Balance in Darkness

As everyone absorbed the plan, General Thailon Ninloth looked at every face at the table, his face serious. ''Any questions?''

Sergeant Bran, a tall, burly soldier with a scar across his face, raised his hand. ''With respect, general, but why do we aim to stop the coup to King Faelor? Wouldn't a commotion within the light elf ranks be to our advantage?''

The general met Sergeant Bran's gaze, understanding the underlying concern. The room fell silent as everyone awaited the General's response.

"Your point is valid, Sergeant," Ninloth began, his tone measured. "However, this coup is not just a mere internal squabble. Commander Valthor's faction is more extreme and far more dangerous. If they succeed in overthrowing King Faelor, they will gain control of the weapon and the resources that come with it. This would not only strengthen their position but also pose a significant threat to us."

He paused, letting his words sink in before continuing. "On the other hand, as we learned from our light-elven captives, King Faelor and his council are against using this new weapon. A stable, albeit weakened, enemy is preferable to a volatile and powerful one. By preventing this coup, we keep the weapon plans from falling into more hostile hands and maintain a more predictable opponent."

Sergeant Bran nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. "Understood, General.''

Captain Lora, a tall, red-headed woman in shining silver plate armor, looked at Ninloth and cleared her throat before speaking. ''General, if we play our cards right, we might even be able to use this situation to our advantage. An indebted King Faelor could become an unexpected ally or at least a less aggressive enemy. We have his son and if we return him without…" 

Arden let out a sinister laugh. Captain Lora, furious that he dared to mock her words in such a meeting, gave the dark elf assassin an irritated look. 

''You have a problem with my words, bringer of death?'' she asked pronouncing the last words with a tone that dripped irony.

''Seriously?'' Arden said with a mocking tone, smirking. ''And you still ask if there's a problem like a dimwit… ''

Ninloth gave Arden a deadly look which the dark elf returned with a cold smirk, but the general's look was enough to make him fall silent. 

Captain Lora's furious face looked red like a dragon ready to blow fire. ''General, this is unacceptable.'' 

Another ranked soldier, Captain Drazel, a lean dark elf with sharp features joined in the talk. ''What is actually unbelievable is that you dare talk about an alliance with the light elves in our presence.'' He turned to General Ninloth. ''General, you very well know this wouldn't be a smart choice as it would offend the dark elves in our ranks.''

''Well…'' Captain Lora replied, her face still slightly red. ''Maybe the dark elves could try and be a little reasonable for the sake of our Tenebrya.''

General Ninloth raised a hand, silencing the room. "Enough. We are here to discuss strategies and ensure our survival, not to bicker among ourselves. Captain Lora, your point is noted. An alliance with King Faelor, however unlikely, could provide us with strategic advantages. But we must approach this delicately."

Captain Drazel's sharp eyes narrowed. "General, I must insist. Any form of alliance with the light elves will cause significant unrest among the dark elf soldiers. We have been at odds for centuries. Trust does not come easily."

Ninloth nodded thoughtfully. "I understand your concerns, Captain Drazel. That is why any overtures of peace or alliance will be handled with extreme caution. For now, our primary objective is to prevent Valthor from gaining power. The rest we can negotiate later."

A tall, elegant figure stood up at the back of the room. Lord Valerius, the blue-blood vampire, made his way to the table, his icy blue eyes taking in the assembled leaders. His voice, smooth and cold, cut through the tension like a knife. ''Excuse me, general. May I speak?''

Ninloth looked at the blue-blood vampire with a calm expression. ''Of course, Lord Valerius.''

The vampire lord's eyes scanned the table then he momentarily looked at Captain Lora, then to the dark elves. ''I doubt the general would take any action that would throw the unity of Tenebrya at risk. I believe everyone here speaks for the good of our kingdom,'' he began with his icy tone. Then he indicated the continent of Tenebrya on the large map that rested on the table. ''But in my opinion, an alliance with the light elves is not possible in our position. It is not only because it would cause unrest among the dark elves, but also because our cultures do not align with theirs. We, the Tenebryan Alliance, have been thriving for hundreds of years thanks to the fact that the unique culture of each people in our kingdom; humans, dark elves, felinars, and blue bloods, is harmonious with one another. The so-called 'non-elitist'...'' he went on pronouncing the word 'non-elitist' with an obvious tone of irony, ''...culture of light elves would disturb this harmony. Thus, even though I understand that Captain Lora is trying to give us the upper hand, it just wouldn't work in reality.''

The room remained silent as Lord Valerius's words settled over the assembled leaders. General Ninloth nodded in agreement, his expression reflecting the gravity of the situation.

"Thank you, Lord Valerius," Ninloth said, his voice steady. "Your insight is invaluable. The stability and unity of Tenebrya have always been our priorities. We will proceed with caution, ensuring that any actions we take do not jeopardize our internal harmony."

Captain Lora, though clearly still displeased with Arden's earlier mockery, nodded in reluctant agreement. "Understood, General. My apologies if my suggestion seemed impractical."

Ninloth offered her a brief, understanding nod. "Your strategic thinking is appreciated, Captain. We must explore every possibility, even those that seem unlikely. Now, let's focus on our immediate objectives. I believe everyone has absorbed the plan.'' His eyes surveyed every leader on the table until his look stopped on Lord Valerius. ''Lord Valerius…'' he addressed the vampire ''Will the blue bloods be able to support us on our operations?''

Lord Valerius gave him a graceful nod. ''Of course, general. We have both the strength and numbers to support both operations.''

''That's good to hear.'' Ninloth went on. ''We can use an elite force of blue bloods on Arden's infiltration team. And I would appreciate it if you could take a troop or two to secure the encampment while we are away.''

Valerius smiled, his pure white, sharp fangs showing. ''Consider it done, general.'' 

General Ninloth acknowledged Lord Valerius with a nod. "Excellent. The coordination between our forces will be crucial to the success of these operations."

As the meeting continued, Captain Lora spoke up again, this time with a more measured tone. "General, we should also consider the possibility of intelligence leaks. With such a delicate plan, if any information reaches Valthor or his supporters, our mission could be compromised."

Ninloth nodded, appreciating her caution. "Agreed, Captain Lora. We must ensure that our plans remain confidential. I will personally oversee the communication channels and ensure that only the necessary personnel are informed."

Arden leaned back in his chair, his eyes gleaming with a mix of amusement and focus. "And what about our dear captive prince? He could be a valuable source of information, but also a potential liability if he manages to escape or deceive us."

The general's gaze shifted to Arden. "Prince Eryndor will be kept under strict surveillance. We will interrogate him thoroughly and use whatever means necessary to ensure his cooperation. Berdine, I trust you will be able to handle this?"

Berdine, who had been quietly observing the exchange, nodded. "Yes, General. I will see to it personally. I have methods that will ensure he remains compliant without causing unnecessary harm."

''Good,'' Ninloth replied then, with the room's tension eased now, he turned his attention back to the map, his fingers tracing the locations they needed to target. "We have our teams and our objectives. Now we need to finalize the logistics."

He looked at Arden. "You'll take a group of elite blue bloods led by Lord Valerius. Your mission is to infiltrate Valthor's stronghold and neutralize the threat. You'll need to move quickly and quietly. Do you have a plan in mind?"

Arden, still smirking from the earlier exchange, nodded. "We'll use the cover of night. Blue bloods are adept at moving silently and can see in the dark as well as us dark elves can.'' he pointed at a certain spot on the map. ''We'll approach from here, the eastern side, where the stronghold's defenses are weakest. Once inside, we'll locate Valthor and his key supporters and eliminate them."

Ninloth gave a curt nod. "Good. You very well know that the element of surprise is crucial. If Valthor gets wind of our approach, he'll fortify his position and we'll lose our advantage."

Arden waved his concerns away with a gesture of his hand. ''They won't know what hit them, general.''

Captain Drazel, who had remained silent since his earlier outburst, spoke up. "General, I would like to volunteer my squad to accompany Arden's team. We have experience in covert operations and can provide additional support."

Ninloth considered the offer for a moment before confirming. "Very well, Captain Drazel. Your squad will join Arden and the blue bloods. Ensure that your men are prepared and ready to move out by nightfall."

Drazel saluted sharply. "Yes, General."

Turning to Berdine, Ninloth continued, "You will accompany my team to the dwarven territory. Your healing and magic-thwarting skills will be invaluable if we encounter any traps or magical defenses. Are you ready for this?"

Berdine's lavender eyes met Ninloth's gaze, her expression resolute. "I am, General. I'll do whatever it takes to ensure the weapon plans are secured."

Ninloth gave a rare smile. "I know you will, Berdine. Your presence will be a great asset to our team."

At this point Arden snickered inwardly, slightly shifting in his seat. Realizing his movement, Ninloth turned to look at him but he couldn't pinpoint what this was supposed to mean so he did not say anything. Not to mention he had a more important work at hand than trying to figure out Arden's antics.

He then addressed the entire room. "We have our orders. Let's move swiftly and decisively. Time is of the essence. Dismissed."

As the leaders began to disperse, Arden caught up with Lord Valerius. "Looks like we'll be working together," he said, his tone surprisingly amicable.

Valerius gave a cool nod. "Indeed. I trust your skills, Arden. Together, we will ensure Valthor's plans are thwarted."

Arden's smirk returned. "Just try to keep up, vampire."

Valerius's lips curled into a slight smile. "I wouldn't worry about that, assassin." With that, he returned to the back room of the command tent to discuss the plans further with Ninloth who also made his way to the back room after a small talk about the final preparations with the officers.

Watching the two commanding men vanish into the backroom, Arden moved his attention to Berdine who was just stepping out of the tent. ''Berdine…'' he called out for her making her halt.

The felinar lady's ears twitched at the sound and she turned to him. ''What is it, Arden?''

The dark elf assassin gave her a mischievous smile. ''I was wondering if you would like to share a dinner in my tent.''

Berdine raised her eyebrows at him and placed her hands on her hips, giving him a judging look. ''I have no time for your games, assassin. I have preparations to do.''

Arden shook his head as he took a few steps closer to her. ''No games. I promise. Just a dinner.'' 

Berdine sighed, her eyes narrowing as she considered his offer. "Fine. But if this is some kind of trick, Arden, you'll regret it."

Arden held up his hands in mock surrender. "No tricks, Berdine. Just dinner. I promise."

Berdine glanced around the camp, ensuring no one was watching too closely, then nodded. "Alright. Lead the way."

As they made their way to Arden's tent, the sounds of the camp bustling with preparations filled the air. Soldiers were sharpening weapons, checking equipment, and discussing strategies. The tension was palpable, but so was the determination.

Inside Arden's tent, a small table was set with simple fare—bread, cheese, and some dried meat. A bottle of wine stood at the center, along with two cups. Arden motioned for Berdine to sit as he poured the wine.

Berdine took a seat, her eyes scanning the tent. "This is... surprisingly civilized, Arden."

Arden chuckled as he handed her a cup. "Even assassins need to eat, Berdine. And sometimes, it's nice to have good company."

They ate in silence for a few moments, each lost in their thoughts about the upcoming mission. Finally, Berdine spoke up. "Arden, do you ever wonder if there's a different way? A way to end this war without so much bloodshed?"

Arden paused then chuckled at her words. ''I'm going to be honest with you, Berdine. I have thought about it. But our world is built on conflict and it is a gruesome place. Thus, such thoughts are dangerous. While you try to reason with your enemies to avoid bloodshed, be sure they will be plotting from your back to take your head.''

Berdine's lips curled with a disappointed expression. "I know. It's just that, sometimes, I can't help but hope for something better. For a future where we don't have to be constantly at war. I am tired, Arden. All my life I have been fighting wars, trying to heal soldiers at war, trying to keep gravely wounded alive. So I cannot help but imagine a better, peaceful world."

Arden's expression softened slightly. ''To fantasize about such things isn't bad. Just be careful it doesn't blind you to reality for the reality is that there are thousands of people out there who want our hides.'' He took a sip of his wine and leaned back in his chair. ''But we will prevail, bloodshed or not, we will crush them all. Then you will have your much-desired peace of mind.''

Berdine gave him a wide smile ''Well...I am not sure if I will live up to see those days but I appreciate your weak attempt at comforting me.''

Arden laughed which was surprisingly sincere compared to his usual mocking laughter. ''You know, comforting people is not my best skill. But, for what it's worth, I'm glad you're here. Your optimism keeps us grounded." 

Berdine looked at him, surprised by his words. "Thank you, Arden. I suppose we balance each other out."

Arden smiled. "Yes, I suppose we do." He raised his cup. "For Tenebrya, then."

Berdine raised her cup, clinking it against his. "For Tenebrya."