Ice(gaining control of outburst):...No. I have made no agreement with any of you. It was found on my lands by my people. If you cannot accept this... I will respond in kind.
Silence once again filled the room. Several of the Element Lords started to speak, then stopped. What more needed to be said? A promise had been made by their brother. One by one they rose stiffly and left, each planning his or her own response to the promise; the threat; the threat of war.
Raanu tried to say goodbye to his new-found friend, the Ice Glatorian, but his master abruptly called him away before he could do so; a cloaked figure by the name of Kyry ran silently away from the meeting hall towards where the Great Beings dwelt, where he would report the most horrifying news he had ever had to give; and alone in the convocation chamber, the Element Lord of Ice stood in puzzlement at what had happened, for though he was definitely not going to give up his new-found power in the first place, and would defend what he thought was rightfully his, he had not called the convocation that day.
Last edited by GoldenTahu on 9th March 2012, 12:58 pm; edited 10 times in total
