At Korra’s voice, Fyren opened the door, stepping aside to let me enter. "I’ll wait out here. Be quick, I can tell you need to rest."
I nodded my thanks and slipped past him. Inside, the room was small and cozy, with several alcoves in the walls that opened to large green-tinted windows. Light came from a crystal chandelier, bathing the room in a soft, warm glow. A large circular table occupied the middle, surrounded by ornately carved chairs. Bookshelves lined the room between the alcoves, but the shelves were relatively empty. The whole room felt like a study of sorts. A private research room, perhaps?
Korra, R’lissea, and an elvish man I didn’t recognize were seated around the table. They looked up as the door opened, eyes widening in shock. Korra recovered first, bursting from her chair and sending it clattering across the floor. She blurred, and I gasped, the wind getting knocked out of my lungs as she embraced me.
"I thought you were..." She bit her lip, trailing off.
I fought for air, frantically thumping her back. She quickly loosened her grip, and I gasped, falling limp in her arms. R’lissea gently pried me from her arms, giving me a gentle hug before guiding me to a seat. The elf sat next to me, holding my hand under the table.
"Sorry," Korra said, "I just...you’re here. What happened?"
I spent the next few minutes explaining everything I remembered, from being blown out of the teleportation circle to Fate’s warning about my memories.
"He really protected you?" Korra asked when I finished.
"Gayron? I...think so. One moment, I was standing in the circle, the next he was carrying me out of the city."
She sighed, sitting back in her seat. "For all his bluster, he’s a softy. I was barely conscious when that blast hit us, but I remember the moment he let go of my hand. If R’lisssea hadn’t caught me, I might have fallen out, too."
"You weren’t conscious?" I asked, tilting my head. "What happened?"
She blinked, exchanging a glance with R’lissea. "What do you mean? I broke through! Can’t you tell?"
R’lissea coughed, squeezing my hand. "Korra, didn’t you listen? She can’t."
"Ah, right." Korra had the good grace to look embarrassed, but she quickly perked up. "Just so you know, I almost beat Selena in a fight, and she’s on the edge of breaking through already."
"Korra, that’s proprietary information," the elf said.
I jumped, my tail going rigid. I’d completely forgotten he was even there.
"Yeah, I know, I know. But it’s not like you guys have a spell for her to learn anyway. Unless you track down a ninth-level spell book, she’s staying eighth," Korra said.
"Who is that?" I whispered to R’lissea.
"You don’t remember me?" the elf asked, aghast. "How convenient for you. I loaned you ten thousand gold you were supposed to return to me! I’ve been so patient, and yet after all I’ve done for you, you don’t remember?"
My eyes went wide, a tremor running down my tail. "I-I do? I’m sorry..."
R’lissea gave him a hard look. "There should be a limit to your shamelessness," she turned to me, voice softening. "This man is Aerion, brother of Selena. You met him shortly before we left. He’s a blademaster."
"I...I don’t remember. Not even a flicker, or a face," I said, looking at my lap. "I’m sorry."
"That’s so strange," Korra said. "Why forget him, but remember everyone else?"
"Everyone else so far," I mumbled. Then, with a heavy sigh, I looked up and forced a smile. "But I’m okay. There’s no need to worry." Korra looked about to argue, so I hurriedly said. "What are you doing here so late? I didn’t think you liked libraries."
Korra pursed her lips, and R’lissea tightened her grip on my hand, but neither said anything.
"Just discussing the situation," Aerion said, "Selena’s been working hard and managed to get you kids an audience with the Tribunal."
I looked questioningly at the elf, who raised an eyebrow.
"Really? You don’t even know that much?"
"Aerion," R’lissea said.
"Fine, fine, I guess I can’t fault you for not knowing something as obscure as the literal ruling body of the elves. Small stuff, right?"
R’lissea’s eyes narrowed, and he hastily cleared his throat.
"Come on, don’t give me that. I’m just lightening the mood, that’s all." Still grinning, he turned back to me. "Basically, the Verdant Tribunal is the council that rules all of Syvarus. They’re the oldest and wisest elves."
"Not figuratively," Korra cut in. "Apparently, they only select the rulers based on age. You have to be older than a thousand years to qualify."
My mouth dropped open. "A thousand years? Is that even possible?"
"We elves have a naturally long lifespan, often five or six hundred years. When combined with the longevity that comes from saturating your body and soul with mana, one thousand isn’t entirely out of reach."
"Didn’t you ever see those old monsters at the Divine Throne? They looked to be at least that old," Korra said.
"Lysander, and um...Rithen. I met them," I said. The memories came unbidden, remarkably sharp for their relative age in my mind. "I liked Lysander. He taught me my first fate spell. But Rithen..."
I shivered, not particularly fond of my encounter with the keeper of the Archive. Still, I owed him much of my foundational understanding of the nature of shards and the capricious nature of magical attribute delineation.
"Lysander, eh? You actually met him?" Aerion asked. "I’ve come across that old foggy several times. He was one of Selena’s instructors back in the day. That was what, fifty, sixty years ago? Glad to hear he’s still croaking."
"So how old is he?" Korra asked.
Aerion laughed, tossing his hair. "I think we’re getting a little off topic here, but he’s definitely up there. Seven, eight hundred? Anyway, the point is that an elf will far outlive a human of the same power level. And the Verdant tribunal is the oldest."
"And the strongest?" I asked.
He shook his head. "Nope, that belongs to Selena. And me, I might humbly add."
"Wait, so I’m going to live a long time, too? I feel like my aging really slowed this last year." Korra’s face went white. "Does that mean I’m stuck as a sixteen-year-old forever? I won’t be an adult until I’m like fifty!"
R’lissea sighed, giving an exasperated shake of her head. "Sixteen is already an adult in this world, remember? And yeah, I think we’ve all passed the threshold for slowing aging. It starts around the sixth level, if I remember right. But–" she gave her a pointed look, "-if we could get back to the matter at hand?"
"Ah, right. Sorry." Korra blushed, clasping her hands in her lap like a little girl getting scolded. "I’ll be quiet."
"So this tribunal agreed to hear us out?" I asked.
"That’s what Selena said, though I doubt they’ll be willing to concede any request. Over the years, they’ve accrued more stubbornness than age, and not near as much wisdom as you might think."
"I get the feeling you don’t like them very much," Korra said.
Aerion snorted. "That’s one way to put it. Let’s just say I disagree with the idea that age alone qualifies someone for rule. It’s as absurd a notion as the royal bloodlines human lands seem so concerned with preserving."
"They accept us. They have to," I said. "It’s the only way they can save themselves from the demons."
"I hope they’ll see it like that," Aerion said.
From there, Aerion began to explain more of the Tribunal, of each of their personalities and roles, but I found it difficult to focus. My head bobbed up and down, and no matter how hard I tried to listen, the words grew faint and fuzzy. My head bobbed slightly, my eyelids heavy. One moment I was looking at the elf, the next I was staring at the table, something firm pressed against my cheek.
"I think that’s enough for tonight," R’lissea was saying, though I barely registered it.
I blinked several times, yawning wide. Somehow, my head was resting against R’lissea’s shoulder. I sat there a moment, eyelids fluttering, before abruptly stiffening, a jolt of adrenaline pushing me upright.
"S-sorry," I said, "I didn’t mean to–"
Korra laughed. "You’re too cute, sometimes. Anyone ever say you look like a cat when you’re yawning?"
A blush crept across my face, and I looked down, biting my lip. "I-I don’t"
Korra giggled again, stretching her arms over her head, making her tunic strain against her breasts. "Is that right? Not even Luke?"
I squeaked, the tip of my tail twitching furiously. R’lissea gave her a stern look and stood, pulling me to my feet.
"Enough, Korra. She’s been through a lot. Come on, Xiv, let’s get you moving before you really do fall asleep. I think the maids kept your room ready while you were gone."
Korra rose to join us, still chuckling to herself. As the three of us made to leave, Aerion called out to me.
"I’ll let Selena know you returned," he said. "I’m sure she’ll be overjoyed. She said she had something vital to discuss with you. It’s about breaking into ninth level."