Discordant Note: Crescendo | TBATE

Chapter 283: The Core of Selfishness

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Arthur Leywin

"We still hold the Triple Fork," Trodius Flamesworth said gravely, punctuating his statement by maneuvering one of several pieces representing the Dicathian forces along the map toward Sapin's southeastern corner. "All through this week, there have been attempted incursions to take the critical point, but none have been successful."

The expertly trimmed noble spared me a short glance from where I lounged at the head of the war table, his hard eyes asking a silent question. I nodded slowly.

"Rumors claim that a Scythe leads from the camp opposite the Triple Fork, but they haven't been seen yet. We maintain air superiority at the moment, but our numbers are strained and stretched attempting to hold out this crucial point. Blackbend City is adapting effectively to being a ways away from the siege."

As Trodius continued to speak, I let myself observe the gathered nobles. All of those present were handpicked for their competence in warfare and strategy. I'd effectively strained out all the useless bureaucracy from the Triunion military, leaving it as an efficient and respectable force. Even King Grey's ghost seemed to almost approve as he stared into my soul.

An elven commander, Rashel Chaffer, stared grimly down at the many little tile pieces on the far end of the map that represented the Alacryan fleet stationed around the Earthmother's Isle. A little over a week ago, those ships had arrived and plummeted the military into a dour mood. The next phase of the war was beginning.

And sure enough, Alacryan troops traveled up the Sehz River along Darv's eastern border, using it to try and punch straight through towards Blackbend City, and there were rumors that another Scythe was at their head.

That led us to our current meeting. Many of Dicathen's brightest military minds gathered in Xyrus City to make a plan for the future.

"But our numbers are struggling to deal with the southern attack and keeping an eye on the rest of the border. Our troops are like a pack of world lions struggling to fend off cinder hyenas from a kill. They'll slowly wear us down if something doesn't change," Trodius said simply, before setting down the prodder and adjusting his immaculate suit.

The attention of the gathered elves and men shifted, focusing on one particular member that stood at my right hand. They were shorter than most present, but their power was greater than any others present except my own. Their stares were harsh and restrained as they focused in on a single outlier.

"The tunnels along the northern coast are what's stretchin' numbers thin," Elder Buhndemog Lonuid, the dwarven representative of the Triunion Council, said darkly in response to Lord Flamesworth. His muscled body tensed as he let the distrustful stares of the other military men wash over him. "Guerrilla attacks from the dwarven rebels are making it hard to focus on the Sehz River in the far east. They just pop out of the tunnels, strike, then retreat before anyone can respond. Makes it hell for us all."

It was ironic, how much of the racial animosity between elves and humans had been stymied by another, greater hatred: that of the dwarves for betraying Dicathen.

"New weapons created by the artificer Gideon Bastius will help to address these issues," I said dully, cutting through the tension in the room. "It will allow us to centralize our troops more between Mayburn and Blackbend City to better control Sapin's southern border."

The mad inventor in question had borne a haunted expression as he'd witnessed the results of his latest weapons, but that hadn't stopped him from presenting his findings to me. We both understood that there were lines that were crossed in war.