* * *
"What is that light?" asked Sielvu.
"It has been working its way through the rubble for the last minute or so," replied Dievu.
Sielvu pushed past him and was followed by Bithi and Yhu. "We need to get these injured to the healers. There are not enough of us here to see to them all. The other Elders are still moving around the city."
As much as Dievu despised Sielvu, he accepted the Elder's orders in this time of crisis. Mandigal turned and ordered the soldiers who had begun to arrive from the city centre to carry the wounded away from the wreckage.
"Can you all feel the loss?" asked Bithi suddenly. "I used my powers to mend the neck of a young disciple moments ago and I am completely drained."
"I have the same problem," replied Dievu. "My magic has not returned to me. It passed from my body into the injured, but was not replenished by Nyrune."
"I fear that something may have happened to her," interrupted Mandigal.
"Impossible," blurted Yhu. "I will not accept that as an explanation. Our goddess would never do this to her children."
"I did not suggest that I have the answer, Yhu," replied Mandigal gratingly. "For the entire Karmanian people to have felt this, Nyrune must be involved."
"The light is emerging form the Academy," called Friedrich from the midst of the crumbled stones.
The centre of the Academy then burst into the air, sending massive clumps of stone throughout the area. Friedrich and Vrill, who had been sifting through the debris and were closest to the blast, jumped for cover as the barrage headed towards them. The stones dropped with immense speed, but stopped short of crushing them. They looked up to see the segments of building hovering in the air above them. Then, as if thrown by an invisible hand, the stones were hurled away to an empty section of the ruins.
Looking up they saw what had emerged from the wreckage. There in the midst of a broken monument stood Christill, his robe stained with dirt and blood, with a solemn look on his face.
"Christill," whispered Dievu. He was finding it hard to believe what his eyes were showing him. One part of him was ecstatic to see his young pupil alive, but there was another part that wondered whether this young man was the cause of all of this strife.
Christill moved towards Friedrich and Vrill and helped them up.
Friedrich instantly noticed the change that had come over Christill, the calm manner of his movements and the resolute look in his eyes. Friedrich's brow shot up abruptly. "Christill, your eyes. They have turned green."
Christill smiled. "Many things have changed, friend. I must ask something of you two now. Listen to me carefully." Christill turned and noticed that Dievu, Mandigal and the three Elders were heading towards them. "I have need to travel to the City of Skiye. I may require your help to get out of Duathnin."
"What in the world are you talking about?" asked Vrill, suddenly wary of the haste in Christill's voice. "What have you done?"
"There is no time. They will not believe me and I predict that the situation may get heated. It is likely I will be forced to escape this city," replied Christill. "When the time comes, follow me."
Friedrich moved to reply, but was cut off by Bithi. "What have you done to our sacred Academy?" roared the Elder in an accusing tone.
"Be silent for a moment, my lord," responded Christill.
The bulky Elder almost toppled over. He had never been so offended. Sielvu took this chance to speak his mind. "How dare you address us in such a manner? Once we find out what has happened I will personally see to your punishment. And there will be no mercy."
"For once in your life cast away your arrogance and let me explain myself," shot back Christill, causing those around them to gasp in shock. "I was not the cause of this catastrophe. I did what I was ordered and travelled to the Third Plane, but it was not as it was before. Something was destroying Nyrune's realm. I watched as the ground around me fell into nothingness and the trees in Nyrune's home blew apart in spectral fire. The goddess herself came before me in strife."
"How would you know what she was feeling? You could not even begin to understand the meaning behind Nyrune's appearance," Sielvu interrupted.
"Sielvu is right, Christill," added Dievu. "We have all had different experiences on the Third Plane. It may have all been an act."
"This was no act, Master," replied Christill sternly. "Nyrune was attacked before my very eyes."
Mandigal jumped in. "What attacked her, Christill?"
"I am not sure. There was a presence there. I could not explain it to you had I a year to think on it."
"He is lying!" yelled Bithi. "It was he that attacked our goddess. I knew you were trouble from the moment you were brought before us. Someone bind his hands before he attacks us."
"How could Christill cause something like this, Bithi," reasoned Dievu. "Think rationally."
"What happened to Nyrune?" probed Mandigal, ignoring the bickering around him.
Christill realised there was no hope of him explaining this to the Elders in their current state. Worst of all his two biggest adversaries in the Council where the only ones that were listening to him. Yhu was standing off to the side with a dazed look on her face and the other Elders were nowhere to be seen. Mandigal was his only hope. Christill focused his thoughts on Mandigal and spoke directly into the Honour Guard's mind. "She is gone, Mandigal."
"I know," responded Mandigal, without even a hint of movement. "I need to speak with you."
"I need to speak with Skiye," explained Christill. "You must stop them from keeping me here."
Mandigal inclined his head slightly to show his acceptance. Dievu and the Elders were still arguing. "Then we must leave now. Do you have the power to take Friedrich with you?"
Christill nodded.
"Then I will take Vrill," he finished. Mandigal stepped towards the young Dargonian and gripped his arm. Vrill eyed Mandigal suspiciously, but did not act against it. Christill moved towards Friedrich and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Call the guards. Have them bring the rest of the Elders," yelled Sielvu to a nearby disciple. "Yhu, place some bindings on Christill."
Yhu shook herself out of her daze and began to move towards Christill.
This was the moment that Christill had dreaded. He shifted his gaze to Dievu and could tell that his Master knew what he was planning. Dievu's crestfallen eyes betrayed his sorrow at Christill's choice, but there was also understanding.
"One day you will realise why," said Christill, sending his message into Dievu's mind.
He willed his mind back to the situation and called forth his new powers. Mandigal followed the example and enveloped himself and Vrill in a cloud of red energy.
Sielvu and Bithi moved to stop them, but were blinded by a dazzling explosion of light that had flown from Christill's hands. The Elders stumbled amongst the rubble, slipping on loose pebbles, as Christill and Mandigal vanished from the ruins in a blur.
"We must try and find out how far they made it," yelled Yhu.
"How could Mandigal commit this treason?" asked Bithi as he rubbed his blighted eyes.
"We will not stand for it," cried Sielvu. He grabbed a bewildered Karmanian youth by the collar and roared into his ears. "Send word throughout the forest. The Guardians are to find them before they reach Feldonian ground. We know these lands better than the animals themselves. They will not be allowed leave."
"Mandigal is a cunning foe," pointed out Bithi in a wary tone. "If he wishes to remain unseen he will do so."
"Go and get Kiril!" blurted Sielvu angrily.
Dievu watched the Elders arguing with an absent mind. His thoughts dwelled on a Feldonian boy who had in one night caused more strife than centuries of war.