Chapter
The Council of the Alliance
As dusk approached, the stone fortress began to receive the leaders of the clans.
This was no ordinary gathering.
For the first time in many years, the chiefs of the great clans were meeting under one roof.
The first to arrive was the leader of the Fire Clan, accompanied by his deputy.
His crimson cloak moved behind him like living flames as he stepped into the hall with heavy, confident strides.
Soon after, the leader of the Mist Clan entered.
His presence was so quiet that several guards did not even notice his arrival until he was already standing inside the chamber.
Then came the leader of the Wind Clan, tall and composed, his grey cloak swaying gently with the faint breeze that followed him through the doors.
But one seat remained empty.
The seat of the Shadow Clan.
The leaders exchanged glances.
The Fire Clan leader spoke with a faint smirk.
"Seems the people of shadows prefer to stay in the dark… even when the meeting takes place in broad daylight."
Before anyone could reply—
The air in the center of the hall suddenly trembled.
A circle of blue light appeared for a brief moment.
Two figures stepped out of it.
It was
Arkath
and beside him stood
Tharin.
They had arrived using the teleportation ability of the wolf companion
Virkan.
Arkath took his seat calmly.
His eyes moved briefly toward the empty chair.
"Has the Shadow Clan leader arrived yet?" he asked.
One of the guards shook his head.
"Not yet, my lord."
A short silence followed.
Despite the absence, the meeting began.
The Discussion Begins
Arkath leaned slightly forward.
"I summoned you because danger is approaching."
He paused.
"The Black Wardens are no longer rumors."
The Fire Clan leader scoffed.
"Let them come. We'll crush them."
But Tharin spoke quietly.
"If it were that simple, we wouldn't be gathered here."
The leader of the Mist Clan raised an eyebrow.
"Then what is the problem?"
Tharin replied calmly.
"They know our movements."
Silence spread across the hall.
The Wind Clan leader spoke next.
"You believe there is a spy among us?"
Tharin shook his head slightly.
"Perhaps more than that."
His eyes swept across the chamber.
"Perhaps someone is informing them of what happens inside this very room."
The leaders exchanged uneasy looks.
No one accused anyone.
But the word betrayal now lingered in the air.
At that moment, one of the deputies standing behind the leaders spoke.
"Isn't it strange that the Shadow Clan leader chose to miss such an important meeting?"
All eyes turned toward the empty seat.
The man continued slowly.
"If someone here were in contact with the Black Wardens…"
He paused deliberately.
"Absence would be a convenient way to avoid suspicion."
Several of the leaders nodded slightly.
The Fire Clan leader crossed his arms.
"He may have a point."
But
Tharin
said nothing.
He simply narrowed his eyes slightly as he observed the man who had spoken.
The Plan
Finally,
Arkath
spoke again.
"Whether there is a traitor or not…"
"We must move."
He continued calmly.
"The alliance forces will march in two nights."
The Mist Clan leader looked up.
"Where to?"
Arkath answered:
"Through the Rock Pass east of the mountains."
At that exact moment—
One of the deputies shifted slightly in his place.
As if the words had startled him more than the others.
No one noticed.
Except Tharin.
But he said nothing.
The Fire Clan leader nodded.
"A bold choice."
Arkath replied calmly.
"The pass is narrow… but it gives us the element of surprise."
Then he looked at the council.
"Prepare yourselves."
"We move soon."
Outside the Fortress
Hours later…
The fortress fell into silence.
But beyond the stone walls, hidden among the rocks—
A man watched the fortress from the darkness.
He was a Black Warden spy.
He whispered quietly:
"The meeting has ended…"
He paused.
"They revealed the plan."
A faint voice responded through a small device in his hand.
The voice came from someone…
Inside the fortress.
It was the traitor.
But the spy did not realize—
Someone else was watching.
High above the rocks behind him stood the Shadow Clan leader.
Silent.
Listening.
The spy continued speaking.
"They will move in two nights… through the Rock Pass."
At that moment, the Shadow Clan leader understood everything.
He moved silently.
Appearing behind the spy like a ghost.
The blade flashed once.
The spy collapsed.
The Shadow Clan leader took the communication device from the dead man's hand.
Then he returned to the shadows…
And waited.
The Traitor Moves
Not long after—
A man slipped quietly out of the fortress.
Moving carefully through the forest.
The Shadow Clan leader followed him from a distance.
Eventually, the man stopped in a rocky clearing.
He looked around.
Then spoke quietly.
"I have the information."
A second figure emerged from the darkness.
A black cloak.
And on his shoulder—
The unmistakable symbol of the Black Wardens.
The traitor spoke.
"The alliance army will move in two nights through the Rock Pass."
The man in black smiled.
"Our master will be pleased."
Then he left.
And the Shadow Clan leader followed him.
The Hidden Base
The man traveled deep into the forest until he reached a massive stone formation.
He placed his hand on a specific spot on the rock.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then—
The ground trembled slightly.
The stones shifted apart.
A hidden entrance inside the mountain opened.
The man stepped inside.
The Shadow Clan leader waited briefly…
Then slipped in behind him.
Inside the Mountain
What he saw was worse than he expected.
An entire Black Warden camp.
Hundreds of soldiers.
Dark creatures chained in the shadows.
Weapons stacked along the cavern walls.
And in the center of the chamber—
A woman and two children bound in chains.
Their clothing clearly bore the symbol of the Wind Clan.
At that moment, the Shadow Clan leader understood the reason for the betrayal.
He withdrew silently.
And returned to the fortress.
The Return
He entered the council chamber where the leaders were still gathered.
All eyes turned toward him.
The Fire Clan leader spoke first.
"So you finally decided to show up."
But the Shadow Clan leader simply said:
"I followed the man who left the fortress."
Silence filled the room.
Arkath spoke calmly.
"So you found him."
The Shadow Clan leader nodded.
"And the traitor… is here."
One of the deputies stepped back.
Only slightly.
But
Tharin
noticed immediately.
"Where are you going?" Tharin asked.
The man tried to run.
But Arkath's sword struck the ground in front of him, blocking his path.
In the next instant—
The Shadow Clan leader was already behind him.
His blade rested against the man's throat.
He pressed the blade slightly.
A single drop of blood fell to the floor.
Then he asked quietly:
"Tell me…"
He paused.
"What do they want from your wife?"
The traitor's eyes widened.
But he was not the only one shocked.
Arkath
looked up sharply.
"His wife?"
Then he turned toward the Shadow Clan leader.
"How do you know about the hostages?"
The chamber fell silent.
Even
Tharin
looked surprised.
But the Shadow Clan leader answered calmly.
"Because I saw them."
He continued:
"His wife…"
"And his two children."
Then he added coldly:
"Chained inside a Black Warden camp."
At that moment—
The traitor's face collapsed in despair.
Now everyone understood.
Magor the Black
had not bought his betrayal with gold.
But with hostages.
End of Chapter II
What do you think will happen next?
Who do you think is truly pulling the strings behind the Black Wardens?