The throne room of Eldoria Crown Keep felt colder than it had in a long while. The high vaulted ceilings, once filled with the sounds of grand decisions and triumphs, now seemed hollow. A huge weight hung in the air, as if the very stones of the castle had grown tired,weak and weary from the ongoing war that threatened to consume them whole.
King Aldric Velthorn king of velkis sat upon his throne, a once imposing figure now hunched slightly, the events of endless battles showing in his tired eyes. His fingers tightened around the armrests, betraying his internal frustration. He had lived through countless wars, had seen his fair share of victories and losses, but this felt different from all the kingdom was unraveling and his hands, though firm on the throne, felt like they were slipping.
Before him stood his war council, the last line of defense for the kingdom. The Duke Vale Le Noctra stood near the back, his black armor reflecting the dim light from the high windows. He was as unmoving and null as ever, a man of few words, and none of his usual confidence seemed to solace the king today.
The King's eyes snapped to the Duke his voice like iron when it finally broke the silence that had settled over the room
You stand before me as the strongest yet I have seen no results his words cut through the room like a blade the Round Table's ranks have thinned, and what have we to show for it Nothing but loss
There was a deep silence that followed by An absolute constriction that took over the room as if the air itself had solidified allowing only shallow panicked breaths A collective shuffling passed through the council, avoiding eye contact with the King, knowing that the Duke would soon have to answer for his failures. The King's voice had never carried such weight and the Duke's expression remained Remained static a mask of impassive calm that hid whatever thoughts churned within him.
Your Majesty he Duke's voice came at last, his tone steady, though laced with an edge of defiance I have seen the enemy's strength We fight not only their armies but their magic, their ruthlessness The Empire is not an opponent we can face with brute force alone
The King's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. His fingers tightened around the armrests once more as he took in the Duke's words. He had always trusted the Duke's strength, but results those were what mattered now Words meant little in the face of defeat.
And yet, we have seen no victories yet we Found no purchase only suffering You have failed us the King's voice rang out his frustration palpable. He stood, his heavy cloak flowing behind him as he stepped toward the Duke, The council writhed in the stifling quiet but the atmosphere remained petrified, You were summoned to account for this he murmured, Remained static the silence clotting around his words. 'Offer me something more than this hollow futility
The Duke stood, unmoving, as the King's words lashed out like whips The council writhed in the stifling quiet, but the atmosphere remained petrified give me something other than hollowness he hissed It was then that the silence was cloven by a feverish rhythm of approaching feet.
A soldier burst into the room, armor streaked with dust and sweat, breath quick and uneven as he dropped to one knee before the throne. His message was urgent, and it was exactly what the King needed to hear.
Your Majesty the soldier gasped, news from the front lines. A report from Sir Vald of the West Wind Brigade. He has secured a victory at Gravemith Hollow, Your Majesty. The mithril mine has been reclaimed, and our forces are holding it.
A collective exhalation hissed through the chamber, as if a constricting lung had finally found air the mithril mines, vital to the kingdom's strength and power, had been a focal point in this war the Empire had been relentless in its pursuit of them, and their loss would have been disastrous. The King's eyes softened for a moment, his chest rising as he breathed a sigh of relief.
Finally something worth hearing The King's voice was quieter now, almost relieved, but still edged with the weight of the war that had raged on for far too long
But even this victory was not enough to ease the strain in the King's heart.
The Duke, still standing at the back of the room, remained as natural as ever. did He expect the news or perhaps he had simply known that a small victory would hardly turn the tide of war. The Duke's gaze was lost calculating and the King could feel the room had adjust The Duke's aloofness was bothering him he had expected more from the man who had once been his greatest ally
And then, without a word, the Duke turned and left the room.
The doors slammed shut behind him, leaving an air of tension that was even heavier than before.
With the Duke's departure, the conversation in the room drifted to matters of greater urgency. The Lost Blades the Tenth and Twelfth Seats of the knights of the round table the elites of velkis had been absent for months, and their mithril weapons had not been recovered. They were the legacy of two of Velkris' greatest warriors:
Sir Kyros Ashford wielder of Drakefang a colossal expanse of mithril that seemed to curdle the very air around it. Its presence wasn't merely heavy; it was a gravitational bruise, a raw vein of annihilation that made the atmosphere shudder and fray at the edges .
And Lady Selene Virot, beareal of Luminara the quicksilver pulse, the Twelfth Seat. A blade that didn't just fight it consecrated the slaughter, bleaching entire battlefields until the very memory of blood was dissolved in a searing, white amenity.
Both had died defending the kingdom, and with their deaths, their blades had disappeared.
The war council knew that without these weapons, Velkris was losing a part of its soul. The Duke had always been the one to focus on military strength, but these lost blades were more than just tools they were symbols of the kingdom's glory
We cannot afford to lose them Sir Garrick Stonehelm spoke first, his voice hoarse with the years of war. These blades were forged with the power of the kingdom itself. Losing them weakens us
The council nodded in agreement understanding the weight of his words. And then, the leader of the intelligence team, Lord Kellen, stepped forward. His face was grim, but his eyes gleamed with the weight of his news
Your Majesty, I bring good news.
The King looked up, his attention snapping to the intelligence officer.
What news?
We have located the Drakefang blade Lord Kellen said, his voice steady, but with the underlying sense of triumph. It is in Empirecontrolled territory, near Ashen Divide
The room fell into stunned silence.
The Empire has found it? the King asked, his voice barely above a whisper. How and so fast
We don't know yet, but we've received reliable information that they are consolidating forces to move toward the blade
The King stood his face hardening into something cold and determined.
We cannot let this happen the King said, his voice steady and filled with an authority that would brook no argument Sir Vald is already in the region I will send him immediately to recover the blade before the Empire can lay claim to it
He turned to Sir Garrick Stonehelm who was in charge of war tactics.
Reinforce Vald with Sir Raegar Voltis' forces. His speed will be essential and we cannot afford to delay
Sir Garrick nodded, already calculating the best way to mobilize the forces.
Understood Your Majesty.
The King's Resolve The King's eyes lingered on the door where the Duke had just exited His mind raced with waves of taughts. His thoughts were sharper than ever Velkris was at a crossroads and the road ahead was treacherous If they lost these blades, the Empire would have the advantage.
But the Duke.. the Duke's absence from the council, his lack of response to the King's frustration, did not sit well with him. Something frightening was brewing beneath the surface. Something he would have to confront soon enough.
But for now, the kingdom's survival depended on the retrieval of the blade.
The next move had to be flawless.
And as the meeting drew to a close, the King's thoughts turned toward Vald his only hope in this mission.
We must succeed at all cost the King muttered under his breath. Velkris cannot afford to fail not while I sit on this throne