The stronghold of the Aetherborn bustled with activity. News of the Vallians' allegiance was like a wind: it whispered excitement, stirring apprehension amongst the factions. In one stroke, the forces of Aeron had just been given a great advantage, but even with Aether Crystals in his pocket, he knew the balance of power in the city might suddenly shift.
He stood in his war room, with maps and detailed reports on every faction within the city. His mind never rested, running over every possible eventuality. The Red Dawn would not simply sit around, not after such a crushing defeat. They had to retaliate—and Aeron was to be ready.
Lira came into the room, a look of determination upon her face. "The Vallians are settling in, but there is something you need to know. It's the small factions that start to murmur about this movement. They are afraid; they think perhaps we play with fire.
Aeron didn't turn away from the map. "Let them be afraid. Fear is an ally if used right. But we need to show them we are not just a flash in the pan. We need to make the Red Dawn pay for their arrogance."
Lira's eyes narrowed. "And how do you plan to do that?"
Aeron turned to her, the chill of his intention ice in his eyes. "We send a message-a clear, unmistakable message. To prove that we are not to be pushed around. Yet we have to do it carefully. We do it too soon, and we'll have every faction in this city gunning for us. We do it too late, and we lose our advantage.
Days became weeks, and Aeron took up his watch over the town once more-but warily this time. As Aeron had predicted, the Red Dawn started to sort out the tatters of their organization. Whispers of their revenge came from all quarters. Of all these whispers, however, one stood out-that Rogar's disappearance did much more than seal an alliance between the Red Dawn and the other two factions: it kindled a fire in the heart of their leader, Vallius.
The figure of the Red Dawn was not one to spook easily, and Aeron knew it well-he would not be still until the Aetherborn were brought to a breaking point.
But far more ominous than the simple retaliation of the Red Dawn was the traitors within.
Aeron had long been suspicious that not everyone in his inner circle was as loyal as they appeared to be, and now the truth would finally seem to unravel.
It had started with Kara, the leader of the mercenaries, being standoffish, in that movements were deliberate and words chosen carefully. Always following her gut feelings, somehow things flipped. The signs were there at first, subtle, but then they became obvious.
One night pacing the corridors of his fortress, Aeron caught the sound of Kara speaking in hushed tones with one he did not recognize, standing deep in the corner of the darkest part of the area. Cloaked, most of her face well hidden, though the way she moved-it was too familiar. Aeron's instincts suddenly flared, his mind beginning to whirl.
He had been watching them from across the room, observed the exchange. As the conversation was finished, Kara turned and started in his direction, her face expressionless.
"Aeron," she said, her voice cold than it usually was. "What's on your mind?"
Aeron didn't mince words. "Who was that?
Kara's eyes flickered briefly, but she quickly recovered. "A contact. I'm handling something. for the faction."
Aeron looked at her with consideration. There he knew was a lie leaden between them-an oppressive pall-that just for an instant out-of-character hesitation-a flash of guilt-had set an alarm jarring in his head.
I do not like secrets, Kara," Aeron said, his voice low, his gaze unflinching. "You have been distant of late. I haven't the time to let anyone within my ranks undermine my efforts.
Kara stiffened. "I'm not working against you."
Aeron stepped closer to him, and his presence was slightly intimidating. "Then tell me the truth, who were you talking to?
Kara said nothing for a moment, her gaze slipping away from his. An uncomfortable silence stretched the moments to an unbearable degree until Aeron was able to continue onward, and then, unexpectedly, a sound reverberated down the hall—a clang of weapons, distant but unmistakable.
Without any further ado, Aeron wheeled on his heel and set off in the direction of the noise. Kara followed him, silent, her face unreadable.
Soon enough, they reached the training grounds where some of Aeron's guards were battling a couple of masked figures. The masked figures were somewhat coordinated in their attack, but it was no match for Aeron's men.
His gaze swept the battlefield, and his heart went cold where, among those that were attacking, was one figure far too well known to him-one of his own, the Aetherborn, upfront in the ranks of the enemy and leading the attack.
"Traitor!" Aeron hollered his voice thunderous. He whirled now; the mask hid his face, but it cloaked nothing of the wicked gleam in his eye. In one smooth motion, he drew his sword and began to circle, ready to strike at Aeron and finish what he'd begun.
Kara's face hardened as she stepped forward, her hand reaching for her blade. "I'll deal with him."
Aeron stopped her with a raised hand. "No. I'll deal with this."
The traitor was quick, but Aeron was quicker. A flick of his wrist, a surge of Aether energy burst from his hand, sending the man off his feet. He crashed to the earth with a sickeningly dull thud, his weapon flying across the dirt.
Aeron knelt beside the fallen man, his eyes cold and without feeling. "You'd thought to betray me, hadn't you?
The traitor groaned, trying to rise, while Aeron stamped his chest to the ground. "I never let any treachery be," Aeron growled in a very low, dangerous tone. "You should have known better than to cross me.
With one last violent motion, he crushed the traitor's throat beneath his boot, silencing the man's struggles.
Then Kara stepped forward, her face unreadable. "What now?" Aeron wiped the blood from his hands, still staring at the body now lying lifeless at his feet. "Now, we make sure this doesn't happen again. The other traitors I will deal with later; for now, we have delivered our little message. The little skirmish was over, but the aftermath left the stronghold all edgy. Aeron knew full well that before long, Red Dawn would become aware of this betrayal. And he also knew this was far from over-whispered dissidence had begun, and he needed to root them out before they could take hold. Later in the night, Kara called to him, her face heavier with pain than he had ever seen. "Aeron. I don't know what's going on, but this isn't over. There are people in the ranks questioning your command; we have to find them before it's too late. Aeron's eyes narrowed. "Then we find them. And once we find them, the punishment for the ward stickers won't be enough. They will be erased from memory." It was fast turning into a powder keg set to explode at any moment. The Red Dawn marshaled their forces, the traitors within plotted, and Aeron was running out of time to fix his reign. The game had grown more dangerous. But Aeron found his footing in chaos. And soon, all that dared stand in his way would learn just how ruthless the Aetherborn could be.