A blue shimmer pulsed as the encrypted connection stabilized. One by one, the seven figures of the Edenian Tribunal appeared via holo-link, seated in their respective chambers from the heart of Edenia. Each adorned in their ceremonial colors, forming the guiding backbone of the continent's civil and arcane governance.
THE SEVEN TRIBUNAL MEMBERS OF EDENIA
High Arbiter Caelis Thorne – Head of the Tribunal / Civil Order & Law. A calm, authoritative figure known for his unshakeable sense of justice.
Specializes in law enforcement, arbitration of continental disputes, and maintaining Edenia's internal code of neutrality.
Magister Virella Sunsong – Arcane Oversight / Shieldmaster of Edenia. Chief architect of Edenia's Energy Shield.
Expert in barrier magics and arcane detection; deeply conservative in opening Edenian defenses.
Sage Inara Mohr – Foreign Affairs / Diplomatic Envoy to Tanasma Councils. Supports diplomatic cooperation with other continents. Known for her empathy and desire to foster intercontinental understanding.
Warden Turok Delvain – Military Strategist / Commander of Edenian Guards. Veteran of the War of Glasswinds. Deeply wary of mutant interference and hostile nations; strictly nationalist.
Oracle Elyss Starveil – Spiritual Guidance / Keeper of The Edenian Flame. Believed to receive visions of the future. Speaks rarely but with gravity; seen as the voice of Edenia's divine will.
Healer Myren Vos – Humanitarian Affairs / Civilian Protection. Oversees refugee logistics, food supply, and post-catastrophe recovery. Advocates for border openings purely for rescue and relief operations.
Architect Serin Dae – Infrastructure & Environmental Safeguard. Expert in terrain management, sea walls, and city planning.
Concerned about ecological backlash and maintaining sea monster deterrent networks.
High Arbiter Caelis Thorne began with formality. "Chairman Stroud. We were briefed on the egg, and the dragons' return. You have our attention. Proceed."
Stroud clasped his hands behind his back. "I request Edenia open the Border Shield—temporarily. Varkath's fall cost us ten million lives. The survivors need routes of escape, the investigation demands global support, and—frankly—we need allies."
Magister Virella Sunsong immediately stiffened. "And let the seas swallow our people? Or worse—sea titans breach through? That shield is the only reason Edenia has never been overrun by Leviathan-class threats from the Black Deep."
Sage Inara Mohr countered gently. "With respect, Virella… perhaps it's time Edenia stop thinking it's immune. Varkath was a warning. If we continue isolating, we'll be next."
Warden Turok Delvain slammed his gauntlet to the armrest. "Opening the borders risks incursion. Mutant militias, rogue factions, Kenzar pirates—do you want them anchoring off Edenia's coast? What if the dragons aren't the only 'ancient force' waking?"
Healer Myren Vos replied with a heavy tone. "I've seen the numbers. The wounded won't survive another migration. Edenia has resources. Medicine. Arcanite stabilizers. If we do nothing… we abandon them."
Oracle Elyss Starveil finally opened her eyes. "The fire shows cracks in Edenia's veil… and beyond it, new flames. Whether we open our gates or not, the tide will come. Best to greet it awake, than be swept asleep."
Architect Serin Dae remained cautious. "If we do open the shield… we need infrastructure. Sea lanes marked. Beacons calibrated. Fortresses reactivated. I will not allow a collapse of environmental stability just to be noble."
The Tribunal's holograms flickered as Stroud added the final weight. "This isn't just about Edenia. If whoever caused this wants a continent to fall, Edenia will not be spared. Either we stand with the world—or we stand alone, and die alone."
High Arbiter Caelis raised his hand. "Then we put it to vote. Temporary border shield access for allies, humanitarian passage, and diplomatic envoys—under CPG joint monitoring."
Before the Tribunal could move to the vote, Stroud held up a hand. The chamber quieted again. "Before you vote, you need to see what we uncovered. This isn't just about relief… it's about warfare by design."
He nodded to Silas Morrigan, who tapped into the CPG tactical holopad. A shimmering projection unfolded above the center of the table: fractured psionic waveform signatures stitched together with mutant neural pattern overlays, all cross-referenced with the oldest known spectral data from the Time of Sealing.
STRAT-FILE #77-Ω: THE PHANTOM SIGNAL
Source Origin: Phantom Island Cluster (unclaimed, forbidden)
Signal Type: Psionic Spectrum – Type Omega-Bloodline
Signature: Matches archives from CHRONICLES OF ERESHAN
Effect: Induced dormant mutant genome activation
Targeted: Low-tier mutants triggered into frenzy; high-tier into berserker state
Suspected Author: Signature resembles Nurarihyon, but admitted forgery by an unknown party
Silas explained further, his tone cold and deliberate. "Someone—or something—is replicating ancient psionic waveforms long thought sealed. These aren't natural awakenings. They're engineered surges. Meant to disorient, destabilize, and weaponize mutants from the inside out."
Stroud stepped forward again. "So you understand, the Varkath incident was a test. We're not just under threat from dragons… but from a phantom enemy who's rewriting the battlefield itself. Edenia has been proud. So have we all. But this is no longer about pride. It's about survival. I propose we immediately initiate The Alliance Accord, and call upon the following sovereign nations for joint action. Edenia cannot handle this alone. This enemy already planned ten steps ahead. It's time we do the same. Either we form an alliance now—or we wait for the next Varkath… and pray we're not standing there when it sinks."
The room fell into a heavy silence after Stroud's address. Not a single Tribunal member spoke for several seconds. The shimmering images of Varkath's destruction and the classified psionic patterns still hovered above the table, flickering in grim blue tones.
They all knew what it meant to open Edenia's borders:
Risk sea monster incursion—the reason Edenia erected the great Aetheric Barrier centuries ago.
Expose Edenian civilian data to advanced foreign surveillance—particularly Syverra's digital reach.
Allow potential espionage and ideological infiltration—especially from mutant-dominated societies like Kharvos.
Each Tribunal member shifted uncomfortably, unwilling to speak first. Finally, eyes turned to the one who held the power to override them all in times of national crisis.
King Ivan, Sovereign of Edenia, stood from his throne-like seat at the head of the table. The eldest among them, his pale gold regalia shimmered faintly in the chamber's wardlight. His face, lined with age and responsibility, remained unreadable for a moment.
Then—he sighed. Long. Deep. Measured. "Mutants already believe Edenia fears them. That we reject them. And what have we done but give them every reason?"
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle. "But if we open our gates to Kharvos—a kingdom forged by mutant magic, ruled by Dragonblooded warriors—do you know what it will look like to the Edenian people? It will not be a gesture of trust. It will be a signal of surrender. They will riot. Rebels will rise again. And worse—mutants still recovering from the Varkath resonance will take it as a call to arms."
Ivan turned toward Stroud, then to the entire Tribunal. "We choose Syverra."
The holotable flickered again, now highlighting Syverra's flag—a chrome eagle etched into a ring of glowing circuitry.
"Not because they are the friendliest. But because they are the most precise. Syverra fears magic. But unlike Kharvos, they won't fan the flame of mutant insurrection. They will offer containment, structure, and intelligence."
A few of the Tribunal members nodded subtly, still uncomfortable, but in agreement.
Secretary Vance whispered, almost to herself. "Cold logic over warm fire… I suppose that's the only option we have left."
King Ivan's voice cut clearly through the chamber again "Let the Aetheric Barrier lower—only at Port Avareth. All other coastlines remain sealed. We will receive the Syverran envoy under strict neutrality terms."
As King Ivan turned away, ready to dismiss the meeting, Stroud's voice cut through the silence—low and deliberate. "Your Majesty, before you leave... a final word of caution."
Ivan halted. The room seemed to lean into the moment. Stroud took a step forward, his hands clasped behind his back. His tone held no accusation, only certainty. "Edenia spans over 984 million square kilometers. We are strong. We are vast. But we are not invincible."
A quiet hum of unease passed among the Tribunal. Even the guards stiffened. "You've chosen Syverra—wise, in many ways. But understand who you're inviting into our sphere."
Stroud's eyes sharpened. He began to pace slowly around the center ring. "Syverra is a jewel of precision. A city-state with more minds plugged into neural servers than living off the grid. Their cybernetic legions—the S.A.B.E.R. units—are faster than any Edenian scout and programmed to respond in less than a blink. They don't need a fleet. Just access. And if they find a crack in our firewall, they'll tear the whole shield down before our seers even sense a ripple."
He paused beside a projection rune and activated a rotating globe. Points of light dotted the surface—each pulsing faintly. "But Syverra isn't the only one who will come knocking."
The globe rotated again, zooming into the northern highlands. Stroud gestured toward the glowing peaks."Kharvos—a mutant-majority mountain realm. Their Dragon Knights are humans fused with ancient bloodlines—warriors who don't just ride storms, they become them. They'll side with us only if they believe we share their cause. Otherwise, they'll remain in their citadels, watching."
The projection moved west."Virellia," he muttered, voice tinged with amusement. "The elegant hawks of diplomacy. Mages who wrap their intentions in illusions and wear silver tongues sharper than any blade. They'll ally—but always with strings."
Then south."Garazeth. Cold. Massive. Paranoid. Their soldiers wear steel skin and their generals whisper to machines older than memory. They've studied mutant evolution like a religion—and they aren't above engineering what they can't control."
The globe shifted rapidly now."Zaharam. A land ruled by fire temples and blood-oathed warriors. They hold to tradition with iron fists and believe their flame-born are chosen to purify the world's sins. We open the gates to them, and we may invite judgment with it."
"Wuharia is vast. Their empire spans both mountains and cloud. They use ancestral spirits as operating systems and channel energy through crystal-embedded machinery. Impressive, but their loyalty bends only to their dynasties."
A flick of his hand showed island chains. "Nambora. Quiet. Disciplined. Their fusion of steel and spirit is unmatched. They treat war like a ritual and prepare for it every single day."
To the western sea. "Marinth—seafaring coalitions who speak to storms and command tides. They'll come... if they see the sea bleeding again."
Another shift. Dense jungles, obscured in mist. "Nozia. Jungle-mage territory. Their warriors shape-shift. Their shamans grow weapons from vines. No one tames them. They either walk with you—or make the forest devour you."
He looked back to Ivan. "Other nations. Other powers. Some guided by honor. Others by hunger. And if we open this door, they will all walk through it—some to help... others to watch us fall."
Ivan's expression darkened, but he nodded once, slowly. "Then we'll watch them just as closely."
Only then did Stroud let the projection fade, and the meeting was dismissed in solemn silence.