The Sun Empress's private study overlooked the capital with panoramic windows that caught the dying light of sunset, transforming the room into a sanctuary of golden warmth. Maps and strategic documents covered every available surface, but the two women who stood before the great window were focused on challenges that couldn't be solved through conventional planning.
Elara Va Ironblade set down her latest intelligence reports with the careful precision of someone handling dangerous materials. "We don't even know where their nests are, Mari. How do you negotiate with beings who see us as insects?"
The harsh reality of their military situation hung between them like a blade waiting to fall. "If war begins, our only advantage is defensive positioning. In open combat..." Elara paused, remembering the casual ease with which the true dragon had erased the undead dragon. "Even our combined divine blessing couldn't stop a true dragon in direct confrontation."
