The Emergency Convocation
Three days after the massive, uncontrolled Genesis Pulse shattered the ancestral seals, a state of emergency was declared in Velarion. The Arcana Councils, the highest governing body of the magical realm, convened in the Grand Obsidian Hall—a massive, imposing chamber designed to display the careful balance of power among its diverse members.
The hall was filled with representatives from the ten major clans and creature lineages. All members maintained a humanoid form, with only subtle, distinct differences betraying their true race.
The Council structure was governed by Ten Leaders—one primary representative from each major group—whose decisions required either unanimous agreement or a majority vote.
* The Vampire representatives sat in chilling stillness, their skin subtly paler, their eyes unnervingly dark and focused.
* The Werewolf representatives possessed a muscular, grounded build and eyes that held a flicker of untamed golden light.
* The Witches exuded focused Pure Ether, often visible as faint, intricate markings on their hands.
* The Elves possessed subtle, unnatural grace and often carried an aura of cool, ancient intellect.
* The Fairy delegate was slight and ethereal, with iridescent particles occasionally catching the light around their form.
* The Phoenix Clan members glowed with contained inner heat, their hair sometimes showing strands of impossible gold or red.
* The Dragon Clan representatives were powerfully built, with skin that had a faint, almost invisible, metallic sheen.
* The Elementals maintained a sculpted, rigid physique, their eyes often reflecting the core element they were born with—one's gaze might be solid gray (stone), another's like flowing water.
* The Winged Clan members had pronounced shoulder blades where their large, feathered wings were retracted, giving them an upright, tense posture.
* The Human Clan representative, relying on raw intellect and arcane weaponry rather than inherent magical ability, sat with a cautious intensity, aware of their unique position.
Presiding over this volatile assembly was the Archon of Order, Lady Seraphina Valerius (The Witch leader), serving as the chair for the Ten Leaders.
"Silence!" Lady Valerius commanded. "We are here because the unthinkable has occurred. A catastrophic surge of Genesis Convergence Force has breached the Great Barrier on the mundane world. The Elarions are exposed."
A wave of fear and resentment swept through the chamber. The Elarions were the ultimate variable—the raw power that the entire Arcane Law system had been designed to circumvent.
The Problem of Ultimate Power
The Werewolf representative, his eyes glowing gold, was the first to speak. "The Elarions! They were meant to remain inert! Their presence is a threat to the established peace!"
Lady Valerius silenced him with a glance. "Containment has always been the objective. But the Genesis Convergence is not like any other force. Its activation confirms that Five Elarion Cores have unsealed, simultaneously. This is the largest, most exposed release of raw Higher Force seen in millennia."
A sharp, cold voice cut through the tension. It was Magister Kaelen, the primary Vampire representative. "And what of the inevitable response? The Entropy Force has been stirred, and the established Dark Ether houses—those who prize control and acquisition—will have detected this beacon. The danger is not mere attack, but acquisition."
The Human Clan representative, Lord Davian, spoke with cool precision. "The immediate threat is from the Dark Ether. We need confirmation that the Elarion Protection Covenant can withstand a psychological, non-magical assault, as that is the preferred tactic of the Vampires."
Lady Valerius nodded, pulling up a holographic display of the Oakhaven High School crest. "It has been confirmed: the Everhart lineage—one of the oldest and most disciplined Dark Ether houses—has taken immediate, public action."
The Everhart Maneuver and the Vote
"The Everharts?" roared the Dragon Clan representative, his voice causing a subtle tremor in the hall. "They seek to claim the Genesis Force for their house and disrupt the Council's balance!"
"The Everharts know the Elarions cannot be destroyed without catastrophic magical backlash," Magister Kaelen explained, his voice unnervingly smooth. "They will not attack. They will employ The Orbit of Analysis—they seek to persuade, corrupt, and ultimately integrate the Elarions, acquiring the Genesis Force through alliance."
The Elemental representative, whose body looked like rippling stone, brought the conversation back to the legal framework. "This move is politically clean, as they have used no overt force. We must vote on a response. Do we intervene, violating the Non-Intervention Edict, or do we allow the pressure to continue?"
The Fairy representative, whose voice was rarely heard, spoke with a soft, urgent clarity. "We must vote against intervention. Any magical interference risks pushing the Elarions into an uncontrolled destructive response. We cannot afford to provoke the Genesis Convergence."
Lady Valerius surveyed the Ten Leaders. "The Elarion Protection Covenant remains in full effect. Any violation of the Non-Intervention Edict is grounds for sanction. The Council can only agree to maintain the status quo or attempt a subtle counter-measure."
The vote was taken by the Ten Leaders:
| Clan/Lineage | Vote | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Witch (Archon Valerius) | Abstain | Maintain neutrality as Chair. |
| Vampire (Magister Kaelen) | Allow Pressure | Acquisition is the ultimate goal. |
| Werewolf | Allow Pressure | Forces Elarions to master their chaos. |
| Human (Lord Davian) | Allow Pressure | Intervention is too dangerous; monitor only. |
| Elf | Allow Pressure | Observe for weaknesses and intellectual failure. |
| Fairy | Allow Pressure | Avoids violence and destructive feedback. |
| Phoenix Clan | Allow Pressure | Let the ultimate power decide its own fate. |
| Dragon Clan | Intervene | Immediate danger to the balance of power. |
| Elemental | Intervene | Violation of structural order. |
| Winged Clan | Allow Pressure | High risk, but necessary test of control. |
The final count was Seven votes to Allow Pressure against Two votes for Intervention. The motion to maintain a passive, observational stance carried.
The Final Ruling
"The motion passes," Lady Valerius announced, the result heavy with consequence. "We will allow the Vampires to apply maximum pressure. The Elarions will either achieve the mastery their power demands, proving their right to exist outside our political structure, or they will be absorbed. We will wait. And we will watch."
The political game was settled, but the fate of Velarion now rested on the unpredictable actions of five teenagers and a relentless, ancient enemy.