Chapter 13 - Council of War
The war room was thick with tension. Maps of Eldoria and the northern borders covered the massive oak table, illuminated by glowing magical spheres floating in mid-air.
King Alden leaned over the table, his knuckles pressed hard against the wood. “If the Frost-Wyrms are mobilizing, how much time do we have before they reach the outer passes?”
“Scouts from the northern ridge report they are already crossing the Frost-Tooth Pass,” Kaelen replied, pointing a heavily gloved finger at a narrow choke point on the map. “They move faster than ordinary armies, riding blizzards of their own making. By our calculations, they will hit the outer agricultural towns within three days.”
“We cannot fight them in the open fields,” General Vesper argued, shaking her head. “Our infantry is equipped for standard siege defense, not for combat against elemental ice-beasts that can freeze a man’s blood from twenty paces away.”
“We don't need to fight them alone,” a soft, resonant voice filled the room.
All eyes turned toward Lucas. The boy stood at the head of the table, his hands resting flat against the parchment, his dark eyes glowing with a faint, iridescent golden light.
“The golden dragon—it feels them too,” Lucas said, looking up at his parents. “It’s not just an enemy coming, Father. It’s a challenge. The northern wyrms want to test whether the royal bloodline is strong enough to hold the kingdom against the oldest primal forces.”
Queen Seraphina stepped forward, placing a comforting hand on her son's shoulder. “Lucas is right. For twenty years, this kingdom hid behind walls of stone and lies, pretending the wild magic didn't exist. We cannot hide from the north now.”
May you like
Alden looked at his wife, then down at his son, seeing the unbreakable courage that mirrored Seraphina’s spirit. The old king stood tall, his eyes hardening with royal resolve.
“Very well,” Alden declared, drawing his saber and driving its tip lightly into the center of the map. “We ride to Frost-Tooth Pass. We meet them before they reach our people.”
