Chapter 440: The Shamans of Evenfall Part 1
Stryg followed the Elect’s herald back to the Silver Hall Keep, though instead of leading him back to the tribunal chamber, she led him down a different path, past half a dozen hallways and up several flights of stairs. All the while, they passed by guards and servants who stiffened to a halt and bowed profusely to Stryg, much to his surprise.
It had only been two nights ago he had walked through this hall as a pariah with every goblin looking at him and his kin with distrust in their eyes.
Finally, the herald stopped in front of a stone door and placed her hand on an oval impression at the door’s center. Small brown magestones and linked arcane sigils lit up around the doorway and the stone door slid open.
Inside was a large open smooth marble room, with only the occasional stone pillar as the only markings to the otherwise empty floor. The eastern wall was non-existent —save for the guard railings— and gave a wide view of the city of Evenhall sprawled below.
The whole place reminded Stryg of his private training courtyard back in Hollow Shade, except this place was several times the size. The marble room had to have taken up the entire southern wing of the castle’s fifth floor.
A group of about 30 mages sat in meditation at the center of the empty room. Three goblins, all dressed in cloaks of rich deep blues, stood watching over them. The three of them turned at the sound of the stone door opening. Stryg recognized the one in the center; despite her makeup, the dark bags under Lumi’s eyes were clear. It seemed as if she hadn’t slept for days. The two made eye contact and Lumi broke away from the others and made her way to him.
The gilded strings interwoven in her grey and black hair caught in the light and flickered across the room with each step she took. She stopped a few paces from Stryg and slowly bowed her head. “The Shaman Elect greets the Moon’s Chosen,” she said respectfully.
“Shaman Elect, I have done as you instructed and brought the War Master,” the herald said.
“Yes, I can see that. You are excused,” Lumi said off-handedly, her yellow eyes focused on Stryg.