The great council chamber of Eryndor was a place meant for strategy, not fear. Yet, as Altharion stepped inside, he could feel the tension crackling like static in the air. Maps sprawled across the oak table, littered with markers for battalions, supply routes, and enemy sightings. The murmurs of generals, nobles, and wardens died the moment he entered.
"Lord Altharion," General Kaelor greeted, his voice formal but strained. "We have received troubling news from the western front. The Shadow Vanguard… they have breached the Falridge Pass."
Altharion's gaze darkened. That pass was the kingdom's shield, a bottleneck impossible to take without either overwhelming force or treachery. He leaned forward, eyes scanning the map. "Who commanded the defense?"
"Captain Theren," Kaelor replied, his jaw tightening. "He swore loyalty to the crown… yet the reports suggest he opened the gates himself."
The chamber erupted in outrage—accusations, curses, and demands for Theren's execution. Altharion raised a hand, and silence fell like a hammer. "If this is true," he said, his tone edged with steel, "then betrayal runs deeper than we imagined. We may be fighting shadows… within our own walls."
A younger commander, eyes wide with worry, spoke up. "Then what do we do, my lord? The Shadow Vanguard will be upon the capital within a fortnight."
Altharion's mind moved swiftly, calculating risks and contingencies. "We hold the river crossings. We send riders to rally every able sword from the southern provinces. And…" His voice lowered. "I will personally lead a covert strike to cut off their supply lines. Without food and steel, their momentum will die."
The council shifted uneasily. The plan was daring—and dangerous. But Altharion's presence carried weight; where others hesitated, he acted.
As the meeting adjourned, Kaelor caught up to him in the corridor. "You're putting yourself in the vanguard again," the general said quietly. "The enemy knows your name, Altharion. They'll hunt you."
A grim smile touched Altharion's lips. "Good," he said. "Let them try."
Beyond the city walls, the sky was heavy with storm clouds. War was coming fast, and in the gathering darkness, Altharion knew one thing: this battle would decide more than a kingdom's survival—it would decide the fate of the world itself.