I had never walked into P’otes-tat Ulti with so much confidence before. It was still the same imposing castle it had always been, but I no longer felt the waffle of intimidation. With cropped hair, squared shoulders, and a solid decision firmly planted in my mind, I strode through the detailed double doors and into the chamber to take my seat on my designated throne.

This time, the pit was left open without the platform on top, and in the center roared a reaching fire. It cast orange light on the faces of the other Elders who had arrived thus far, and through the glow, I was pleased to see I was not met with any disgruntled expressions. Only two of the eleven chairs were empty, but the chamber was silent as if I had been the only person to make a presence. Even Rex and Dane were not speaking, an unusual anomaly as they were likely the closest members of the Council to one another. After only several minutes, the remaining absent Elders entered, and Forum began without a hitch.

Vi’den stood from his seat as he always did when at the beginning of Forum, and he looked around the room with his arms spread wide in the inviting gesture he offered to all he encountered. “I would like to thank everyone for their punctuality tonight,” he began. “As you know, this Forum is one of great importance, and our decision will affect every single resident of our dear planet. For this reason, I hope you all have taken the time necessary to truly examine all sides of the choice we are due to make and how it will affect the citizens of your respective kingdoms.”

A handful of murmuring circled the fire, but I remained quiet and listened intently. I knew not how the Elders would take what I had to say about the matter at hand, particularly because it was not a simple yes or no vote, but I found myself enlightened in my unconcern. I was certain I had stumbled upon the best course of action for A’li-uud, humans, and Novai alike.

“We could make this a simple meeting,” Vi’den went on, “but I do not feel a topic as complex as this thought to be handled simply. Thus, I will ask each member of the Council to speak their thoughts and express the conclusions they have reached regarding the permanent settlement of the Novai on Albaterra. If you will begin for us, Ma’ris…” He looked to his left.

“I feel this decision has been easier for me than perhaps many of you,” Ma’ris said. His bubbling voice, forever sounding as if he were engulfed under a deep tsunami of crashing water, was deep and growling, but he sounded as genuine and thoughtful as always. “The Novai taking residence here would likely affect Maquaria and its civilians minimally, as the Novai are not underwater dwellers. That being said, it is my humble opinion that the Grand Circle gifts our lives with that which we are destined. I believe our paths crossed with the Novai for a sacred purpose, and perhaps the resurrection of their race is said purpose. We have much to offer here, and I have always felt pride for the generosity and open-minded spirit of the A’li-uud. Therefore, it is my belief we should open our arms and welcome the Novai as cohabitating residents of Albaterra.”

When he finished, I anticipated whisperings at the very least, if not outright cries of protest. There were none. Nobody expressed approval or disapproval for Ma’ris’ assertions, and Vi’den simply nodded his silent thanks for Ma’ris’ candor and moved on to the next Elder. One by one, I heard opinions both in agreeance with Ma’ris and completely opposite. When Vi’den indicated to Rex it was his turn to speak his piece, Rex said very little about how he reached his conclusion but spoke very insistently about the purpose of the Council and its duty to ensure the well-being of the A’li-uud above all else. Dane almost identically mirrored Rex's words, and he too voted to reject the Novai settlement.

Finally, it was my turn to speak, and as I opened my mouth, I had never felt so certain of anything in my life.

“Though I do not wish to make this decision more difficult than it already is,” I began, “I am afraid I do not have a black-and-white answer for you.” I swiveled my eyes around the room, looking into the faces of each individual Elder with unabashed confidence. “I have heard all of the opinions thus far, and mine happens to fall somewhere in between.”

The expressions on my comrades’ faces were many and varied in their response to my warning. Some were interested, Vi’den in particular, some were amused, and some were clearly irritated. Ma’ris was amongst the latter. It was evident he had developed a distaste for me since our confrontation at our last Forum. I did not allow his glare to halt me or waver my determination, though.

“When the Council accepted the proposal for a Novain colony on a trial basis, it also accepted a responsibility to care for the Novai placed in our charge,” I explained. “The trial has come to its end, but I do not believe the obligation upon us to care for them has ended. The Novai have undergone drastic changes since beginning their residency here. When the sun-sickness swept through their numbers, it was not a mere hurdle they had to jump; it altered their very genetic makeup to better suit them to planetary life. If we were to send them away now to return to a space-bound existence, we very well might be condemning those strong enough to survive their transformations to their deaths.”

“You are advocating for their permanent residency, then,” Ma’ris interjected from across the circle.

I cocked my head. “Not exactly, no. They have demonstrated alarming levels of aggression since the beginning, and we have been met with our fair share of trials since intertwining our world with theirs. Whether they are truly accountable for their behavior or not is another topic entirely, though it is arguably relevant to this conversation, but it seems to me they are victims as much as they are offenders. What they have become is an unnatural mutation of their former selves, and I doubt very much that the mutation would bring with it only physical changes while leaving their mentalities intact.”

“What are you suggesting, Venan?” Vi’den asked. He was curt but not unfriendly.

“I am suggesting the Novai should neither be dismissed nor invited to live here,” I replied. “Every ounce of logic I possess indicates they would best be suited to a planet of their own.”

“Of course they would,” Sevani barked from his chair. I turned slightly left to look at him. “There is no race in existence that would not be suited best to a planet of its own, but the Novai have been searching for centuries with no lasting results.”

Vi’den held up one hand in Sevani’s direction to quiet him and gestured to me with the other to resume speaking. I nodded and addressed the Pentaban Elder directly. “Yes, Sevani, but they have been doing so under the constraints of limited resources and virtual isolation, not to mention consistently dashed hopes and ever-fluctuating desperation. If they were provided an ally who could offer capable assistance, their chances of success in commandeering an unoccupied planet compatible with their biological needs increase immeasurably.”

A beat of silence passed through the chamber before Vi’den placed a finger to his chin and tapped it as he murmured, “How interesting a notion.”

“You surely cannot be considering such a travesty of an idea!” Sevani exclaimed to Vi’den, throwing his hands up and bringing them back down with a smack on his armrests.

“I assume you intended to vote the Novai away, then, were you?” I commented conversationally.

Sevani whipped around to face me. “Certainly!” he cried. “It has been in my kingdom they have lived and wreaked their havoc for a year! It was my warriors who have been attacked while performing routine security checks! It was my people who were at greatest risk when the sun-sickness first took the Novai, and we feared it would spread to any and all it reached!”

“It was my Elder who was attacked and consequentially killed at my hand, for which I am still paying penance,” I venomously shot.

There it was, hanging in midair like a heavy mist, the real travesty of the Novai. No amount of hatred or compassion for the dragon-race would ever take away the truth of Elder Kharid’s death, and no amount of denial for its happening would lift the weight of the sorrow. I gazed at Sevani unblinkingly, unflinchingly, no longer afraid of confronting those who were wrong simply out of respect for their rank.

“If there is anyone in this room who should wish to see the Novai sent away forever, it should be me,” I said coldly. “And I think sending them away without so much as a helping hand would only further ruin that which has already been ruined.”

Sevani said nothing, though he glared daggers at me as if hoping his eyes could pierce me straight through to the heart and silence me forever. I kept my chin lifted and chose to ignore him.

“So, Venan,” Vi’den said, his tone disarmingly light for the heavy tension in the chamber’s climate, “it is your contention we deny the Novai integration into our society but aid them in finding a home and developing a society of their own, yes?”

“Yes,” I said with an affirming nod.

“How interesting,” he said again. The final syllable seemed to reach up the cavernous tunnel to the ceiling for an unnaturally long time before he refocused and swung his eyes to the Elder on my left. “I think this is a suggestion we should consider, but we will do so after everyone has had their say. Let us continue.”

As the rest of the Council offered their own opinions on the matter, I was very aware that Sevani was still scowling in my direction. I did not meet his gaze again, and I realized it was not because I was frightened of him or worried he would have severe words for me later; it was merely because I no longer needed his or anyone else’s approval to know how I felt about myself.