Chapter 23 Trial by Council

Chapter 23 Trial by Council
Luna POV

Thomas carried with him the ancient knowledge. He carried journals that had long since died out. He introduced tales of immortals who had been tugging strings behind the scenes in the history of humans and werewolves over millennia.

However, more to the point, he came with a warning.

The event was that there are seven immortals and they have been working since the last ten thousand years, Thomas explained. All of us were seated in the house of Kieran and were discussing maps and documents that were put on a table. They consider that the only means of keeping the power is to keep the humans and the werewolves apart and fear them. Between the species, they have arranged all the significant wars. All the conflicts that appeared to occur naturally were actually designed by them.

"Where are they now?" I asked.

Scattered about the world, said Thomas. "But they're converging. They have heard of your peace movement, Luna. They are even considering you to be the largest threat to their control in ten thousand years. They are all heading ahead to Pine Ridge to put you out.

"When?" Kieran asked.

"Soon," Thomas said. "Within the next few weeks. they desire it to raid at festival-time.

It was an event that the council had planned a long time before. It was to mark the harmony between the men and the werewolves. It would attract thousands of people in Pine Ridge as compared to the surrounding areas. Human beings and werewolves would join hands and demonstrate to the world that they can coexist together.

Yes, the Lads, we will cancel it, said Kieran at once.

"No," I said. "We won't. That's what they want us to do. They desire that we should be too scared such that we cease to do things that we believe in.

This is suicide, Luna, this is suicide, Margaret said. "They're immortal. They are strong not to be quantified. We can't possibly stop them."

We can work together, I said. But as I said it I realized that Margaret was right. We were not able to fight immortal beings straight away. We didn't have the power.

Elena stood up. There is something more, you see, she said to herself. "Something I haven't told you. You must reassure Thomas that this is the case, Thomas.

Thomas shook his head in the anticipation of what was to happen.

Elena said, Immortals are killable. "But not by other immortals. Eternal authority strikes a fatal blow to eternal authority. However, mortal power is powerful enough and united enough to break through their defences.

And so their killing could be done by the couple of humans and werewolves? I asked.

"Theoretically," Thomas said. Only in case it was a person who had faith in peace and who believed in it immensely. Then only in the case of the attack by people who had not desired power or revenge. Also only under the condition that it was caused by love rather than hatred.

Everyone looked at me.

"No," I said. "I can't do that. I no longer possess paranormal abilities. I'm human. I can't fight immortals."

Better than power, I have something better than power, you see, Elena said. You can make people. You can bring various species together for the same cause. You have love. Real love. Not a holding or a mastery, but true love.

An emergency meeting was called by the council. We invited delegates of all the packs, all the human settlements, all the groups that had been touched by the peace movement. We explained what was coming.

Some people wanted to run. Some people wanted to fight. There are individuals who preferred to retreat before the fighting had begun. However, gradually, as we discussed the work we had created together, it started to occur to people that it was worth defending.

We have not to destroy the immortals, I said. I stood before the grouping of men and werewolves and talked to my heart. All we need is to make them understand that there is something to unite. All we need to do is to make them realize that their power is no longer effective since we are stronger as a team than they are individually.

The festival started as intended. Pine France had thousands of visitors. They ate together. They danced together. They glorified their common future. And they were ready.

They appeared on the last night of the festival, on a full moon.

There were seven figures displayed on the mountain above Pine Ridge. Each one was immortal. Both of them were full of power bending the reality around them. They gazed down upon the town as though they were gazing down on insects.

This is over to-night, said the foremost of the immortals. His voice shook the ground; it was so loud. "Your peace ends. Your unity ends. And Luna Matthews ends."

The townsfolk looked at me. Humans and werewolves both. They were scared and yet they were resolved. Something that they had created together was under their fight.

"No," I said. I went out (Left by myself) where the immortals could see me into the air. "I'm not going to fight you. I am simply going to demonstrate to you what you have been missing. I will demonstrate to you what will happen when people lose their fear.

I stretched out my hand behind me. One person came and took it. Then another. Then another. In a few seconds hundreds of werewolves and human beings had been joined together. They were holding hands. They were united. They were unafraid.

The immortals extended their hands in assault.

Something, however, out of the ordinary occurred. Up to this point the eldest Marcus, who had been thrown into prison in the caverns under the mountain, came in my view. He was no longer an immortal. He had accepted mortality. He has come back to being human.

I have been long enough playing that power is everything, The Architect said. His voice was steady and sure. "I'm done with that life. I choose this one. I choose peace."

On the other side he reached and took hold of my hand. He was part of the chain now. He was part of the unity.

The immortals hesitated. They seemed undecided bravely, the first time.

But then the lead immortal smiled. And it was a smile that made my blood run cold. Because I recognized that smile. It was the smile of someone who had been planning this the whole time.

"Thank you," the lead immortal said. "Thank you for gathering everyone in one place."

He raised his hand, and seven portals opened around Pine Ridge. From each portal poured hundreds of creatures. Not Shadow Entities. Something worse. Creatures that looked half-human, half-animal, completely wrong in every way.

"Meet my army," the immortal said. "Beings I've been creating for the last thousand years. Beings that don't need the cooperation between humans and werewolves. Beings that exist outside your rules. Tonight, we don't conquer Pine Ridge. Tonight, we will raze it to the ground and start over."