The Chamberlain

TRIBERIAS, The Sanctuary, 2420 AA Claus Ummberland was the last of his line. A line of long lived Chamberlains whose services to the Great city of Triberias had lasted for generations. His father before him had served for five. Five Generations that had seen his years hit the two century mark and his father before him had been born in the time of the last Ancients. Claus himself was about to hit the one century mark only shy of it by a decade, yet his features did not show it. His hair however held the tell tale signs of an ageing man or one that had been cumbered with so much serving that the very hairs on his blonde head were now turning grey. He was weary to say the least. Of many things. The greatest of all being the state of the city and the scaffolds that were crumbling all around them. Then there was the issue of the fading newborns and the elders that were crying out for blood. The blood of the innocents, and high among these was the Appriser. A lazy man who all but delegated his tasks to that young girl that to him seemed so unworthy of his apprenticeship. It bothered him how hard the elder had fought to dispose himself of her and well... The others too. Though he was aware that they were all driven by fear. The fear of a man who had managed to wield his power so well and used his position as a weapon to rally them behind his cause and his senseless agendas. What could he himself have done differently? The guilt clawed at his heart even though he had dared not show it. Maybe he could have taken her in as his own apprentice. Maybe, that other issue would have come to light. Tamaar had advised against it but where were they now? They had failed and for it he had lost his bride. Was he relieved? He dared not acknowledge it, but he still felt the loss. Yes, they had managed to keep the secret but at what cost? Loosing one with such a promise with seed of hope? The hope crystals...he bemoaned the loss silently, thinking back to all the plans that he had had for the sanctuary. A high affinity for the Second Virtue blended with the First Virtue... She did not know it, but she was already so advanced despite her perceived weakness in the First Virtue. That aside, he needed to find answers and fast and with the growing uselessness of the council's Appriser, the Chamberlain took to reading the ancient scrolls himself. How he found time, even he himself could not tell. But the circumstances were dire enough to warrant it. "My lord," his blonde head with streaks of grey hair turned as he looked up from the scroll to gaze into the face a stout faced Sanctuary official and one of his many assistants. "What now?" He asked in that bored monotone that was now his signature voice. "The scales your excellency." The Sanctuary official replied. "Something has happened." he added his stone face expression doing well to mask his growing panic, but the Chamberlain was well versed in reading his assistants. Without another word, the scroll disappeared from his hands. With a tired sigh he stood up and began to follow the blue robe out of his office. They walked down the corridors that many knew well and up a long flight of stairs that led up to the inner Sanctum, the highest pinnacle on Triberias. This entire area was made up of crystal and it shone like a big bright diamond in the never setting light of the Hope of Triberias. The walls glistened at every turn. The numerous prisms embedded within the crystal bathing its walls in every shade of colour that was imaginable to the human mind. A rainbow of colours and despite its clear walls, the walls remained as impenetrable as ever, even as a thick white mist obscured its interiors from the prying eyes of the curious passers by. "We noticed it at the end of the last cycle." The Sanctuary official told him just as they came in front of one particular section. One that was made up of a long winding corridor that surrounded the inner Sanctum like a ring all around it. "What exactly did you notice?" The Chamberlain asked him as he gazed upon row after row of crystal glass scales with three golden bars within them. Some glowed brightly while others were an ashen grey. Among those that glowed brightly, one thing was common; none of them had the third bar functioning. It was dull and brown, like unpolished gold, sticking out like a sore thumb in the beauty of the glowing scales. "This one." The Sanctuary official said as he pointed to one scale. One that was neither shining nor the ashen grey of the banished Great. The Chamberlain was quick to notice the golden seal on the scale placed on its right and his azure eyes glowed in wonder. "An Elder's child?" The official nodded in agreement before adding, "This is the second time something like this has happened." "Yes, but this is different. The other one turned black before completely disappearing." The Chamberlain replied. "But she died." his assistant protested. "No, disappeared." The Chamberlain replied in that same bored monotone before turning to walk back the way they had come. "I want you to closely monitor the scales and if there is any change, I would like you to update me immediately. That scale should not be left unattended at any one time." The Chamberlain turned his head to face him and once again, his assistant nodded in agreement. "Will you inform the council?" "And tell them what exactly?" he snapped back, the slight inflection in his voice being the only indication that he had been vexed by his assistant's prodding. His assistant pursed his lips and turned to look away in displeasure. He was not aligned with any faction in the Sanctum, but he worried what with the scaffolds crumbling and all. "Deacon, I insist. This is to remain within our circle and unless I authorise it, I do not want any word of it getting out. Do you understand me?" "Yes your Excellency." he replied as he once again donned his stone faced expression that was his signature look. "Good." With that, the Chamberlain turned and walked down the stairs, leaving behind the assistant with the scales and a troubled look in his expression