Aurdis looked at Erend and Eccar with worry in her eyes and she was biting her lips anxiously. Her hands clenched into fists as if trying to steady herself.
Erend t her gaze for a mont before turning to Eccar. The two of them exchanged a glance, the tension between them thickening.
"You must report this to the King," Erend said firmly.
Aurdis nodded without hesitation. "Yes.You're right."
She spun on her heels and ran out of the chamber, her Elven robes billowing behind her.
Erend let out a slow sigh, watching her disappear into the corridor. "We should've expected this. Laston isn't the type to just stay in his world while openly declaring war."
Eccar crossed his arms. "I don't know, actually. I've never faced this bastard before."
Erend scoffed. "Right. You still don't know how cunning he is." His jaw tightened, and his mind drifted to the past. "Back then, he managed to smuggle a Dark Elf into this Palace and no one knew about it until I trapped her and finally killed her myself."
Eccar's eyes darkened with understanding. "Hmm… So this guy is actually smart. Maybe his whole declaration of war is just part of his plan, just a distraction." He tapped his fingers against his arm, thoughtful. "What do you think he'll do next?"
Erend fell silent, his mind piecing together what he knew of Laston. Then, suddenly, realization struck him like lightning. His eyes widened slightly, and his posture stiffened.
"Maybe…" He hesitated for a mont, then his voice hardened. "Maybe he's preparing to strike this Palace from sowhere unexpected."
---
Aurdis entered the throne room without knocking, her hurried footsteps echoing against the polished marble floor.
At the center of the grand room, seated on their respective thrones, were King Gulben and King Fairon that right now, they both deeply engaged in a serious discussion. Their expressions were stern but at the sudden intrusion, they turned to her with clear disapproval.
"Aurdis, where are your manners?" King Gulben's voice was sharp, his brows furrowing deeply.
Aurdis caught her breath, realizing how abruptly she had barged in.
"I apologize, Father," she said quickly, bowing slightly. "But this matter is urgent."
The weight in her voice made both kings exchange a glance, their previous discontent replaced by a growing sense of concern. They already knew what this had to be about.
King Gulben straightened, his sharp gaze locking onto his daughter. "What is it?"
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He no longer cared for formalities; if Aurdis was this worry it had to be serious.
Aurdis took a steadying breath before stepping closer.
"I activated Saeldir's detection orb. I used his Magic to search for traces of unusual activity and it found sothing." Aurdis explained. She hesitated for a mont before delivering the crucial detail. "It detected the sa Magic that appeared when the masked figure was here a few days ago. The masked figure that uncle Laston had sent."
A heavy silence fell over the room.
King Gulben's eyes widened slightly, his expression tightening with realization. King Fairon who seated beside him also stiffened, his usually calm deanor shaken.
The masked figure. The one who had appeared like a phantom and wielding power that didn't belong in their world. At that ti, his presence had sent shivers through even the most skilled of their mages and warriors because he had summoned the tal birds.
For a long mont, neither king spoke. Then, King Fairon leaned forward and speak with grave tone. "You're certain?"
Aurdis nodded firmly. "Yes. The detection spell responded imdiately. The sa signature of Magic. Which ans…"
"Which ans Laston's forces have made their move in this world," King Gulben finished, his voice low and grim. He stood from his throne. "And they may already be inside our borders."
King Fairon's gaze darkened. "This is worse than I expected."
Aurdis felt her chest tighten. She had hoped just for a fleeting mont that it was a mistake and she was wrong. But now, hearing the confirmation in her father's voice, the reality of the threat settled over her like a storm.
King Gulben turned to her fully. "Where exactly did the detection spell find this trace?"
Aurdis took another breath. "I don't know yet. The spell is still processing. But it's sowhere within our lands."
King Gulben clenched his jaw, his sharp mind already working through the implications. "Then we don't have ti to waste."
He turned to King Fairon, who gave a single nod of agreent. "I will move my force."
King Fairon then move quickly to the communication orb resting on an ornate pedestal at the side of the throne.
Without hesitation, he placed his hand upon its smooth glowing surface and channeled his Magic energy into it.
The orb pulsed in response, its light shifting into a deep erald hue, signaling that his ssage was being transmitted.
He spoke with steady but urgent voie. "Send my ssage to all commanders in the Forest Elf Kingdom, deploy our soldiers imdiately. Search the surrounding regions for any trace of strange Magic energy or suspicious activity. Do not engage recklessly—observe and report back imdiately. The threat is imminent."
The glow of the orb flickered, confirming that his words had been received. King Fairon exhaled and stepped back, his face looking grim.
King Gulben, still standing from his throne, turned his gaze toward Aurdis.
"You must return to Saeldir's chamber and continue monitoring the detection spell," he said firmly. "If there is any further activity, no matter how small, report it at once."
Aurdis nodded. "Understood."
Then without another word, she turned and hurried out of the room, her heart pounding as she rushed back toward Saeldir's chamber.
anwhile, King Gulben wasted no ti. He moved to a large rune-inscribed tablet mounted on the wall that connected directly to his highest-ranking officers. He placed his palm upon its surface and imdiately, the runes glowed with a golden light.
Within monts, a projection flickered to life before him. His generals appearing one by one through the Magical link. Each of them stood at attention with their eyes locked onto their king.
"Erion,Valthir," King Gulben addressed them with urgency. "Deploy our forces imdiately. Have them search every area around the palace and further for any sign of an intruder. There must be no gaps in our defenses. If anything suspicious is found, do not act recklessly, send word back first."
Both generals bowed deeply. "At once, Your Majesty."
As the connection to his general severed, King Gulben turned to King Fairon.
"If Laston has already begun his move, then we must assu he has a plan beyond what we can see."
King Fairon nodded. "If he has sent forces ahead of his main assault, it ans he is planning sothing far more intricate than a simple invasion."
A heavy silence settled between the two kings as they stood deep in thought, each considering their next move. Waiting was no longer an option because Laston was already moving in the shadows and they had to act before it was too late.
Then, King Fairon broke the silence. "What about your enemies?"
King Gulben blinked, montarily caught off guard. He turned to Fairon, his brows furrowing. "You an…"
Fairon t his gaze evenly. "Laston knows this palace has many enemies. What if he has reached out to them all at once and uniting them under his banner?"
The weight of those words sank deep into King Gulben's chest. His jaw tightened as he swallowed hard. It was a terrifying possibility — but a very real one.
"If that's true, then the reason we're detecting his Magic everywhere isn't just because of his own forces," King Gulben murmured, his mind swirling. "It's because he's reaching others and talking to them with a plan to attack us simultaneously."
Fairon gave a firm nod. "Exactly. If he's supplying them with power from his world or empowering them with his Magic, then we won't just be facing his army. We'll be facing a war on multiple fronts, all coordinated under his command."
King Gulben exhaled sharply, his hands curling into fists. "Damn it. He turned our enemies into his weapons."
Fairon said. "We should send spies. They must infiltrate the known enemy territories and confirm whether there is unusual movent. If these groups are preparing for war, we need to know before they strike."
King Gulben nodded. "Agreed. I will summon my soldiers."
He reached toward the Magical tablet again, his fingers hovering over the glowing runes before pressing firmly against them.
The golden light shimred, and monts later, another projection flickered to life — this ti, a group of Elven scouts unit.
King Gulben wasted no ti. "You need to leave imdiately," he commanded. "Gather information on all our known enemies. Watch for any unusual movents, new alliances, or signs of foreign Magic among them. Report back the mont you confirm anything suspicious."
The leader of the scouts, a sharp-eyed Elf, bowed. "Understood, Your Majesty. We will move now."
As the connection faded, King Fairon exhaled. "This still may not be enough."
King Gulben turned to him. "You're thinking of sending a force preemptively, aren't you?"
Fairon's gaze was cold and calculating. "If Laston is planning to strike us from all sides, then we must weaken his allies before they can act. We must attack them first."
---
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