Capítulo 21: Betrayal
The adornments around the icy hall took away the breath of every creature that beheld it. Towering blue icicles running down from the ceiling to the floor giving off a bright golden glow constituted the numerous pillars inside. The hall didn't look anything like its name- it was essentially a cave. Silver, blue and white- uneven walls and passages made it eerily charming and almost too easy to get lost inside the giant hall. There were thousands of stalagmites and stalactites around the hall, and the guests had to keep a very sure feet to make sure they didn't stumble on any of them.
It was a relief when the chief part of the hall came into view. It was a stretch of sparkling blue ice, with tables and chairs made of same. The dishes too were made of ice, but the food was not cold, nor were anything else. A wall of blue satin waterfall poured forth from the wall of a cave at the far end of the hall. The lights bouncing off it looked like silver silk threads embedded.
Elektra was standing in the front, wearing a silver gown. Her blue eyes were radiating a smile, but Aelanor felt gooseflesh crawling up her skin. She told herself that it was just an overreaction to what Saayan had told her- that Elgarest has some form of "ominous shadow". She shook her head to clear it. Even if she was right, they were here for the much needed help. It wasn't like she was here to ask the Queen of the Dream Isles for her hand in marriage.
"Esteemed guests, we are pleased to welcome you to the Dream Isles," Elektra began, "and this ceremony has been arranged in your favour. We hope that you would enjoy yourselves thoroughly.
The subjects of the Dream Isles, let us use this chance to shower our guests with the hospitality and charms of our kingdom, and be the greatest hosts there ever were! Everyone, let the celebrations begin."
She bowed to them, and came forward to meet the group. Somewhere around the cave, the minstrels started their unearthly music, that sounded eerie and spiritual at the same time.
"Princess Aelanor, Lady Nimuel, and Haz'th, why don't you get started on the food? We have prepared delicacies from the Elven world, and the human world. I believe you would enjoy them immensely. Princess Saayan, I know you don't eat solid food, and we have arranged platters of white noise and some Westerlies and Monsoon winds for dessert. However, we could not bring sunlight for you, which is destructive to our Realm," Elektra said.
"Why, thank you, Queen Elektra. But you need not have gone to such lengths of troubles for us," Nimuel said.
"It was no trouble, Lady Nimuel," Elektra said. "No offense, but our magick is more potent than anything ever seen on this planet, and preparing food is the most basic form of Humanoid magic."
"Humanoid magic?" Aelanor repeated.
"Yes. Humans too, can perform magick, but their magick is very limited. They can't make food appear out of thin air, for one. Humanoids, on the other hand, possess far more superior forms of magick." Elektra explained.
"So, are Shamans magic?" Aelanor asked.
"The six Shamans of the Human World? Yes, I believe they are. But they only possess a few types of magick, primarily Divine magick, and Illusionary magick. Most human wizards and mages have their abilities limited to these two. The Shamans have more reformed forms of these, and also the ability to visit the other realms. Thus, in all the realms, they are considered more valuable than any ordinary life."
"So who decides which life is valuable, and which is not?" Aelanor asked with a hint of derision.
"I do." Elektra said with the air of someone stating an undisputable fact. "I, the helper of all, am all-knowing, and light the path of every creature that roams the planet Earth."
Haz'th fell behind as the group moved towards the food, and found Aelanor standing behind with her mouth hanging open.
"She doesn't really believe that, does she?" she asked him.
"I believe she has influenced her people into saying that; remember Pylaieus said the exact same thing?" Haz'th said.
"Or they fear her," she whispered.
"Presumably."
The duo went to join their group where the food was laden. The food looked so delicious that Aelanor who, although was not a great gastronome, wanted to try every single dish that she could lay her eyes upon.
There were rows and rows of soups- creamy pink with shiny stars sprinkled on top of them, and chicken and oxen and birch barks. There were varieties of carbs- breads and rice and noodles. There were spicy concoctions with green herbs, meat and fungi rolling in clear, flavourful stews, and for desserts, there were innumerable items in colours ranging from orange to violet and silver and green.
Aelanor forgot everything as she loaded up a plate with a huge portion and began golfing it down. Meanwhile, Nimuel and Saayan had already briefed Elektra on the plight of the world.
"So, it is not affecting the mortals at all? Is that the reason Princess Aelanor and Lady Nimuel were chosen for this adventure?" Elektra asked.
"We chose ourselves. Although it might affect us, since we are not truly mortal, or immortal, but the effects would be extremely slow," Nimuel clarified.
"And you, Princess Saayan? You know you could lose your life in this journey. The nearer you get to this source of pestilence, the more peril you are at."
"I am aware," Saayan murmured, "but that is precisely the duty of the leader, is it not?"
Elektra chuckled. "You are a great leader, Princess Saayan. You are very protective of your folks. I suppose that is the reason why none from the Shadow Realms have ever been to the other Realms? None, except... one."
So she knows about Norgael, Aelanor thought.
Saayan could not show any emotion, but Aelanor was sure that if she could, she would have burned Elektra with the fire in her eyes. Instead, she replied in her same monotonous whisper.
"Our people don't go outside for their own safety, and others. Yes, I am very solicitous of my folks, more so because our physical forms don't agree with the elements. Under the influence of the wrong kind, our essence could pulverize."
"Wait, so you could actually die? I thought you were immortal!" Aelanor cried.
"Princess, if I may," Nimuel explained, "immortality refers to the act of living forever under the influence of ordinary factors, not withstanding external elements. In a way that the immortal creatures don't get sick or age when they live in their own worlds, the one created exclusively for them. It is when an outside factor is included in the equation, that we risk death, or illness, and this pestilence that is affecting the immortal worlds."
"That is right," Elektra said. "Now imagine, if you run a blade through the neck of an elf, and their physical body is mutilated beyond repair, would he be able to live? No. Also, every Kingdom has some external elements that can alter the physiography of that world."
"That is how the sun is destructive to your empire, isn't it?" Aelanor said, remembering an early part of the conversation. "But we saw the sun on our way to the Isles."
"Surely you noticed the too white sun over the Dream Isles? No? Not surprising, considering that our mechanism is very advanced, and we can control the elements through the push of a button. This mechanism can block the ultraviolet rays, gamma rays, infrared and many other beams from the sun, except the visible light. That is one part of what goes on within the magic that keeps everything around here frozen, but does not freeze the living creatures within."
"That is very impressive," Aelanor noted. "And your subjects too rely on that magic?"
"No, they are more or less like the creatures of the cold, uncomfortable under the heat and humidity, but not at the risk of destruction," Elektra replied. "So, what are your plans for the journey forward? I assume you are here to ask for allies, is that right?"
"If there is any you can spare, it would mean a great..." Aelanor began.
Suddenly, there came an ear splitting scream from somewhere above. A male voice was screaming on the top of his voice, sounding as if his life depended on it.
"Wha-"
But Haz'th's eyes travelled swiftly to the corners of the cave, hidden by the deformed stalactites, in the far left corners of the hall. There, nestled between the cracks and crevices of the silver blue cave, hanging upside down was the naked figure of a human male; but he didn't look like one.
His body was red, and blistering. Black shapes had formed on his torso, and the skin was melting off in places. He was screaming in great pain, and the pain came from the high blue fire burning underneath him.
There was a huge commotion as the courtiers and the helpers all sprinted to rescue the man from the fire, and bring him to the center of the hall, where the Queen and her guests were waiting, shocked. One look at the man and Nimuel knew that it was beyond any magic to save the man from the burns he had suffered. He was unmistakably taking his last, deep breathes, and his voice had been extinguished for a long time by now. What a painful way to die, thought Nimuel. Wasn't death meant to be the final resting place?
This was no way to die.
Queen Elektra didn't look perplexed, just slightly uneasy. Her expressions looked as if she was contemplating something, but it didn't bother her too much.
"Queen Elektra, is there anything we can do?" Aelanor whimpered. "Can't we save him? Oh, I can't bear to watch him suffer like this!"
"N-" Nimuel began.
"Yes, we can. And we have to. This is no ordinary human, but a Shaman. One of the Shamans of the mortal world," Elektra said, without looking away from the half-dead corpse.
"He is? But, then, we have to save him!" Aelanor shrieked.
Nimuel's eyes moved back and forth swiftly between the Queen and the Princess. She felt very uneasy with the conversation, but could not put a finger on the reason.
"Yes, we do. And as I told you, the Shaman's life is more valuable than other lives." The Queen's eyes moved over to the small child standing right in front of her.
Aelanor looked confused, but Nimuel's eyes slowly became the size of a saucer as she realised something. Elektra's whole body had become rigid, her hair stood up straight on her head, her blue pupil went white and electric currents sparkled in them. Nimuel's warning cry was just forming on her lips, and she had already thrown her torso to block it, but the electric current flowing from Elektra's eyes went straight into where his heart might have been. For a few seconds, there was nothing but bright light, and Haz'th fell down. Unmoving.
PENSAMENTOS DOS CRIADORES 
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