The Council chamber was a stark contrast to the chaos of war. Its high, arched ceilings and gleaming marble floors radiated an air of cold, unyielding authority. Torches burned in sconces along the walls, their light casting long, flickering shadows across the gathered figures seated in a semicircle.
At the center of the chamber, behind an ornate wooden desk, sat High Chancellor Edric Varion, his presence a commanding force even in the silence. His sharp features were illuminated by the torchlight, every line and angle of his face a testament to decades of power and control.
The chamber doors creaked open, and Commander Kael's name echoed through the hall. The messenger who had delivered the report knelt at the edge of the room, head bowed low.
"This meeting was not scheduled," Edric said, his voice smooth and calm, but with a chilling undertone that made even seasoned warriors hesitate. "Explain yourself."
The messenger swallowed hard. "Chancellor, I bear news of Commander Kael's recent actions."
"Actions?" Edric leaned forward, steepling his fingers. "Speak plainly, soldier. What has our esteemed Commander done to warrant this interruption?"
The messenger hesitated, knowing the weight of his words could be a death sentence if delivered poorly. "Commander Kael met with the rebel leader, Elyra, in secret."
A ripple of murmurs spread through the Council. Edric's eyes narrowed, and his lips pressed into a thin line.
"In secret?" he repeated, his voice dangerously soft.
"Yes, Chancellor," the messenger confirmed, trembling under the weight of the gaze fixed on him. "He approached her without consulting this body and offered terms."
"What terms?" snapped one of the Councilors, a wiry man with a permanent scowl etched into his face.
The messenger hesitated again before replying. "Surrender. He... he claimed it was to end the rebellion quickly, with minimal bloodshed."
Edric rose from his seat slowly, the motion deliberate and heavy with menace. "Minimal bloodshed," he repeated, his tone dripping with disdain. "How noble of him."
Another Councilor, a woman with silver-streaked hair and calculating eyes, spoke up. "This could be a tactical move, Chancellor. Kael has always been loyal. Perhaps he seeks to break their will, not just their army."
Edric's gaze flicked to her, his lips curving into a cold smile. "Perhaps. Or perhaps our Commander has forgotten his place."
The murmurs grew louder, the Council divided.
"We should summon him," said another voice, this one younger but no less venomous. "If he acted outside his orders, he must answer for it."
"No." Edric's voice silenced the room instantly. "Kael is one of our finest commanders. To question him openly would show weakness."
The silver-haired Councilor raised an eyebrow. "And if his loyalty is wavering?"
Edric's smile didn't falter. "Then we remind him of the consequences of defiance."
A dark figure stepped from the shadows at the edge of the chamber, cloaked in black with a hood obscuring their face. The Council fell silent at the sight of them—one of the Council's enforcers, a being trained to ensure obedience through fear and death.
"Send a shadow to observe," Edric said, his voice calm and measured. "Kael must believe we trust him, but he will know we are watching. If he falters, if his actions jeopardize the Council's power..."
He let the sentence hang in the air, the threat clear without needing to be spoken.
The enforcer inclined their head, disappearing back into the shadows without a word.
Edric turned back to the Council, his expression unreadable. "This rebellion has dragged on long enough. If Kael proves incapable of ending it, we will."
The chamber fell into uneasy silence, the weight of Edric's words settling heavily over the Council.