Meanwhile in a cave, a meeting was being held.
The cave was silent except for the soft scrape of cloaks against jagged stone. Shadows pooled across the walls, flickering slightly in the light of a single torch perched precariously in the center of the chamber. Hooded figures gathered in a rough circle, their faces obscured by darkness.
One of them stepped forward, voice low but edged with urgency.
"We've failed again," the figure said, tone sharp, almost accusing. "At this rate, we'll lose everything. Our window is closing."
A ripple of murmurs went through the group. One of the hooded figures, taller than the others, leaned forward, hands pressed against a stone ledge. "Hurry. Every delay is a risk. If we don't act now, everything we've worked for will be wasted. Do you want that? Do you want our plans to crumble before they've begun?"
