Rune Mage [Fantasy/Adventure | Book 1 +2 | Complete]

CHAOS MAGE Chapter 23: The Joint Council

Kommora had very little time and patience for the citizens' trials. The citizen's council and the magical council were separate creations, coming together only when matters both magical and non-magical were involved — this terrorist attack by non-magical persons on King's Academy students being one of them. Otherwise, the king's mages and the magical council stayed out of civilian issues.

The balcony of the multi-storeyed building opened out to the concrete maze of the east end of Benover. People hustled on the streets, dressed in prim collared shirts, tiered dresses, and held themselves with dignity. Barely any rainbow-lined black cloaks. The east end was dominated mainly by civilians. The sun had not long set and the skies remained tinged with red. Light runes switched on within the lamps lining the streets.

The remainder of the Civilian Council members attending the meeting filed in through the tall archways before the polished wooden doors swung shut. Guards stood on the inside and outside, staring straight ahead. Kommora took her seat beside Southwark on one side of the semicircle. Hatman, Bonneville, and Dankworth were away again on other duties after their brief gathering a few hours earlier. The Civilian Council liked Southwark enough, being the persuasive humanitarian he was; that should at least reduce some of the growing animosity the civilians had towards mages.

"My esteemed colleagues and members of the Council of Mages, I thank you for taking the trouble to attend the emergency meeting today." Chairing the meeting was a retired general who used to work with Edgard Woodbead. Kommora had long forgotten his name. "I'll make it quick so this meeting does not impede our daily duties longer than necessary. We are gathered here today to discuss the attack on King's Academy of Magic and the deaths of three out of the five attackers at the hands of a state mage."

"Attackers. As if there wasn't a political motivation or intention to kill," Kommora muttered out of the corner of her mouth to Southwark, who didn't reply.

"The reason a joint council meeting was called was twofold: first, to address the crime of civilians who trespassed on the grounds of King's Academy and with the intention of putting the lives of students at risk, and, second, to address the crime of the state mage who broke the second magical commandment in his murder of three civilians.

"Civilian Council: please speak."

A woman with greying hair stood up. Her belted tunic was so crisp Kommora could almost hear it crackle as her rear left her stool.

"We have reviewed confessions from the two remaining, living attackers and they have admitted to being members of the All Civilians' Might organisation."

"The what?" Kommora's eyelid twitched.

"This organisation has been recognised as being responsible for several incidences of harassment of students and mages alike. This is the first — and hopefully last — time physical harm has incurred. The two surviving members are in our custody and will be trialled at a later date."

"You're not just going to let them go, surely," Kommora said sceptically. "To target mages and take our students hostage is a great crime."

"Our numbers have fallen since the Battle of Benover, both in terms of enrolment and retention. If events like this continue and we can't make up the deficit, pretty soon there won't be enough mages to facilitate the running of the country," said Southwark, causing uneasiness to flutter through the Civilian Council members. Kommora suppressed a snort. Of course, only when Southwark phrased it so that both civilians and mages would suffer did this become more significant in their eyes.

"A not insignificant period of incarceration has been proposed and we will ensure they receive just punishment," said one of the council members. Kommora raised an eyebrow but said nothing.