Chapter 26

“Sol Syntrivon is a necromancer!”

Those words had sent the chamber into a grave silence as everyone could only wonder about the implications of Eirini’s words. This was in quiet contrast to the excited throbbing I felt from the mark of the reaper engraved in my chest, almost as if the words had sent the Grim Reaper into a frenzy. That felt more ominous to me than Eirini’s words because anything that had the Grim Reaper excited only meant bad news for me.

Unaware of the dilemma I was facing, Eirini continued on with his tale. “Looking at your shocked faces, I can understand that you realise the magnitude of my words. But the reality? It was much more terrifying!”

A visible shiver went through Eirini’s spine as he began to recall the fateful day. Taking a moment to compose himself, he continued, “You can’t imagine the dread I felt! Fighting the people I had grown looking up to, my own friends and family, my own clan members. They were like bloodthirsty monsters, resolved to destroy us so that we too could join the ranks of the dead. Being forced to fight against your own brethren when they don’t have a trace of emotion or recognition in their eyes. Truly, there is no greater curse than that!”

It was clear in Eirini’s manner of speech and his body language that he was close to breaking down while recalling the events! The pain and suffering he felt at the events that still haunted him was still present for all to see.

Nova was the one who tried to console Eirini, “Eirini of clan Henosis. We are very sorry that you had such a traumatic experience. We can’t even begin to imagine the suffering you had to go through. We can only admire the courage it must have taken to come and warn us of the threat you faced so that we don’t have to succumb to the same fate. For that, we thank you!”

Eirini was quick to compose himself. He nodded and said, “ I thank you for your concern, Councillor. But we persevered! We defeated the army of the dead! But still, my blood boils because my brethren didn’t get the final rites they deserved! The respect they deserved. We had to burn the bodies of my people in the most brutal of ways, just so they could stop attacking us!”

The whole Council looked unnerved at this. Just imagining being attacked by a group of dead people, especially friends or family, was enough for my hackles to rise. I could see now why Eirini was so fearful of Sol Syntrivon. Necromancy! An ability to cheat death. it wouldn’t be wrong to say that in a way, he had conquered death.

What puzzled me the most was why he hadn’t been confronted by the Grim Reaper! What I had done to Samuel and in a way done to a whole host of people when I had reversed time after Frost’s attack, in a morbid sort of way, was reminiscent of resurrecting the dead! And for the first instance, I had paid dearly for it! Forever branded by the Grim Reaper, that was now my fate! Going against the natural order of things and suffering no repercussions at all was unfathomable to me, after what I had experienced.

Why hadn’t this Sol Syntrivon paid a similarly steep price too? I was close to being struck down by the Grim Reaper before he had let me live on a mere whim. And why in Luna’s name would the mark of the Reaper on my chest thrum whenever I so as much thought of this guy? I couldn’t help but think that I was a player in some grand game that I didn’t even know was being played. Or that I was a participant in this game!

There was a solemn silence in the chamber after Eirini’s words. Shadow broke the silence by asking Eirini, “ Is this Syntrivon guy moving towards our planet as we speak?”

Eieri was quick to reply with a solemn nod, “Indeed! Forces of Venus have been decimated! Sol Syntrivon has already consolidated his rule in Venus, enforcing his jurisdiction on the people of Venus with his own unfeeling, unthinking army of the dead! His final motive is to conquer the whole of the Four Rings alliance. I am not aware of what nefarious purpose he hopes to achieve.”

The entire Council looked grim at the prospect. Nova addressed Eirini, his face back to its stoic demeanour, “ While I appreciate the fact that an army of the dead is an intimidating prospect, I still find it difficult to believe that an entire planet can be conquered just on the back of such an army! Surely he must have some other form of support?”

Eirini nodded, saying, “You are correct in your assumption, Councillor! Sol Syntrivon does indeed have the backing of many influential families of Mercury. On top of that, news has reached us from reliable channels that he has a few trusted companions. His generals, if you will. Four of them, in fact. He even trusts them enough to let one of them govern Mercury while he is on his warpath to conquer the entirety of the Four Rings!”

The news of him having four generals was even more ominous if that was possible. Four Untethered who were strong enough and who Sol Syntrivon trusted and respected enough to rule in his stead was a daunting prospect. This entire ordeal was seeming more insurmountable after every fact was brought to light by Eirini.

I couldn’t help but ask, “Why has he set his sights on Earth only now? Why not before this? Why not before the attack on your planet, Mars?”

Eirini looked at me for a moment before addressing the room in general. “What hindered you in your war against the monsters also helped you when it came to Sol Syntrivon!”

I was quick to ask, “What do you mean?”

Eirini said, “Earth retreated into itself once you were faced with the crisis of the miasma monsters. This meant that you weren’t privy to any of the happenings in the Four Rings. But, the converse was also true.”

Seeing the puzzled look on everyone’s faces, Eirini continued, “The withdrawal of Earth from all matters of the Four Rings meant that the Four Rings weren’t aware of the events on Earth, no information was available about the happenings on Earth. The earth literally became a dark planet. No one could be sure of the state of affairs on earth or its position as it related to the Four Rings.”