The silence lasted a few seconds, as all the elders tried to process the information provided by the fourth. They couldn't make sense of what he was saying.
All of them had survived the first wave of invasions, the second, and the exile from their cities to the barren lands, forcing them into seclusion.
They had never heard of any 'unnatural way of invading' their planet. Even after eighty years, scholars were still researching the 'natural' way.
The title of 'Elders' was not just for show. It signified power, influence, wisdom and connections. They were the ones who founded the organization named 'The Severed' all those years ago.
Their organization consisted of what could only be considered the "runts" of humanity. People who had been exiled from their birth cities for one reason or another.
Many things changed after humanity started awakening powers. Including the justice and court systems. People started feeling like they were above the law with their newly found strength.
So each country had to bring about many changes and reforms to every single governmental branch. One of those reforms included exile from the safety of their cities.
Rather than giving the death penalty, which could be considered an easy and swift punishment in this day and age, the leaders of all countries opted for exile as the most severe punishment they could establish. Leaving criminals at the mercy of the elements, which now included radiation, toxic waste, and otherworldly creatures.
They were considered the worst of the worst criminals within their cities.
Of course, corruption is something impossible to get rid of, so most of these 'criminals' were people who were wrongfully convicted or were people who did not agree with their leaders and needed to be exiled to maintain the current status quo, but that's a story for another time.
"What is this 'entity' you speak of and what is an unnatural way of crossing the veil?" The first elder asked after fully digesting the information.
"We are still investigating the information the Voranth gave us…but we were able to identify anomalies within the seam and the veil's structure." The fourth stated. "Unfortunately, we haven't been able to identify the being the Voranths mentioned."
"Which is why I called for this meeting," he said as his hands uploaded the information his branch obtained into a database located at the center of the circle.
As he finished uploading everything he had on the matter, all the other elders started discussing the meaning of what they heard.
How dangerous was this entity that Voranths exposed themselves? What was its strength? How did it cross? Why were they so desperate to capture it?
Many questions were being asked, as it was clear that even with the information compiled by the fourth elder, it was still not enough to determine its intentions.
They needed to decide how to handle the situation. If done wrong, it could mean disaster for the settlements they had been able to establish after many years of struggle.
A couple of minutes passed before they realized that they simply did not have all the information required to make a decision. The realization dawned on them, so the elders simply decided to let the First Elder decide their course of action; they trusted him to make the best choice possible with the information at hand.
He did not disappoint.
"Provide the Voranth with the information it seeks. We will let the city handle whatever comes next; we can't afford to make an enemy of this Voranth, not yet at least…but keep a close eye on the situation."
"It shall be done," the fourth said, bowing his head slightly.
"Make sure that all of you make preparations for battle. They found the fourth's branch too easily; I'm concerned about the security of our settlements," he continued. "We are not dealing with humans; they will not hesitate to wipe out any of our cities, so do not let your guard down."
"I suggest you start preparing for relocation, Fourth Elder. It is no longer safe for you or your people to stay where you are." He continued
All the elders bowed their heads. They agreed with his assessment and confirmed their willingness to follow his plan. It was clear that they either feared or respected the first elder so much so that they wouldn't even question his choices.
"We will also send scouts into the fissures to investigate the anomaly," the second elder said. "We need to know how this entity managed to cause such commotion that Voranths are willing to attack a city so openly."
The meeting lasted a few more hours, as they all discussed the established plans for battle and relocation. Everyone needed to be ready for the fallout of their decision. If it was somehow found that their organization was the one that provided the Voranth with the city's information, then they would start to be actively hunted down by the expedition teams.
Adding more trouble than what they already had, it was not easy to survive in the wastelands.
As the meeting came to an end and all the holographic figures disappeared, two strange crimson lights ignited from a dark corner of the chamber. The Fourth Elder simply looked over his shoulder as the lights approached him.
A strange silhouette could be distinguished as the lights got closer. The Fourth Elder fully turned as the full silhouette exposed itself when it reached the light.
It was the Voranth, and it had witnessed the entirety of the meeting.
The Voranth stood at roughly seven feet tall, possessing a distinctly humanoid silhouette while being unmistakably non-human. Its body was unnaturally slender, with elongated limbs and narrow shoulders covered in overlapping plates of black, chitinous armor.
"Well done; we will make sure not to bring harm to your settlements in the region…for now at least," it said.