Artemis Unveiled:The Descent

Untitled Part 46: Shattered Twilight

At dawn, Aria left the tent with a heavy heart. Last night's events worried her deeply. However, the camp was not as chaotic as she had feared. In the distance, soldiers were repairing the damaged watchtower, and she occasionally heard murmurs about the Night Ghoul's attack on the camp.

Wrapped in her cloak, Aria made her way to the camp's largest command bunker. Inside, she did not see Neven, nor was there the expected military meeting. The sand table sat quietly in the center, surrounded by scattered chairs, giving the room a desolate feel after last night's discussions.

Suddenly, she heard the steady sound of breathing. Sage Solon was asleep in a chair by the wall, his hands resting on the armrests, with the Soul Stone embedded in the back of his hand emitting a faint glow.

"The elder stayed up all night discussing strategies. He just fell asleep," Alexander said softly as he entered, his eyes showing a hint of helplessness.

Aria lowered her voice, trying not to wake Sage Solon. "Where did Neven go? Why did he leave without telling me this morning?"

"He's on a mission," Alexander replied quietly.

"What mission?" Aria's brow furrowed deeply.

"He said you'd ask, so he sent me to explain why he left without saying goodbye today." Alexander walked to the sand table, gently moving the wooden pieces on it. The sand table depicted the terrain of Voidmarsh, filled with various wooden figures: horses, soldiers, long swords, shields, and small flags of different colors.

"Is this us?" Aria pointed to the semicircular bunker.

"Yes, the Bluestone Bunker. We're just outside the gorge," Alexander's finger lightly traced the wooden figures on the sand table, as if outlining an uncertain battle.

"Did he specifically ask you to explain the situation in Voidmarsh?" Aria asked, her voice tinged with suspicion.

Alexander smiled, his charming eyes twinkling. "After last night's attack, Sage Solon decided to implement the plan ahead of schedule. He spent all night devising the strategy, preparing for today's mission. Look here... Neven and his team aim to capture this position today..." He pointed to a nearby hill.

"He went inside Voidmarsh?" Aria exclaimed, her voice trembling.

"Don't worry, he's familiar with it," Alexander reassured, his slender fingers sliding over the sand table. "That's a major lair of the Night Ghouls. The ones that attacked us last night came from there. Destroy it, and we can advance north."

"The Night Ghouls'... lair?" Aria's voice was barely above a whisper.

"If Neven successfully destroys it, our army can move along the cliff towards the northern ice caverns."

"Ice caverns?" Aria was even more puzzled.

"That's related to Sage Solon's next move," Alexander explained.

"How many people did Neven take?" Aria asked, her unease growing.

"Thorne and Lyra are with him, making ten in total."

"Ten?" Aria gasped. "That's Voidmarsh, and a Night Ghoul lair. How can he go with just ten people?"

"There's a dried underground channel within the cliff," Alexander pointed to the side of the hill. "They'll climb in and ignite the oil barrels. We've stored large amounts of oil there. If we're lucky, it will be enough to burn down the Night Ghoul lair."

"But to burn it down, you need a lot of oil. Igniting that much oil requires a safe distance," Aria said quickly. "The cliff is steep. Climbing up is extremely difficult, not to mention avoiding the Night Ghouls and lighting the oil barrels." Her heart pounded. This mission required not just bravery, but incredible luck. "I don't believe in luck. If the Night Ghouls are alerted, they'll attack the intruders fiercely."