The Council Chamber was a room of imposing grandeur, yet today, its usual air of authority was replaced by palpable unease.
Dimly lit by chandeliers suspended high above, the room's stone walls were adorned with maps of the territories, trophies from long-past battles, and banners bearing the insignias of the awakened and military factions.
A large oval table dominated the space, its polished surface scattered with stacks of reports, maps, and hastily written notes.
Generals in pristine uniforms and masters of the awakened, dressed in elegant, tailored suits, had gathered around the table.
Their faces were grim, their expressions reflecting the weight of the crisis unfolding beyond the city walls.
At the head of the table, General Marcus stood, his tall, broad frame casting a shadow over the documents before him.
His grizzled features betrayed years of battle-hardened experience.
He tapped his fingers against the table, his gaze sweeping across the room as if daring anyone to downplay the severity of their predicament.
"We can't underestimate this threat," Marcus began, his deep voice cutting through the murmurs of unease. "The orc and his goblin army are unlike anything we've faced before. Reports indicate an alarming increase in ambushes. Our patrols are being decimated."
Beside him, Master Elara leaned forward, her sharp, calculating eyes narrowing.
Her long auburn hair framed a face that seemed carved from stone, betraying little emotion but radiating an aura of quiet intensity.
She reached for one of the scattered reports and tapped it with a slender finger.
"Strength alone won't save us," Elara said, her voice calm yet firm. "These goblins aren't acting on instinct. They're coordinated. Intelligent. That can only mean one thing-"
"Someone is controlling them, and that is the orc," interjected another voice.
The room turned toward the speaker.
A younger general named Lira, her fiery determination evident in the set of her jaw.
She stood with her arms crossed, her uniform pristine but her face flushed with frustration.
"If we don't act now, we'll lose more ground," Lira said, her voice rising. "I say we strike back. Show them we won't cower in fear."
"That's reckless," Master Aiden countered, his calm demeanor a stark contrast to Lira's passion.
He adjusted his glasses and placed his hands flat on the table.
"Charging in blindly will only lead to more deaths. We need to consider the risks, General."
"Risks?!" Lira snapped, slamming her hand on the table. "What will we risk if we sit here and do nothing? They'll overrun us!"
"Enough." Marcus's voice thundered across the chamber, silencing the brewing argument. "We're not here to squabble like children. We're here to find a solution."
The tension in the room was suffocating as reports were passed around.
A scout, clad in worn military gear and sporting a fresh gash across his cheek, stepped forward and saluted.
"General Marcus, Masters," the scout began, his voice steady despite his battered appearance. "Our patrols near the outer forest have confirmed escalating goblin skirmishes. They've set traps and ambushed several of us. Thirty soldiers lost. No survivors."
A ripple of unease spread through the room.
The scout continued, "We've also confirmed sightings of the Orc Lord. He's been leading a sizable force deeper into the woods. If he's planning an assault, it won't be long before he makes his move."
The room fell silent.
The weight of the losses hung heavy in the air, punctuated only by the shuffling of papers and the faint crackle of a burning torch on the wall.
General Marcus broke the silence.
"We have three options before us." He gestured to the maps spread across the table. "We can launch a preemptive strike, fortify the city and wait for their attack, or devise a strategy to weaken their forces before engaging."
"That's suicide," Master Aiden said flatly, pointing to the section of the map marked with goblin activity. "If we attack now, we'll walk straight into their traps. A defensive approach gives us time to prepare."
"And risk being starved out during a siege?" Lira countered, her voice sharp. "Morale will crumble. Supplies will dwindle. We need to act now, not wait for them to come to us."
"What about a divide-and-conquer approach?" Elara offered.
She leaned over the table, her finger tracing potential routes on the map.
"We could lure smaller groups away from their main force and pick them off strategically."
"Their intelligence makes that dangerous," Marcus said with a shake of his head. "If the goblins are this organized, any bait we set could backfire."
At the far end of the table, General Thorne, a tall and imposing figure, stood.
His presence alone commanded attention.
When he spoke, his voice was low but carried a weight that silenced the room.
"The Orc Lord sees us as weak," Thorne said, his steely gaze sweeping over the council. "It's time to change that perception. We should fight them head-on. Rally every available force, awakeneds and soldiers alike, and crush them before they can regroup."
The room was silent, his words hanging like a storm cloud.
Marcus frowned.
"A full-scale assault could lead to catastrophic losses. Are you prepared for that, General?"
Elara nodded slowly.
"But it could also turn the tide. If we show strength, we might deter further attacks."
Lira leaned forward.
"If we're going to do this, we need a solid plan. Every detail accounted for."
The council weighed the gravity of the proposal.
The tension in the room thickened, Finally, Marcus straightened, his decision made.
"Then it's settled. We will prepare for a counter-offensive. But we do this smart. Every move calculated. We cannot afford failure."
Elara nodded, her sharp eyes meeting his.
"Agreed. We'll combine our strengths, magic and military. We need to strike fast and strike hard."
The Council Chamber emptied slowly, each step echoing through the vast, cavernous space.
General Marcus lingered by the table, staring at the maps as if the inked lines could somehow reveal the future.
The torches on the walls flickered, casting shifting shadows across his weathered face.
Master Elara approached him, her heels clicking softly against the stone floor.
She crossed her arms, her sharp gaze fixed on the stoic general.
"Do you think Thorne's plan is truly our best option?"
Marcus sighed, his broad shoulders rising and falling heavily.
"Best? No. Necessary? Perhaps. We can't afford to appear weak. The Orc Lord has to be stopped before he gathers enough strength to shatter the walls of this city."
Elara's eyes narrowed as she glanced at the table, her fingers lightly brushing one of the maps.
"We'll need more than brute force to win this fight. The goblins' tactics have grown... unsettling. It's not just strength guiding them. There's a mind behind this. A clever one."
Marcus met her gaze. "Then I hope you and the other masters can give us an edge. Because if Thorne's assault fails..." He didn't need to finish.