The Art Web

Still motionless she stared up at the ceiling, the moonlight peeking through the thick, partially closed curtains. What she wouldn’t give for a divine being to glide through those curtains and tell her what to do, what she was doing wrong, instead she was wrestling with a burning knot in her stomach.

Crops were failing everywhere, her Queen was ill, and Devoid forces were marching on the continent. It didn’t seem like anything she was doing was making a difference.

A knock emanated from the bedroom door snapping Thea out of her trance followed shortly by a muffled;

“Your eminence?”

Sitting up immediately Thea began pulling herself from the bed as she called back.

“Come in”

As the wooden door cracked open a familiar face peered out, struggling to see Thea in the dim moonlight, it was Arthur, a fellow Spire Council member.

“We’ve been called for a meeting, with Balthazar.”

The subtle disdain in his voice was mirrored in hers;

“Of course. I will meet you there shortly”

Nodding and adjusting the glasses that otherwise sat near the end of his nose Arthur gave a brief thumps up gesture before leaving and closing the door behind him. She wasn’t about to get dressed in her official garbs this late at night, it would take almost an hour to do so properly. Instead she threw on her council robes over her undergarments.

Leaving her temporary bedroom and making her way through the many corridors and small halls on her way to the conference chamber it was eerily silent in the palace, it had been like this for months, a reminder that everyone was barely keeping up appearances.

Arriving in the chamber she saw Arthur sitting on his usual seat around a large circular table, it was a technological marvel, a pool of water suspended by runes lined within interlocking glass rings which allowed communication between vast distances. Historical treaties and battle strategies had been formed over similar devices in the past, but now it was mostly used to argue and pass blame through.

Thea moved towards her usual seat, the place for the Archmage, but she caught Arthur staring at her with concern. Hesitating and realizing what she was doing she slipped into the Queen’s seat, it still felt wrong, but it was the custom.

As she sat down Thea saw Balthazar as a mist-like presence sat on his throne across from herself and Arthur, along with part of someone standing next to him. He was watching her seat more than looking directly at her, stroking his long beard with a rhythmic precision.

“We are losing.”

Caught off guard by Balthazar’s opening statement Thea furrowed her brow before giving Arthur a passing glance before responding, he also seemed unsure as to what the meeting was about.

“Are we not waiting for Queen Jasmine?”

“No. This does not concern the Earth kingdom.”

Stopping his stroking Balthazar knit his fingers together before continuing.

“Each passing week more ground is lost to the Devoid horde, my forces are being lost faster than they can be replenished and food stores are empty.”

Swallowing at the statement of the facts Thea looked down at the lightly rippling water in the table. Leaning forward Arthur responded.

“We know, we’ve sent out every Spire we have out to help, almost a third of them have been recovering from soul burn.”

Pulling his hand from their interlocked state to slam a fist on his armrest Balthazar boomed;

“It’s not enough! Your Spires have been holding back! I’ve seen you Spires throw bolts of lightning linking perfectly between entire enemy battalions leaving mine unscathed, but I’ve not so much seen a ball of fire larger than my head be launched from them!”

Thea was unphased by the outburst but she heard Arthur juggle his glasses which he was about clean. Looking up from the pool at the booming king she quietly chimed in.

“They’re exhausted. Just like your forces are. Are the golems not enough to hold the line while they recover?”

“No, there’s not enough of them. Which is why I called this meeting. Vigourmancy.”

Arthur setting his glasses back in place leaned back in his seat a fraction.

“The casting art of healing? What about it? We already have our best Vigourmancers out there.”

Thea’s heart sunk, she knew what he was about to ask. Balthazar looked at Arthur directly as he spoke.

“But it can be more than just healing can’t it? I’ve been told that it can accelerate growth-“

“Absolutely not.”

Firm with her reply before he could finish Balthazar continued anyway.

“You can practically manufacture more warriors, more workers, more farmers! This problem could be over in a few weeks!”

“I said no, there is a reason that technique is forbidden, some lines you should not cross.”

Still not raising her voice as he rose his Thea watched the twinge of frustration on his face as poor Arthur looked between them flustered by the conversation. Raising a hand Balthazar pointed angrily at Thea.

“Your standards will be the death of everyone, do you have no concept of how dire this battle has turned?! More bodies on the field will-”

Finally snapping Thea leaned forward to slam her hands on the edge section of the pool and shout out.