Hall of Shadows [The Celestial Chronicles #2]

Chapter Thirty-Three: Claim Your Weapons

"Through rough utter through middle darkness home.

With other notes than to th'Orphean lyre

I sung of Chaos and Eternal Light."

- John Milton, " At a Solemn Music"

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Soundtrack of the chapter: Claim Your Weapons by Christian Reindl ( DO PLAY IT!)

Media: Army of the Dead

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Chapter Thirty-Three: Claim Your Weapons

The tension around the Hall of Spirits was suffocating. It was as if Yana himself had closed an ominous hand around the Hall, strangling the life and air out of every Oracle within. The dark clouds hung downcast, flinging a large shadow over the lands. Eli could see the shadows of his beloved Hall curling around the trees of the Darkling Woods, something which did nothing to take away the ill feeling crushing his chest.

Someone knocked on the door of his office. He swung around, knowing that it was the head Feorh--Eka.

"Is everyone assembled and given a dose of the Blood flower potion?" he asked, resting his head on his hand. The Feorh nodded. "As directed, Your Honor. Every Oracle has now gathered in the main hall and administered with a single pill."

"Was it enough?" He feared for the answer. There were a little over five hundred Oracles in the Hall right now, mostly students. The rest were either living in the Celestial Towns over the hill or at the Hall of Warriors for their training. But with only a bundle of Blood flowers available, he couldn't produce a vast sum of the potion. He had rationed it into pill form. It should be enough to hold off the Mandrake poison until help arrived, or when he could pinpoint the location of the deadly roots.

The large panda Feorh gazed at Eli with mournful eyes. "Nearly. A few already passed out. There is only so much we can do to ease their pain."

Eli massaged his temples, trying to knead some reassurance into himself. "How much is nearly?"

It exhaled. "A hundred, probably more."

"Then we have less than four hundred left," he muttered. "Less than four hundred to defend ourselves if Jasper really calls up an army. Eka, hear my order. Take every fit Oracle down the armory and give them weapons. Round up the Oracles in the oldest batch of students and send them here. Send more Feorhs down the infirmary, the sick must be looked after at all times."

Eka bowed low. "At once, Your Honor."

"Eka." Eli stopped the Feorh. "What about my grandfather?"

The Feorh's black eyes glittered, as if it was sympathetic. Eli almost growled. He hated it when others did that, it made him feel belittled. "His condition is unchanged. He remains in shock, unmoving and not talking."

"See that he was well monitored. When he recovers his senses, I must be notified immediately."

His last word hung on the Feorh like a menacing threat. It bowed and exited, so fast it was a blur.

Eli started out at the open skies, eyeing the pinkish hue wrapped around the clouds, lazily. It had been a sleepless night, trying to organize everything within the Hall. It was indeed dark tidings. There was a constant voice in his head, whining, reminding him of the potential dangers that his Hall would soon face. He never envisioned himself being in this position. Yes, sometimes he would see the heavy crown on his head, smiling to his subjects who would, in return, cheer. But never a war.