There wasn't a cloud in sight in the grey skies arcing high overhead. Trenus Taximagulus thanked the heavens for the first rain-free day in over a week, as he sipped his tea and stared moodily at the distant mountains. A chilly breeze swept across his palace's balcony; he leaned against the solid stone guardrail on which his saucer was resting, ignoring the cold. The breeze ruffled through his short, slate-grey hair, and unexpectedly brought with it the scent of the sea.
The sea, he thought, relishing the salty tang that hung momentarily in the air. A calm, relaxing place. Perhaps I should consider a vacation by the seaside. Sometime soon, decided the tall, slender man, aging but not yet elderly. I need the rest. But not until after the Elementalist threat is dealt with.
At the very thought of the Elementalists, Trenus frowned. Even after their banishment into the Wastelands, they continue to be nothing but trouble. One would have thought they'd have the decency to die out quietly....
His thoughts were interrupted by a voice coming from behind. "I still believe it would've been easier to hire mercenaries to dispose of the boy."
Trenus knew that quavering tenor voice well. Maddan Archu. My enthusiastic, though excitable, associate. He didn't particularly want to speak to Maddan now, of all times, but he had little choice. Maddan represented a small but powerful faction among the Ritualist governing body. Trenus, as the elected ruler, couldn't afford to alienate them in any way, else he'd risk losing their support.
"We have already discussed this," he snapped irritably, setting his teacup delicately down onto its saucer. "The boy is no slouch when it comes to defending his own life, however lazy he may seem otherwise. We would have to spend a great deal of time and effort to send enough gold to the other world; it would take a great many coins to pay the many mercenaries necessary to ensure his death. You know how hard it is to transfer physical objects from our world to theirs."
"Yes, I realize that," said the plump, richly-clothed man, sounding a touch wounded as he walked across the balcony to stand next to Trenus. "You're not the only one who's made contact with the other world, Taximagulus. We all know quite well how tiring it is."
"'Tiring' is hardly the word for it," the lean, grey-haired man replied with a shudder. "No, this way is best," he said, a smug expression on his face. "At the price of one small sack of gold, the boy pursues his own doom. His greed will be his downfall; soon we will be rid of the greatest threat to our rule."
"I still find it amazing that one Elementalist boy could pose such a danger," said Maddan, once again bringing up the old argument. "Especially a boy who's currently living in another, almost unreachable world."
"You'd be surprised," was Trenus's arch reply. "The Elementalists are, if nothing else, resourceful." He thought of the many battles that their wild magic, so distasteful to his Ritualist point of view, had won against all odds. "The mere fact that the boy still lives is testament to that."
"And with his death, you say, they'll be dispirited. Easier to control."
Easier to kill off, he means, thought Trenus, smiling inwardly. "Most assuredly so, Archu," he said reassuringly. "Most assuredly so."