The RealmStep: Ichha and the Nomweir

CHAPTER 11: Council of Wane

  They approached a building that was adorned in the front by cascading steps.  At the top stood guards; the same kind that was at the entrance to the city.  Savage.  Limited intellect.  How did theey come to evolve in such a manner, Ichha thought, "Why would they split into four seperate races?"  Will was at work here...and if it deemed they be destroyed then it did'nt matter why.

  At the top of the steps, they moved pass the guards with no hassle.  Ichha thought one was anticipating his approach, but quickly realized that was'nt the case when it walked the other way.  Before them lay a long walkway, about a sixteenth of a mile, which led to more cascading steps.  Not so many this time around.  At the top of these steps, Ichha could see a group of Nom'tici---their red eyes shining like beacons in the distance.  "Here we go...", Ichha thought to himself, "Act.  II; the First Culmination."  Ichha liked to think of his adventures as a play.  Act II was always called the First Culmination for it was the first time that things would become apparent to him.  He was about to go before the Council of Wane---a group he really knew nothing about other than that they ran things...he guessed.  Seilic and Dilus seemed to imply as much.

  They approached the group of red-eyed beings and Ichha quickly made out that only four were of any importance; the other 6 (for there were ten in all) seemed to be subordinates of some nature.  The six were garbed in the same attire, whereas the four wore lavish earth-toned robes.  The one on Ichha's far left wore red.  The one next to him wore red and blue---the red more dominant.  The Nom'tici next to him wore red and blue also, but the blue held dominance this time and on his far right stood the last adorned in blue.  Ichha remembered them as Red; Blue; D. Red; and D. Blue.  Seilic and Dilus stepped forward and performed a graceful salute, which incorporated the scrathing of the ground in it, to the colorful four.

"The Great Fearless Nom'ary, Seilic," the one clothed in blue stated as if introducing him to an ignorant audience.

"How graciously have we waited your return," D. Red added, "Where, this time, is the loyal Kebok?"

"Seilic not smell," Seilic said humbly, "Kebok vanish before Weirhowl."

"How convenient for Seilic to once again reap all our graces," Blue said accusingly.

"Which is ultimately why we have gathered here, is it not?" The one clothed in dominant blue said as he moved toward Ichha.  "We see you have retrieved the intruder as we asked."

"Yes," Seilic responded.  "He is an OtherRealmer."

"That we know, Nom'ary," D. Red said stepping up beside D. Blue.  Ichha just stood patiently watching the exchange commence.  He tried to deduce which one of them were Firedd, but no clue revealed itself.

"Shall we begin with the necessary proceedings, Aluzei?" D. Red continued, "The Alphas should be ready now."

"Yes, yes...let's begin," the one called Aluzei said as he turned to make his way up a few steps behind him.  Red dismissed the subordinates as he moved to follow Aluzei.  The other members of the council did the same; aligning themselves in a descending line off of the two mixed-clothed Nom'tici.  Once they were in position, they squatted down on their legs as if they had haunches and began to howl.  As man-like as they appeared, their howls were extremely wolf-like.

"So it begins..." Ichha said as he watched two other robed Nom'tici join the panel.  One was robed in all black garments and the other, all white.  "Yes," Seilic responded.

"Am I safe?  What's about to happen to me?"

"Seilic not smell.  Ichha not speak now."

  Ichha did his best to try and keep his nervous impulses at bay, but talking was the only way to distract his mind from his ordeal at hand.  He felt like he was about to be wrongly convicted of a crime he did'nt committ nor had any knowledge of.  He knew he should probably heed Seilic's advice, but the nervousness was overwhelming.  The howling had begun to soften as the two newcomers became settled in.  It looked as if things were getting started.

"One more question..." Ichha said looking Seilic in his eyes.  "Yes," Seilic said looking back at him.  Ichha thought he could see what looked like worry in Seilic's face, but he was'nt really sure about their facial expressions.

"Can I trust you?"

  Before Ichha could respond, the one in the dominant blue began the proceedings.

"OtherRealmer, what are you called?", the one in black spoke.

"Ichha," he said nervously, "Not really anyone important around these parts, though.  Doubt if you ever heard of me."

  The one in black began to laugh and the one in white joined him.  "A sense of humor," white robe said, "Free his binds, Nom'ary."

  Ichha stepped forward and Seilic, using his claws, sliced through the restraints.  Ichha rubbed his wrists with his hand; happy to have his hands free.  He could protect himself now.

"Let us first begin with saying that you are not our prisoner nor ever were," the white-robed said apologetically.

"Really?" Ichha said vehemently, "My experience gives me another perspective."

"We apologize," Dominant Red began, "But we've had a hard time in the past convincing others to travel to the center of the world just to visit what they would probably call monsters."

"I can see what you mean," Ichha said snidely, "But I still don't get the logic."

"Again, we..." one of them started, but Ichha, regaining his confidence and courage now that his hands were free, interrupted.  "Like I said, I don't get the logic.  If you just wanted to talk---that is why you dragged me all the way down here, isn't it?"

"Well, yeah," Dominant Blue began, but he was also cut off by Ichha.  "To talk," Ichha reiterated, "When you could have asked me first and then saw where it went...but I'm here.  What does the hospitable Nomweir need with me?"

"Finally, it hushes," the blue robed one spat.  "If you'd given us a moment to speak..."

"Gave you a moment to speak?!" Ichha screamed.  "The audacity of this one!  How dare you kidnap me, tell me you want my help, and then speak like I don't matter."

"Whoa, whoa...everybody calm down," white-robed begged, "This is not how the proceedings are suppose to be going."

  Ichha calmed himself and moved back to where Seilic and Dilus stood.  They eyed him nervously, but Ichha held his countenance---not letting on that he was winging it.  He hadn't wanted to get into a screaming match with the Nom'tici, but the one robed in blue really irked his nerves.  Ichha knew that he needed to paly his cards more carefully than he had been and showing a lack of control like he had was not the way to go.  "My turn to apologize," said Ichha, "I really don't mean to be out of character...it's just that I've never been kidnapped for a visit before."

"We could have done much worse you impudent---"

"ENOUGH!!" the Nom'tici robed in all black screamed, his voice echoing throughout the hall.  "We have a proceedings to hold here, not a nursery."

"Our apologies, My Alpha," D. Red said humbly.  He turned to face Ichha.  "Let us begin."

  Ichha knew he should keep his mouth shut, but the urge to be defiant and control the events of what was transpiring was overpowering.  Ichha knew that whenever that happened, it was Will evoking it's power over him and there really was no reason to fight it; he would succumb.  "Uhh...can someone tell me why I have been brought here before we begin?"

"Well...before we can answer that...," the Dominant Red began, "There's some things you might need to know about our people first.  A little history..."

"Does he really need a history lesson, Calaba?", the one dressed in all blue interrupted, "We barely have enough time to tell him the pertinent information, let alone our cowardly departure from the surface to the dirt-huggers we are now."

"Your blatant disrespect for the proceedings and our history will not be tolerated here, Yedren," All-Black said in an authoritive voice, "Let this be the last time that you are warned."
  The one called Yedren quickly dropped to his knees with his head bowed.  "I'm sorry my Alpha.  It won't happen again," he said humbly.

"We apologize OtherRealmer for our lack of obedience," All-White said, "Calaba, will you continue?"

"Yes, my Alpha.  Ichha...as I was saying, we Nomweir at one time lived on the surface.  This was a very long time ago.  Our people are a territorial one, so we roamed and controlled all that we purveyed.  Eventually, we reached this side of the world, and everything changed."

"And may I ask the name of this world?" Ichha asked.

"Hoyedris," Calaba answered, "You really aren't from here?"

"Your'e a non-believer, Calaba?"  Ichha chuckled at the naivete of this "councilman".  "Well what happened once you got to this side of Hoyedris?"  Will was the one standing before them and their answers were his ammunition.

"There were creatures on this side the Nomweir had never come in contact with before," Dominant-Red joined in, "We dropped on the food-chain dramatically."

"Why did'nt the Nomweir just go back to where they thrived?  Where they came from?"  Ichha inquired.

"Because once a Nomweir moved on," D. Red continued, "They left that den permanently and could never return unless invited.  We are territorial beings by nature; constantly looking for new ways to expand our influence.  Back then, a group of Nomweir were selected to expand the territory and start their own den every six lulles.  This concept has survived with us over the annois."

"Wait...moving too fast.  What's a lulle?" Ichha asked.

"For 9 annois, our sun, Apseir, rules the sky," D. Red responded.

"Annoz?"

"Year," Seilic informed him.

"Oh...so, for nine years, there's light on the surface?"

"Yes," D. Red confirmed, "We call it 'spaz'.

"Wow!" Ichha exclaimed, but confusion quickly set in his face, "But, it wasn't light out when I was on the surface?"

"Because we're in weep.  After spaz, there's a period of darkness which lasts for 20...years; as you say," said D. Red.  "Our moon, Weir, takes to the sky.  This is 'weep'."

"Twenty years of darkness?" Ichha burst out, making Dilus jump beside him, "That's even more incredible.  So there's 9 years of spaz and then twenty years of weep?"

"During weep is when the Nomweir thrive.  We live off of our moon.  Weir is our sustenance.  At the end of the dark period, we go into hibernation for the 9 years that Apseir is in rule.  This 29 year cycle is what we call a lulle."

"Right...that is what we're talking about," Ichha jested, "So a lulle is twenty-nine years long?  That's the basic unit of time for the Nomweir?"

"It is when dealing on our natural order; but cene to cene, we deal on blins.  As Weir moves through the sky, it changes color 4 times.  The interval between is what we call a blin."

"Iccha smell hours," Seilic educated Ichha once again.  It was if Seilic had appointed himself as Ichha's personal translator.

"We, with the colorful attire," D. Red continued, "are called Blins and are representative of the four color schemes of Weir.  Our Alphas represent the open and closed aspects of Weir.

"So a lulle is 29 years long?" said Ichha.
 
"Yes," D. Red answered, "and every six of these, the Nomweir would expand."

"The Nomweir would stay in one spot for...174 years?" Ichha asked.

"Yes," Calaba jumped back in as if he was tagged in a wrestling match, "They'd expand into the immediate vicinity of their location, but a major expansion---where a group would leave the territory they controlled---only happened every 6 lulles."

"I follow."

"Well, as I was saying," Calaba continued, "The Nomweir eventually made it to this side of the world where there were creatures like the Nihaton and the Neicoroxy.  The Nomweir were ultimately forced to retreat underground in order to survive.  Over thousands and thousands of lulles, the Nomweir evolved into what you see before you now."

"What about the other Nomweir that were in other areas?" Ichha remembered to ask, "What happened to them?"

"They eventually succumbed to the creatures that evolved on this side of Hoyedris," Calaba answered, "We believe others may have done what we resorted to, but haven't been able to scout the surface and have never run into any new tunnel systems other than ones created by Dudadys."

"So, officially, we're ther last of our kind," said Yedren.

"That is something we'll have to see," Ichha said, but not as if he was speaking to them.  "There may well be more of your people out there underground.  Never assume through arrogance.  If your ancestors thought to go underground, why not assume that others did the same or found some other way to survive?"

"Ichha has a point there," said All-White.

"We have been known to be an arrogant bunch---at least amongst us Nom'tici," commented All-Black.

"About that," began Ichha, "Were the Nomweir at one time one race or have there always been Nom'tici and Nom'ary?"

"There has always been the two," Calaba answered, "If the Nomweir were at one time, one being, it is a recollection of our history we know nothing about."

"Well, if that's the case," Ichha said suspiciously, "Where do the Nom'tiri and Nom'arci fall in at or have they always been also?"

  The room fell silent for a quick moment as if the air ceased moving.  'Was that question the show stopper?'  Ichha felt so for as soon as Calaba fixed his mouth to speak, All-Black interceded.  "You know...there is a legend I remember as a pup that makes reference to the Nomweir being one race."

"There's no truth to that, Nalano," disagreed All-White, "That was a pup's nursery ryhme and one, I might add, that hasn't been sung in over a hundred lulles."

"Still, Mr. All-White, it might hold some prevalence to my understanding of the Nomweir and their place in the world."

"Mizus, I am called," All-White corrected.  If you feel it is important..."

"I do Mizus," said Nalano with annoyance, "The tale mentioned that there was a being named Nom who had one blue eye and one red.  He fell in love with a beautiful princess of a Lord named Weir and she, him.  The problem was that she was already promised to another, and this other was a Lord of the Face named Apseir."

"The sun and moon," Ichha stated, "Ok, I get it.  Go on."

"Apseir found out that Weir was secretly seeing Nom and became murderous.  It says that his anger burned bright as fire; which is one reason why we call the sun Apseir.  When Nom and Weir got wind that their tryst was up, they ran away and went into hiding.  Apseir hunted high and low for Nom and Weir, but there was no trace of them at all.  It was as if they vanished from the face of the world.  This went on for nine annoz.  When they were finally found, Apseir had his ultimate revenge.  He married Weir with Nom watching and then had Nom cut in two with Weir as the audience.  He then took her and had her locked away in the highest tower on the highest mountain on the highest plain.  As extra humiliation, Apseir would only come to visit her every nine annoz saying that he wanted her to feel the lonliness he felt during the time she was with Nom.  Even so, when Apseir did finally come, she feigned being asleep and would only arise when he slept.  During the nine year abscence of Apseir, Weir gave birth to twins; a boy with red eyes and a girl with blue.  For twenty annoz, she raised the twins in the tower; in secret until Apseir discovered there existence and tried to kill them.  In a desperate attempt to save her children, she threw herself in harms way.  The twin children watched their mother die before them by Apseir's hand.  They both bolted through the open door behind Apseir and escaped from the tower...never to be seen again."  He opened his eyes as if recovering from a trance.  "I hadn't recited that tale since I was a pup."

"Horrific story to tell children although an intersting tale," complimented Ichha, "I feel it does hold importance...but what does all of this have to do with you needing my help?"

"Once the Nomweir went underground," Aluzei said, "Our traditions and culture conformed to a degree.  What did not change was our need to expand our territory.  The same principle as on the surface was implemented---every six lulles, a group was selected to expand the territory.  These groups would leave and create new tunnelways to an unexplored area and populate.  A Nomweir from each race would be appointed to oversee the new expansion..."

"Like a mayor?" Ichha interrupted for clarification, "Someone to report back to the higher powers---that being Weirhowl?"

"Yes," Aluzei said, "Our last expansion took place over three lulles ago and it had been one long overdue."

"We had a little trouble a little while back that threw us behind," Yedren co-signed.

"Is it important?" Ichha asked, not really liking the one dressed in all blue.

"Not really," Aluzei answered before Yedren could go on.  "What is important is that the expansion clan was found by a Guard Pack.  Their report was that everyone was dead."

"Everyone?" Ichha asked, astounded.

"Yes," Calaba answered, "Everyone---and all the bodies looked to have been burned."

"Burned?" Seilic said.  It was the first time since the proceedings began that he addressed them.

"Yes, Nom'ary...burned," said Yedren.

"From the heat," Ichha stated matter-of-factly, "It's getting hotter."

"That's...what...we deduced," mentioned Firedd, "Although it took us much longer than that."

"It's the only thing that makes sense.  Now how am I suppose to help?  I can't do anything about the core of Hoyedris heating up."

"We understand this, Ichha," said Mizus, "What we ask we hope is much simpler."

"I can't imagine what you could possibly have in mind," Ichha said baffled.  He truly racked his brain trying to deduce what they could want of him, but nothing came to mind.

"We need to return to the surface," said Nalano, "Can you help us?"

  Nothing...but...that.  "What makes you think I can?" Ichha asked.

"Because the Weirdrop showed us you when asked how to return to the surface," Firedd answered, "The Weirdrop has never lied to us in the past."

  More magic.  The Nomweir and their little surprises were starting to become little annoyances that Ichha felt he could do without.  What in the Realmscape was a 'weirdrop'?  He was afraid to ask.  It did'nt matter.  Whatever it was, it was right.  He had the power to help them...but should he?  That meant submersing himself completlely into Hoyedris' reality and that meant being there for a while---for a long while.  He wasn't sure he wanted to be in such a backwards, alien, primitive world like Hoyedris for centuries; waiting for it to change into something habitable.  "I uderstand that your 'weirdrop' showed you me pertaining to the return of your people back to the surface of this planet, but I have no way of doing this.  There's no weapon that I can equip you with to fight a Nihaton."

"There is one," All-White said.

"There is?"

"Teach us to fly," said All-Black, "We know you can make Nomweir fly."

  Ichha was totally confused.  He couldn't make himself fly, let alone the Nomweir.  "What are you talking about?  I can't make anyone fly."

"Liar!" Yedren screamed, seeming to almost come over the panel wall.  He turned his head towards the right sideline.  "Come.  We'd like to hear your testimony once again."

  From the shadows of the sidelines, blue eyes materialized and then the their owner moved into the light.  It was Kebok and even from that distance, Ichha could see the smile on the creature's face.

"Kebok has told us everything," Yedren continued.

"Did he now?"  Ichha said stepping forward.  He could see out of his peripherals Seilic motioning for him to not do what he was about to do, but again, it was Will who had the floor.  They should have never brought Kebok out.

"How Kebok here?" Seilic screamed at the top of his voice.  "Kebok abandon Pack at Weirmouth.  Why Kebok here now?"

  Without warning, Ichha leapt into the air, over the partition seperating him from the panel, and onto the unsuspecting back of Kebok.  In one fluid motion, he flipped Kebok to the floor and positioned himself over his prone body.  From instinct, he moved to slap his hands together but remembered at the last moment that he was trying to keep his magic secret and pulled back.  That infintismal hesitation proved to be his mistake for Kebok, using his feet, kicked Ichha into the air about ten feet and as quick as a snake had leapt into the air grabbing Ichha in a grapple and hurtled him towards the floor.  Ichha slammed into the ground with such force that he felt a few of his ribs snapped.  By the time he opened his eyes, Kebok was on top of him; fangs bared with a killer look in his blue eyes.  Ichha was not phased for the gaze he returned was just as savage; if not moreso.
  Blue and Red walked over to where they lay straddled on the floor.  Ichha wanted to use magic badly, but held back.  Something told him that that was the way to go.  "What's this about Kebok?" Yedren asked rhetorically.

"Kebok not smell," he responded.

"He tried to kill me!" Ichha screamed wiggling under the Nom'ary's grasp, "He pushed me into Weirmouth."

"Ichha roxy!!" Kebok boomed in Ichha's face.  Ichha headbutted him and in response, Kebok bit down on his left shoulder with tremendous force.  Ichha felt the creature's four 5 inch fangs slide into his flesh and the pressure snap his clavicle.  He screamed in agony.  Kebok did not release his bite until Ichha fainted from the pain.

"Take him to the foors" said All-White.

"And put those two somewhere we can keep an eye on them," All-Black added.

"Kanin!" Yedren screamed and Nom'arci materialized from the shadows around them; seven in total.  Their eyes burned a sick, savage red. Without any instruction; two walked over to where Ichha's bleeding body lay and picked him up with their mouths.  They carried his body away, leaving a trail of blood in his wake.
  The other five converged on Seilic and Dilus.  With no resistance, they surrendered dropping to their knees with their heads bowed.  Kebok approaches the group just as Seilic lifts his head.  Kebok drew back his arm and swung it with all the power he had, backhanding Seilic across the face.  Seilic fell backwards from the blow.  Anger surged through him, but he held it at bay---rather spitting the blood Kebok drew at Kebok's feet instead.

"Kebok beat Seilic this time!" he screamed after them as they moved out of the Hall.  "Kebok win!"

"Dilus smell Ichha," Dilus said in a slient whisper.

"What Dilus smell?" Seilic responded, not really having heard what his friend said.

"Seilic eat Kebok howl when Seilic can," he said with a look of conviction in his eyes.  One of the Kanin shoved him to keep up with the group and he stumbled.  Seilic helped him regain his balance.

"Ichha not get Kebok first," Seilic commented as they exited the Council Hall.  He eyed Kebok until he disappeared from view.  "Seilic eat Kebok howl...