Arthur's Odyssey :Rise of the King

The early morning sun barely crested the horizon when Uther's communicator buzzed sharply, its piercing tone breaking the peaceful silence of the Pendragon manor. Seated in his study, Uther frowned as he recognized the source of the call. It was Elyan Leodegrance, his trusted ally and ruler of the Southern Continent.

He pressed the communicator, and the image of Elyan flickered to life before him. The man's face was lined with exhaustion, his normally sharp and composed demeanor marred by concern.

"Elyan," Uther greeted, his voice calm but laced with an edge of wariness. "What happened?"

Elyan wasted no time with pleasantries. "Uther, we have a problem. The Night Elves have begun advancing again. My scouts report their forces have crossed the Veylin Plains and are moving toward Elrador."

Uther's eyes narrowed, his grip tightening on the edge of his desk. "Elrador? That's dangerously close to our border cities."

"It's worse than that," Elyan continued, his voice grim. "They're not raiding like they usually do. This is an organized force,larger than anything we've ever seen from them , they're attacking on too many fronts , and even I can't be everywhere at once. If their pace continues, they'll breach the Southern Sector's defenses in a matter of days."

Uther leaned back in his chair, his expression darkening. "How did they mobilize so quickly? We've been keeping tabs on them."

"We thought we were," Elyan said bitterly. "But it seems we've underestimated their capabilities. Either that, or someone's been aiding them."

The possibility hung heavy in the air, and Uther's jaw tightened. "Do you suspect anyone?"

Elyan hesitated, his eyes narrowing. "Not yet. But this is no coincidence, Uther. With the news of Arthur's awakening spreading, our enemies are becoming bolder. The Night Elves could be testing us,or they might be acting as someone's pawns."

Uther's expression grew colder at the mention of Arthur. The leak of his son's perfect-grade affinity had already sent ripples through the Northern Continent and beyond, If the Night Elves were acting on that knowledge, the consequences could be catastrophic.

"Do you have the forces to hold them back?" Uther asked.

"Barely," Elyan admitted. "But we can't hold the line indefinitely. I need reinforcements, Uther. The Southern Sector can't face this alone."

Uther nodded, his mind already racing. "I'll send word to the Pendragon forces. You'll have support within the week."

"That may be too late," Elyan warned. "If the Night Elves breach our cities, the devastation will be irreversible. I need your forces sooner."

"I'll see what can be done," Uther promised. "In the meantime, hold the line. The Pendragons won't abandon their allies."

Elyan gave a curt nod, the tension in his face momentarily easing. "Thank you, old friend. I'll keep you updated."

As the call ended, Uther sat in silence, the weight of the situation pressing heavily on him. The Night Elves as well as the other races had always been a threat, but this… this was something far worse. If they were acting under the influence of an external force, then the entire human domain could be at risk.

---

The call with Elyan ended, and Uther stood in the silence of his study, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. He turned toward the window, his eyes narrowing as he considered the growing threat. The Night Elves' movements were no accident. There was something more, something insidious, and he needed to find out who was pulling the strings behind it all.

With a swift motion, Uther activated the estate's internal communication system. "Gawain, gather the council immediately. I want all reports on the Southern Sector in the throne room within the hour. And alert Merlin...I may need his expertise."

"Yes, my King," Gawain's voice came back promptly.

Uther's fingers clenched into fists as he turned away from the window, the plan already forming in his mind. He needed to act quickly. Time was not on their side.

---

Meanwhile, far to the south, the leader of the night Elves army , a night elf named Kael'Thar stood at the center of the Night Elf camp, the dark trees looming like sentinels around him. His crimson eyes glowed with a faint, ominous light as he examined a map of the Southern Sector. The wind whispered through the blackwood trees, but there was no peace in its sound.

"Are they ready to fall?" a soft, melodic voice asked, breaking the silence.

Kael'Thar didn't turn to acknowledge the speaker, his voice sharp and cold. "They will resist, but it won't matter. Elrador doesn't need to fall, they just need to think it will."

From the shadows emerged a cloaked figure, a woman with silver hair and pale skin, her piercing eyes gleaming with an unsettling satisfaction. "And the Pendragon? Will he interfere?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

Kael'Thar's lips twisted into a sneer. "He will, he and Elyan are old friends and allies. But, by the time they realize the true nature of the threat, it will be too late."

The woman smiled, her voice a silky whisper. "Good. Let them focus on the South. The longer they are distracted, the easier it will be to infiltrate the North and get the weapon."

Kael'Thar met her gaze, his own eyes narrowing with caution. "You'd better hold up your end of the bargain, sorceress. The Night Elves are not pawns in your games."

Her laughter echoed softly in the air as she faded back into the shadows. "Of course. Our interests align... for now."

---

Back at the Pendragon estate, Uther's mind was already set on the path ahead. He paced the throne room, his council gathered before him, the tension thick in the air. The weight of the decisions that lay before him was pressing down on them all. They had to act swiftly.

"We face a crisis," Uther began, his voice sharp, cutting through the silence. "The Night Elves march southward, led by Kael'Thar, this doesn't seem to be just a raid. There is something more at work here,someone is pulling their strings from the shadows. We must uncover who is behind this before it spreads further."

The council murmured among themselves, unease filling the room. One of the elders, a stout man with steel-gray hair, stepped forward. "What is your plan Uther ?"

Uther turned to face the elder, his expression grim but resolute. "First, we will fortify our borders. Reinforcements will be dispatched to support Elyan in the Southern Continent, ensuring Elrador doesn't fall. I will also send our best scouts to try and uncover who is manipulating the Night Elves from behind the scenes, If we fail to identify the puppeteer, our efforts may be for nothing."

Another elder, a tall woman with piercing eyes, stepped forward. "And what of the Northern Sector? If we divert too many resources south, our own defenses may weaken."

Uther's gaze hardened. "That's why we won't strip the North of its strength. Merlin will remain here to oversee Arthur's training. As much as I hate to admit it , my soon must be ready for the future,Gawain will organize the remaining knights to secure the northern villages while our forces aid Elyan."

The elders exchanged uncertain glances, but none voiced dissent. Uther's reputation as a strategist was unquestionable, even in times of uncertainty.

The steel-haired elder spoke again, his voice cautious. "Do you trust Elyan to hold the line until reinforcements arrive?"

Uther paused, his eyes narrowing. "Elyan is no fool. He knows the stakes. But even he cannot withstand an onslaught led by Kael'Thar indefinitely. That's why speed is paramount."

Another voice broke through the tension,a younger man seated near the back of the council. "And if we discover the hand behind this? What then?"

Uther's gaze swept over the room, his voice unwavering. "Then we cut it off. At the root."

The room fell into a tense silence as the weight of Uther's words settled on the council. There was no room for hesitation. War was looming, and their response had to be decisive.

After a moment, Uther straightened. "This meeting is adjourned. You all have your orders. Let none delay."

The council members dispersed, leaving Uther alone in the chamber. He gazed at the map spread across the central table, his fingers brushing over the marked territories of the South.

---

In the war room of Leodegrance estate, Elyan stood at the head of a long, dark oak table. His violet eyes, sharp and commanding, swept across the maps and reports before him. The tension in the room was palpable, his counselors murmuring in hushed tones about the advancing Night Elf forces.

"Silence," Elyan said, his voice calm but firm, cutting through the noise like a blade. The room quieted immediately as all eyes turned to him.

Kael'Thar's army had been steadily advancing toward Elrador, leaving destruction in its wake. The Night Elves were no strangers to calculated warfare, and their movements suggested a deeper, more insidious plan. Elyan's mind worked tirelessly, piecing together fragments of intelligence and reports.

"The Night Elves are advancing too systematically," Elyan began, his tone measured. "They strike villages and outposts, but never linger, never overextend. This isn't a simple territorial raid—it's a feint. They want us to react without understanding their true objective."

One of his senior counselors, a wiry man with graying hair, spoke hesitantly. "My lord, Elrador is the heart of the Southern Sector. If it falls, it will shatter morale across the region. We must fortify it immediately."

Elyan nodded slowly but tapped his fingers against the table, his mind already moving three steps ahead. "Agreed, but we must tread carefully. Kael'Thar thrives on overconfidence. If we commit too many forces to Elrador, we leave ourselves vulnerable elsewhere. His true goal lies beyond the city."

Another counselor, a younger woman with dark green eyes and a sharp wit, interjected. "Do you believe this is a diversion, my lord? , I can't otherwise see where the night Elves could get the confidence and the audacity to attack a region under a king stage awakener"

Elyan's expression darkened as he leaned forward, resting his hands on the table. "I can't tell just yet.. what I can tell is that they are testing us, probing our defenses, waiting for us to make a mistake." He straightened, addressing the room with authority. "We will send reinforcements to Elrador to bolster its defenses, but only enough to hold the line. Meanwhile, we deploy scouts to the surrounding regions and monitor their movements. If Kael'Thar is hiding something, we need find it."

The counselors exchanged uncertain glances, but none dared question Elyan's judgment. His reputation for cunning strategies was knowns throughout the entire human domain, with Uther Pendragon coming in second place in regard to mental acuity, and his ability to read the battlefield had saved the Southern Sector countless times.

Elyan stepped away from the table, his violet eyes narrowing as he gazed at the map. "Prepare my forces. I'll lead the vanguard to Elrador myself."

A wave of concern rippled through the room. "My lord," the older counselor began, "is it wise for you to go personally? If something were to happen—"

Elyan cut him off with a raised hand. "You said it yourself, i'm a king stage awakener , nothing but another king stage or a higher being can pose a threat to me and they have none, Kael'Tar is their strongest warrior and he's barely at the middle stages of the grandmaster rank, , I know that even with overwhelming power I can't be everywhere at once, but what I can do is show the people of the south that their protector hasn't forgotten about them, the people of Elrador need to see strength, not fear. I will not cower behind these walls while my people fight for their lives. Kael'Thar will find no weakness in me or my land."

The room fell silent, his words heavy with conviction. The counselors dispersed to carry out their orders, leaving Elyan alone with the maps and his thoughts.

As the door closed, he let out a slow breath. His mind replayed the conversation with Uther from earlier. The Northern continent resources would help, but it was clear the grand part of the weight of this war rested on his shoulders.

He walked to the window, looking out over the forest outside his manor. The chill in the air felt sharper than usual, a reminder of the battles to come.

"Kael'Thar," Elyan muttered to himself, his voice low. "If you think the South will fall so easily, you're sorely mistaken."

With that, he turned back to his preparations, ready to face the storm head-on.