But it was the wings that truly defied reality—four of them, emerging from its shoulders and hips, each one feathered and massive, moving with synchronized precision that allowed flight despite the apparent impossibility of the propulsion.

The beast was ethereal and godlike, moving through the air as if gravity were a suggestion rather than a law.

And riding it, seated with casual confidence on a saddle that looked grown from the creature rather than attached to it, was a woman.

From a distance, she appeared human because of her skin color, eight-foot height, slender build, and proportions within the normal range. But as she drew closer and Jorghan's enhanced vision focused, he saw the details that marked her as something else entirely.

Her skin was covered in fine, short fur, milk-white, almost invisible unless you knew to look for it, but definitely present across her arms, her neck, anywhere exposed skin would normally show. Her ears were elven, pointed and mobile, tracking sounds with obvious precision.

But her face—her face was the most striking element. The structure was almost human, but her mouth protruded slightly, somewhere between human and simian, creating a profile that was alien yet not unattractive. It suggested a different evolutionary path, a different answer to the question of what intelligent humanoids might look like.

Her eyes were large and luminous, her ears were longer, and when she looked across the assembled elves, Jorghan felt an intelligence behind that gaze that matched or exceeded any clan head present.

She guided her mount, the four-winged beast, to a gentle landing near the Hall's entrance, her movements filled with elegance and grace.

She dismounted with incredible grace, landing in a crouch that transitioned immediately into standing, and without a backward glance, she strode into the Eldraven Hall.

Her beast, clearly bonded to her in some deep way, retreated to a designated area where other mounts waited, settling down with feline grace, its four wings folding against its body.

The assembled elves stood in respectful silence, watching her departure, and Jorghan realized this wasn't surprise he was feeling from them; it was recognition.

They knew her, knew what she was, and knew to show respect for her presence.

Before he could ask Sigora who or what that was, another sound split the sky.

This time it was definitely a roar, deep and resonant, carrying harmonics that seemed to vibrate in Jorghan's chest cavity. Following immediately was thunder—not natural, but the crack of displaced air as something massive moved at impossible speed.

A serpent descended from the clouds.

A serpentine form in the mythological sense, easily a hundred feet long, its body as thick as an ancient tree trunk, scales that glittered like precious gems catching the light. Its head was massive and crowned, like the snake race from mythology Jorghan had studied, with a hood that spread behind its skull, creating a halo effect.

The creature dove toward the landing platform at a speed that should have resulted in catastrophic impact, but as it neared the ground, its form began to change.

The serpent's body contracted, compressed, and reformed. Scales became skin, length became height, and inhuman anatomy shifted to something that could walk upright. By the time it touched down, what landed was no longer a serpent but a humanoid figure.

He, definitely male based on the build, stood at least nine feet tall, with skin that retained the scaled texture of his true form. The scales were smaller than in serpent form but clearly visible, creating patterns across his body that caught the light with every movement. His face maintained some serpentine characteristics: a slightly flattened nose, eyes with vertical pupils, and a grace of movement that suggested coiled power ready to strike. His ears are long and sharp.

He wore minimal clothing, just a wrapped lower garment that left his scaled torso bare, displaying musculature that was humanoid.

Without hesitation or ceremony, he strode into the Hall, his movements carrying the same fluid certainty as the furred woman before him.

Jorghan stared after both arrivals, his mind racing with questions, his fascination warring with the simple shock of witnessing such beings.

"Mother," he said quietly, not taking his eyes off the Hall's entrance.

"What the hell were those?"

Sigora's hand found his, squeezing gently, comfort and promise.

"Those were representatives of clans you haven't encountered yet. The twelve clans aren't all what you might expect."

"I can explain more," she continued, "but not here, not now. The meeting is about to begin, and you need to be focused on the task at hand—official recognition, formal acceptance into the Council. Everything else can wait."

Kal'tun chuckled, his earlier tension easing.

"First time is always shocking. I remember my first Council gathering—I thought I'd stumbled into a wild life sanctuary come to life. You get used to it."

"Do you?" Jorghan asked skeptically.

"No," Korreth admitted with surprising honesty.

"But you learn to hide your amazement better."

The Arumaks who'd escorted them appeared at their sides, their mechanical voices cutting through the conversation.

"Honored clan heads, the Council is prepared to receive you. Please proceed to the Assembly Chamber."

Together, Sigora, Jorghan, Kal'tun, and Korreth moved toward the massive entrance to Eldraven Hall, joining the stream of elven leaders and their companions flowing into the building that would host the most important gathering in clans history.

Behind them, the four-winged beast and various other mythical mounts waited with patient stillness, bonded to masters who walked with the weight of leadership and the burden of history.

Above them, the sun climbed higher, illuminating the Hall in brilliant light that made the crystal-clear construction seem to float impossibly over the abyss.

And within, in the Assembly Chamber built on the edge of nothing, the Council of Twelve Clans was about to convene.

***

The Assembly Chamber was unlike any room Jorghan had ever entered.

It was vast and circular, matching the building's exterior shape, with a diameter that had to exceed two hundred feet. The floor was polished stone inlaid with intricate patterns that seemed to glow faintly, creating a constellation map or perhaps a representation of the clans' interconnected history. The walls were transparent crystal, offering an unobstructed view of both the city below and the abyss beyond, creating the disconcerting sensation of floating in empty space.

But the most striking feature was the seating arrangement.

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