Part 3 — The Death of the Blood Ascendant
The communications officer remained kneeling at the foot of the staircase, the crimson light from his forearm display reflecting against the polished black floor.
Above him, the seven members of the High Council sat upon their thrones, their attention fixed upon the report from Kharos Vale.
"Whitefall was confirmed by the arrival of a Celestial," the officer continued. "Under the Treaty of Aurelion, Kharos Vale has been recognized as sovereign human territory. All Fallen military personnel were ordered to withdraw immediately."
A holographic image appeared above the officer's device.
It showed Kharos Vale from orbit.
Where once the planet had been covered by the dense gray atmosphere of an incomplete conversion, enormous stretches of blue now dominated its surface. White clouds moved across newly stabilized continents, and vast regions of green marked the forests spreading across the land.
The image rotated slowly before the seven thrones.
One of the Council members examined the transformation.
"The conversion was close to completion."
"Yes, Councilor. Our forces had already secured several major territories. The remaining resistance was concentrated around the human military positions."
"And yet Whitefall occurred."
"Yes, Councilor."
The silver-haired female studied the planetary readings.
"The Celestial's arrival confirms the transition. There is no legal basis for maintaining our occupation."
Another member spoke from farther along the row of thrones.
"Have all forces withdrawn?"
"The evacuation was initiated immediately following the Celestial's decree. Our remaining vessels have departed the planet."
"Casualties?"
"The final numbers are still being compiled. Several units were lost during the last engagement."
The older Council member rested his hands upon the armrests of his throne.
"And the Blood Ascendant?"
The officer's gaze lowered briefly toward his display.
"Blood Ascendant Vireth Kael'tharyn was killed before the Celestial's arrival."
The chamber fell silent.
Not from shock.
The seven rulers simply waited for the explanation.
The scarred Council member was the first to speak.
"Who killed him?"
"A human soldier."
"Rank?"
"A cadet from the Unified Defense Command Academy."
The scarred male examined the officer.
"His level?"
"Ten."
For several seconds, none of the Council members spoke.
Then the silver-haired female leaned forward slightly.
"The anomaly."
"Yes, Councilor."
The older male regarded the officer.
"Show us."
The officer activated another recording.
A holographic image appeared above the chamber floor, showing the final moments of the battle on Kharos Vale.
The recording was incomplete, captured from the damaged equipment of a Fallen soldier who had survived the engagement.
It showed a devastated battlefield littered with broken stone, shattered weapons, and the bodies of fallen soldiers.
At its center lay a blond-haired human cadet, his uniform torn and soaked with blood.
A crimson rapier had pierced his shoulder, pinning him to the ground.
Standing nearby was Vireth Kael'tharyn.
The Blood Ascendant's armor was damaged, but he remained upright, his attention fixed upon the unconscious human.
The recording showed Vireth collecting blood from the cadet's wound into a crystal flask.
He examined its contents before raising the flask to his lips.
Then he drank.
For several moments, nothing happened.
Vireth lowered the flask.
His expression changed.
The recording captured him staggering backward, one hand rising toward his chest.
Dark veins spread beneath his pale skin.
His body began to tremble.
The Blood Ascendant dropped the flask, sending it shattering against the stone.
He fell to one knee.
Then the deterioration accelerated.
His skin tightened against his bones. His armor shifted as the flesh beneath it began to shrink, and his outstretched hand grew thin and skeletal.
The transformation continued until the powerful Fallen commander who had stood over the cadet was reduced to a withered husk.
His body collapsed upon the battlefield.
The recording ended.
For a long moment, the seven Council members regarded the empty space where the recording had been.
The older male spoke first.
"Was the recording authenticated?"
"Yes, Councilor. Its source and integrity have been verified."
The silver-haired female studied the information displayed before her.
"David Wyn."
The name was familiar to everyone seated upon the seven thrones.
"The anomaly Vireth reported," she continued. "Sixteen years old. Level Ten."
"Correct, Councilor," the officer replied.
A holographic image of David appeared beside the recording.
His Academy identification photograph showed a blond-haired young man with blue-gray eyes.
Beneath it, only three details had been confirmed.
Name: David Wyn.
Age: Sixteen.
Level: Ten.
The remainder of his profile was incomplete.
The scarred Council member examined the image.
"Vireth was ordered to obtain the anomaly's blood."
"Yes, Councilor."
"And he succeeded."
"He did."
The older male rested his hands upon the armrests of his throne.
"Our assessments suggested that consuming the anomaly's blood could provide a significant increase in strength."
"That was the prevailing conclusion," the silver-haired female replied. "Although we had insufficient information to determine the extent of its effects."
The scarred male regarded the final image of Vireth's withered remains.
"Vireth believed the reward justified the risk."
"He had no reason to expect this outcome," another Council member observed.
"Yet it was the outcome," the older male answered calmly.
The silver-haired female enlarged the recording, focusing on the moment Vireth raised the crystal flask to his lips.
"The deterioration began shortly after consumption. Whatever caused it acted rapidly and overwhelmed a Level Forty-Five Blood Ascendant."
"Could the blood have been contaminated?" another member asked.
"Possibly. But we have no evidence of an external substance."
"Then our original assessment was incomplete."
"Considerably."
The older male studied David's image.
"We know his name, his age, and his level. Beyond that, Vireth provided little information of value."
The scarred Council member looked toward the empty space where the recording had ended.
"Vireth commanded an army, held the title of Blood Ascendant, and possessed forty-five levels of accumulated strength. Yet he died attempting to gain more from a human cadet."
His voice remained cold.
"Whatever power he possessed is irrelevant now. He failed to survive the consequences of his own decision."
No one offered a defense of the dead commander.
The silver-haired female turned her attention back toward David's image.
"The anomaly remains alive?"
"The latest battlefield recording showed him unconscious. His condition following Whitefall is unknown."
"Then the possibility of obtaining another sample remains."
The older Council member considered this.
"We will not assume the blood is without value simply because Vireth died consuming it. Nor will we assume it can safely be used."
"Further investigation is required," the silver-haired female said.
"Agreed."
The older male addressed the officer.
"Was Vireth's body recovered?"
"No, Councilor. The Celestial ordered an immediate withdrawal. His remains were left on Kharos Vale."
"Then they will remain there. We will not violate the Treaty of Aurelion to recover a corpse."
The officer bowed his head.
"Understood."
The older Council member looked toward the other six thrones.
"Vireth Kael'tharyn is dead. His title and command must pass to a successor."
The scarred male spoke.
"His second-in-command is Azrion Kael'tharyn."
"Vireth's son," the silver-haired female observed.
"Yes. His military record is considerable."
The older Council member turned toward the kneeling officer.
"Summon Azrion Kael'tharyn to the Crimson Spire."
"At once, Councilors."
"And assemble every report concerning the anomaly. We will determine what Vireth failed to understand."
The officer bowed deeply before rising and withdrawing from the chamber.
Above the polished black floor, David Wyn's image remained suspended in crimson light.
The seven members of the High Council studied the young human whose blood had killed one of their most powerful commanders.
The anomaly had been known to them for some time.
But the events on Kharos Vale had made one thing clear.
They understood far less about him than they had believed.