Lunacy. That was the word used to describe the condition in which animals mutated and grew more aggressive, driven insane by Mamia’s broken condition. Coincidentally, it was also the only word suitable enough to describe the proposition being made to the counsel by the tall, disheveled-looking elf standing before them.
“You see, ladies and gentlemen, I feel no shame in admitting that since I was young, I have always wanted to blow up a moon,” spouted the man in an almost musical tone as he fidgeted with his left ear. Numerous earrings adorned it, each bearing a curious set of runes. “However, make no mistake. This will certainly be a mutually beneficial endeavor. You see, after decades of research and careful observation, I have formed the hypothesis that the nine moons have an extraordinary ability to adapt in the face of trial.”
“Have you come here to mock us?” a woman said in a bland sort of mewl, her words dragging together monotonously. Her posture was slack, betraying her own boredom. “What we need are solutions… not your mindless babble. How exactly will blowing up the moon fix the problem of Lunacy in the children of Mamia?”
“Please, Senator Rita, if you’d just let me explain--”
“That’s Senator Gormlaith to you, Lovette,” the woman snapped. Her previous boredom gave way quickly to annoyance, her posture snapping to attention.
“Kun, if you would. I find surnames to be incredibly stuffy. In any case, as I was saying before, the nine moons may be capable of adapting to temporarily take on the other moons’ domains should they become incapacitated. It’s all here in my research notes. For a full understanding of the concept, you can look them over at your own leisure.”
“I feel no need to waste my time on the musings of a madman. Kun Lovette, please leave.”
“But Senator Rita, if Mamia is destroyed, Lunacy should, over time, disappear as well! Think of those who are dying to vicious attacks by wild animals! Think of those who are, themselves, suffering from afflictions of the mind!”
This argument struck her as odd. Emotional appeal, from a man who had up to this day argued purely from the logical standpoint. She smirked slightly as the question left her lips, “Coincidentally, Lovette, which moon were you born under?”
His hand left his ear for the first time since he’d begun to make his case, dropping to his side. His expression was severe as he replied, “Mamia.”
“I submit to the counsel once again that there is ample reason to doubt this man is in possession of his mental faculties. You are all quite aware, I’m certain, that Lunacy has grown severe enough recently to affect humanoids as well as less intelligent species.”
“You know very well there’s a world of difference between elves and orcs!” spat the elf, beginning to lose his patience. The remark would cost him, however, as a good number of glances were being exchanged among the counsel members.
“Some of my best friends are orcs, you bloody racist,” snarled a half-elf to the right of Senator Gormlaith.
“I was merely stating that the only humanoids in which Lunacy has manifested so far are orcs, a group well-known to be predisposed to violent behavior!”
“While I won’t deny many orcish traditions seem brutal to us, Lunacy treats the rabbits and the wolves just the same, Lovette. Guards, detain him. I feel it dangerous to continue this conversation without taking the proper precautions.”
As the guards closed in, Kun shook his head, his left hand going instinctively to the hilt of his weapon. “I have no intention of continuing a conversation that is clearly going nowhere. I’d like to leave… peacefully, if possible, but I will fight if you give me no choice.”
The guards looked to Senator Gormlaith as though asking what they should do.
“Capture him. He needs to submit to a proper evaluation for signs of Lunacy, as a matter of public safety. Everyone who is not a member of the security force is to vacate the vicinity in an orderly fashion.”
As the counsel shuffled out briskly, Kun drew his longsword, backing up against the podium where he’d been making his case moments before. His right hand dug into a pocket, searching for a certain vial.
The first of the guards ran at him, sap in hand, but failed to land a meaningful blow. Kun guided his own weapon, slashing a deep wound across the man’s chest. It was cold, and cruel. There was no denying that the wound would be fatal if not tended quickly. Still, he could not let himself be captured.
The next one came closer. He only barely managed to dodge a blow to the head with the sap, stumbling into another guard and throwing him off balance. He swung wildly at the man who had nearly hit him, but unsurprisingly, the frantic slash failed to connect.
They began to circle him, like predators, closing in on either side. They were determined, alright. Two saps bounded off his protective leather tunic as he stumbled forward, trying to deny them this advantage. Even so, he heard footsteps in the halls. More were on their way, likely ordered there by Gormlaith. He slashed once again, his sword drawing blood from the soldier to his right. Distracted by the wound, and perhaps fearful of joining his fallen comrade, it was his blow that came frantic and scattered this time. His comrade, however, was brimming with righteous fury, tossing the sap aside in favor of a longsword. He drew the blade in a great arc, slashing a deep wound in Kun’s leg. “I’ve seen enough. If this man is not a Lunatic, then he is a psychopath! Forget capture, he ought to die!”
“Emlyn, no! You can’t sink to this Lunatic’s level!” shouted the injured man… but their distraction was enough. Kun withdrew his right hand from his pocket, tipping a vial back and gulping down the substance inside. The wound in his leg closed, healing as quickly as though a spell had been cast upon it.
“Don’t try to hold me back, Tom!” he shouted, but the injured man had already grappled him, attempting to pin him down. He forced his hands free again, glaring menacingly. He almost seemed to be contemplating whether to attack him.
Once again grateful for the distraction, Kun stepped away, digging in his pockets and coming up with two vials. He poured one into the other and tossed the concoction at the quarreling men.
Boom. It hit the injured guard square in the chest just as the whole thing exploded, sending fire and shards of glass flying in every direction. Having expected it, Kun had hit the ground in time to avoid the worst of it, but Tom, having taken the full force of the blast, was knocked to the ground, his body limp and scorched as blood pooled beneath him. Emlyn, too, had been knocked back by the blast, badly burnt just as Tom was. Though his pulse remained, he was in no shape to stand, let alone pursue the Lunatic.
As Kun stood, he saw the reinforcements pouring through the doorway. His eyes darted around frantically for a way out, and finally fell upon a window. He hurried toward it. “Very well then. It’s true, you know… I am indeed a victim of Lunacy. You should know, though. It would seem I’m not the only one.”
He gestured to Emlyn with his sword hand as he pried the window open with his remaining hand. He sheathed the sword, and before anyone could get a firm hold on him, he stumbled out the window and into the courtyard.
“You see, ladies and gentlemen, I feel no shame in admitting that since I was young, I have always wanted to blow up a moon,” spouted the man in an almost musical tone as he fidgeted with his left ear. Numerous earrings adorned it, each bearing a curious set of runes. “However, make no mistake. This will certainly be a mutually beneficial endeavor. You see, after decades of research and careful observation, I have formed the hypothesis that the nine moons have an extraordinary ability to adapt in the face of trial.”
“Have you come here to mock us?” a woman said in a bland sort of mewl, her words dragging together monotonously. Her posture was slack, betraying her own boredom. “What we need are solutions… not your mindless babble. How exactly will blowing up the moon fix the problem of Lunacy in the children of Mamia?”
“Please, Senator Rita, if you’d just let me explain--”
“That’s Senator Gormlaith to you, Lovette,” the woman snapped. Her previous boredom gave way quickly to annoyance, her posture snapping to attention.
“Kun, if you would. I find surnames to be incredibly stuffy. In any case, as I was saying before, the nine moons may be capable of adapting to temporarily take on the other moons’ domains should they become incapacitated. It’s all here in my research notes. For a full understanding of the concept, you can look them over at your own leisure.”
“I feel no need to waste my time on the musings of a madman. Kun Lovette, please leave.”
“But Senator Rita, if Mamia is destroyed, Lunacy should, over time, disappear as well! Think of those who are dying to vicious attacks by wild animals! Think of those who are, themselves, suffering from afflictions of the mind!”
This argument struck her as odd. Emotional appeal, from a man who had up to this day argued purely from the logical standpoint. She smirked slightly as the question left her lips, “Coincidentally, Lovette, which moon were you born under?”
His hand left his ear for the first time since he’d begun to make his case, dropping to his side. His expression was severe as he replied, “Mamia.”
“I submit to the counsel once again that there is ample reason to doubt this man is in possession of his mental faculties. You are all quite aware, I’m certain, that Lunacy has grown severe enough recently to affect humanoids as well as less intelligent species.”
“You know very well there’s a world of difference between elves and orcs!” spat the elf, beginning to lose his patience. The remark would cost him, however, as a good number of glances were being exchanged among the counsel members.
“Some of my best friends are orcs, you bloody racist,” snarled a half-elf to the right of Senator Gormlaith.
“I was merely stating that the only humanoids in which Lunacy has manifested so far are orcs, a group well-known to be predisposed to violent behavior!”
“While I won’t deny many orcish traditions seem brutal to us, Lunacy treats the rabbits and the wolves just the same, Lovette. Guards, detain him. I feel it dangerous to continue this conversation without taking the proper precautions.”
As the guards closed in, Kun shook his head, his left hand going instinctively to the hilt of his weapon. “I have no intention of continuing a conversation that is clearly going nowhere. I’d like to leave… peacefully, if possible, but I will fight if you give me no choice.”
The guards looked to Senator Gormlaith as though asking what they should do.
“Capture him. He needs to submit to a proper evaluation for signs of Lunacy, as a matter of public safety. Everyone who is not a member of the security force is to vacate the vicinity in an orderly fashion.”
As the counsel shuffled out briskly, Kun drew his longsword, backing up against the podium where he’d been making his case moments before. His right hand dug into a pocket, searching for a certain vial.
The first of the guards ran at him, sap in hand, but failed to land a meaningful blow. Kun guided his own weapon, slashing a deep wound across the man’s chest. It was cold, and cruel. There was no denying that the wound would be fatal if not tended quickly. Still, he could not let himself be captured.
The next one came closer. He only barely managed to dodge a blow to the head with the sap, stumbling into another guard and throwing him off balance. He swung wildly at the man who had nearly hit him, but unsurprisingly, the frantic slash failed to connect.
They began to circle him, like predators, closing in on either side. They were determined, alright. Two saps bounded off his protective leather tunic as he stumbled forward, trying to deny them this advantage. Even so, he heard footsteps in the halls. More were on their way, likely ordered there by Gormlaith. He slashed once again, his sword drawing blood from the soldier to his right. Distracted by the wound, and perhaps fearful of joining his fallen comrade, it was his blow that came frantic and scattered this time. His comrade, however, was brimming with righteous fury, tossing the sap aside in favor of a longsword. He drew the blade in a great arc, slashing a deep wound in Kun’s leg. “I’ve seen enough. If this man is not a Lunatic, then he is a psychopath! Forget capture, he ought to die!”
“Emlyn, no! You can’t sink to this Lunatic’s level!” shouted the injured man… but their distraction was enough. Kun withdrew his right hand from his pocket, tipping a vial back and gulping down the substance inside. The wound in his leg closed, healing as quickly as though a spell had been cast upon it.
“Don’t try to hold me back, Tom!” he shouted, but the injured man had already grappled him, attempting to pin him down. He forced his hands free again, glaring menacingly. He almost seemed to be contemplating whether to attack him.
Once again grateful for the distraction, Kun stepped away, digging in his pockets and coming up with two vials. He poured one into the other and tossed the concoction at the quarreling men.
Boom. It hit the injured guard square in the chest just as the whole thing exploded, sending fire and shards of glass flying in every direction. Having expected it, Kun had hit the ground in time to avoid the worst of it, but Tom, having taken the full force of the blast, was knocked to the ground, his body limp and scorched as blood pooled beneath him. Emlyn, too, had been knocked back by the blast, badly burnt just as Tom was. Though his pulse remained, he was in no shape to stand, let alone pursue the Lunatic.
As Kun stood, he saw the reinforcements pouring through the doorway. His eyes darted around frantically for a way out, and finally fell upon a window. He hurried toward it. “Very well then. It’s true, you know… I am indeed a victim of Lunacy. You should know, though. It would seem I’m not the only one.”
He gestured to Emlyn with his sword hand as he pried the window open with his remaining hand. He sheathed the sword, and before anyone could get a firm hold on him, he stumbled out the window and into the courtyard.
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