The State of the Realm

The State of the Realm is the fifty-seventh chapter of Tales of Sheol'gotha:  Shadow of the Abaddon.

Synopsis
Sharess returns to her room, disappointed, and doesn't talk much with her children at first, but comes to learn of dissent among the vampires and division in the noble families. She retires to bed, but in the night is roused by guards led by Donovan who require all of the children attend the throne room to project unity with the abaddon.

Sharess and her children clothe and arm themselves as they are escorted, joining other families in the throne room as well as guards led by Fall-un'tir. There is not much time to understand what is happening before a mob marches into the throne room, all bearing weapons and flanked by weyrgelt. The leaders - a noble's son called Maragal Margarn, and someone Sharess did not recognize - proclaim their cause to be on behalf of all the people in Sheol'gotha who have been tormented by the abaddon.

Maragal declares the abaddon no longer in control of anything, and Fall-un'tir holds back even as he is taunted, though Sharess does not understand why. The mob continues to bay as several arcanists are brought up, each dressed like dissenting rebels, and they slowly rise into the air before exploding into sprays of metal shards. The mob is prepared, hiding behind their shields, but the soldiers and royal children are less so, and as battle is joined there is a franticness to the fray. Sharess avoids it as best she can, hiding behind Donovan when he steps in and clambering up to demand Fall-un'tir join in. He shoves her when she grabs him, but steps back when Abaddon rises.

Abaddon ignores the two and steps in to join the fight, ripping through his opponents with ease, and Sharess watches him for only a moment before she is thrown from the skull and lands against the floor hard.

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