SS [55] This is Outrageous

Things only seemed to accelerate after the Worldspine was revealed to sit above a sleeping Devil. The city was quiet for a moment as if everyone was waiting for something worse. Or perhaps just praying it was over. The silence did not last long before motion overtook surprise.

Bjorn understood what had happened. The dwarves most certainly did not. It only took minutes for town guards to flood the plaza. They were responding to what they believed was a coordinated demon attack on the Worldspine Gate.

From their perspective, it looked exactly like a summoning gone wrong. Dozens of demons had collapsed into ritualistic submission at the base of an ancient monument, and then the city itself had begun to shake. What they didn’t have in context panic filled in the gaps.

Some of the demons were already being dragged to the ground, wrists bound in cold iron cuffs. Others, clearer of mind, were shouting explanations that no one had time to hear. A few broke away entirely and ran, only to be cut off by forming guard lines around the entire square.

There were more than a hundred demons that Bjorn could see in the plaza alone. All of them had been forced into that same moment of submission beneath B̸̪̍E̵͚̹͛Ḽ̷̞́P̵̹̲͘H̴̲̩̿Ë̷̝̩Ġ̵̦̗͐Ợ̶͝Ṛ̶̾’s influence.

One scream cut through the noise. It grabbed the attention of one of Bjorn’s heads. It was odd because it was no louder than the others but for some reason it felt more significant. 

A dwarf guard had raised his blade over a demon still trying to stand. The dwarf looked terrified like he was in over his head. The demon looked even more frightened. He raised a hand to protect himself.

The strike came down and Bjorn expected blood.

Instead there was a sharp crack of displaced force as something moved in a blur through the moment that would define Highhall for generations. Aurelius was suddenly there. A man that changed the course of history. Somehow Bjorn knew that.

His blade was still sheathed, as he lifted it to meet the strike with enough force to stop it dead before it reached flesh.

“What is he doing?” Soren asked sharply.

The world breathed for a second as everyone seemed to realize what just happened.

Aurelius guided the stunned demon back onto his feet as more guards closed in immediately. Steel came halfway out of scabbards. Orders overlapped in a rising wall of noise.

“Lay down your weapon, elf—”

“All demons are to be detained—”

“Surround them—”

“I didn’t do anything!” the demon shouted, voice cracking. “I just got here!”

Around them, other demons were regaining awareness, adding their own confusion to the chaos. Some struggled against bindings, insisting they were civilians, merchants, travelers. None of it mattered yet to the guards trying to stabilize a perceived outbreak.

By the time Bjorn and the others reached Aurelius, the situation had tightened into a circle of steel and suspicion. The dwarves hesitated when they saw what stood at the center. Bjorn, a five-headed hydra took his place alongside Aurelius.

“Everyone calm down!” Soren shouted.

Silence did not come immediately, but eyes shifted to the druid.

“My name is Soren Ahlgren, I am here under the authority of Her Highness Princess Yrsa of the Runecrown,” Soren continued.

The crest on his tabard finally registered. The guards exchanged looks. Not relief but uncertainty. The kind that comes when rank suddenly overrides instinct. A retainer of the royals was suddenly on the side of the demon they suspected. 

“You okay?” Soren asked as he patted Aurelius’s back. “You should put that away too.”

Aurelius exhaled slowly. He looked down at the sheathed blade in his hand. He restraped it to his belt.

“I’m fine,” Aurelius said.

Tanisha appeared in a flash of her teleport.

“That was a good save.” She said.

“As long as this doesn't explode into them trying to arrest us. I would really hate to become a fugitive.” Aurelius said.”

“If it comes to that I can teleport us out of the city.” Tanisha said.

“It won’t come to that.” Soren said calmly.

“I am going to need one of you to come with me to explain what is going on. Because honestly I am also confused.” Soren said.

“I will explain what I can but it will be sensitive information. I do not recommend telling them before talking to the Princess.” Bjorn said.

“Why shouldn’t we just arrest them all?” A dwarf said as he stepped forward. “Hostile forces just congregated in the city and tried to destroy our city! Until we know what happened no one is leaving!”

“Soren you have the Crest of Runecrown step away from the demons. When commander Wroughtiron gets here you will speak to them.” Another voice said.

“I will not leave the guests of her highness. I will remain here until she arrives.” Soren said.

The dwarves’ blades did not fully lower, but they stopped advancing. This was now something that was going to require more conversation with higher ranked peoples then were currently available. Orders went out to secure the square but they were no longer trying to arrest everyone. Tensions stayed high but they had cooled considerably.

***

The conference hall was packed with members of the Highhall oligarchy. Officially the city council was made up of elected representatives. Looking around the room, Bjorn couldn't help but notice every seat seemed occupied by one of the wealthiest families in the territory. He doubted that was a happenstance. 

Bjorn had to sit in the aisle because of his size. The rest of his party sat in the front row separated from the empty audience section. The raised chairs of the council members made a half circle with over forty people. Princess Yrsa was sitting in her own section and was of course very perturbed. 

Yrsa had sent one of her aids with the emblem of the Runecrown as a simple escort. Now she was embroiled in a potentially international incident involving citizens from multiple countries including Yuhia, the Force Isle and of course whatever countries the demons came from.

The shock on her face with the Flashwater’s chamberlain Bofur referred to Tanisha as Princess was not something Bjorn would ever forget. 

Interestingly the Potwarden representative was also in attendance and there was definitely tension between him and Yrsa. 

There were accusations flying around about the event now called the Black Quake. Notably none of those sharp comments were aimed at Yrsa or Tanisha but instead the demons. Most believed it was some kind of mass ritual attack. Others complained about not allowing demons in the city at all and how that was a mistake. 

When attention turned to Bjorn and his group it was because of a man named Jan Potwarden, a dwarf with no beard at all, which was honestly kind of odd. Sure he was not the only dwarf without a beard but it was so uncommon that it was the first thing Bjorn noticed about him.

“I understand that our guests from Princess Yrsa were on sight when the event took place. Maybe her foreign associates could enlighten us.” Jan said. 

Tanisha stood from her seat but before she could speak someone else spoke up. Another council member who sat far to the right.

“I am Councilwoman Oathgranite. Why are we listening to the words of a demon?” She said with heat in her voice.

“Ah, Councilwoman Oathgranite I see you had not heard that this woman here is not a demon.” Bofur stated. “She is a wendigo.”

“A wendigo? I have never seen a wendigo like her.” Oathgranite said. “What proof does she have of her station? Should we take the word of any traveler that they are royalty?”

“She is Princess Yrsa’s guest she could clear things up I am sure.” Jan said.

“I do not have time to fully explain my status. But I will offer our expertise on what has transpired.” She walked up to the podium. “First my name is Tanisha Valkyrja Scalebound, I am the Fourteenth Princess of Yuhia. If you must verify my identity I have no crest of my station because my companions and I were displaced due to the Mana Hurricane. However if any of you were to contact First Princess Sigrun she can verify my identity.”

“And how would you expect us to contact her?” Oathgranite asked pointedly.

“Through the experimental communication disk being created as a joint project between my aforementioned royal sister and Kazrin Ironvow. It is my understanding he is the oligarch of The Runeforge Consortium in Karvashar.”

There was murmuring in the crowd.

“Sigrun is a contender for the throne there.”

“Did she say Kazrin Ironvow?”

The room fell silent from that as everyone's eyes widened a bit from the claim. Eyes also glanced over to a dwarf sitting just to the right of  the center of the first row. A name plate with Ironvow clearly visible caught Bjorn’s attention. The man didn’t change expression though he did sit up straighter. 

Tanisha continued with her momentum.

“While I am sure you all will do your due diligence in verifying my statements it is not the purpose of this meeting. I just want to make sure that it is stated that our relationship with Princess Yrsa Runecrown is not a reflection of Yuhia’s opinion and as far as I am aware there is no involvement with Yuhia in any official capacity with the princes or princesses of your kingdom. With that said, the changes in my appearance from that of my countrymen is not up for discussion at this time. I am not a demon, I am a Princess of Yuhia and I expect to be addressed with due respect, Councilwoman Oathgranite.”

A new voice cut in this one from a man sitting just right of the center seat.

“Well said Princess Scalebound. I am Councilman Torik Ironvow, I would like to speak with you regarding some information shared in your introduction.”

There was a breath of silence after Torik spoke. The fact that he had not disputed the use of his family name was telling. Several council members exchanged glances. One quietly scribbled a note. Another who had looked openly skeptical moments ago settled back into his chair without another word. 

“Very well.” Tanisha continued. “Now as for what happened during the Black Quake my familiar will explain.”

As soon as Tanisha stepped down from the podium there were murmurs from the crowd.

“A familiar?”

“We are allowing animals to speak?

“This is outrageous.”

“How did this become a foreign affairs hearing?”

“Let's get this over with Big Man.” Tanisha said as she nuzzled one of Bjorn’s heads. 

Bjorn walked toward the podium. More than one council member instinctively leaned back in their chair. A guard stepped forward before Bjorn had crossed even half the distance. 

“That is close enough!” A council guard said. “Speak from there.”

“Council, I am Bjorn Scalebound. I will explain what happened and why the demons are innocent. The Black Quake was not caused by an attack in the city. It was caused by a Devil beneath it.”