As for the Sovereign Archleader of Inmoria…
Well, let’s just say he had absolutely no idea what was going on.
“Is it supposed to be this quiet?” he w§hispers to Linyen. “I’m pretty sure there’s supposed to be shouting.”
Linyen looks like he might laugh. Kolskyen might look tough, but he’s a big softie when it comes to politics.
“No, Your Eminence,” he giggles. “This is a peace discussion, not a debating forum.”
“Ah, alright then. I guess my expectations were too high,” he jokes.
Kolskyen scans the room as he relaxes in his chair. The Guangzhou delegates look serious and composed, The Blutigians were discussing amongst themselves, and there was an atmosphere of barely concealed tension. In other words, the summit was becoming a success.
All these people are masters, Kolskyen realized. I’m no match for them.
Suddenly, he tenses. His phone starts to buzz. I thought this damn thing was silent? He silently curses as he retrieves his phone from his pocket.
The caller’s ID reads: COA - IAF
The Chief of Army was calling.
Kolskyen tugs at Linyen’s sleeve. “I need to go take a call,” he explains. “If I come back straight through the door, just stay where you are. If I stick my head through - and ONLY my head - you need to go with me. Understood?”
Linyen nods discreetly.
Kolskyen stands up and scoots toward the exit. A couple of the Guangzhou delegates look up and frown, but nobody else notices.
Taking out his phone outside of the conference room, he dials the Chief’s number and waits patiently for a response.
He answers on the fourth ring. “Your Eminence!” he sounds like he just ran a marathon. “We have a situation going on.”
Kolskyen sighs. His Chief of Army always overreacted at the smallest things. “Jerry, you knew damn well I was at the summit.”
“I’m not joking Kolsky.”
Kolskyen’s mind shifted gears. Ok, he’s serious about this.
“What is it?”
Jerymlan Oderlung took a deep breath before answering. “Well, I don’t know how to tell you this but…”
“But what?”
“Verkoylan has been overrun by the PAG”
Silence.
“Hold on, rewind,” Kolskyen thinks for a moment. “Remind me again who these PAG people are?”
Thousands of miles away, Jerymlan rolls his eyes.
“The People’s Action Group. Recently organized protest party. You remember those people we had to put down before you came here? They’re the same people.”
“Woah, woah, woah,” Kolskyen leans against a wall to stabilize himself. “I thought you said peace negotiations were going on with them. What the hell happened to that?”
Jerymlan winces. “That-” here he pauses. “That was my fault. We promised them we would send supplies and food as a sign of goodwill and peace towards them. Unfortunately, one of my new recruits didn’t get the message, so nothing was done.”
“And as a result, Verkoylan is at this moment being besieged and destroyed,” Kolskyen finishes for him.
“Well, yeah.”
“So, what exactly do you want me to do about it?”
In his makeshift office, Jerymlan shrugs. “Nothing. I was just informing you. Considering the situation here, i would advise Your Eminence to sit snug and tight over there in Thessaraland.”
Kolskyen was about to disagree, when a thought struck his mind.
“Alright then. Keep me apprised of the situation.”
“Copy. Keep safe, Kolsky.”
The connection terminates.
Linyen was nervous. For the past 35 minutes, he had been dodging and deflecting questions pointed to him - or rather, to the Archleader. Now, as the Blutigians prepared to speak again, he notices the door creak open.
Who the hell is tha- Oh. Linyen recalls Kolskyen’s instructions. Standing up, he gestures for one of Thernon’s bodyguards to come closer.
“Sir?” the bodyguard asks.
“Please tell Mr. Thernon that we sincerely apologize for the intrusion, but the Inmorian delegacy will have to depart earlier than planned,” Linyen explains. “A matter of national importance has come up.”
The bodyguard pauses for a moment before answering. “Understood. I will communicate with him.”
“Thank you,” Linyen shakes the guard’s hand before joining Kolskyen at the door.
Looking back, he could see Thernon watching them. The next moment, he was giving them a discreet nod.
Acknowledging him, the duo stepped out, followed by their DAS detail.
“Your Eminence, quick question,” Linyen looks around in confusion. “Where the hell are we going?”
“Verkoylan. There are some disturbing developments with the protesters. I need to get back ASAP.”
Linyen nods. “Understood. I’ll get the plane prepped and-”
“No. I need to be there. Now.”
Gawping at him, LInyen manages to stutter out a sentence. “But how?”
The aged Archleader pulls a device out of his pocket. “With this.” Holding it up, he fiddles with it.
“Now, which settings did I need to use?” he mutters to himself.
“Ah, allow me.”
The whole company whirls around. Standing directly behind them was Lord High Williamsburg.
“Forgive the rude intrusion, but I could not help overhearing the exchange between your Most Gracious Ambassador and the bodyguard. I assume you have forgotten the instructions I gave you regarding that device?” he cheekily raises an eyebrow.
“As a matter of fact, yes. I was… preoccupied with what’s happening in Verkoylan.” Kolskyen smiles.
“Here,” Williamsburg takes the device from Kolskyen and fiddles with it as well.
A large flicker appears once. Then twice, before opening into a bizarre ethereal doorway.
“Many thanks, My Lord,” Linyen says.
“My pleasure, gentlemen.” Williamsburg smiles. “And, Your Eminence, try writing those instructions down, would you?”
Kolskyen laughs. “I will, after this.”
The party bade farewell to the Lord High. In a flash, they were gone.
Williamsburg starts walking back towards the conference room.
