Brewing Tension

[In the capital city of Lutora]

In a grand war room sat 10 people around the giant table. In the middle, the whole continent was projected. The war was already silently on the way. Troops have been moved cities prepared and many small skirmishes along the border have already broken out.

"So he is still sleeping?" Emporer Lakos Luvari II. asked in a heavy tone. He didn't imagine that the sleeping snake would do much in the grand scheme of things but, any little bit would help. 

"Yes." answered an elf dressed in loose royal robes. 

"Do we already know how the Solstice Venom will affect the citizens?"

"Nothing concrete yet, but the royal scribe has found some documents about it. But there are told to be many different kinds of this solstice venom originating from a single goddess, yet unknown. But it spoke of great effects and devastating potency. Even for us those scriptures are far too old to find a good answer. Those on the central continent surely have more information about it."

"Good, send letters to the central continents universities and archives. We still have some good standings with few of them."

"It will be done, my Emporer!" He stood up and left the meeting.

"Do you know when he is going to wake up?" Asked the Emporer as he turned to an old bearded elf.

The elf ran his fingers through his beard and spoke, "Sadly, no Emporer. We have stationed some hidden guards for him. So no need to be worried about his safety. The Sage also said that taking such an evolutionary-rich material tends to prolong the process. And that is without the ichor."

"But do you think he will be awake when the war is starting in full force?"

Another elf spoke up, she stood up, and bowed, "As of now it will be highly unlikely that the Acutra will wake up before the war reaches the city. I still don't get why you would allow it to remain in the city, Lakos! It should have been moved here to be studied or nurtured by the high priests!"

Hearing such disrespecting words from her he could only smile, but his eyes gleamed with power. A pressure washed over the room and everyone in it began to look tense. "Larsa, I know you are my sister dearest, but I told you already. In such an official meeting don't talk to me like that. And stop questioning my every decision. I have my reasons and I cant always put them into words, but remember. Everything I do is for the benefit of our empire and our people."

Larsa could only bow deeper, "My deepest apologies Emporer. I have spoken out of turn."

Lakos eyes soften and he lets out a sigh, "It's fine, all the stress is getting to me. Anyway, I want a status update on the front. Has their main army on the northwest front already begun to move?"

"No. But one of the frontier cities has already been hit. Matinka the fort city is still under siege, but without any reinforcement from our druids and hawks, they won't be lasting more than a week. The humans have also begun to salt the burned forests so that our nature magic won't be as effective anymore."

The Emporer let out another sight. "It's that bad huh..."

"Worse than you think."

"...How are our chances?"

"Not too good, but the outcome can be either way, it's still too early. Oh and Mavis Mavulus has been asked for help by the humans but as we all know he is an eccentric one and we still don't know what he wants here. But he is currently on the east shore."

"Hmmmm I will ignore that for now... What about our elites and S-Rankers?"

"No, most really powerful ones are not going to participate on both sides as the reward is too small or it is beneath them. But that can also be good point as the continent won't be suffering as much major irreversible damage by them as predicted."

"But some still are..."

"Yes, and that is the scary thing. Even our elder druids will be like footsoldiers to them."

"Any good news?"

"Yes, the summoning ritual is complete..... and unexpectedly two major forces have contacted us saying they will support us in the war."

"Which ones?"

She looked left and right but both just shook their heads, not wanting to deliver the "good news", "The Demon Lord of Wrath Scorge, and the Emerald Empire..."

Emporer Lakos' face blanked as he sat there trying to digest the information he was slapped with.

'WHY OF ALL THE PEOPLE ON THIS PLANET IS A DEMON LORD HELPING ELVES IN A WAR AGAINST HUMANS!?!?!? AND WHY ARE THE MOST RECLUSED EMPIRE NOW SUDDENLY INTERESTED IN OUR WAR AT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD!?!?!'

The council whispered and looked concerned at the still Emporer.

"Ah, what truly good news! So what do they want for their help?" Lakos face was calm but they all could see the torrent of thoughts in his mind.

"The two actually have the same request... they want the Acutra back... he is the "mate" of the Emerald Empires princes... and the "disciple" of the demon lord Scorge Wrath Demoneater or so they claim..."

Lakos eyebrow twitched as his body began to shake.

...

Dread Forest was once called the Splitting Zone, but after the war, it now is a place where the stench of death and ash lingers. There are no sounds of insects or other animals. The only thing that could be heard is the sound of fire, explosions, and the screams of the dying.

And in the middle of the Dread Forest, a group of hooded people stood next to a pile of human and elven remains.

"High priest, was that action truly sanctioned by the pope?"

One of the hooded humans turned and scowled, "Yes, so do your job, we must make hast or those damn animals will find us before we are finished with the ritual."

Still having some doubt the acolyte bowed, "As you say, high priest."

The small group of 15 people threw dozens of corpses on a large pentagram that was drawn in the ground.

But in the middle of their task, an arrow pierced one of the acolytes right through their head killing him instantly. The high priest clicked his tongue and taped his staff on the ground while holding a feather. "Oh benevolent god of creation Avar, help your creations in those troubling times and protect us from evil!"

As soon as he finished speaking a barrier of golden light erected around the group. "The elves have found us throw the acolyte on the pile and redraw the pentagram where he bleeds on! We can still survive this once we finish this ritual!"

The acolytes nodded and made pace every one of them was a young man sent here on a suicide mission. Fear struck them as more and more arrows pelted the divine shield, but with determination and pure adrenaline, they managed to finish the ritual.

The high priest knelt before the pile of corpses and silently prayed. All the acolytes joined him.

He could hear the elves shout as cracks formed in the barrier, but it was already too late.

The ritual was finished. The pile of corpses began to smoke and liquify and soon it seeped into the pentagram.

The barrier was broken and the elves began to shoot the acolytes, but they didn't react as if in a trance.

The elves upon seeing the scene momentarily froze in fear, two of them immediately ran away, while the others continued to kill the hooded humans.

The high priest smiled and turned towards the elves. "For the empire! For our God!" With a scream, he stood up and faced them as dozens of arrows penetrated him but his eyes looked onto them. "I may die here but at least I can watch you all die from heaven!"

The high priest waited for an arrow to kill him but he only saw the elves freeze in fear.

A warm hand landed on his shoulder, "And who said that you would come to heaven?"

The priest didn't dare to turn around as he felt the presence right behind him. "What? Cat got your tongue? Don't worry your god might not guide you to heaven but I will personally make sure that you will get a nice place in hell."

The priest started praying but was silent by a hand over his mouth. "Oh stop it you, praying now won't help you. I am in quite a good mood, so don't try and anger me. Heh, Scorge thinks he could run all the way here to avoid me, but too bad. I will take back my feather."

A rustle of feathers could be heard behind him but the priest just closed his eyes and silently continued to pray. "You see a good "friend" of mine, well more like a co-worker, took one of my precious feathers when I was sleeping, told me he would borrow it for just a couple of years, but low and behold a century now gone by and I am still missing my feather. Hah~ but I finally traced it all the way here. What am I even rambling about just... die, please."

 The last thing the priest heard was the laughter of a demon as his soul left the mortal realm.

.

AN: Chapter might be a little bit rushed, might edit it later.

 Oh, and no comment on my disappearing :)

How are there still readers? I am truly blessed! Thanks for sticking by even with those LONGGGG pauses between chapters!