They followed Nyzekh through the inner compound. Past ward pylons and sealed gates. Reinforced corridors lined with fire-treated stone. At the center of the command chamber, they found him.
Commander Altan sat alone on a raised platform. No armor. No weapon. Eyes open now, watching them enter. Still and focused.
Nyzekh stepped forward. "Commander. Blacktide and Moorfire encountered a Nerathil pack near the western ruins. We saw these two holding the ridge. We intervened before they were overrun."
He stepped aside.
"Captain Therya Ralin. Vice Captain Varess Dova. Flame Maidens."
Altan looked at them. "What's your reason for being here?"
Therya didn't hesitate. "During the Rite of Ash, the fire shifted. The signs were clear. The gate had been disturbed."
Varess added, "That's why we came. But now we're wondering the same. Why are you here with an army? Did you open the gate?"
Altan shook his head. "The Dazhûm Empire opened it weeks ago. By the time we arrived, their expedition force had already triggered it. Mages. Scholars. Research teams. All dead. All gone. We found only remnants."
Therya narrowed her eyes. "And the marines outside the ruins?"
"Also Dazhûm. A full legion. They were wiped out before your arrival. Nothing left but scorch marks and broken gear."
There was silence. Then Altan added, "The breach wasn't ours. But we're the ones left to deal with it."
Before anyone else could speak, a Stormguard scout entered and passed a sealed message to Nyzekh, who reviewed it quickly and handed it to Altan.
Altan read the message in silence. His expression didn't change.
Therya watched him. "Problem?"
Altan folded the scroll. "Ongoing situation. We'll continue this later."
He looked to a nearby officer. "Escort the Flame Maidens to the southern quarter. Give them the forge shelter. Perimeter security in place. Full access to provisions."
The officer nodded and gestured for the women to follow. They didn't question the order. They turned and left.
The doors closed.
Altan opened the scroll again. His voice was low.
"They've reached Zevekhan Bastion."
Nyzekh spoke. "Nerathil?"
Altan nodded.
"Infection spread from wounded marines returning from Orûn-Mal. Fever. Seizures. Death. Then reanimation. Veilguard agents describe fast stalkers, bone-fused shock units, burrowers, heavy brutes, and one caster-type. Ten agents remain."
Stormwake entered the room quietly. Altan turned.
"Send this to the veilguard unit. Use a clean line. Destroy the relay after."
Stormwake waited. "Message?"
Altan dictated.
"Survive. Rescue will come to you soon. Do not get bitten. Fire is the only confirmed method of full neutralization. Do not use shadow-aligned magic. They can sense it. They will hunt it. Warn the island commander, quietly. Do not reveal who advised."
Stormwake gave a short nod and left.
Altan turned to the chamber guard. "Summon the council. Now."
Within the hour, the war council assembled.
Present: Supreme Warden Chaghan. Stormwake of the Silent Hand and his disciples. Daalo, chief engineer. Captain Connach of Moorfire. Nyzekh and Bruga. Yezari. The Blacktide cohort command.
Altan stood at the map table.
"Notify these immediately: Threnar Isle. All protectorate isles in the Scattered Sea. The Free Cities League. Freedmen Realm. Stormwulf Clans. The Virak'tai. Gale Tribe Nation."
He turned to Stormwake.
"All allies. Full intelligence drops. Tactical breakdown. Nerathil classifications. Strengths. Weaknesses. Symptoms. Containment and termination protocols."
"Send with sealed directives to all eastern realm allies. Shore patrols are to begin immediately. No unconfirmed vessels are to make landfall. Civilians are not to approach any ship without Stormguard clearance. Any sign of contamination such as burn fever, seizures, or joint blackening is to be reported, quarantined, or put to fire. No exceptions. No delay."
Stormwake gave a nod and left to execute the order.
Altan continued. "When will reinforcement arrive?"
One of Stormwake's disciples answered. "Three days. One full Stormguard legion. Deputy Warden Lysenn in command."
Altan turned to Daalo. "Warmachine status."
Daalo answered. "Prototype ready in twenty hours. Final test underway. If it holds, we'll build three more in three days."
Altan gave a single nod. "Five days total."
He turned to Yezari. "Kael?"
Yezari didn't blink. "Still in cryo-stasis. Core temperature stable. No movement in the rot signature for the last twelve hours. The infection has slowed. No progression."
Altan watched her for a moment.
"But no reversal," she finished.
He said nothing. The silence hung just long enough for everyone in the room to understand what that meant. Still infected. Still turning. No cure. Not yet.
Altan said nothing. His expression remained neutral.
He returned to the map and placed a marker near the island's center.
"All Stormguard units. Blacktide. Moorfire. Begin readiness drills. Rotation, loadout, formation checks. We move on day five."
He placed another marker near the eastern coastline.
"Zevekhan Bastion is compromised. This isn't a local breach. The Nerathil are moving. Contagion protocol is in effect. Response, not containment."
He looked across the room.
"Dismissed."
The council began to move.
Altan spoke again, voice steady.
"Ryoku. Connach. Stormwake. Stay."
The others filed out. The doors sealed again.
Altan remained at the table.
"I have a dangerous mission for all of you. You can decline. I'll choose others."
Ryoku and Connach didn't flinch. Both gave a nod.
Stormwake stood quietly.
Altan pointed to the far coast.
"You will lead a deep insertion team into Zevekhan Bastion. You will choose one Blacktide unit, ten soldiers. Two Moorfire units, ten each. All must be non-shadow elemental. No recent exposure. No Qi instability."
He looked to Stormwake. "You'll assign one Qorjin-Ke scout to embed with them. I want long-range recon, terrain memory, and silent kill capabilities."
Stormwake gave a nod. "One will be ready."
Altan continued.
"Thirty-one total. That's your team. You will depart tomorrow night aboard a Phantomis-Class Trireme. No markings. Fog cover insertion. Landfall beneath the old quarry ridge. The trireme will remain anchored in a cove. Hidden. When you signal, it will retrieve you. No signal, no extraction."
He looked each man in the eye.
"Mission one: locate and rescue the ten surviving Veilguard agents. Mission two: assess the spread and condition of the island. Mission three: if possible, capture a live Nerathil Shadow Adept."
Connach's jaw tightened. Ryoku was unreadable.
Altan finished.
"Daalo will supply your team with reinforced equipment. Flame-bound armor. Qi-sealed helms. Reinscribed falcatas. All forged under leyline regulation. The steel won't stop them. But it will buy you seconds."
He stepped back from the map.
"If things break down, stay alive. Survive with the Veilguards."
No one asked for clarification.
Ryoku spoke first. "We'll be ready."
Connach nodded. "I'll choose the best."
Altan gave a final order.
"Coordinate with Daalo at dawn. Review the loadouts. You leave tomorrow night."