Chapter 209

September 11, 2005 – 13:15

"Wait what? Why would you do that? If you're not appointed High Mage, won't the Core Elders want you working for them? I mean, of course, I do not mind you working with me, I don't even know what I'm doing and you've helped me so much over the years when if you never had to."

"You will understand better once you hear the details of the reform at tonight's announcement. The Department of Family Affairs and the one handling legal matters will be attached to the Core Elders, but everything else is divided between the districts and Tobly, and I have no desire to work for the General."

"I see. Besides Emery, Roz and Ligyo, I don't know who else has been appointed in this reform, and I forgot to ask about the other three elders. If you want to join me, I am certainly not going to turn you down. However, I don't know yet about the positions I will need to fill and how it is going to work with salaries."

"Don't worry about all that. Get through all of your meetings today, and we will sort this out once we know more. The Core Elders will tell you more tomorrow when you all meet."

Every hour, the Core Elders issued a global statement through the hologram network to warn the elemental factions to watch their announcement at 19:00, Winnipeg Time, where details about the CMMA reform will be revealed.

Meanwhile, in Montreal, Frank brewed a pot of coffee. Knowing how important the announcement was, Stephanie and Sebastian decided to watch it from Frank's, and Molly and Raymond wanted to watch it too. Not having anything planned for the day, they followed him home.

"This is huge. I bet that's all I will be hearing at work this week," said Stephanie.

"I guarantee you, that's all the wolves will be talking about for a long time," said Sebastian.

"You must be happy about that, Frank. She'll be less all over the place, and it sounds like a safer job for her," said Raymond.

"Happy? That's mildly put. She didn't want it, but I told her she should take it. I might not know the details about the reform, and maybe I'll regret agreeing with the elders, but to me, it's the best news I've heard in a while," said Frank before calling Mark to let him know about the news.

"Of course, she didn't. I wouldn't have wanted it either. She probably feels too young for it," said Sebastian.

"I was about to ask about that. I would have thought there would be an age requirement or something," said Raymond.

"Blue is young, but she is very influential among her people. I think it makes sense that she'd get placed into that sort of position," said Molly.

"I don't know about an age requirement. If there was one, it could have been removed in the reform. Blue indeed has a lot of influence, not only among the elemental factions," said Sebastian.

Coralis arrived at her next meeting 5 minutes late, and so did Roz. In the meeting room, she recognized some provincial politicians, along with people she had never seen before. She also recognized the Corporal who commanded the mission she got involved in when she returned to the country after escaping jail. At the back of it, she saw Emery standing by the centre of the wall, and Finnas in the corner. 'I need to get used to calling the elders without their title, this is going to be weird', she thought.

"Blue Thunder! It's a pleasure to see you again!"

"Corporal Stephenson, good to see you again," said Coralis, shaking his hand.

"You two know each other?" said one of the ministers.

"Yes. She and Emery helped us on a joint mission back in April. She was very efficient, I was glad to see her name on board," said Corporal Stephenson before turning to Finnas. "She's the lead for District VIII, correct?"

"That is correct," said Finnas.

"Now that everyone is here, let's get started," said one of the Premiers after introducing everyone, and they all sat down around the meeting table.

"As previously discussed, we are instituting a national witch registry in which all of you will have to register," said a defence minister.

"I will do no such thing," said Coralis.

"Neither will I," said Emery.

"It is part of our terms to end the hunt against your kind," said a defence minister.

"If witches want to register, it's up to them, but I will not do it myself, nor will I force any supernatural under my care to do so. If you aren't happy, I will be out of here, and the CMMA can find someone else to replace me. I didn't even want the position in the first place," said Coralis.

"You want us to continue hunting you?" said one of the Premiers.

"I've been hunted my entire life, you won't scare me there. Forcing us to register will only intensify the war efforts of my kind and turn the sympathetic ones against you. Neither side wants to be controlled by the other, and the registry is perceived as a form of control on your part," said Coralis.

"It is also perceived as a form of control over us by the local human population who knew about us," said Roz.

"Remember, gentlemen, that you're talking to someone who's been thrown into the core of this war since before it even started. Blue Thunder has first-hand knowledge of what led us there," said Finnas.

"Plus, data are being leaked all the time. Registering as a witch, or as any type of supernatural, endangers our families, and I will not stand for that," said Coralis.

"I will also fight against it," said Roz.

"Shall I leave now?" said Coralis.

"We will revisit that topic at another time," said the defence minister who brought up the topic.

An hour later, Coralis walked out of the meeting room and took off to head to her last one, hating her new role already. She felt her hologram vibrating and pulled it out to answer it, silently cursing when she saw it was General Tobly calling her.

"Blue Thunder, I request that you immediately stop taking to all of my potential recruits," said General Tobly.