Chapter 874: The Elder council

The doors to the chamber opened with a soft shimmer of energy, and one by one the Elders stepped inside.

Sylmeria stood at the front of the room, straightening her posture with a calm dignity as the elders gathered around the central platform.

Eira remained at Zhao Tian's side and glanced at the elders entering in one by one.

Their attention was set on Sylmeria, expecting an emergency briefing or some crisis requiring immediate council action.

But as they looked at the young man standing there, their eyes widened in shock.

Elder Maelissa, the oldest among them, stepped forward as her eyes quivered in disbelief "The… the aura… this is impossible… this is truly…"

Another elder, Virael, pressed a hand over her lips, tears gathering in her eyes as she bowed her head without meaning to."The Honoured One."

All at once, the elders dropped to one knee in a sweeping motion that sent a gust through the chamber and each elder lowered their head.

Zhao Tian remained still, but his eyes twitched in discomfort at the excessive display of reverence.

He stepped forward slightly "Stand up."

Zhao Tian said quietly and the elders obeyed at once, rising slowly.

Elder Maelissa approached first and stopped a respectful distance away; she placed a hand on her heart and bowed once more. "We… we welcome the Honoured One back to the Elven Star… after so many eras forgotten."

Zhao Tian's gaze swept across them, and he gave a faint nod.

Sylmeria stepped forward then, "Honoured One summoned the Elder Council because we have received a dire message."

She gestured toward the holographic screen, and the message reappeared.

The elders turned toward it, and their eyes widened in shock.

"Blasphemous insolence…" Elder Virael whispered and clenched her fists as the message reflected in her eyes.

"To threaten the star while the Honoured One stands upon it… they court annihilation without understanding whose wrath they provoke."

Another woman stepped forward and spoke "But... how did they know about Honoured One's presence in our star? I thought it was kept as a secret."

Zhao Tian watched them quietly and frowned 'I am kind of sure the culprit is among the Elders... one among the eight women here.'

'Wait eight? Aren't they supposed to be nine? Am I misremembering?'

Elder Maelissa bowed her head again "Honoured One… the council awaits your will. Tell us what must be done, and the Elven Star will move as one beneath your command."

Zhao Tian's gaze swept slowly across each face "Someone knows I am here. Only two groups were meant to know, Sylmeria's personal maids… and this council."

"The barrier created by the First Honoured One blocks all outgoing signals except one controlled channel," he continued.

"The message came through that channel. That means either the sender is powerful enough to pierce our defenses unseen or the information was carried out from within."

Stepping forward, he glanced atthem "Is there a traitor among you?"

The chamber went deathly silent..

An Elder standing at the far end lifted her chin. "Honoured One, we have served the Elven Star for a long period of time. To betray you would be to betray the Star itself."

Another Elder spoke "We would rather die than allow harm to come to the Honoured One."

Zhao Tian looked at them for a long moment, "If the Elders are loyal... that leaves the other possibility, infiltration."

Sylmeria spoke up "My maids are soul-bound to me. They cannot lie, and their memories can be opened at will. I have already examined each one. None have spoken about the Honoured One to any outsider."

Zhao Tian looked back at the Elders "I need every record of external contact made through the single open channel in the last year."

One of the elders bowed her head. "It will be done within the hour."

"Good." Zhao Tian's voice grew quieter. "And I want a full accounting of any Elder who has left the star's surface in the last decade."

Several Elders stiffened.

The woman at the back spoke again "Honoured One… no Elder has left the Elven Star in over four centuries. We are its guardians."

Zhao Tian's eyes narrowed "Then explain how the enemy knows I'm here."

Silence fell again.

Eira shifted uncomfortably behind him 'He is quite... scary when he is serious and the remaining time, he is just pervert.'

Finally, the youngest elder cleared her throat "There… may be one exception,"

"Three months ago, Elder Lyralei requested temporary leave to visit the sacred moon-grove on the smaller moon of Elyndra. She said that the grove's roots were dying and needed her personal tending. The Council granted permission for a single day. She returned before nightfall."

Upon hearing this, Sylmeria looked at the women "Now that I see it... Lyralei is not present today?"

One of the elders shook her head. "She sent word this morning that she was meditating in seclusion and could not be disturbed."

Zhao Tian sighed in his heart 'So i was right, there are nine of them.'

"Bring her here. Now."

Two Elders immediately vanished in twin flashes of leaf-green light.

The remaining stood quietly with their heads lowered.

Minutes passed-

When the two Elders returned, their faces were grim.

Between them a slender figure was floating, wrapped in layers of silk.

"She was found in her meditation chamber," one of them said quietly. "Alive… but her mind is gone. Only a shell remains."

Sylmeria stood up in panic "Soul-scoured. Someone stripped her memories clean and left her body behind."

Zhao Tian walked around the table until he stood before the floating Elder.

He reached out, brushing two fingers against her temple.

A faint pulse of yellow light passed from his hand into her as he tried to heal her with his light elemental energy.

"Some parts of her soul have been robbed along with some of her memories..."

"Maybe when she went to the moon, she was attacked and someone might have planted 'something' in her body, which caused this."

His gaze condensed "Thoroughly check her body. Scan every inch. If there's an implant, a curse, or a lingering trace of foreign energy, find it. Spare no method."

The two elders nodded and took her from there.

The remaining elders quickly kneeled on the floor "Forgive us, Honoured One. One of our members has caused you harm. Mercy upon us for this grave sin."

Looking at them, he shook his head "It's not entirely your fault. Rise, all of you."

The Elders hesitated, lifting their heads one by one to meet his gaze, and slowly stood up.

Sylmeria stepped forward then, "Honoured One, your mercy honors us, but we must act swiftly. If Lyralei was compromised on Elyndra, the moon-grove itself may be tainted. I will dispatch wardens immediately to quarantine it and scour for any signs of intrusion."

Zhao Tian gave a nod "Also prepare the Star's defenses..."

"I am sure they won't go down without a fight."