The grand tower of Gureia, once home to a world-renowned sorceress with the powers to shatter mountains and control the weather from atop her home–now but a mere study for the Lakran sages and the academy where the future of the children of nobility is built. Oh, how she would lament the perversion of her sacred sanctuary; alas, not even heaven could bring the comfort of home.
Degrading the tower of crystals, furthermore, the sages converged on a floor where the spines of the giants, used to hold the tower straight, were bare around the columns, they whispered and conspired while sage Mediora quietly took a seat. Looking at its subjects, the sage who was neither a man nor a woman cut through the whispers with but one word.
"Silence…" Planting its hand on the redwood table, the turbaned sage glanced to their right. Built directly into the table was a crystal ball that could be spun with the hand and was used to bring attention to oneself. Every sage had one, and to make it glow, the only thing they had to do was lay their hand on it. "I know you're all troubled by some recent news."
Placing its hand on the crystal ball, sage Mediora spoke to the council directly. Their voice was a mix of a man's and that of a woman, or rather an ever-youthful teen whose voice never broke and had remained ambiguous ever since.
"The undead army has been defeated by one of our students." Batting its long lashes, Mediora brushed up a faint smile. "It's as much a time to celebrate as it is of investiagtion. Caution's the word, but first we must bring this girl home and gain the finer details amongst her notes."
Placing a hand on the crystal ball, one of the Minora sages brought the attention. Nodding at him, Mediora granted its permission for him to speak.
"What of the weapons her gathered army used? If spies' reports are to be trusted, then that merchant boy Custer handed them out before the march began."
Another hand was placed on the crystal before Mediora could answer.
"Are we to trust that man's words when all he has been reporting is wild conjecture?" Narrowing her gaze, the sage leaned forward. Staring sharply from behind her hood, she kept her eyes on the man who'd spoken before her. "Devils? Wish-granting shops? If anything, his ramblings and his disappearance would explain themselves."
"Are you suggesting that he purposely led us astray?"
Nodding at Mediora, the sage leaned back in her chair.
"A magic knight advents, and her first notable feat is the slaughter of an army, and the mastermind leading them, a high vampire? If that is the truth, then we might as well bow to her feet and make her the sage Majora!"
"What did you say!?"
"Tsk… this is why I don't like her."
"To even suggest something like that is an insult to the high sage!"
Complaints erupted all around her, but the woman stared straight ahead in the eyes of Sage Mediora. She knew that if anyone had the authority to truly say something and for it to have effect, it was none of the Minora sages and that only the conduit to the Major sage had any say in the matter.
"Your hypothesis is that our spy has gone crazed and that he's been feeding false information to us before fleeing to avoid the repercussions of his betrayal, is that right?"
"Unless someone can prove otherwise, that is my position, yes."
Holding its hands in a welcoming gesture, Sage Mediora looked around the council of Minora sages. Its eyes met each of theirs, but not a single one of them said a word.
"Speak your mind, I will allow it. Do you agree with the girl, and if not, do you have any proof to contradict her statement?"
Again, not a word; most were too frail of mind to question or present a theory of their own. Going along with the Mediora's words was all that they were good for, and for that very reason, the sage was swayed to believe the girl over itself.
"It is settled then," clasping its hands, Mediora brought her attention to the girl again. "We are discarding the reports and bringing this girl to the council. Here we shall have her explain everything that happened, what techniques she employed, and how she managed to overwhelm an army for which she was obviously ill-prepared to handle."
Surveying everyone's expression, Mediora confirmed that there were no longer any doubts to be had. And although flickers of uncertainty flashed at them still, it continued to assert the decision.
"Now then, a message from Sage Majora, sir Gaus Huist." The voicing of that name drew everyone in. Feeling a tenseness in her chest and throat, everyone anxiously awaited the word of the major sage. "Our queen has fallen ill, and it's time for the matriarch to rest. Her legacy shall be remembered, but must soon be replaced. Amongst our school of fishes, we must decide who takes the crown next. Be they competent or not, they must be obedient."
Closing its eyes, Mediora heaved a sigh.
"I hope I won't have to spell out what the sage means by those words, for if I have to, perhaps it's time for some of you to hand over your garbs and walk out of the tower for good." As it lifted its head, everyone gave it a subtle nod. "Good, now then we must consider the most promising and obedient candidate to fill the queen's shoes. Any suggestions, fair council?"
"What about this girl Glyea?" Speaking up again, the same woman drew everyone's attention. "If she proves obedient, pushing her into that role shouldn't be too hard. After all, she'd just proved her competence if those rumors are true and even if they're not, which I personally hold to be the truth–the public can still be sold on that lie, and then it's time for the sages to finally rule the capital for good."
"A fine suggestion!" Slapping the desk, Mediora laughed. "We must bring this girl here as soon as possible!"
Everything was falling right in place for the sages. The queen's illness and the subjugation of the monster army by one of their stubborn students. One right move and they could control the capital for good–a goal that they've been working on for nearly half a century. However, Glyea herself was their biggest hurdle, and because they couldn't convince her, but for the fact that she had a devil advisor on her shoulder.