The sentry held up his massive slate hand to halt Celsus. It was an affront for a sentry to stop an Ignarian of Celsus' station to wait. He did not make a scene, however. The jagged row of iron spikes which jutted out of the sentries arm were menacing, and Celsus knew Sanga would have selected the best sentries to guard the Sovereign.

The iron spikes were part of the latticework of iron that wove through the entirety of his gray slate body. It was not unlike the copper that held Celsus’ quartzite together. The Ignari form fascinated Celsus, and he often romantically wished he might have gone into a different area of learning than the one he chose.

“Sorry, Harbinger, the Sovereign has asked us to check everyone, before they are allowed an audience.” The sentry did a thorough inspection of the leather bags Celsus’ two golden servants carried. The golds looked back to Celsus as if afraid they might be punished, but they knew better than to speak here.

“Is he getting worse?” Celsus asked, forgetting his annoyance as worry replaced it.

“I don’t know what you are referring to, Harbinger.” The sentry said.

“Quite right,” Celsus responded quickly. “It is the curse of the Copper to have wandering minds.”

“You may go in.”

The doors opened for Celsus, and he and his entourage crossed the threshold. Waiting for him on the other side was a spectacle. Iron soldiers held a strange fleshy creature, as Sanga and the other councilors seemed to be interrogating it. The sovereign sat above all upon his throne of molten fire. He looked in control of his faculties, as far as Celsus could tell.

“Marvelous!” Celsus said as he approached the fleshy creature. He ran his hands over it as he studied. “Look at this it has a protective layer. It’s so soft, and all these shades of brown!” A small bit came away as he spoke. “Oh no, I've plucked it. I’m sorry.” Celsus said, trying to lay the discarded layer back on the creature. It fell to the ground.

He moved around to the face of the creature. “And did you see its mouth? It's so sharp looking and oww!” He said as the creature bit down on his hand. There was a small indentation in the quartzite. “It's hard too!”

The soldiers had pulled the creature to the ground. How like a sentry to see a threat instead of a miracle of nature. “No, wait!” Celsus said. “It was my fault. Don’t hurt it!”

“Celsus,” Sanga said, “you are interrupting our interrogation.” She rose her marble hand to her forehead and shook it in frustration. Celsus could not help but marvel at her beauty. Her amethyst protrusions sparkled in the grand hall.

“Oh… uh for… forgive me, Sanga. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

“It is alright, Sanga.” The Sovereign said. “I asked Celsus here to study the creature. I knew it would pique his interest.” He motioned for Celsus to continue. The Sovereign had a stone body like all ignarians, but he was so long-lived that most of his natural diamond protrusions had nearly covered the quartzite.

“Thank you, Sovereign,” Celsus said, showing him proper deference. Celsus walked back over to the creature and plucked the small soft brown discarded layer. The name came to him suddenly like a lava spout. “It is a feather!”

“A what?” An emerald and basalt bodied councilor asked. Celsus knew he should know the name, but it escaped him in the light of the miraculous discovery.

“A feather,” Celsus repeated excitedly. “In the afterlife, creatures soar in the sea above! They use these feathers to do it.”

“How?” Sanga asked him. Celsus hadn’t noticed her approach, and she stood very close, trying to see the small brown feather.

“Oh, ah, well, that is, no one knows. The creatures of the afterlife are mysterious and seldom come down to us.”

“So is this creature an Angel or Demon?” The Sovereign asked.

“I wouldn’t want to rush to speculation with so little observation, Sovereign,” Celsus told him as humbly as he could.

“Celsus, you know time grows short.” Sanga chided.

“I do?”

“The Sovereign had a vision last night. After hearing it, I believe it to be a prophecy.” Sanga said as her gorgeous Amethyst glowed vibrantly.

“Well, I have been rather busy preparing the sample,” Celsus admitted.

“Of course. Well,” Sanga continued, “In his dream, the Sovereign saw a grand place, an entire town full of riches. It is a miracle. With the Goural advancing ever closer, this stroke of fortune is what we need. He is sending the Iron Legion.”

“To the afterlife?” Celsus said, shocked. “Wouldn’t it be prudent to study this flesh creature more before we make any rash decisions.”

“You have five days, old friend,” The Sovereign commanded. “Learn all you can, and then the Iron Legion is going forth.”

“As you command,” Celsus said, bowing deeply. He motioned for the iron sentries to take the creature out of the room. “Please be gentle,” he called after them.

After they exited, he turned back toward the Sovereign and bowed again. “If it would please the council and his excellency, I have prepared a unique sample today. Though perhaps it is overshadowed a bit by our visitor.”

“Nonsense, old friend. You finished?” The Sovereign asked, stepping off his throne. The rest of the council greedily approached the leather bags, and Celsus motioned for the golds to dump the contents on the floor.

Large mounds of dirt fell to the ground along with the clumps of grass that had been carefully placed to give the entire meal a splash of color. The Sovereign reached his hands in and pulled a scoop of the grainy substance. He brought it to his face and inhaled deeply.

“It is so aromatic. What was it you called it?” His excellency demanded.

“This land sample is called ‘Tirough.’ I had it brought back to me a few weeks ago, and I have been cultivating it for your approval.”

“Tirough.’ Marvelous.” He said as he closed his eyes and drank deep of the soil. The energy from the dirt left rose from the sample and surrounded the Sovereign. Then it entered his waiting mouth.

The Sovereign’s eyes opened as if in shock. “This is amazing!” He brushed his hands where the dirt fell back to the floor; it was nothing more than ash. Formless and all but evaporated away. “I must have more.”

“Of course, your excellency. I wish I’d known that we were heading to the afterlife. I am sure they can bring back many bags.

“No, old friend. In five days, we will have all you can prepare.” The Sovereign said as the rest of the court closed their eyes, and they devoured the energy from the planet.