The room grew heavy with silence after Saeldir, Arlyn, Sylra, and Vael finished recounting what they had seen in the other world where Laston resided. King Fairon clenched his fists, his gaze fixed downward as if searching for an answer within the marble floor. Beside him, King Gulben could only grit his teeth.
This was a disaster. Even just minutes before the five scouts had returned, Aurdis had already reported that dozens—perhaps even hundreds—of metal birds were stationed in the skies just a few kilometers from the palace.
That meant Laston had already positioned his army here, ready to attack at his command.
The two kings could only ponder in silence, fully aware of the dire situation they now faced. Too much was happening, and it was all because of an enemy more dangerous than they had ever imagined.
Their original plan—to send their armies to eliminate the enemies scattered throughout the region—had to be abandoned. They couldn't afford to spread their soldiers and mages any further for something uncertain.
Suddenly, King Fairon rose from his seat. "I will return to the forest and gather my soldiers to bring them here," he declared.
King Gulben opened his mouth as if to protest, unwilling to let his ally take such a risk, knowing that it could weaken his forces. But right now, he had no choice. He needed more soldiers.
"Thank you, Fairon," King Gulben said, his tone firm.
King Fairon gave a brief nod. As he prepared to leave, Arlyn, Sylra, and Vael moved to follow him, but he stopped them. "There's no need for you to come with me," he said. "Focus on your recovery first."
The three Forest Elves nodded. Their king would return soon, so there was no need for them to accompany him.
Without further delay, King Fairon conjured a portal leading directly to his kingdom in the Dawnwood Forest. The shimmering gateway cast a glow across the chamber. He stepped into the swirling energy and vanished from the throne room.
Aurdis stood in the corner, her hands clasped tightly in front of her chest as she swallowed hard. The situation was getting worse. Her face was filled with worry and fear. At this moment, she still hadn't revealed that Erend had gone to another world to save Saeldir, Aerchon, and the three Forest Elves.
She didn't know how he would react if he found out that Erend had suddenly decided to interfere. But at this point, her father must have also realized that trying to keep Erend from intervening had been a mistake.
King Gulben turned toward Aurdis, and she met his gaze. A silent message passed between them. Aurdis understood what her father was thinking—he knew he had no choice but to allow Erend to act.
Yet, Aurdis was still uncertain. She knew her father would not easily set aside his pride by going back on his word. But if he didn't, the Elf Palace would lose many soldiers.
Aurdis sighed, steeling herself. If her father remained stubborn and still refused to let Erend and Eccar interfere, then she would order the two Dragonborn to act!
After a few seconds of silence, King Gulben knew he could no longer remain still, trapped in thought. He had to act, he have to give orders for his people to move.
"Prepare a few of our strongest mages to cast spells against those metal birds standing by," King Gulben commanded, his tone firm yet calm. He worked hard to conceal his unease—after all, a king could not afford to appear anxious before his people.
"But we still don't know how strong those metal birds are, Your Majesty. What if our spell attack backfires?" one of the advisors asked.
King Gulben exhaled heavily before responding. "But we can't just sit and do nothing, can we? Start with a small-scale attack, target one of them first, and observe the results."
The advisor bit his lip but then nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty." He quickly left the room to carry out his task.
King Gulben turned to Saeldir, Arlyn, Sylra, and Vael, who were still present. "You may go. Get some rest—you all deserve it."
The four were escorted out of the room by healers, their chairs carried toward the infirmary.
The King then ordered his advisors to begin devising a war strategy, assuming that the enemy could attack from all directions—by land, air, or even underground.
Aurdis remained in the room. She stepped toward her father with firm strides and a determined expression, ready to say what had been on her mind all this time.
But before she could speak, King Gulben looked at her and said, "Not now, Aurdis." His tone was equally firm, leaving no room for argument. He already knew what she was about to say.
Aurdis pressed her lips into a thin line. She simply nodded, then turned on her heels and walked toward the door, leaving her stubborn father to his affairs.
Aurdis returned to Saeldir's chamber, which was now occupied only by Erend and Eccar, who were somehow enjoying their tea. Erend looked up at Aurdis and immediately noticed the anger in her expression.
"Something happened?" Erend asked.
"Yes. A lot happened in just one night," Aurdis replied as she walked over and took the remaining seat, letting out a long sigh.
Erend and Eccar watched her in silence for a moment before Erend finally spoke. "What did your father say?"
"As you both expected," Aurdis said, her tone laced with annoyance. "He wouldn't even listen to my proposal."
Erend exhaled heavily, setting his teacup down on the table. "I understand your father's feelings. He doesn't want to be too indebted to us."
"I know. But right now, I'm certain he's prioritizing his pride over the fate of our kingdom," Aurdis said. "At first, I agreed with his decision, but the situation has worsened. We can't handle this on our own."
Then, her expression darkened. "Or… we'll lose our soldiers. A lot of them."