The voice was powerful, yet calm, sounding from everywhere at once. People looked around in confusion, trying to find its source, when Daughter of Whisper stepped into the center.

  "Father," She said sternly.

  "Daughter," Whisper of Nature answered.

  "I am cured. My disease is no more. Are you happy?" her voice resonated with the world around, making people exclaim with wonder.

  "I... You..."

  "So you DO plan to disown me, yes?" her voice became more focused and cold, like icy needles.

  "It's not what I said."

  "I know what you said. Friend of a Snake helped me. More than you did."

  "I taught you everything..." Whisper of Nature's face contorted in fury.

  "And he taught me more. Like, for example, that each person's Path is unique, no matter how hard we try to replicate our heritage. What do you say?" she defiantly rose her head.

  "The sacred Path of our ancestors must live!"

  "But will it live without descendants? Do you think mother would be happy with you right now?"

  "DONT!" Whisper of nature stomped with his foot and hissed back, "You don't talk about your mother like that! She always valued our tribe more than anything! More than herself!"

  "Silence!" thunderous voice made them stop their family dispute. Everyone turned towards the source of the voice and saw Calmness of Storm with Blizzard Bringer and Glint of Gold in tow. He looked at everyone involved with strict gaze, and ordered, "Everyone involved - to the Elders' Hall. You all heard enough, the rest will be handled in private."

  The crowd complied, even if they were itching to know the whole reason behind the commotion. They surrounded Sirius, Daughter of Whisper, Whisper of Nature and the bald churchman, and led them towards the Elders' hall. When the doors closed shut, the crowd dissipated, with only a couple of onlookers standing guard, waiting for the end of the trial.

  Sirius, along with everyone else, looked at all nine Elders seated in the hall. They attracted much more attention than anticipated, but he knew that Calmness of Storm will be on his side. He only worried about the rest of Elders, especially Rain of Fire.

  "Whisper of Nature. You, as a renown mage and head of the Forest Tribe, has the first word. Describe what you know," started Calmness of Storm.

  "The foreigner, whom I led to you three months ago, corrupted my daughter. He made her question our sacred Path of Nature, and today even made her defy the right order. As you know, she is ill from birth, and could not progress on the Path due to said illness. He coerced her into believing there is a cure and forced her to condense the wrong organ of First Circle, leading her astray from the Path!" Whisper of Nature ended his speech with angry shouting. Seeing that the Elders did not react, he continued much calmer, "For that perpetration against our family and whole tribe, he deserves death."

  Elders waited for a couple of seconds and looked at each other. Whisper of Nature was right, the Path was irreversibly altered by condensing the wrong organ. That will damage his reputation among the ancient families.

  "Your side is heard, Whisper of Nature, stand back," said Blizzard Bringer.

  "So. Friend of a Snake," said Calmness of Storm.

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  "Yes?" Sirius made a step forward.

  "You were behind all of this?"

  "The first half of all of this. The battle wasn't planned."

  "That is understandable," Calmness of Storm sneered, which attracted glances from other elders. "Will you describe what were you doing here wince your arrival?"

  "I arrived here after being attacked by Crimson Crusade." Sirius felt the intense gaze of a churchman on his back. "Wounded, I asked for help and my wish was granted. I got healed and I learned the ways of druids. Ever since then I was trying to repay your kindness, hoping to leave one day to study under the Deepest Lake. However, right after being discharged from Eyes of the Forest's care, I made a promise. I promised Daughter of Whisper to find a cure for her illness. I discovered the source of the crystals growing in her lungs and disclosed it to Eyes of the Forest. But she knew that, and could not do anything. That's when I learned about the importance of Path."

  "So, that's when you began planning the ritual you conducted?" asked Rain of Fire.

  "Some time after that. I began avoiding Daughter of Whisper, hoping to devise a way to heal her once and for all. With Calmness of Storm himself approving of my request, I constructed a hut on the other edge of the city and hid there, researching crystals alone." Sirius' gaze paused on Calmness of Storm for a second and Elder's corner of mouth curled upwards a little. "But she found me there. I told her that following the Path will kill her and then we began developing her own Path. It all culminated in today's ritual." Sirius more precisely described the purpose of the ritual and what happened afterwards, how the imbalance in a diagram caused a manastorm and attracted the attention of Whisper of Nature, who attacked Sirius. His story ended in a confrontation with a churchman, and the arrival of Rain of Fire.

  "And here I thought how YOU got involved..." said Glint of Gold out loud, addressing the churchman. "You were pestering me with your faith for a whole month."

  "You know him?" asked Blizzard Bringer.

  "He was endlessly going on about the end of the World and Crimson Crusade, how they will take over the Plain Veins, and how only the Silver Order can help to ward off the evil."

  "So. Is what Friend of a Snake said true?" asked Calmness of Storm with thundering voice.

  "Y-yes, the Order tasked me with finding the gold-haired traitor of Kingdom," he sheepishly admitted.

  "Take your people and leave, the man of the South. Your faith have no place in this city," strictly ordered Glint of Gold. The golden thread manifested around the man's neck and attacked to his skin. Doors opened on their own and two sturdy men peeked in. Glint of Gold ordered to take the bald man away, leaving only three of the involved inside. Sirius was surprised to see him so angry, since usually Glint of Gold was the most timid of Elders.

  "So, with third party leaving the scene, there is only one side we are yet to hear. Daughter of Whisper, how is your state right now?" Calmness of Storm asked the girl.

  "Better than ever, Calmness of Storm," she said after making a step forward. With her ringing voice she continued, "The disease receded and I am a fully capable druid now." To be more convincing she manifested an icy prism floating above her palm, for which she received the round of approving nods from Elders.

  "Your voice changed, Daughter of Whisper. Is it related to the recovery?" asked Blizzard Bringer.

  "Yes that is correct. And, Elders, I would like to have the title of Silver Song, if you allow. I have become independent from my family's Path." She sounded confident and proud, the power within giving her courage.

  "I hear no objections, so be it," said Calmness of Storm after a small pause. "From now on, you shall be known a Silver Song. Say, what do you want us to do with this whole situation?"

  "Me?..."

  "Yes, you are in a position of victim right now. Do you hold a grudge against Friend of a Snake?"

  "What are you saying? Of course no! He saved my life and gave me freedom! It is only fair to make him one of druids."

  "Oh, that's what you believe?" Calmness of Storm became intrigued by the turn of events, and smiled.

  "Outrageous," interjected Rain of Fire. "The disciple of the Blasphemer can not become one of us."

  "We have already gone over this, he only learned basics from the Blasphemer," said the rough-looking Elder dressed in grey robe. His voice sounded like stones grinding together. "And his soul is strong."

  "Indomitable Will, we cannot let everyone with strong soul into our circles. He is outsider and will always be," responded Rain of Fire.

  "Then banish me, like you wanted," said Sirius, drawing attention to him again. "Let me go. I will leave Plain Veins and travel further east, away from the Kingdom. If things go well, the Deepest Lake will let me be her disciple. If no - I can manage on my own. I have my own Path to build either way."

  Elders exchanged glances once again. Calmness of Storm said after a small pause, "Silver Song, do you have anything to add?"

  "No, Elder."

  "Then I will ask you to wait outside while we discuss the further course of actions."

  The door opened and they exited the hall with a bow.