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Ch 85: The Ratashatar Begins

  As the weeks following the meeting with the Giants Collective tick down with the Ratashatar fast approaching, the world is on edge, a Ratashatar is scarcely called yet now one is happening surrounding a conflict between people of the nations and the gods themselves. The worldwide tension is palpable yet none more so than for Emperor Durinkal, already on the losing side with none but his youngest heir, The Living Siege lays within the castle having lost alongside his brother much to the emperors shock bringing nothing more than the worry the Ratashatar will end with everyone against him. Durinkal sits upon the throne and looks to the nearest guards.

  "Bring my son to me, as well as the heads of the Pertaki family" Durinkal said

  "Of course your Imperial Majesty" The guards said before quickly rushing off and returning moments later with Helimiral and the heads of the Pertaki Family consisting of two men and three women with the eldest amongst them being one of the women

  "Hello Father" Helimiral said as he kneels before Durinkal

  "Your Imperial Majesty we are honoured to be before you once more" The Pertaki heads said as they kneeled as well

  "It is a good thing you all answered my summons so quickly. Now all of you and a contingent of my personal guards will come to the Ratashatar with me, we must go ourselves to show we are unafraid and the guards are standard even if it is theoretically unneeded" Durinkal said

  "Theoretically? I'll admit father that I am rather unfamiliar with the concept of the Ratashatar would you mind explaining it?" Helimiral asked

  "Fine fine, the Ratashatar has been something every ruler across the world knows of, even if all other pieces of history get lost this ancient thing will remain. When the world faces an extreme threat or situation that could or is actively effecting every nation across the world and maybe beyond then we agree to meet. The Ratashatar has on several occasions brought temporary peace to the world and long lasting alliances as well as on at least a couple occasions brought every nation together as a united threat to whatever it was about. During the Ratashatar there are rules but they are about what you'd expect when there are world leaders hence the 'theoretically'. Leaders or delegates are allowed to bring guards as a safety measure regardless even if the rules and as such anger from every nation would make anyone going against them unnecessary" Durinkal said

  "Do you think the necromancer will show up to it?" Helimiral asked despite knowing Yorun will however he sees Durinkal grip the arms of his throne enough to crack them

  "Of course not, regardless of what he has done he is no leader of any nation and even if the chosen regularly show up to these things the other gods stand against him and his god. Other than that he himself is the main topic of discussion here there is no way that bastard will be there!" Durinkal shouted clearly more than angered at the mere thought of being on the same pedestals as the one rebelling against him

  "As you say father" Helimiral said

  "Now we should leave, Pertaki family you will be in the stands you are the most well known nobles of our empire hence your reason for being there" Durinkal said as he stood up

  The others all stop kneeling and Durinkal channels magic throughout the throne room and ancient runes around the throne room begin to glow as the entire group all teleport to a specific room within the Ghozi capital of Rialinakin one clearly old styled after what human rulers of 1000 years ago preferred. Durinkal looks around and scoffs as he leads everyone outside to a grand colosseum with several races leaders in attendance with nobles or other notable people in the stands segmented by their empires. Above them in the sky flies several chosen from the different races conversing though their conversation is inaudible from the ground. The middle of the colosseum has several pedestals all looking inward in a circle so that the leaders can all speak and look at one another easily, there is the same Djelir invention Yorun used within the giants collective at each pedestal though few here know that. Helimiral looks around at the different people here today, he sees the expected ones, Elves, Djelir, Dwarves, Giants but then he sees the ones he knows far less about politically at least. The biggest ones being that there are several dragons actually in attendance but also several races made up of different compositions than normal, he sees people made of water, some of fire and some made up of the greenery of nature then he sees a few more outliers. Some people who are constantly shapeshifting yet having a constant mischievous smirk, seemingly some metallic golems yet he senses souls within them and then several animals of which have more regal clothing on their animal bodies, there are also several smaller nations that have come to spectate but they haven't been deemed important enough for speaking roles here given the small impact on the world stage.

  "And Emperor Durinkals group have arrived" The Venerable Speaker said from the middle of the colosseums pedestals

  "This war against you has ignited the world Durinkal" The Leader of the shapeshifter said

  Durinkal walks down into the middle of the colosseum and stands at the pedestal for the humans and he notes an extra pedestal wondering if maybe this time one of the smaller nations will be represented but he ignores it for now.

  "All too literally thanks to that damnable chosen of Raeknar" Durinkal said

  As the words left the mouth of Emperor Durinkal he hears something vaguely up and behind him, he turns around and for the first time comes face to face with Yorun. The entire crowd of leaders and representatives go deathly silent as all eyes are on them, Yorun on the back of an undead dragon looks down at Durinkal and the very air seems to chill before he dismounts the dragon and walks down the steps to the middle of the colosseum. Yorun looks upon the angered and yet slightly scared face of the man he has been warring against, who's ultimately responsible for the destruction of Kurinet and the murder of his family, the feeling within him is indescribable somewhere between happy to finally see the man and the fear on his face and utter vitriolic hate that he wishes he could just end it here. Durinkal on the other hand sees the scarred faced cloaked man who's magic is unsensible that has caused nothing but problems ever since he popped up before him now, the man who should be beneath him lifted above him and set against him on the board of life by powers higher than them all, it sickens him to every fibre of his being. Yorun steps over onto the empty pedestal and the tension in the air nearly explodes as Durinkals hands ball into fists but he keeps his anger just enough in check as The Venerable Speakers voice breaks through the quiet.

  "And finally Raeknar has arrived" The Venerable Speaker said keeping Yoruns real name under wraps

  "Why? Why is HE here?" Durinkal asked as he is practically spitting venom in anger

  "Why shouldn't he be? He is a chosen, the topic of discussion and reserves the right to have his own voice heard plus he has taken over a substantial part of your empire to the point in which it does make him satisfy the requirements to be a ruler on this stage" The Venerable Speaker said though her words only angered Durinkal more

  "Now if that is settled why don't we all introduce ourselves and whom we represent as leaders or delegates and any companions you may have with you" The Venerable Speaker said

  "Emperor Durinkal Ghohalan of the human Fiernian Empire, with me is my third son the Imperial Prince and Living Siege Helimiral Ghohalan. The heads of the noble Pertaki family are here as well, the eldest amongst them is Rhianala here with her sons Tharas and Ghertan as well as her daughter and grandaughter Lioa and Zhirha" Durinkal said as the others all nodded respectfully as their names were said

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  "Well hello family" A voice said which immediately made the Pertaki family heads looks over towards Yorun

  "Azkelt?" Tharas asked as Azkelts soul appeared next to Yorun

  "You dare make this mockery of one of our family here?" Rhianala asked angered

  "Whoever said it was a mockery well other than the fact he's here. The fact you hadn't figured out I have him by now shows how much you care for your 'family'" Yorun said with nothing but a glance at them

  "Is that really you cousin?" Zhirha asked

  "Indeed, you wouldn't believe all thats happened since my untimely demise though I'm sure you'll find out soon enough afterall I've seen his work up close" Azkelt said

  Yorun knowing he may try to say something makes a small fireball beneath Raeknars cloak with Azkelts magic which immediately makes Azkelts soul quiver and double over in pain before disappearing.

  "You rotten bastard you do that to one of us!?" Ghertan shouted

  "Keep to the formalities and decorum as befitting such a meeting if you'd please. And Raeknar would you please keep those souls under control" The Venerable speaker said

  "None more shall appear during the meeting" Yorun said while the Pertaki family glared daggers at everyone but stay quiet for now

  "Ok now with that out of the way who next?" The Venerable Speaker asked when the shapeshifters leader leaned toward the Djelir device

  "We are Ooratlen, the Head Changling of the Chaos Shifters, with me are two of our advisors or at least that's what they are some of the time" Ooratlen said with a smirk

  "For those unfamiliar the Chaos Shifters are as you'd expect creations of their god of chaos and goddess of life. Hence their constant shifting, mischievousness and actual souls. I am as shocked as you that they showed up for this" The Venerable Speaker said

  "Why wouldn't we? Look at the anger between those two, it'll be fun to watch" Ooratlen said before laughing with their advisors

  "Anyway, who wishes to introduce themselves next?" The Venerable Speaker said

  "How about you just introduce everyone in turn Venerable Speaker, it'll be faster and likely more orderly" The representative made of greenery said with mutters of agreement coming from everyone

  "Very well. Next we have Rinc the First Elevated of the sentient golem nation of Efars once upon a time home to their original creators before given souls by their gods, on the podiums next to them we have the leaders of the elemental peoples. Eafrast the king of Wavran also known as the kingdom beneath the waves, Fliae the Eternal Flame of the Quunastrae Kingdom and last of the elementals is Caelus of the bountiful green kingdom of Lastrium. Moving on from the elementals we have the dragon representative known as Zaiklien, while they have no established kingdom lands due to their nature and other reasons they have some degree of organisation and have come here due to the topic of discussion and then we have the Free Lands representatives, Yunatrae wolf lord of the Free Lands whose inhabitants are animals like no others as they are descendants of beloved animals of gods" The Venerable Speaker gave much grace to each name and peoples as they continued to name everyone else there whom have their own pedestals ones already known far and wide as they're the leaders of the races already allied to Yorun

  "Alright with everyone introduced we can move onto the topic of discussion, the chosen of human god Raeknar, the raising of Ghairlakriar as an undead and lastly the whole war within the Fiernian Empire" The Venerable Speaker said

  "As representative of the dragons I must say raising Ghairlakriar, a venerated and ancient dragon important to our history is an afront and a threat that'll make everyone else more wary and hostile to use than they already are! Who the hell gave you permission to do that!?" Zaiklien shouted

  "She did, when we made the deal that I kill her for information she said she did not care what happened with her body after the fact. So I had every right to do that" Yorun said

  "Then let's ask why you did it, you can't possibly be thinking of using it in a war against us" Durinkal said knowing the statement ridiculous but he had to know

  "Of course not, the body is more useful as a corpse than an undead. Raising her though? That was to force your foolish hand" Yorun said receiving glares from Durinkal as murmurs in the crowd grow then go silent once more

  "Excuse you?" Durinkal said and Yorun now turns to face Durinkal directly

  "Your son Hykalin, he was a problem, wouldn't engage directly and testing us. He was figuring out how to kill me and he would have had he the time and opportunity of his choosing yet he was loyal to your throne, too loyal, so when I raised her and shook this world it shook you to your fucking core you sent him too early, unprepared and that is why he lost. I played on your panic and cowardice that you had and will always have when you are threatened little emperor" Yorun said as his own hate for the man before him spilled forth all the while Durinkal having this said about him on the world stage is completely angered and embarrassed

  "So you will not be using Ghairlakriar in an actual offensive fashion? Not using to her attack places?" Ooratlen asked somewhat disappointed

  "No, too unwieldy and far too big, even if the unnecesary amount of death especially of innocent people wasn't a problem she herself is so damn big enough people with enough power could end her all over again. Using her body as a resource is far easier and more useful even profitable for allies too" Yorun said though this does elicit some anger from Zaiklien

  "Armouring yourself in her scales, trading pieces of her and fashioning her into whatever you want have you no damn shame!? She was a living being, one older than any other dragon to ever exist and you do this with her corpse!? She should be honoured!" Zaiklien shouted angrily with a puff of fire coming from his nose

  "Honoured? Maybe but she had many injustices caused by her actions and claws in life, her living so long was punishment and in death now she is honoured more than you know, I've seen where her soul went and she did not go for more punishment and as I said previously she said she did not care so who are you to oppose her words?" Yorun asked and those words shut Zaiklien down once more as he remains angered but he can understand the sentiment that it is not his place for that determination

  "Alright leaders and representatives as per usual with Ratashatar customs we will now break off the meeting until tomorrow. The issue of Ghairlakriar as an undead is effectively ended given the stated intentions of Raeknars Chosen. So the other topics of discussion will be spoken of over the next days, if everyone could return to their rooms and rest for tonight it would be appreciated. Chosen of Raeknar a room is provided for you as well" The Venerable Speaker said

  Everyone nodded some more begrudgingly than others, everyone heads to their rooms however the room Yorun is situated in is near Durinkals so once everyone else goes away there is just Durinkal, the Pertaki family, Helimiral and the guards.

  "Listen here chosen, regardless of the outcome of this Ratashatar I will fall only when the empire falls and you will not be the one to topple it, I will end you and any family you have as an example to the people and the world that even we need not bend to the whims of chosen regardless of the god they serve" Durinkal said causing Yorun to stop as he looks back to them and takes Raeknars Cloak off allowing them to sense the myriad of souls bound to him and the magic radiating from him now but more than that his eyes are ablaze with black flames

  "You already took my family and once they are back, you will know nothing but endless pain and even when I die I will be there to haunt your death as the empire and world forget about the sad little man you are. You are a speck in the annals of history even more so than I was before this began and where you will go will show that for all you" Yorun said as his magic causes the air to chill once more

  Were Yorun not controlling himself death itself would be cascading out around them all, even without sensing divine magic they can all feel it, barely contained as if a bomb were primed to go off, something that'd crack the world as pure unfettered death practically claws at their souls. They all step back and all even Helimiral show signs of fear yet none more so than Durinkal as a specific soul bound to Yorun shows up yet Yorun stops sound coming from the soul of Honaril as he makes green flames with the magic of Honaril causing visible pain to the soul, such terrible pain the soul of the first son of Durinkal is nearly tearing itself apart.

  "Gaze upon your future Durinkal, the future of your line that died and the future that yet awaits you when I break your castle apart and melt the throne you covet so closely all the while the world laughs as yet another tyrant falls at the feet of his 'lesser' and begs for mercy" Yorun said before draping the cloak over himself once more and stepping into the room assigned for him

  While the other leaders and representatives were not their they could feel the shift in the air, the rising tension and fear, the topic of discussion for the night amongst the politicking leaders and nobles changed in a heartbeat to wondering if the customs and protections of the Ratashatar would hold this time or if an emperor would die in his sleep that night while Durinkal and his entourage try and fail to sleep that night awaiting the following day...

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