RISE OF EROS

"The invaders," Eldrin continued, "not only do they pillage the settlements. They have also captured some of our own. We do not know if they do so for interrogation or for other, darker purposes."

Eldrin paused again and continued, "So far, the tribes affected have been those furthest away: the Silver Mist and the Frostbreeze. But we fear that if action is not taken, they will soon strike closer to the Crystal City."

The queen closed her eyes for a moment, pondering. She then looked at Faenir, before asking, "Do you think this could be the work of the humans from the south?" to which the old man hesitated before answering.

"It is possible, Your Majesty. The humans have always coveted our lands and our resources. If these invaders possess unknown weapons and beasts, they might have forged alliances with other creatures or found ancient secrets that they now use against us," Faenir said.

Another councilor, a woman named Caelith, chimed in, "And what of the magical wards surrounding our lands? If these attackers have managed to breach them, it could mean that someone weakened them from within."

A heavy silence fell over the room. The possibility of betrayal was a thought none of them wanted to accept. Liriel rose from her throne, her cloak rippling like a wave of ice.

"This cannot go unanswered. Eldrin, you will return to your tribe with a detachment of our finest warriors. Faenir, Caelith, I want you to investigate the provenance of these weapons and beasts. If there is betrayal, we will uncover it. And if the humans of the south are responsible, they will face our wrath," she said determinedly.

The councilors nodded solemnly. Eldrin, though exhausted, was relieved to know that his tribe would receive help. However, he also knew that the road to a solution would be long and dangerous.

"May the goddess Borealis guide us!" the queen exclaimed, and everyone in the hall bowed their heads in reverence. As Eldrin retreated to rest before his return journey, Queen Liriel stood looking out at the auroral lights filtering through the palace walls.

In her heart, she knew that dark times were coming, but she also trusted in the strength of her people and the power of eternal winter. As dawn broke, the music of the war drum grew louder with each step, and soon the group could see plumes of smoke rising on the horizon. A settlement was under attack.

From their perch, they watched a devastating scene. The Frostwind tribe, known for their intricately carved ice structures, was under siege. The invaders, a group of hooded figures wearing dark cloaks with strange symbols, moved with deadly precision. Beside them, winged harpies fluttered, swooping down on the elves trying to defend their home.@@novelbin@@

The Frostwind elves, though brave, were clearly at a disadvantage. Their crystal arrows bounced ineffectively off the winged creatures, while the hooded ones advanced with weapons that seemed to absorb light itself, emanating an eerie aura.

The screams of the combatants and the creaking of the ice structures collapsing filled the air. "This is worse than I imagined…" Eldrin muttered, feeling a mix of fear and guilt.

Syalin, the designated captain for this detachment of elven warriors made a quick decision. "Warriors, to arms! We cannot allow this tribe to fall. Eldrin, stay back and find shelter. We will stop this massacre."

Before Eldrin could protest, the elite warriors quickly descended the slope, their spears and swords gleaming with cold light. Syalin led the charge, her spear spinning with precision as she struck down one of the harpies that had taken flight.

The creature let out a deafening shriek before collapsing into the snow. The hooded figures took notice of the new combatants and redirected their attention to them. One of them, evidently the leader, raised a hand wrapped in a black gauntlet, and a wave of dark energy spread toward the queen's warriors.

Syalin was prepared, however; with a swift movement, she raised a talisman engraved with ancient runes, dispelling the energy before it could reach them. The battle quickly escalated. The elite warriors demonstrated why they had been chosen for this mission.

With agile movements and impeccable coordination, they repelled the hooded figures and forced the harpies to retreat. However, the invaders were no ordinary opponents. Their weapons and dark magic allowed them to keep up, even in the face of the elves' superior skill.

From his hiding place, Eldrin watched the fight with his heart in his mouth. He wanted to join in, to do something to help, but he knew he was not trained for combat. Instead, he focused on finding survivors. Moving stealthily between the partially destroyed structures, he helped a pair of wounded elves hide in a nearby cave.

Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Syalin faced the leader of the hooded men. Their weapons clashed with a deafening sound, and the captain knew instantly that this enemy was not like the others.

His movements were fast and calculated, and his dark magic seemed to drain the strength of the surroundings. Despite this, Syalin stood firm, trusting in his training and the power of the ancient magic that protected his people.

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Finally, after a seemingly endless confrontation, the hooded leader took a step back, as if he had assessed that continuing the battle was not worth it. With a gesture to his subordinates, he ordered a retreat. The harpies took flight, carrying some of the wounded hooded men with them, while the rest vanished into the snowstorm.

Syalin watched warily until they were sure the invaders were gone. Then, he turned to his warriors and said, "We have bought time, but this is not over. We must know who they are and what they want."

One of the warriors pointed toward the destroyed settlement and reported, "Captain, there are many wounded. We need to help." Syalin nodded. Eldrin, seeing that the battle was over, emerged from hiding and joined the group, helping the survivors organize.

Although they had managed to save the tribe from the Frostwind, the cost had been high, and the threat of the hooded men remained. The path to truth and the safety of the ice elf people was only just beginning.

While helping the wounded, the captain and her confidants gathered to discuss what had happened. The main topic was the hooded strangers and their magic, as well as the strange appearance of the harpies in this place.

They know that harpies do not like cold climates, so seeing them here was strange. In addition, these harpies were somewhat strange, as they did not seem to possess rationality, which does not match what they knew about them.

Everything seemed to be hidden under a veil of mystery. They still did not know who the enemies were and their objective, but they were clear that they had to pursue them or more tribes would be attacked.