CURSED: The Last of Five Kingdoms.

Episode35-The sword is gone!

Seated in the council room of Rayvin Academy, the council members lean back in their chairs. "What trouble do we have to sort for a meeting to be held this late?" Professor Vieni asks, looking unhappy. Professor Task adjusts the folds of her robe and crosses her bare legs beneath the round table.

"If this wasn't important, I would not have bothered the council," Professor Mackenzie who has never appreciated when her authority or decision is being questioned, glared.

“Perhaps if we get to work to get her more and stop fighting amongst ourselves, it would be better for everyone,” snaps Rabbi Humbledore who is seated across from her. She ignores the backlash and proceeds to study the rest of the council members who she has assembled at that hour. All were present except for Lucas whom they were now waiting for. Everyone maintained a distance stare, refusing to meet the gaze of each other. A chill that didn't gave to do with the spacious and airy room runs down their spine. Everyone felt that seeing from their sudden reaction of looking around, one would say that the hands of death had just touched them.

It is always critical whenever the council assembles like this. And lately, they've been doing so more often because everyone has felt what is coming and they know that there is no going back no matter how in denial some of them are still in.

Lucas should have known better that once the council is summoned you never keep them waiting especially if Rabbi is present. Whatever that is keeping him should better bring some good news along with it, and he should better get there soon or he would be digging his own grave. The cause of his death could be the burning fury of the fire King, the cold eyes of the Ice Queen or the fang of Humbledore deep in his neck.

The space if the twelfth council member is still vacant. It makes the throne only glittery as the moon finds its way through the high windows and centres its reflection on the gold body of the throne. Making it show even more power and authority waiting to be controlled.

"When is the twelfth going to be occupied?" The fire King, Professor Vieni with his head thrown back in his seat, his hair radiating like the fire of a phoenix from the moon that is equally shining on him. His firebrick eyes meet that of Professor Mackenzie, and he frowns. It might have just been the late hour, but Professor Mackenzie could have sworn that there is more to Vieni's reaction than a late hour. He looks scared and paler than usual. Her heart flutters because she is in no way prepared for more bad news added to the one she has to share with the council.

Thankfully, Lucas makes his entrance distracting all of them from their thoughts.

“The sword of Peace is gone," he says in-between breath.

Well, that would explain the chill down their spines that occurred earlier. It was a warning that something this terrible had happened and they felt it. But couldn't decipher particularly the message. Now, they've it.

"The Ground of Peace someone was attacked without anyone's knowledge and a forgetting spell was cast around it. That is why you only felt it but could not understand the feeling. I had to send my men away so that the council can decide the next step to take."

“This is a trap. No one else is feeling it apart from me and that can't be good. Something worse is about to happen." Amara for the first time, speaks.

Rabbi Humbledore sighs through his nose. This was why the council meeting started with an argument. Their binding force is gone. "Professor Mackenzie, what other report do you have for us?" He asks, using his hand to signal for Lucas to sit on his seat.

Standing and slightly bowing, "it pains me to be in a situation where our only solution is what we've been trying to run away from. The reason why I conveyed this meeting has proven less important than the news Lucas had just delivered. It is time we put aside rules and regulations. We've to fight darkness with darkness if we want to save anyone."

"I disagree," objects Professor Edward, "that would only lead to more bloodshed and repetition of history. Many have sacrificed everything for that not to happen. We've to be careful on the path ahead to follow because we all know that once we go down that road, there is no return."

"You are right, professor, but, what other choice do we have if our only hope has been taken away from us?"

Humble Core taps a foot on the floor, "that is not our only hope," rising from kisses, "we have the one who is capable of holding the sword but they have the sword. The advantage we have to this is to make sure that they never lay hands on him. That would be our return throw."

Amara bristle at the sight of Rabbi Humbledore angry face. She knows that what he is saying means that whatever leisure Mael is enjoying via training would be no more. He has to sit up.

Amara looks at Rabbi Humbledore for him to continue. He must still have a lot of commands to give and reprimanding to do. But he did none of that. Instead, his face remains impassive. His expression, unreadable mask and his temper remained calm. The sword of Peace missing is something that would make every other person go wild. That wasn't the case with Rabbi. The way he has learned to put his emotions under control is still a mystery for some of the council members.

The sword of Peace has never been moved since it was buried at the Ground of Peace. Rabbi Humbledore made sure to seal it off with all the powers and it has remained safe because of that. Whosoever could move it, must possess great power or had someone with such power do the job. And to add a forgetting spell, the person must be of the old. But, moving the sword? What is their plan? Going through all that trouble to weaken the Academy means something. That sword was the only Weapon that kept a bay whatever that wasn't pure from accessing the school and largely earth. If it is gone, that means bad news for the school and more bad news for the earth because whatever that has the least power like the power of a spark of fire can find its way through the veil and reign havoc. The sacrifice and labour of thousands of years were shredded within seconds by someone.

“It also means that things in the school will become ordinary. Lucas, involve your team to guide the students and as many people outside of the school as possible,” Rabbi Humbledore pauses briefly, drawing a strand of his long hair, "gather everyone at the Great Hall, Professor Vieni. Things have gotten intense, we need to watch our backs and not relax our toes." he adds.

Luckily for everyone, apart from the supernatural that guided the school they had Lucas. A well-trained soldier with his troops who has been working alongside the council from the very moment they learned to trust him. He has done an amazing job in keeping his wife and their two kids safe all these years. If their sword is gone then Lucas will bring a gun and whatever ammunition he has to guide what he has grown to like.

“We cannot put the fate of The Five Kingdoms in the hands of a commoner,” challenged Weasely.

“We cannot put the fate of The Five Kingdoms in the hands of a commoner,” Rabbi Humbledore says, “then, would you prefer to give our enemies entry without putting up a fight?" Laying his palm flat on the table, " I put my life in the hands of Lucas because he has proven to be more than a trusted alley. We need to be building not tearing apart. Remember that is the will of Omiri. The beginning and end of the prophecy say it all.”

Weasly’s brown eyes flash a quick trail of disappointment but he wouldn't dare question the authority of the Rabbi because he has never failed for once.

"Lucas, tell us what we must do to help now that we can't use our powers. The sword of Peace being gone doesn't only mean that the school has been weakened, it means that we've equally been stripped of our powers and we must stand on guard for that. We cannot allow darkness dim whatever light we have created all these years."

Silence falls, and a roaring noise stings everyone's ear as Rabbi took a breath. A breath of grief. Something is indeed wrong.

Standing, "I know it doesn't please some of you that I am involved in this. But, for the sake of my wife, I want you all to look beyond what you are seeing. The safety of everyone is most important than here quest for the position. Since we haven't tried my technique, there's is still hope that we have what to fight the enemy with." Streaming a map across the table, "first, whosoever that went through all that trouble to take the sword, knew its usefulness. So, my best guess is that it or they would be coming after people with powers first since those are the primary oriole that the Sword protects. When they've finished executing their plans, their secondary targets would be the Commoners. To use that to our advantage, we have to lite them out. Make them come for something worth more than the Sword of Peace. We need a bait." Staring into his wife's eyes, he continues, "Omiri...."

"I would not condone such foolishness. It won't happen!" Weasely protested.

****************

Mael and Harry are sleeping when they hear a loud pounding on the door. Door? That sound they've not heard in ages. It always appears and disappears. But, the sound of an actual knock on a door, that sounded like they were kind of daydreaming. They realized it is very much real and not a dream when the knock is persistent without a pause. Whosoever that is knocking must be in quite a hurry or serious trouble. Mael struggles up, "Harry, can you hear someone knocking?"

"I think so. It's a dream. Go back to sleep. They never knock around here," Harry says in the laziest voice ever.

As Mael tries to take Harry's advice and makes to go back to bed, what was once a pound turns into a loud continuous bang.

"Dude, wake up. Someone is at the door," Mael slaps Harry's leg and grabs a shirt he had carelessly placed in his headboard.

"Mael, it is either you've decided to make my life miserable this afternoon or someone has sent you to do that job for them. There are no doors around here. We have just hun..." Harry is interrupted by the loud bangs coming from a door. "Dude, someone is knocking. How come we have a door?" he gets up and wears his track over the brief he is wearing.

Mael rolling his eyes, "I've been trying to tell you that." Yawning, he reaches for the supposed door and to his surprise, he sees a doorknob. "Harry, there's a doorknob? What am I supposed to do?" his eyes wide in shock.

"I don't know? Dancing in front of it? You are supposed to twist and open the freaking thing, Mael. It is a doorknob. What else are you supposed to do with a four knob?" He gets out of bed and equally heads for the door.

"Do you think it is a good idea?" Mael asks, unsure.

Harry ignores Mael and reaches for the door, twisting the knob, he opens the door.

A very furious Melody dressed in her robe breeze past them. "Were you both doing a beauty contest or something? What took you forever to open the door? I literary aged outside there," sitting on Mael's bed.

"Why do we have a door?$ Harry asks.

"Why are you in our room," Mael asks.

Both of them goes to sit but Melody stops them. "Up! Both of you. There is a major crisis and the Principal has assembled everyone in the hall. Get dressed and let's go."

"That still doesn't answer a y of our questions. Why..." Mael is about pestering further but she interrupts him

"I heard both of you loud and clear the first time. Why do we have a door? Because the magic protecting the school has been weakened. Why am I in the hour room? To get you lazy asses out of it. Since you both didn't hear the sound of the bell so I thought I should come to get you guys. Let us go because we are going to be late." she rants panting at the end due to being out of breath.