Not given to excessive protocol at the best of times, the senior brothers of the Cadwanol were almost childlike in their enthusiasm at the return of their leader, bustling around him, applauding, laughing, all talking at once, and generally impeding his progress.
Smiling broadly, Andawyr shook as many of the proffered hands as he could and acknowledged such comments as he managed to hear before finally reaching his chair of office.
‘Brothers, brothers,’ he shouted, laughing as he sat down gratefully. ‘A modicum of dignity please. Rest assured I’m as happy to be here as you seem to be to see me. There’s been many a time in the past when I’ve roundly cursed some of you, but there’ve been more of late when I thought I’d never live to see any of you again, and was the sadder for it.’
The din abated a little and he closed his eyes and luxuriated in the comfort of his chair. ‘I always thought of myself as someone who valued truly what he had, but I think that can perhaps never really be the case, try as we may. Suffice it that I value many simple things even more highly than I did, and whatever resolution I had in the past to fulfil my role here as your leader is increased tenfold.’
He smiled at the familiar faces surrounding him. Then reluctantly, he pressed on, ‘However, take your seats brothers. I’m afraid we have weightier matters to discuss.’
Subdued somewhat by the change in his tone, but still happy, the brothers moved to their respective seats arranged in a wide circle at the centre of the room. Discreetly, Andawyr watched each in turn as they settled down. As usual, all of the senior brothers were present.
There was a brief silence, during which he squeezed the remains of his nose between his thumb and forefinger reflectively, then a surge of questions welled up from nowhere and broke over him like an ocean wave and he had to lift his hand for silence.
‘After so long in the darkness, it’s a true joy to be here again, amongst such friends,’ he said, pushing himself upright in his chair. ‘But you’ll have to listen in silence a while if I’m to answer any of your questions. After that I suspect we’ll have plenty to talk about.’
The questions ebbed away.
Andawyr twisted round in his chair and, resting his head on his hand, looked round at each of his friends in turn. His battered face became thoughtful and anxious.
‘It’s odd, really,’ he said, almost to himself, ‘but the hardest question I’ve had to face over the past weeks… months,’ amp;mdashhe waved his free hand vaguely amp;mdash‘is "Why me? Why now?"’ His eyes continued their progress around the circle. ‘I’ve found no answer. Possibly there isn’t one, other than the ancient soldier’s consolation amp;mdashwe do what we do because we are where we are. For what it’s worth, as your leader, I counsel you not to accept the burden of these questions, however tempting it may seem, but to bring your minds as quickly as you can to the real, immediate and dangerous problems we face.’
Someone coughed impatiently. Andawyr eyed him narrowly. ‘I accept your rebuke, brother Ryath,’ he growled insincerely. ‘I’m blathering amp;mdashavoiding the issue. I’ll come to the point. And quickly.’
Oslang leaned forward to speak, but Andawyr stopped him.
‘I’m afraid there’s no gentle way this news can be broken,’ he said. ‘And it may as well be told quickly as slowly.’ Then he paused and took a deep breath. ‘Brothers, our worst fears have been fulfilled. The Second Coming is upon us. Sumeral is risen again. His Uhriel are abroad and probably have been for some time, doing who-knows-what harm. Derras Ustramel is rebuilt and, I presume, is growing daily with His power. Brothers, we are at war.’
Uproar filled the room the instant he finished speaking and several of the brothers leapt to their feet. Andawyr made no effort to stop the confusion, but sat motionless until, gradually, under the weight of his silence it died away. He looked regretfully at his now agitated companions.
‘Come now, my friends, this can’t be so great a shock,’ he said gently. ‘There’s been an unease growing for many years now. You all know that. We’ve all felt it, but none of us amp;mdashmyself included amp;mdashhave dared to face what we knew might have been its real cause. Now, starting with my own personal ordeal at the Gretmearc and my sudden return bearing my unexpected… attacker… circumstances have begun to force that reality on us unequivocally.’
Ryath stood up suddenly. ‘Really, this kind of non-sense is too much, Andawyr,’ he said. ‘We’ve all discussed what might have happened to you at the Gretmearc while you were in Narsindal, and while I don’t want to seem unkind, I for one feel you should rest more before you come to the Council.’
Andawyr looked at him, but did not speak. Ryath continued, beginning to feel conspicuous. ‘There’ve always been individuals who’ve come upon some of the secrets of the Old Power.’ He gestured vaguely. ‘You encountered one such at the Gretmearc. An able one admittedly if he could control that… ’ He hesitated. ‘That bird. But it’s thrown you off-balance. That and your wild-headed trip into Narsindal with barely a word of proper explanation has been too much for you. As I said, you should rest before you speak so hastily. You can’t possibly… ’
‘Please, Ryath, listen,’ Andawyr interrupted him quietly. ‘I understand your concern.’ He looked round at the others. ‘I understand all your concerns. But this is not an academic debate. Ryath, you and I have had some fine, if heated, disputes in the past, and I’ve valued them. But times are truly changed. We’re no longer friends talking about scholastic matters amp;mdashtheories, ideas, learned flights of speculation. We’re Cadwanwr, guardians of the knowledge given to our ancient predecessors by Ethriss, and the only people in the world who can oppose Sumeral and His Uhriel with the Old Power until Ethriss and the Guardians themselves can be found and awakened.’
Ryath, uncertain, pulled a wry face as if distressed to see a loved friend so deluded. In an untypical expression of impatience, Andawyr slapped the arm of his chair. ‘Ryath, you know how highly I respect your many skills. I could ask you to trust my judgement in this matter, and I know you would, albeit reluctantly. But I’ll not do that. It wouldn’t be right amp;mdashnot between you and me. Just know this.’
He lifted his hand slightly towards Ryath, who sat down suddenly as if pushed. Taking hold of the arms of his chair he tried to rise, but could not. Closing his eyes in concentration, he mouthed something silently. The air between himself and Andawyr seemed to tingle, but still he could not rise. Instead he seemed to be pressed further into his seat.
Andawyr lowered his hand, and Ryath was released, red-faced and slightly breathless.
There were cries of dismay around the circle. ‘That was completely unnecessary,’ Oslang said angrily.
Andawyr ignored him. ‘Ryath,’ he said sharply. ‘I’m sorry about that, but you understand now, don’t you? Tell them.’
Ryath dropped his head on to his hand. ‘I can’t,’ he said. ‘I can’t describe that. I’ve never felt such power. You’ve always been more powerful than the rest of us, but that… ’ He shook his head. ‘What’s happened to you?’
‘I’ve learned,’ Andawyr said simply. ‘Nothing more, nothing less. When my time of trial came at the Gretmearc, I learned. Found resources I never imagined I possessed. Are you all right?’ Ryath nodded and made a reassuring gesture.
Oslang however, was less easily mollified. ‘That was still unnecessary, Andawyr,’ he said, still angry. ‘This is a Council meeting. Explain your conduct towards brother Ryath immediately and explain why you made no mention of this new… knowledge when you returned from the Gretmearc.’
‘I will ask you to trust my judgement, Oslang,’ An-dawyr replied. ‘I’ll ask you to wait until I’ve spoken. Ryath knows why I did what I did, don’t you Ryath?’