Eliss continued. "Taking others, especially family, as an occupation is dishonorable. Those people have nothing to do with this rat race except that they know someone who opposes you. This is not war. This is exploitation."
Ghak's hand shot up, her face twisting in anger. "How did you call it?" she demanded with a growl growl. "People die for these decisions, human. Calling it like this is too disrespectful!"
Eliss opened her mouth to reply, but Mor stepped forward, placing herself between the two. "Ghak, calm down!" She said trying to calm the situation. "You're getting too emotional. You're not thinking straight."
Ghak turned to Mor with disbelief, as if she had just betrayed her. She opened her mouth searching for words to argue, but before she could say anything Naguk called her out.
"Ghak," he said. "Mor is right."
The room fell silent. Ghak's head snapped toward him, her disbelief deepening. "What?"
Naguk took a deep breath and continued, "When I've been rallying, my main message has been that I offer solutions beyond brute force. I've promised people change, a different path. Imagine how much damage it would do to my credibility if I went back on that now. Not only would I prove myself no better than my opponents, but I'd also undermine everything I've said to inspire those who've chosen to follow me."
Ghak clenched her fists. And then she said. "That's not a principal, Naguk. That's a weakness. You're letting a perfect opportunity slip through your fingers just because a human girl said so. Let me tell you something! Back when we were ambushed, by the Emberhorn tribe at the Crimsonspire, they didn't hide having more evil plans. I don't want any more of my comrades to die. And with those untrustworthy humans, we are doomed to failure. I say we shouldn't listen, just because she said so."
Naguk said with a more irritated voice this time. "Ghak, I've already told you my standpoint. I don't know what did they say to you, but I'm sure they were just trying to scare you. It's obvious they will try something. And my decision has nothing to do with her being human or her opinion. It's about the principles I shared with people who listened to me. I want to change how people in this part of our nation think. Hypocrisy is not the way to achieve that. If I lower myself to the same tactics as our enemies, I betray the trust of those who've already placed their faith in me."
For a moment, Ghak looked as though she might argue again. She trembled slightly with frustration. But she finally huffed loudly, turned away, and moved to the side of the room. Crossing her arms, she leaned against the wall, glaring at nothing in particular but remaining silent.
Naguk exhaled, letting the tension in his shoulders ease slightly. He looked around the room and addressed everyone. "We will not create any more sabotage missions. The rest of our forces will focus solely on ensuring my safety during the last days of the campaign. We can't afford another ambush like the one in Vragmar."
A hand rose from the crowd, and Naguk nodded toward the person. Zurgha stepped forward. "I agree with Ghak," he said carefully. "This feels like a perfect opportunity to eliminate one of our opponents. Why not take it? Is this really about principles, or are you letting that human woman influence you?"
Naguk answered calmly. "This has nothing to do with her. But she is correct. During my speeches, I've condemned the cowardice of my opponents. I've told our people that we don't need to resort to underhanded tactics. If I take this opportunity now, I become exactly what I've criticized. Worse, I make myself a hypocrite in the eyes of those who already support me. Even if I eliminate my opponent I will lose people I already convinced to vote for me. If you think that I'm saying it just because of that human, ask others that were with me during my speeches."
Zurgha glanced around the room. Everyone who he looked at nodded.
Zurgha sighed heavily and gave Naguk a reluctant nod. "I understand. It's your campaign, and we'll follow your lead."
Naguk inclined his head respectfully toward Zurgha. "Thank you. I appreciate your understanding."
Zurgha then stepped back into the group. Then Naguk turned back to the group. "Ghak, Yargol," he began, "As I already said, you and your people have done enough. Rest now. You've earned it."
Ghak stepped forward and said. "I want to join. I still can help."
Naguk turned to her. "If you want to join, that's fine. But I won't push anyone else from your group to continue. You've been through enough already, and your people need time to recover. I will not risk their lives further."
Ghak clenched her fists but said nothing more. She stepped back into the group and she crossed her arms. Naguk then addressed the remaining people. "For the rest of the campaign, your primary objective is my safety. The closer we get to the match, the more desperate our opponents will become. You've seen what they're capable of, and I don't intend to give them another chance to weaken us."
He began outlining the next few days, describing the route they would take to ensure they covered key towns and maximized support.
Eliss sat at the back of the room, she completly didn'tlistened to the gathering, she focused on her grimoire. Next to her, Amukelo leaned back with crossed arms. He glanced at Eliss and then at the group surrounding Naguk. After a moment, he leaned closer and whispered, "I wish I had something like that. I can't exactly take out my sword and start swinging it here."
Eliss didn't look up as she replied dryly, "Then learn magic."
Amukelo's face darkened as memories of Pao's attempts to teach him magic crept into his mind. He exhaled heavily, trying to push the thoughts away, and muttered, "I'd rather avoid that."
Across the room, Ghak's sharp eyes caught their quiet exchange. Why does Naguk even trust them? she thought bitterly. They will be our downfall.
Finally, after some time, Naguk concluded the meeting. He looked around the room and addressed everyone. "That's it for now. Rest for the remainder of the day. Tomorrow, we move, and the days ahead will be intense. You'll need all the energy you can get."
Then the group began to leave the room. Eliss closed her grimoire with a soft thud and stood, stretching her arms above her head. Without a word to anyone, she retreated to her room to study further her grimoire. Amukelo spent the rest of the day on practicing his swordsmanship.
Meanwhile, Ghak walked beyond the edges of the town until she reached a secluded spot in the barren terrain. The ground here was hard and dry, cracked in places. She knelt, pulled out a piece of chalky stone, and began carving a rune diagram into the dirt.
As the rune took shape, a faint hum filled the air. Once she completed the last mark, the symbol glowed dimly, and a strange floating, winged eye that hovered above the diagram appeared.
Then she said to this floating eye, "Tell the representative of the Ashfang tribe that Ghak of the Thunderjaw tribe wishes to speak. I have an offer that might interest him." Then she showed to the eye a piece of paper with another rune diagram.
The winged eye seemed to process her command. Then, with a sound like a low whistle, it floated away into the night.
Ghak stood and began carving the same rune diagram she had shown the messenger. Once finished, she knelt beside it and waited.