Veil of Night

The air was cold and crisp as winter approached Eldoria. The Tenebryan camp was eerily quiet despite all the working men and women ever since Berdine's capture had spread throughout the camp. Berdine was a loved figure among all Tenebryan forces with her compassion and sympathy so the soldiers in the camp silently mourned for her captivity.

Arriving at the camp early in the morning with his team, it did not take long for Arden to realize that something was off. The usual chatter and clamor were subdued, and a heavy atmosphere of grief and worry hung over the camp like a shroud.

Arden dismounted his horse, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings. The sight of soldiers with bowed heads and whispered conversations filled him with a sense of urgency. He knew they couldn't afford to let morale sink, not with the war still raging and so much at stake.

He saw Captain Thalor passing by and immediately called for him ''Thalor.''

The captain looked up and started to approach him.

Arden spoke without waiting for him to answer back. ''What happened here?''

Captain Thalor's face was grim. "General Ninloth and Lady Starmane led an assault on Ironclad Fortress to retrieve the dwarven weapon plans. The mission failed. Lasy Starmane was captured."

Arden's jaw tightened, his eyes flashing with a mix of anger and concern. "Where is Ninloth?"

"In the command tent," Thalor replied. "He is waiting for your report. Also, he's been planning a rescue mission ever since he returned."

Arden wasted no time. He strode purposefully towards the command tent, his mind racing. He couldn't let Berdine remain in enemy hands. Not only was she crucial to their efforts, but she was also someone he cared about more than he'd like to admit.

Entering the tent, he found General Ninloth hunched over a map, deep in thought. The general looked up as Arden entered, his eyes reflecting the weight of his burden.

"Report," Ninloth ordered without greeting or looking up at him, his voice was weary but resolute.

''Report?'' Arden repeated his jaw still twitching with anger.

Ninloth finally looked up at him with an unreadable expression. ''Yes, assassin. Report. I suppose you are not deaf or something.''

Arden clenched his teeth with annoyance. ''Valthor is dead. The stronghold is secured. No Elindoran left alive. Found several plans and other documents in the stronghold,'' he explained with a cold voice and added ''Now maybe you can report on how you managed to get Berdine captured.''

General Thalion Ninloth's unreadable expression did not change despite Arden's open defiance. He thought he had more important things at hand to worry about than this mere assassin's impudence. ''I already sent my report to the queen as expected from me.''

The general's indifferent expression and tone annoyed Arden deeply. ''How did you let them take her? Do we even know if she is still alive? Mission failed or not. She is our master healer. You should have protected her.''

Finally letting out an expression of disturbance, Ninloth narrowed his eyes at the dark elf. ''I don't need you to tell me who she is, assassin. And I suggest you be careful with your next words or I will be, reluctantly, forced to take action against you and you might find yourselves cleaning the tents with your Adder team instead of joining the rescue mission. And I suppose, being a smart dark elf, you would prefer to discuss the rescue mission instead of bickering like a little bitch.''

The dark elf assassin clenched his teeth with anger again. He wanted to say a lot of things but he remained silent very well knowing that Ninloth had the power to do what he said he would and he surely did not want to stay at camp, removed from his duties. 

''Fine,'' he said stepping up to the table. ''Tell me everything.''

Ninloth outlined the failed assault, detailing the unexpected dwarven reinforcements and the chaotic retreat. "We underestimated their numbers and their readiness. Berdine was taken when they ambushed us after the retreat. We assume they are not planning to kill her, yet." 

Arden's eyes narrowed as he studied the map on the table. The dwarven fortress looked formidable with its strong defenses and the numbers they had. Not to mention now that they had encountered an attack, they most likely reinforced their defenses even more.

''They know who she is,'' Arden said as he kept examining the maps and plans on the general's table. ''They will know we would come for them. With these fortifications, it looks like an impossible mission.''

''Yes,'' Ninloth agreed looking at the maps as well. That was actually what had been troubling him all night, preventing him from having a proper sleep. ''But we must save Berdine one way or another. Not to mention we don't know how much time we have at hand. We have to be smarter and more stealthy."

Arden's mind raced as he processed the information. He knew that a frontal assault would be futile. They needed a plan that would catch the dwarves off guard, something unexpected.

"What about the underground tunnels?" Arden suggested, pointing to the map. "Dwarves are known for their mining. There must be hidden passages we can use."

Ninloth looked thoughtful. "It's risky, but it might be our best chance. We'd need to find a way to locate these tunnels and navigate them without alerting the dwarves."

"Leave that to the Adders," Arden said confidently. "I'll take a small team and scout their mining operations. We can gather intelligence and find a way into the fortress from below."

Ninloth seemed to consider the suggestion for a moment, and then he spoke with resoluteness in his voice. ''Very well. But be very careful. You cannot afford to be seen otherwise we have to say goodbye to that resolution as well. So you will need the best for this operation. Choose your team wisely.''

Arden nodded in silence and left the command tent, his mind already assembling the perfect team for the task. He knew they needed a mix of stealth, combat skills, and knowledge of underground navigation.

He made his way to the section of the camp where his Adders were quartered. As he approached, he saw his second-in-command, Lyra, drilling a group of new recruits. Her sharp eyes caught sight of him, and she immediately dismissed the recruits and walked over.

"Commander," she greeted, her tone respectful but curious. "What's the plan?"

Arden explained the situation briefly, then detailed his idea about using the underground tunnels. Lyra listened intently, her expression becoming more serious with every word.

"We'll need the best," she agreed. "Stealth is crucial. I suggest we take Sarvin for his agility, and Finnian for his knowledge of underground structures. He's spent time studying dwarven mining techniques."

Arden nodded. "Good choices. We'll also need a healer, in case things go sideways. Can you think of anyone suitable?"

Lyra thought for a moment. "There's a young healer named Elara. She's not as experienced as Berdine, but she's quick and discreet. She's been trained in field medicine by Berdine and can handle herself in a tight spot."

''Perfect,'' Arden said ''This time we will also take Blackthorn brothers. Tell them to drop the mission of collecting intelligence from the light-elven camp. This is much more important now. We will need resourceful intelligence masters.''

''Yes, commander.'' Lyra nodded determination could be read on her face. ''When would you like me to gather them all?''

''Tomorrow, we will start our journey at midday and enter the dwarven territory at night. Now go and take a good night's rest.''

Lyra slightly bowed at him. ''Understood, commander.''

Once she was gone, Arden made his way to his tent. He was surprised when he didn't see Ravana already inside. He walked out of his tent looking around, wondering where she could have been. When he saw a young soldier, he told him to send word for Ravana and walked back into his tent.

Arden paced around his tent, trying to focus on the mission ahead. As he contemplated the plans, his mind went to Berdine involuntarily. He was wondering what she was doing now, how they treated her, or even if she was still alive. It was a surprise for him to hear that Ninloth let her slip out of his grasp. But from what he had heard the battle had been a disaster and a lot of soldiers were lost. Being a healer at the front lines, she also should have been more careful. As he was lost in these thoughts, the flap of his tent rustled, and Ravana entered, her expression a mix of concern and relief.

''Arden,'' she began with a neutral tone. ''I heard…''

''Yes, I will be off for another duty.'' Arden cut in on her. ''And yes, it is of utter importance. We have no time for this Ravana…''

Ravana fixed her red eyes on him, her expression still empty. ''Why did you call for me then?''

Arden stared at her for a moment before stepping forward and taking her in his arms. He gave her a long passionate kiss.

Ravana seemed taken aback at first, but she quickly melted into the embrace, her hands finding their way around Arden's neck. When they finally broke the kiss, her eyes held a mixture of longing and concern.

"Why did you call for me, Arden?" she repeated softly.

Arden sighed, resting his forehead against hers. "I needed to see you before we leave. The mission is dangerous, and I don't know what will happen. I needed to remind myself of what's at stake, of why we fight."

Ravana's eyes softened. ''But it is again about that cat woman, isn't it?'' she asked, pouting slightly.

The assassin let out another sigh. ''Don't start with that again, Ravana. You are ruining the…''

Ravana silenced him by placing a thin finger on his lips. ''Alright, alright. Just assume I never mentioned her.'' Then she leaned in to kiss him this time pushing him towards the bed.

Arden let himself be pushed towards the bed, the urgency of the mission momentarily set aside. As they fell onto the soft mattress, Ravana's touch was both a comfort and a distraction. He knew he needed this moment of solace, a reminder of what he was fighting for. They embraced each other, finding a brief escape from the harsh realities outside.