The Oracle

(Contains - sexual violence, scenes of war, scenes of gore or violence)

"MOTHER!!"

His hand slammed down, making a fierce thud on the hardwood table which split the eight of them.

"This is lunacy, allowing them full control of the Shard Lands gifts them the very thing they want. If they get their claws on the Lumivor then we are all doomed."

The man slowly rose to his feet as if to try to lord over the figures still hunched in front of him. His thick jet-black hair slicked back revealing a single snaking strand of bronze running through his greasy locks.

"You forget yourself, Arvin. now sit down ,lest I remind you of the sting of my blade"

The voice slithered from the mouth of the woman who sat at the head of the table. Her similarly jet-black hair streaked with delicate golden strans as it flowed freely and elegantly down her chisseled face.

Her deep emerald eyes bore into Arvin forcing his erratic breaths to settle

"I'm sorry, Mother"

The man slowly fell back into his chair with a resolute humph allowing his head to rest on his palm and his heavy eyelids to slowly shut.

It was now the woman's turn to arise as she spread her arms to address the other 7.

"I incur a family vote, by my honour as head of the Killworth family. All those in agreement with my decision to trade off the shard lands please raise your hand now."

Arvin's thoughts were a mess as his eyes drifted back open watching as 4 hands slowly rose.

His eyes sharpened, a tie.

'Obviously, Mother had voted for it, the crippled old witch could barely even fathom the idea of house Aurelian harnessing the energy of the Lumivor. Such unchecked power in the hands of those righteous fools. Mother has never believed in my ways, the power of the ancient mages blinds her. '

Arvin's eyes darted between the other three culprits.

'As expected, those three fear the Lumivor more than anything, it threatens their magic.'.

"A tie, we will hold council for a while longer it seems"

The woman followed her statement with a sigh as she sat back down and prepared to speak again.

Arvin's eyes fluttered fully open as he jolted upwards.

'I can not let this go to open counsel. Mother's power far exceeds my own, let alone the other three.'

"The open council can last weeks that is far too long, if we wait that long for a decision ,house Aurelian will grow impatient. I instead suggest a mediator, we consult the Oracle"

A gasp resounded around the table, as many scoffed at the suggestion. Arvin realised the stupidity but options were running low. To lose the shardlands would be to lose the source of his life's research.

"ha ha ha, Arvin my boy you do surprise me, since you hold these Shard Lands so dear I suggest we follow your inquiry, but you will greet the Oracle yourself"

Arvin staggered back catching his weight on his back foot.

"Mother, this is madness. you've seen what happens to the slaves who we send to consult that beast. To send one of our own is unthinkable"

The voice came from another of the men who sat at the table. His head was a field of plump yellow weight with strands of silvery beauty interlaced within it.

"You need not remind me Harold, but how could I possibly sacrifice a life for such a petty problem. But if someone were to volunteer, well that would be a different story."

Arvin finally came back to his senses.

'So this is what you really intended Mother, to catch me in your trap of lies and words. Meeting the oracle is suicide but not meeting him is my research ruined. The Lumivor threatened your backing and so you destroy it. They do not call you the serpent for nothing Mother.'

"Arvin my dear, I will take you silence as a refusal, that is all for today. Council will be held again next Tuesday."

"You are mistaken mother, I will meet with the beast right away"

A smug grin was painted across the man's angular face as he stared down the woman.

"Brother do not do this, I will have your research preserved we can find alterna...."

"Stop Harold, there are no alternatives. This is my decision. Mother take me to the oracle."

The woman said no more words rather slowly stood from her chair and walked resolutely across the hall.

Arvin mirroring his mother stood from his seat leaving his brothers and sisters baffled as he quickly set off to catch up to his mother.

They walked through several doors and down several corridors before finally, the woman stopped with a slight click from her metal-tipped shoes.

She gestured forwards towards a small, sealed door securred by an array of intricate locks.

One by one she gently unlocked each one with incredible dexterity.

Finally the finally key loosened the final lock.

The door now lay unlocked and unopened waiting for Arvin.

With a quick breath, he surged forward placing his hand on the metal handle.

He closed his eyes as he tugged down on the handle and pushed forward into the unknown.

Stepping into the room, his feet fell onto nothing, sending him tumbling forward.

His eyes fluttered open with fear.

However, his gaze did not fall on a room but rather on an expanse of endless lights, each perfectly arranged into a web of strings and beads.

Arvin's shaking slowly steadied as he gently swam towards one of the beads of light.

Peering into the luminescent bead of almost boundless beauty several visions became clear amidst the light.

He watched as his mother gave the order to trade the shard lands.

He watched as Aurelian scientists slaved over small crystals of a deep crimson colour.

He watched as these scientists became engineers and then engineers became soldiers. Weapons of untold destruction forged from the very same research he currently held locked deep within his study.

However, the only difference was these weapons were turned on his own family. Beams of boundless energy assaulted the walls of Ravvenport, the great capital of the Killworth family.

Mothers screamed for help as their children melted into sludge under the unbending heat. They too soon followed.

Walking through the broken streets he watched as his childhood favourite restaurant was sacked by soldiers each kitted out in armour powered by those same small red crystals.

He sat and stared as women he once frolicked with as a child were desecrated in every horrible way he could possibly imagine. The tears which welled in his eyes slowly tore down his cheeks. He desperately attempted to pull several men from his own wife as they sacked the castle.

However, this was nothing more than a vision. A vision that could not be changed.

Finally, he sat slumped over in the corner of the great hall. He watched as his family were each executed on the spot as his mother watched.

No emotions fluttered through her stone face as she watched her children die one by one.

Thankfully his own self was not present sparing him watching his own gruesome death.

Finally, it was time for Mother.

Arvin watched on as a man approached his mother.

"By the honour of house Aurelian the just. We are decreed by the lord of justice himself to remove the taint of the Killworth family from the world. Do you have any final words, my lady"

"I am sorry my son, I assume it showed you this"

She chuckled as a mask was slowly placed on her face. Screams echoed from behind the mask. Screams he never thought he would hear.

'Mother was a stalwart woman. She said pain would never affect her. She was wrong about that too.'

Arvin allowed his head to slump into his hands as he watched.

"I have seen what you have shown, I will report to Mother"

He addressed the very vision itself. He addressed the oracle.

However, no answer came. The vision continued. Arvin watched in horror as soldiers stormed through the house.

He knew what was coming.

He watched in heartwrenching terror as the head of house Aurelian who now held mothers keys unlocked each lock.

Finally, the same familiar final lock fell to the floor as the man gripped the door handle with similar determination before finally ripping the door open.

There inside the door sat a singular being. Its black hair was withered and damaged as a single slither of bronze still loosely hung from its head.

Black goo spilt from its emerald eyes as its mouth flapped up and down desperately trying to release a string of words through the thick black goo. However, nothing came out.

However, he knew what it meant to say. For the same words hung in his own mouth.

"Mother, please stop"