The council chamber fell into a hushed silence as the weight of the deliberation pressed upon the air. Legolas of Aranthilis, Lirelle of Seladrial, and Earendil of Thranduil exchanged stern looks, their voices carrying the authority of centuries of elven tradition.
"I say we should not entertain this any further," Legolas declared, his tone firm. "They trespassed into our sacred realm, a direct violation of our laws. Entering the high elf settlement and approaching Silvanthorn is an affront to our very existence. Our response should be swift and uncompromising."
Lirelle, with an air of intellectual detachment, added, "Indeed. We cannot risk the potential contamination of our realm by allowing lesser elves to roam freely. The punishment for such audacity should be death. It is the only way to ensure the sanctity of Silvanthorn is preserved."
Earendil, the illusionist, spoke little but nodded in agreement with the sentiments of his peers. The gravity of their decision echoed through the grand chamber.
On the other side of the debate, Neriaeth of Galadrieth and Elara of Lorathorn expressed dissent. Neriaeth's voice, gentle yet resolute, echoed through the chamber, "Death may be too harsh a punishment. The disturbance they bring is not malevolent but born out of desperation. We must consider the balance of nature in our decision."
Elara, the healer, added, "A simple banishment might be a more merciful solution. Let them be cast out of Eldrilia, never to return. This would preserve our laws while showing compassion, a reflection of the harmony we seek in the world around us."
The council members, deeply immersed in their deliberation, ignored the three individuals standing at the center of the chamber. Iris, Eryndor, and Lyrisa, though attuned to the elven tongue, could only glean fragments of the debate. The air was charged with tension as the council weighed justice against mercy.
Legolas, Lirelle, and Earendil argued for the sanctity of their realm, emphasizing the potential threat these outsiders posed. Neriaeth and Elara championed compassion, acknowledging the desperation that might have driven the trespassers to seek refuge.
As the debate reached its zenith, Legolas, with an air of finality, spoke, "We have deliberated. The harmony of Silvanthorn and the preservation of our traditions are paramount. Death is the only fitting punishment for such a transgression."
The pronouncement echoed through the chamber, leaving a heavy silence in its wake. Iris, Eryndor, and Lyrisa exchanged glances, although the high elves couldn’t harm or kill them it would affect their mission if their disguise were revealed now.
Legolas, cold and unyielding, ordered, "Detain them. They will be executed at dawn."
As the guard with elegant spears walked over to detain them, Iris and the others spoke telepathically.
"We could reveal our true selves and escape," Eryndor suggested.
Iris, the voice of reason, replied, "Let's reserve that as a last resort. There might be another way."
Before they could finalize their decision, Neriaeth and Elara, who had been silently observing, spoke up. "Wait," Neriaeth said, her voice calm but insistent. "Before passing judgment, at least let them undergo a test of their magical abilities. Since they came from a supposed village we have no knowledge of then that means they weren’t tested and should be tested first."
Elara nodded in agreement. "I agree. We might discover some valuable about these outsiders. It’s better to test them no rather than regret not having done it later."
Legolas, Lirelle, and Earendil exchanged stern looks before ultimately nodding in agreement. Legolas ordered someone to bring forth the measuring device, a mystical instrument designed by the Alvs to gauge the strength of one’s magical auras.
As the measuring device was brought forth, Iris, Eryndor, and Lyrisa mentally discussed what the device measured since it looked as if a high enough score could help in this situation. From the memories given by Zero, they understood that the mortals of this world including the elves had weak souls and thus could not store much mana inside their bodies thus they used lingua which used the mana outside the body. So maybe the device measured one’s ability to manipulate external mana rather than internal mana. They had no idea as their disguise reduced their abilities to that of elves but their mana potential would be the same so they would need to bring both down to the level of high elves just to be sure.
The measuring device was an intricate piece of lost Alv craftsmanship, adorned with pieces of technology that seemed out of place in this forest. As it was presented in the grand chamber, the air hummed as the machine was started. Iris, Eryndor, and Lyrisa, despite their disguised elven forms, couldn't help but feel a twinge of uncertainty.
Neriaeth and Elara observed with a keen interest, their expressions betraying a genuine curiosity about the potential abilities of the outsiders. Legolas, Lirelle, and Earendil, though initially skeptical, agreed to the testing, seeing it as a reasonable compromise. They couldn’t let the others in the hall see the five families disagree too much so they had no choice but to accept.
The operator, a skilled elf attuned the device to the delicate nature of magical energies and began the testing process. Iris stepped forward, her expression composed. The operator activated the device, and a soft glow enveloped Iris as it started to analyze her magical aura.
Eryndor and Lyrisa observed closely, their eyes narrowing in concentration. They were intentionally suppressing their magical abilities to the levels of what they felt from the high elves, a necessary act to maintain their disguises. The device hummed, capturing the essence of their magic, and the crystals embedded within it flickered with varying intensities.
Neriaeth leaned in, her eyes focused on the device. Elara, the healer, watched with a contemplative expression. Legolas, Lirelle, and Earendil maintained their stern composure, waiting for the results.
As the measurement concluded, the operator stepped back, a thoughtful look on his face. He addressed the council, "The magical aura of the first one is 60 out of 100." When the results were announced the whole hall became silent.
