Central Meeting Ground - Emergency Council
The clan leaders had moved to the elevated ground that provided sightlines to the northern ridge. From here, they could see the full scope of the Imperial deployment—and it was terrifying.
Thousands of soldiers arranged in perfect formation.
Artillery pieces that could bombard the settlements from beyond the effective retaliation range.
And moving between the human forces, visible even from this distance, were the Haelves—nine feet of engineered predatory perfection, their inhuman grace making them stand out even in an army.
"We can't fight that," Vel'moth said, his voice hollow.
"Three hundred warriors against an army. We'd be slaughtered."
"The settlements need to evacuate," Vel'sara said, her tactical mind already working through scenarios.
"If we move now, use the southern routes—"
"They've blocked the southern routes," one of the Ma'ulankr warriors reported, his enhanced vision tracking movements the others couldn't see.
