Asrael bowed. “It’s an honor that the Erudite Hotz has decided to leave his studies and join us this evening,” he said respectfully.
Hotz did not even look at him. He was watching the flame.
“Erudite Hotz is a member of this Council of Shamans.” Azur said, “and has a right to be heard.”
Mayra’s eyes were on the Erudite, who was still contemplating the flame. “Does the Erudite wish to express his opinion?” she asked. It sounded as though she would rather he did not.
“I have come to the Council, abandoning my solitary studies,” he said disapprovingly, as if being there represented a great disturbance for him. “If that is not to express my opinion, what else would it be for? Obviously I have no time to waste. I have no desire to leave my studies, and it annoys me to be interrupted by trivia,” he went on in the same disagreeable tone of voice. “Even so, I have come to warn my people that the path they are taking is not the right one. Allying ourselves with this foreigner” – he pointed to Mayra without even glancing at her, his eyes still fixed on the flame – “is a mistake. It will not lead us to victory. It will not free us of the accursed Norghanians. It will not save our people, and nor will it save this continent.”
“Our brother Hotz has expressed his feelings,” Azur said respectfully.
“What alternative does our erudite propose for the problem of the Norghanians?” Asrael asked.
“That of the study of the ice, of course,” Hotz said, as if the reply were so obvious that a child would be able to see it.
“The study of the ice?” Mayra repeated. “I don’t understand.”
“It’s only natural that a foreigner from warmer lands on the far side of the sea should not understand,” Hotz said unpleasantly.
“Perhaps the Erudite will have to explain it to me,” Mayra said. Her tone of voice suggested that she was biting her tongue.
“If Shaman Hotz would be so kind …” Asrael said, trying to be helpful.
“It will be a pleasure to enlighten the foreigner, and anyone who thinks in the same way. Fighting against the Norghanians with steel, stone, wood and power is a mistake. We will not defeat them that way, nor will we free ourselves of them forever. To do that we need the study of what the ice hides, of the power it holds. Once we study and find a creature with great power, then we will be able to get rid of the Norghanians and any others who come after them.”
“That option would take an unknown length of time,” Azur said.
“The length of time that would be necessary. That is irrelevant. What is important is the discovery.”
“How much time does the Erudite estimate would be necessary to make that discovery?” Asrael asked.
“Only the study of the ice will tell us that.”
“You’ve been studying it all your life,” Azur pointed out, “and you still have not found what you seek to achieve.”
“True, I have made lesser discoveries, but not the definitive one. And yet these lesser discoveries assure me that I am on the right path. We must use all our power, all our strength, in searching until we find it.”
“The Norghanians will throw us out of the Frozen Territories,” Asrael reasoned, “and then invade us before we have found this great discovery you seek.”
“That may be so. I cannot deny it. What I can assure you is that only the power within the ice will save us. Other approaches are wrong and will only lead to failure. I will not waste my valuable time on them.”
“I don’t share that opinion,” Mayra said. “We can’t wait for this great discovery. If it hasn’t appeared in the course of a whole lifetime of searching, it might never appear. There is no certainty that it will.”
“It will appear. The study of the ice will lead us to it.”
“A belief, a hope, is not enough for us to shut our eyes and risk everything,” Mayra said. “That will destroy this continent and its peoples.”
“Not if we make the discovery.” Hotz insisted.
“And if not?”
“I will find it sooner or later. Of that I am certain.”
“The problem is when,” Azur said. “Nobody is questioning the great efforts, knowledge and studies of our Erudite. The enemy will be upon us soon. We can’t keep risking everything for the sake of this discovery. We must prepare for war.”
“Only fools prepare for a war they will not win,” Hotz replied disdainfully.
“The Council ought to express its opinion,” said Asrael.
Azur nodded solemnly. “Let the Council speak and decide. The path of discovery or the path of war.”
The Shamans struck the floor of ice with their strange staves. “Around the Eternal Flame the Arcanes of the Ice decide.”
The verdict was unanimous. All of them, including Asrael and Azur, decided on war.
“You’re all useless,” Hotz said resentfully. “One day most of those here will never set foot on the ice again, because of the wrong decision you have made today. I shall go on looking for the discovery. When I find it, I will put an end to the enemies of all the peoples of the Frozen Continent. You will not be able to see it, because your existence will have come to its end.”
“We respect Erudite Hotz and his wisdom,” Asrael said, trying to calm him.
“Erudite Hotz and his wisdom, on the other hand, do not respect you. Do not disturb me again. I do not wish to know anything more about this Council, or about the war.” With these words he turned and left.
The image vanished a moment later. Lasgol was left staring at the water, trying to make sense of what he had just
