A few days before the village leaped into frenzied preparation for the journey to Lumoria, a meeting had been held. It was convened in the dark heart of the village; a secret, ancient hall wherein the elders and, among them, the most powerful, the nightmare conquerors, aggregated only at moments of dire import. The air was heavy with the reek of smoldering herbs, their tendrils curling through the room to lend an otherworldly haze to the tense atmosphere.
Varek, the village leader, stood up at the head of the long stone table. An imposing man, the sharp features of his face were etched into old but bright lines; the intensity he had when he was younger had never waned. For the few things that still held the village together, there was no one like him - in fear and respect. To his right side sat the elders, the stooping figures in the robes, their faces invisible but the presence of which was heavy. Across from him sat the nightmare conquerors, all but one of whom should be haunting his nightmares, and that one sat with Aliga among them, mysterious as ever.
"We must determine who is to go and who is to stay," Varek declared in a voice deep and commanding. "It's a perilous journey ahead. Should we bring too many of ourselves, then the village will lie undefended. Too few and the mission will be lost.".
There was a rustle of assent from the elders: gnarled hands signaled to one another as they spoke of the ruling of the nightmare conquerors, whose unnatural presence sat silently pondering, eyes sharp and predatory, weighing against the cost of that journey the strength they would leave behind.
Palace, the man in charge of watching guard of Howard, along with Aliga, the second nightmare conqueror, a hulking man with a massive beast bonded to him, spoke up first. His voice rumbled like distant thunder. "I'll stay. We can't afford to lose too many. My beast is needed here to defend the village."
Aliga leaned forward a little, her eyes aglow in the dim light. She had been expecting this.
"I disagree," she said, low and smooth, with an edge that cut through the room. "If Palace remains, the village is safe, but the trip itself is no less significant. We are facing Lumoria, and possibly other factions, forces greater than what we have ever fought before. We need fortitude on the road, not just behind walls."
Varek's eyes flicked to her, unreadable.
Aliga continued, her tone measured but laced with subtle persuasion. "I can handle the travel. My bat is lithe and I know the terrain. Palace's skills are far better used defending the village. The mission has to go through but we cannot leave ourselves completely defenceless.".
Elders shifted in their seats, thinking about her words, the room silent for a moment. It was a clever argument, and Aliga knew it. Strength or strategy? She spoke to that and the fear the doubts of the safety of the village stirred in their minds.
Indeed, Aliga has a point, rasped an old man. That Palace's creature is powerful, yes, but we can't send too much of our might away on this uncertain journey. The village needs to be protected.
Aliga forced herself to smile weakly at the corner of her lips. She would expect this, she had prepared her case, though. She knew that the elders feared losing Palace more than sending out her daughter.
But then Varek spoke, his voice calm but cutting through the room like a blade.
"Aliga," he began his speech, "you make a convincing argument. But you are too eager."
The others were silent, watching the exchange in growing tension.
"Palace is the one to go," Varek said, his voice steady but with an unmistakable authority clinging to each word. "Lumoria is not the only threat out there. The forces we may face on this journey might be greater than what we anticipate. Palace's beast is needed for that kind of fight."
There was a murmur of discontent, the elder interlocutors nodding in disapproval. One rose to his voice. "But Varek, if Palace goes, the village is unprotected from assault. You know it. His beast is our best defense.
Varek held up a hand, silencing them all. "I see why you're all thinking this, we'll be weak without Palace. We have to look ahead. What if Lumoria wants to put our mettle to the test? What if this trade is not so much a show of interest, but a show of intent? We need someone tough on this road. Palace's beast is not for defense, it's for conquest."
Palace nodded sharply, though he didn't seem happy about it. He trusted Varek's judgment, no matter the risk to his own neck.
Aliga smiled less brightly now, but her neutral expression remained intact. Her insides churned beneath the scrutiny of Varek's gaze, piercing through all the layers he'd constructed. He knew. He saw right through her, but he wasn't exposed to her.
"I know what you feel, Aliga," Varek said, his voice relenting, but the edge of command still sharp within it. "It's not just a matter of strength, though. It's a matter of the kind of strength required for what is to come. Palace will fall. You will live."
The finality in his voice was of no room for further argument. The elders, and though they had protested, quieted. Varek had spoken, what he said was law.
Aliga didn't flinch. She pressed further. "Varek, I understand your concern, but we also need agility. My bat can scout, maneuver swiftly, and avoid unnecessary conflict. Palace's beast is powerful, yes, but it's a hammer, not a scalpel. On this journey, subtlety will be just as important as raw strength."
The elders murmured again, sensing the wisdom in her words. Palace frowned but remained silent.
Varek's gaze hardened. He knew what Aliga was doing, but she had managed to sway the room. He could see the doubt in the elders' faces and knew that insisting on sending Palace would cause dissent.
After a long pause, Varek sighed and spoke. "Very well, Aliga. You will go. Palace will remain to protect the village."
The decision was final, and Aliga hid her triumph behind a neutral expression. She had won. As the meeting ended, Varek gave her one last knowing glance, but he said nothing more.
As the elders and conquerors filed out of the room, Aliga stayed back for a moment, contemplating her next move. The game was still far from over, but for now, she had positioned herself exactly where she wanted to be.