As Elise continues her testimony, Mage Hyacinth looks increasingly surly, until at last he bolts to his feet and glares at her. "Enough!" the Jupani roars. "I do not know what you are talking about, but I will not sit here and listen to your snide insinuations and slanders. This plainly has nothing to do with what we called you here for. Get out – your presence is no longer required."

Dean Fyiara, who had been listening to Elise with a puzzled frown on her face, turns her head to look at Hyacinth during his outburst. "Well," she mews. "I think you overstep yourself, Mage Hyacinth. I don't recall us placing you in charge of this council."

"What?" the other mage snarls back. "You don't mean to continue listening to her babbling?"

"Oh, but I am afraid it does, Mage Hyacinth," replies Elise calmly. Her head tilts slightly to the side, and she eyes the Dean with carefully. Her expression loses any expression of pleasantness, a frown forming on her muzzle. "Are you … worried? You should be."

The feline stretches her arms over her head. "I'm sure she can be coaxed to get to her point and it won't take much longer, will it, sweetie?" she purrs to Elise. "Do just spit out whatever it is you're trying to tell us. We can't very well take action on a collection of snide hints. Wouldn't be seemly."

The Templar poodle nods her head to the Dean of Chaos and unfolds her hands, and placing a elbow on the table, points directly at the Dean of Spirit. "Very well, honored Dean. I hereby accuse Dean Hyacinth of practicing dark and forbidden magicks, of murder most foul," declares the lady.

A heavy silence follows the poodle's accusation. Mage Hyacinth blinks in stupefaction, while Fyiara tilts her head to one side, curiously. Mystico and Hio exchange glances. Whimzer finally breaks the silence, saying, "She believes it."

"That doesn't make it true!" Hyacinth snaps, then, more calmly. "In any event, this is not the panel for such an inquiry. If I am to be accused of such absurdities, let the Watch handle it."

"No," Fyiara purrs, glancing sidelong to Hyacinth. "We're all here, and three convenient Mind Mages to help with the inquiry. I say, hear her out. Then turn our findings over to the Watch. Why would you want the Watch to drag the matter out, Hyacinth?" She glances again to the Jupani, who squirms uncomfortably at her gaze. "If it goes to them now, all the College will know what you are accused of. If we can settle it now, the matter does not go beyond this room. If you are innocent – which you surely are?"

The Jupani grits his teeth, making a visible effort not to bare them. "Of course."

"That's settled, then. Elise, carry on. Do try to stick to the relevant points, dear; it's been a long day for all of us," Fyiara instructs the poodle.

Another nod from the poodle and she refolds her hands neatly in her lap. "To begin, honored mages, are any of you aware of the whereabouts of Mage Hyacinth five years ago? If you are, merely mention that you know. Do not tell me his location, or the location you believed him to be in," queries the female officer.

A glance around the chamber gets shrugs in response from most people, then Mage Hymu pipes up, "I know." She appears to be the only one, though Viscoi nods at the Spirit Mage's assertion.

"I see. Now, I know what he was doing, and I though I cannot say where exactly he was, I have means to gather that as well. As for what he was doing … well, Dean of Spirit, … why, if you are not guilty … why do you not tell me what you were doing? That ritual, that family. Those Korvs. What were you doing?" inquires the poodle of the lupine dean.

The gray Jupani's fur ruffles. "I don't know what you're talking about," he growls.

"Lie," Viscoi says, voice flat.

Hyacinth locks his gaze with the Cervani's, anger flashing in his eyes. "Well," Fyiara mews again. "We've got two other Mind Mages here who can check you, Mage Hyacinth. Is Viscoi wrong? Do you assert your right to further verification?"

"I'm not on trial here," Hyacinth says, folding his arms across his chest.

"Maybe you should be," Hymu murmurs from the observers' area.

"This is true," Dean Hio asserts in response to the Jupani, ignoring Hymu. "You are not on trial. And this matter may not relate directly to the cause for this Council's formation. If you will not face your accuser here, we cannot compel you to. If you desire, Mage Hyacinth, we shall remand this case to the Watch."

The feline Chaos Mage makes a little pout at Hio's determination, leaning back in her chair with arms crossed, while she looks at the Jupani.

Hyacinth is a long time in answering. "I will face my accuser here," he says at last, solemn.

"Cyprian, Whimver, can you maintain truth spells on both of them, or need we rely on Viscoi for verification?" Fyiara asks.

"I can do it," Cyprian nods.

"As can I," Whimver adds, "but it'll take me a while to set up. The rest of you could take a break while I do so."

Meanwhile, as the mages exchanged their words, the officer has turned her gaze to several of the room's occupants – some of them without any relation to the current speaker. She had glanced to Mage Hymu whom she regarded for a moment before watching the Dean of Spirit, and the turning to the head of the table. "It is of great importance to this matter that no one present here leave this room. No one, for any reason or … " she passes her gaze over the room again, "any sly excuse you care to concoct to escape the justice that has waited for you."

Ssrithiri snorts. "Are we to be held hostage to the wildaccusations of some over-puffed Rephidim poodle?"

"Excellent try, Dean of Dreams, but I assure you it will not work," retorts the Rephidim poodle without looking at him, as if wholly expecting the remark.

The mages on the council seats exchange looks. "I call a vote," Fyiara says. "Do all stay and hear her out, or do we recess and confine the inquiry to Hyacinth and Elise?"

"Second," Hio huffs.

"Those in favor?" Fyiara and Hio place their right hands, palm down, on the table before them.

"Opposed?" Whimver and Hyacinth now mirror the movements of the two Deans earlier.

The feline twists in her seat to look at the Lapi at the end. "Oh, Mystico, don't abstain, for pity's sake."

"If we're going to confer, we should do it privately," Whimver squeaks, reprimand sharp in his voice.

"No – no. I vote in favor," Mystico says, hastily. "Mage Whimver, Cyprian set up your spells."

Again moving her gaze, Elise sets her eyes squarely on Mage Hymu. "I think you know, or, at least are somewhat aware. Honored mage, now is your chance to see justice done. It is your College, too. Your people," she tells her.

Grumbling, Whimver begins to set out candles around the room. Cyprian walks over to him and they confer quietly.

"Peace," Fyiara says, lifting her hand before Hymu can do more than blink in bewilderment at Elise. "Viscoi, be a love and send out for food, would you? We're going to be here long enough without going over ground now that we're just going to have to go over again in an hour for the mind mages."

Time passes as the two Eeee mages work together on the ritual after setting up a circle. They chant in counterpoint, Cyprian's voice lower than Whimver's, though both bats have high-pitched voices when compared to their non-Eeee fellows. Magic builds in the chamber, and even Elise fancies she can feel it.

During the preparations, Elise remains quiet, hands in lap and moving only to look about the room, or closing every so often for a few minutes, as if thinking or simply resting.

Most of the mages mill about the room in small knots, talking in hushed undertones, but Fyiara curls up in her chair and naps. After working a seemingly effortless spell to call for food, Viscoi watches the two mind mages work, his expression intent. Eventually, a variety of food arrives on steaming platters, and even the chaos mage wakes to dig into it, but the Cervani continues to observe the spell. While all eat save the mind mages, Viscoi suddenly stalks to Whimver and backhands the bat, knocking the mage off his feet. Cyprian shudders, hunching his shoulders as the mage next to him topples, but he continues to chant, slower now.

All the other mages stop what they were doing to stare, then everyone shouts at once, in a babbling turmoil of outrage and confusion, while the Cervani stands over the mage he toppled.

Even the Rephidim officer had decided to eat, a simple filet of meat and some mateh. Quite an unappealing combination to the poodle normally – but not now, she must remain awake and is quite hungry. However, the strike from the Dean of Mind causes Elise to pause in her meal and immediately turns to look at what has occurred, carefully and quietly putting down her silverware as her ears perk.

Hio's bellow cuts above the confusion. "Silence!"

As the tumult dies down, Hio directs his angry gaze to Viscoi. "What is the meaning of this?"

The Dean of Mind's frame literally shakes with wrath. He turns from the fallen Whimver to place one hand lightly on Cyprian's shoulder, and adds a few phrases to the chant in his own baritone, then stops to answer Hio's question. "Whimver was not casting a truth spell. He was attempting to warp Mage Cyprian's spell so that he would control whether Mage Cyprian saw a remark as truth or lie."

Fyiara mews, her eyes wide. "Oh, this is too much! You're sure about this, Viscoi?"

The buck nods, his rack of antlers lending weight to the motion.

Ever so slightly the eyebrows of the Lade Elise lift in response to the Dean of Mind's statement, and tilts her head to the side curiously. The curious expression lasts only second, her expression returning to the calm and focused one she held but a moment ago.

"Is Cyprian all right?" Hio asks, watching the still-chanting Eeee.

"He'll be fine. He is completing his spell," Viscoi reassures, with a quick glance to the non-mage poodle. "I do not know that Whimver had the power to overcome him regardless, but I saw no reason to let him try."

Behind the deer, Whimver at last sits up, looking dazed, blinking. "Wuh?"

"So … of our five-mage council, one stands accused of murder, and another has tried to subvert the fact-finding process," Hymu observes.

"We are being winnowed down," Fyiara comments. "Was anyone planning on accusing me or Mystico or Hio of anything? Just so we can get it out of the way now?"

Looking to the head of the table once again, ear flicking for a moment as the woman inhales deeply before exhaling as if releasing a sudden stress. She shakes her head to him, "It is no small conspiracy you have here, Dean Hio, but," she nods to the three remaining, "I do not believe you three are part of it."

No one else responds to the Chaos Dean's remark. A few minutes later, Cyprian finishes his chant, and sags, placing one hand against his head. "Thank you, sir," he murmurs to the Cervani.

"Do you agree with Viscoi's charge against Whimver, Cyprian?" Hio asks, solemn.

"Yes." The bat's green eyes glow, unearthly.

"I think we can throw out any hopes of getting unbiased conclusions," Fyiara mews, yawning and patting her mouth. "Still, let's try to get everything on the table, mm?" The feline licks the claws of one hand clean while she carries her tray of food back to her seat on the council.

Ssrithiri hisses, "With all due respect, Dean Fyiara, please let me note that this all seems very suspicious. Elise is a known ally of Cyprian's, and it is she who has made all these strange accusations. I hesitate to impugn a fellow dean, but at this point it is all the word of those three against our fellow mages … I fear the conspiracy may be on their part, not Hyacinth's or Whimver's."

"You should speak of conspiracies, Dean Ssrithiri, I have come to understand you may well be an expert on them," retorts the poodle as before, though not quite seeming to expect it as much as the first. She glances at the Naga, eyeing him.

The Naga glances to the poodle, and hisses, "I find it most suspicious that anyone who disagrees with you is promptly added to your list of the accused."

"Yes, yes, yes," the feline waves a hand tiredly. "I'm sure we're all aware of the implications, conspiracies, what have you. The Watch can have a grand ol' time sorting it all out. Let's just get it out in the open now and the Watch can take it from there. If everyone can get settled, let's continue."

"Mm, and those who disagree have been … the one I accused, one guilty of sabotage and … you, Dean. You were the first to comment when I asked we all remain here. And the only one, save … the accused Dean of Spirit, the Mind Mage." The poodle glares at him for a moment longer, then lets the expression go and turns to the Chaos Dean. "I am prepared to see this through, I wish to see the guilty brought to justice, ask of me what you will," she tells her.

Confused and sulky people make their way back to their seats, still picking at half-eaten food. Hyacinth briefs Whimver on the accusation against him, and everyone listens dutifully while he protests. Predictably, Cyprian and Viscoi deem him lying. Eventually, Fyiara and Hio force everyone to shut up about it – "We're just finding accusations, now, no rulings will be made at this time" – and everyone settles down.

Fyiara spears a bit of fish from her plate. "Now, where were we? Oh, Hyacinth, you were going to give us your version of events. Ready, dear?"

While waiting for the wolf to speak, Elise picks up the cup of mateh and holds it in one hand, sipping every so often.

The Jupani's neck hairs bristle, but he speaks in a controlled, level voice. "I believe I recollect the occasion that Elise refers to. Five years ago, I was on a research mission with a few other mages from the College. We were gathering materials in northern Ur. We came upon a family of magic-hating avians." He pauses for breath, and glances to the mind mages.

Cyprian says, "Truth," and Viscoi echoes his assertion.

Hyacinth draws a measure of calm from their response. "They attacked us."

"Truth," Cyprian says, frowning.

"Yes … but you are omitting something." The buck's gaze is fixed on Hyacinth.

"Why did they attack you, Mage Hyacinth?" inquires Elise.

The wolf squirms in his chair. "Ah … they had one of the components that we sought. When we tried to persuade them to give it to us, they attacked."

The mind mages nod, although Viscoi still looks troubled.

Nodding, the Templar puts down her cup and shifts to face the Jupani more fully, tilting her head just so as to glare at him with partially shaded eyes. "Sacrifice and torture, not generally components freely given. That, is what you wanted, was it not?" she asks with anger touching on her voice.

The Chaos Dean glances to Elise, then the spirit mage, who shifts again, but does not respond. "Go on, Hya. Tell us what you wanted of these people."

Hyacinth swallows. "We wanted an infant … plant that they had bred."

"Lie," Cyprian and Viscoi denounce it together.

The lupine mage buries his face in his gloved hands. "Their baby," he confesses. "We needed their baby boy."

The poodle's glare remains and does not waver while the wolf is reluctant to speak, her expression carrying all the seriousness of an Inquisitrix charging a high crime. Her men, that family, for those few to have their component. "You wanted their child. You murdered him. You tortured their daughter and you killed the parents!" she snarls at him.

"No!" the wolf howls, anguished. "I – I did not know they meant to kill the boy!"

"Truth," Cyprian says, while Viscoi asks, "Who was with you?"

Immediately Elise pushes herself to standing and points directly at the Jupani. "Then tell us who meant it, tell us who … because you know they are here. He is here, point him out to us! Or shall I?" growls the poodle, forcefully.

"Lucife bar Boathe," the wolf whispers out. "And – " While he hesitates, the giant gray-and-white Naga suddenly whirls and flings open the door, sliding through it.

"There is no escape for you, murderer of children!" yells the Guard officer after the Naga. Without hesitation she immediately throws her chair from her way and dashes off after him.

Fyiara bolts to her feet, standing on her chair and gesturing while she chants. Next to her, Hio chants as well, and water rushes down the corridor, shoving the Naga back towards the room, and almost causing Elise to slip as she charges after him.

Skidding a few steps, and almost falling from the force of the magic, the lady drops to a knee to regain her balance. Her hand reaches and draws her sword as she stands up. "Have no respect for the sanctity of magic … such words from a heretic," growls the poodle in a low voice.

A whirlpool swirls around Ssrithiri, spinning the big snake at its center and splashing most of the rest of the occupants of the room while it's at it. "I don't think so," Fyiara hisses, her chanting done, though Hio's continues. "Would you match against us, Ssrithiri? Or will you behave yourself now?"

Soggy and bedraggled, the snake nods as the whirlpool slows and the water flows away to the walls that it came from.

The feline folds herself into her chair, sitting on her legs. "Hya, please do go on," she purrs.

"The third was Dean Ssrithiri," the wolf admits.

Off to the side of the soaked Naga, the officer fully regains her footing and stands straight, sword drawn and resting in her sword hand, tip to the floor. "What was it all for, Mage Hyacinth? What could the group of you have possibly been thinking? I can speculate his," she lifts her sword enough to point at the Dean of Nightmare, "reasons, but what of yours? And the others?"

"He promised us power," the Jupani whispers. "The power of gods. It was part of a ritual … the ritual to subvert the Dream Realm. He was part of it all along – he's been aiding the renegade Eeee mages that work for the High Princess of Babel. They're the ones who have crippled the Dream Realm."

A moment of silence, and then a nod from the Rephidim poodle. She sheathes her sword and inclines her head to the table. "There is your link, your conspiracy. This is how it effects Mage Envoy," says Elise.