Thalia elbowed her way further in, searching the crowd for familiar faces.A heavy hand landed on her shoulder, and she spun, muscles tensing—only to relax at the sight of Kaine's imposing figure.His ice-blue eyes held a warning, though his expression remained carefully neutral.
"You've heard," he said, voice low enough to be masked by the surrounding noise.
Thalia nodded."Luna overheard Ironhelm and Senna talking."
Ashe materialized from the crowd, her red-streaked black hair pulled back in a severe braid."The news is worse than what's circulating," she murmured, leaning in close to their small circle."Three coastal outposts completely abandoned.The reports say the water rose like a wall of night, swallowing everything in its path.A tidal wave of void."
A hush fell over the hall as the side door to the dais swung open.Instructor Wolfe strode out, her silver-streaked hair gleaming in the torchlight.Behind her came Virek, Solberg, and Marr, their faces masks of grim determination.Senna followed, along with a dozen senior officers Thalia recognized from the academy's defense forces.
Wolfe reached the lectern, her emerald eyes sweeping the crowd.The silence deepened, even the children falling quiet under that penetrating gaze.
"Frostforge stands at a crossroads," she began without preamble, her voice carrying to the farthest corners of the hall."I will speak plainly, as there is no time for gentle words.Reports have reached us of abandonment of posts along the Northern coastline."
A murmur rippled through the crowd, quickly silenced by Wolfe's raised hand.
"These actions were taken without authorization, against direct orders from this academy and the Northern Council.The commanders responsible will face consequences."Her expression hardened."However, we cannot ignore the reason behind these desertions.Black waters have been sighted near several Northern outposts."
Thalia's throat tightened.Luna's intelligence had been correct.She caught her friend's eye, seeing her own vindication reflected there.
"The retreat was disorderly and premature," Wolfe continued."It has created critical vulnerabilities in our defensive line against Isle Warden incursions.We must act swiftly to shore up these weaknesses before our enemies can exploit them."
"Our enemies," Thalia muttered, frustration building anew."She's still fixated on the Wardens while the real threat closes in."
Kaine's fingers tightened on her shoulder."Not here," he whispered, his breath warm against her ear.
Thalia closed her fists at her sides, swallowing the retort that threatened to burst from her lips.She knew Kaine was right.Another public confrontation would only cement her status as an outcast, eliminating what little influence she might still wield.
"Frostforge will respond to these events with immediate action," Wolfe declared, her voice ringing with authority."We cannot afford inaction while the situation deteriorates around us."
"About time," Thalia whispered, unable to completely contain herself.
Kaine's grip on her shoulder tightened to the point of pain, a silent warning that needed no words.She could feel the tension in his body, his fear that she would speak out again and face consequences even more severe than demotion to menial labor.
"They're only acting now because the Northern Reaches are affected," Luna murmured, her voice barely audible."When it was just Southern towns disappearing, they called it rumor and exaggeration."
Thalia nodded tightly, the truth of Luna's observation lancing through her like a blade of ice.The Council's priorities had always been clear—Northern safety first, Southern concerns second, if at all.
"We require precise intelligence on the extent of these phenomena," Wolfe was saying."Therefore, Frostforge will dispatch a scout to the fallen Northern fortresses to assess the situation and report back with all possible haste."
The crowd stirred, whispers breaking out as people speculated on who would be sent on such a perilous mission.
"This assignment is high-risk and demands volunteers of particular skill," Wolfe continued."Given their nature, they will be undertaken by one currently serving a… probationary term at this academy."
A cold certainty settled in Thalia's stomach.She knew before Wolfe spoke the next words.
"Roran Bright will travel into the Northern Reaches," Wolfe continued, drawing Thalia's attention back to the lectern."He will assess the coastal situation firsthand and carry word from Frostforge to our scattered forces, with orders to regroup rather than retreat further inland."
Roran stepped forward from somewhere in the crowd, his wild black curls tied back from his face.Despite everything, Thalia felt her heart constrict at the sight of him.His warm brown skin seemed paler than usual, the gravity of his assignment written in the tight line of his jaw.
"I accept this mission, Instructor," he said, his voice steady.
Anger and fear tangled in Thalia's chest, each fighting for dominance.Roran would be walking into hostile territory, where his Warden heritage already marked him as suspect.And now, in a time of panic and abandonment of posts, he would be carrying orders that many commanders had already defied.The danger was immeasurable.
Thalia felt a prickling sensation at the back of her neck and turned to find Virek watching her from the dais, his pale eyes calculating.A terrible suspicion bloomed in her mind—was Roran being sent away as punishment for her insolence yesterday?Was this the Council's way of striking at her where it would hurt most, while simultaneously removing a potential ally from her side?
Before she could dwell on this thought, a commotion at the hall's main entrance drew every eye.The massive doors swung open, revealing a guard escorting a newcomer into the already crowded space.The man wore thick furs over armor of Northern design, his beard frosted with ice that had yet to fully melt in the relative warmth of the hall.He carried himself with the unmistakable bearing of authority—shoulders back, chin lifted, gaze direct and challenging.
Murmurs swept through the assembly as the newcomer strode down the central aisle toward the dais, his heavy boots striking the stone with deliberate force.
