Drakonis

Run

"We're not safe anymore!" one of the older men shouted, his voice echoing through the council room. The room erupted into chaos, with voices clashing and hands gesticulating wildly as fear and frustration mounted.

Vorian, seated at the head of the table, struggled to restore order. "My wife and I understand your fears," he said, his voice firm but strained. "But we cannot just abandon everything we've built." His plea was met with murmurs of dissent, and several voices rose in protest.

"We can't stay here!" another voice argued vehemently. "If we do, we're just waiting for them to come and finish us off!"

"We need to think about our future!" a woman's voice chimed in, her face etched with worry. "If we stay, we're putting everyone in danger!"

Thalia sat beside her husband, her silence heavy with the weight of her earlier terror. The memory of how close the humans had come, the peril they posed to her child, still gripped her. She glanced around at the heated arguments, her fear translating into a quiet, resolute determination.

Vorian tried to maintain his composure, his eyes scanning the room for any sign of agreement. "I know this is hard," he said, his tone pleading for reason. "But abandoning our home without a solid plan could be just as dangerous. We need to be strategic."

Thalia's gaze shifted to the faces around her, each one reflecting the shared anxiety and desperation. She could sense the disarray and the dire need for a clear decision, feeling the weight of the responsibility that now lay heavily upon them all.

The council room was a maelstrom of voices, the atmosphere thick with panic and anger. Queen Pollen clutched the Thalia's hand tightly, her face a mask of concern as she faced the restless crowd.

"We will be the only ones to leave base," Vorian announced, attempting to assert control. The declaration caused an uneasy silence, but the tension in the room was palpable.

Thalia's confusion was evident as she looked at Vorian, trying to make sense of his plan. Vorian continued, his voice resolute despite the chaos. "I know for a fact that the humans won't stop until we are dead and they take this entire planet. We need help."

The room erupted in disagreement. "Who will be king? You can't just leave us here!" one man shouted angrily. "This is insanity!"

Vorian raised his voice to be heard above the clamor. "I know this isn't ideal, but we need assistance from all our neighbors if we want to survive."

"Who do you have in mind?" a voice called out skeptically.

"The Dragon Holders," Vorian said, his tone firm but weary.

The reaction was immediate and visceral. Gasps of shock and expressions of fear spread through the crowd. "The Dragon Holders?" someone echoed, their voice trembling. "They're dangerous! We can't trust them!"

"They're reclusive and volatile," another person added, their face pale. "We'd be putting ourselves at even greater risk by going to them."

"They're legends!" someone else interjected, their tone laced with apprehension. "We've heard stories of their wrath. How can we possibly approach them?"

Vorian's plea for calm seemed to be swallowed by the collective fear. "I understand your fears," he said, trying to reason with them. "But if we don't act, we face certain destruction. We need their help to turn the tide."

Despite Vorian's insistence, the crowd remained divided, their fear of the Dragon Holders overshadowing their desperation. Thalia watched the scene unfold, her heart heavy with the weight of their dire situation and the uncertainty of their next steps.

The decision to seek help from the feared Dragon Holders seemed increasingly perilous, and the discord within the room only served to highlight the urgency and desperation of their plight.

Thalia stood up abruptly, her face pale with fear as the arguments raged on around her. The weight of their perilous situation seemed to crush her, and she fled the room, seeking a moment of solitude. Vorian, seeing her distress, sighed heavily and hurried after her.

"Thalia, wait!" he called, catching up to her as she reached a quiet corridor. He grasped her arm gently but firmly, his eyes filled with a mix of frustration and concern.

"You didn't discuss this with me," she snapped, her voice tight with emotion as she turned to face him. Her eyes were wide, reflecting the depth of her fear and frustration.

"We have no choice, Thalia!" Vorian pleaded, his voice breaking with the weight of their situation. "The Dragon Holders are the most powerful creatures on this planet. We need their help."

Thalia shook her head vehemently, her voice trembling. "This is our home! Where our children were born. Taking them to the mountains was never my intention! We can't just move base without a plan."

"We will not win this battle without their aid," Vorian said sharply, his tone heavy with the gravity of their predicament. Thalia's gaze dropped to the floor, her composure faltering as she struggled to contain her rising panic.

"If it means asking them for help," Vorian continued, his voice softening, "then I will do it for our children's safety. The rest of the camp can seek refuge with Olha. We have to at least try."

Thalia looked up at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. The thought of leaving their home, of confronting the feared Dragon Holders, was almost too much to bear. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "I just... I need to know that we're doing the right thing," she whispered, her voice cracking.

Vorian nodded, his expression a mixture of resolve and compassion. "I promise you, Thalia, I'm doing this to keep our family safe. I know it's not what we wanted, but it's our best chance."

She looked down again, the reality of their situation pressing heavily on her shoulders. The fear for her children, for their future, seemed to swell within her. Yet, beneath that fear, a glimmer of determination sparked. She knew they had to act, no matter how daunting the path ahead seemed.