“W-What?!" High Priest Lorendil bellowed, his voice reverberating across the chamber. He shot up from his seat, accidentally knocking the chair several feet back, causing it to topple over.
However, the chair was the least of High Priest Lorendil's concerns, as his gaze fixated on the attendant who had just rushed into his room.
Normally, such an intrusion would lead to immediate execution, but the gravity of the news granted the attendant a reprieve.
"How long ago?" The High Priest demanded, his eyes piercing into the attendant.
"Just a day ago, word will likely spread in the next couple of days," the attendant replied, still kneeling at the entrance, too afraid to meet the High Priest's eyes.
High Priest Lorendil rubbed his forehead, pacing back and forth in front of his desk. What in the world was happening? It seemed as though the world was crumbling around them. And High Priest Lorendil was not one to exaggerate.
Alright, perhaps he was prone to exaggerate, but he couldn't believe that all the recent events were mere coincidences. There had to be something more, something he was unaware of, and not knowing bothered him to no end.
"Have you gathered any information yet?"
"No, Your Holiness, the information has just arrived." The attendant replied, kneeling even further.
High Priest Lorendil let out a slow breath, contemplating the next course of action.
"I want you to summon the council," High Priest Lorendil said, his face taking on a grave expression
"Your Holiness?" The attendant looked up briefly, a puzzled expression on his face.
"Just do it," the High Priest snapped. "As you said, word will soon spread about the event. It's better if I inform them first in an environment where I can monitor their actions. Who knows what could happen if they were to learn about it on their own." The High Priest spoke, trying to convince himself as much as the attendant.
The attendant bowed and quickly stepped out of the chamber.
The High Priest let out another slow breath. The council had been one of his ingenious ideas. Throughout the Elven Empire's history, there had never been such a prolonged period without a Chosen, so the High Priest had to take matters into his own hands. He had formed a "council" comprising nobles, High Priests, and City Lords.
In a way, the council ensured the empire's smooth functioning. In reality, it served as a way to keep the different powers and families in check, satisfying their egos by granting them a semblance of authority. So far, the idea had worked, maintaining a balance and preventing unforeseen rebellions.
However, with the news that the High Priest was about to share, the council's balance might be put to a real test.
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***
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"Thank you all for coming," High Priest Lorendil began, his voice resonating with authority across the empty room. Well, empty except for the long oval table in the middle of the room and the 2 dozen or so High-Elves, all dressed in extravagant garments, sitting around it.
"As some of you may have heard or sensed, we are facing a profound disruption in the natural order. The Chosen, who should have emerged by now, has not. However, that is not the matter I am going to discuss today. Today an event has unfolded that is even more concerning."
Whispers spread among the council members, exchanging worried glances. The High Priest took a long deep breath, closing his eyes briefly before continuing, “ Silverhaven has fallen to the Dark Elves.”
You could hear a pin-drop in the silence that followed.
Silverhaven was one of the High Elves’ largest settlements, the largest amongst the northern coast of the Holy Hexagon. It was a marvel of High Elven architecture, renowned for its enchanting beauty and silvery glow that envelopes the city during certain times of the day, hence the name Silverhaven. And while visibly beautiful it also had a plethora of natural defenses, such as Elven trees, cliffs and a port that laid on one side.
"How is that possible?" one of the nobles asked, a sense of trepidation in his voice.
“We are not entirely sure yet.” The High Priest continued. “But reports indicate that a large fleet of Dark Elves arrived under the cover of night. Reports also suggest that the Dark Elven Chosen was also there.”
“That makes no sense,” said a gruff noble. “Why would they devote such a large force to attacking us? That leaves their borders open to invasion from other races. There’s a reason most Chosen’s stay within their homeland — they fear the damage that other races will cause if they leave.”
The High Priest nodded, acknowledging the point. “That’s true. However, our scouts indicate that something has already happened within the Dark Elves homeland. Something unprecedented. It seems like the race is on the brink of collapse, much of their cities have fallen recently. It seems like, and let me remind you all that this is speculation here, the Dark Elves were fleeing their homeland.”
The silence returned, this time even more deafening.
"What?" came a squawk of a noble, fear shaking his voice. "What race could be so powerful to push the Dark Elves out of their homeland in a couple of months? We've literally been fighting the Dark Elves for millennia and never seen such effectiveness or progress."
The Dark Elf homeland lay to the north of the Holy Hexagon, separated by a short expanse of ocean known as the Void Passage. Throughout history, numerous fleets from both the High Elves and the Dark Elves had attempted to traverse this passage, seeking to raid each other's cities and settlements. Yet, capturing a major city was a rare feat, and any gains were swiftly reversed as one race struggled to establish a foothold on the other's territory.
In stark contrast to the exclusively High Elven inhabitants of the Holy Hexagon, the Dark Elf homeland, situated on the vast continent of Aran'thal, was a diverse realm. Spanning a considerable portion of the northern world, Aran'thal was significantly larger than the Holy Hexagon. Over the years, various races had made this continent their home, with orcs, beastmen, goblins, and even some humans dwelling within its borders.
The High Priest returned to the present and sighed, shaking his head. "We are not entirely sure which race, or if it was a race at all. Our intelligence finds that no force has mobilized such a large-scale attack on the Dark Elves before."
"It seems like we must gather more information first before we make any moves," came the Patriarch of House Gadaran’s deep voice. "We must send out more scouts to get a better understanding."
High Priest Lorendil nodded in agreement. "Indeed, we need more information before making any hasty decisions. I shall dispatch additional scouts and mages to investigate the situation further."
The council members murmured their agreement, each realizing the gravity of the situation. The fall of Silverhaven and the Dark Elves' unexpected exodus presented an unprecedented challenge for the High Elven Empire.
“I also believe that we should move the third and fourth army to settlements neighboring Silverhaven, in case the Dark Elves try to expand within the Holy Hexagon,” the High Priest continued.
Looking around, he could see hesitation on some of the council members' faces. The High Elves had a total of five armies on the Elven continent. Diverting the third and fourth armies to the north would potentially weaken other areas of the continent.
“Would it be wise to divert both armies? Especially since the third army is currently located within this capital city? If the third army leaves, the capital city might be at risk of attack,” came another Priest’s question.
High Priest Lorendil nodded, expecting the question. “I believe so. Our first priority should be defending the entire continent, not just the capital city. The threat the Dark Elves pose to us is too great to not be handled with extreme caution. We can’t let them expand. Besides, I think the capital city's garrison is enough to defend, or at least hold out until an army can arrive.”
High Priest Lorendil could see nods around the table, people agreeing with his words. “All in favor?” he questioned, raising his right hand.
Most of the council also raised their hands, indicating their favor.
“Alright," said the High Priest. "I will send a message to the third and fourth armies, informing them of the situation and directing them to move towards the neighboring settlements of Silverhaven."
Another noble raised his voice, his expression determined. “I also suggest that we mobilize some of our strongest life and light mages in the area. We know that the Dark Elven Chosen uses dark magic, and given that we do not currently have our own Chosen, we have to hope that the life and light mages can hold their own against him.”
The High Priest nodded in agreement, appreciating the strategic thinking. “Excellent suggestion. I will give the order immediately."
A city lord interjected with a tone of frustration and anger, “Speaking of Chosens. Do we have any information about ours yet? It has been months. Are we sure he or she is even alive?"
The question weighed heavily in the air, as the High Priest exchanged glances with the council members. Many of them also held expressions of frustration or anger. The absence of the Chosen was an enigma that continued to baffle them all. The Chosen was not just a symbol of hope and power for the High Elven Empire, but also a vital link to the divine and a protector against the empire’s enemies.
"We have conducted extensive divinations and scoured the ancient texts, but there has been no definitive sign of our Chosen's whereabouts. Furthermore, despite our pleading, Augustus himself has yet to give us a sign," High Priest Lorendil replied, his voice tinged with slight concern. "However, we must not lose hope. The Chosen has appeared in our history during the darkest of times. We must trust in the divine providence and believe that our Chosen will reveal themselves when the time is right."
Several council members nodded in agreement, their faces reflecting a mixture of hope and worry. Other council members looked less sure, their faces conveying expressions of contemplation or doubt. High Priest Lorendil knew precisely what they were thinking.
They worried that the emergence of the new Chosen would disrupt the current power balance within the empire, potentially causing them to lose some of their power and positions. This internal struggle was all too familiar to High Priest Lorendil, as he had grappled with the same dilemma on numerous occasions. Should he cling to his current wealth and position, even if it meant risking instability and possible destruction within the empire? Or should he embrace the Chosen, accepting a potential loss of power, but prioritizing the long-term stability of the realm?
High Priest Lorendil wasn’t going to lie and say that he was the most selfless of people. He couldn’t be, not with his position. Realistically, he would likely do whatever it took to ensure he retained his power.
High Priest Lorendil looked around the room continuing, "In the meantime, we shall rely on the strength of our people and the unity of our council to face this threat. We must bolster our defenses, gather intelligence, and prepare for any eventuality. The safety of the High Elven Empire and the well-being of our people depend on our actions."
