The council hall of tempest was unusually silent. Massive stone doors groaned as the last delegates took their seats. At the head of the table, Aditya Roy sat with hands folded, his dark eyes clouded with concern. Around him, the top-tier guild members murmured quietly, each calculating the stakes for their people.Veer and Jiya stood on one side, their faces tense yet resolute. Riya clutched a small cloth in her hands, twisting it nervously with slender fingers.
Aditya cleared his throat. "Reports from the western border have been confirmed. Orcs are expanding aggressively. Entire villages have vanished. Survivors are few, and some have been captured. Intelligence indicates these attacks are organized, with traps set and squads moving in deadly coordination. This is no ordinary attack."A murmur spread across the hall.Jiya's eyes narrowed. "How many of our people are at risk?" Her voice was steady, though the weight of responsibility pressed down visibly."We don't yet know the full extent," Aditya said, shaking his head. "But enough to demand immediate action. We cannot wait for more to be lost. Tempest will not allow our people to be taken."A twinge of unease struck Veer. The tension in the room was thick with anticipation. He glanced at Riya. Small and fragile she seemed, but her eyes reflected sharp intelligence—she already sensed the coming danger, even if she could not fully understand it yet.From the other side of the table, Aditya's voice cut through the murmurs. "We cannot take this lightly. Orcs are low-tier monsters alone but have numbers, cunning, and brutal discipline. They adapt quickly. Underestimating them will cost lives."Aditya nodded. "That's why we are forming a raid team. This will not be a simple strike. I want our strongest Awokened, lower-tier fighters for support, and any civilians with personal stakes who want to join. Motivation is as important as strength."A hand rose at the back of the hall. Halric stepped forward. "Sir, there are survivors outside who have lost families to the orcs. They are skilled hunters and trackers. Should we allow them to join?"Aditya's eyes softened slightly. "Yes. Their pain is valid, and their drive will be valuable. But they must follow orders. This raid will be coordinated. No one acts alone."
A soft shuffle came from a corner. A young man stepped forward, his eyes cold and distant. Silent and watchful—quiet, calculating, undeniably dangerous. The others didn't know his motives, but he would join the raid.Veer's gaze caught a boy pacing near the walls—Ashish. His fiery eyes radiated rage and determination. He had lost someone dear to the orcs, and the memory of their screams was etched deep in his expression. Revenge drove him.Aditya stood, voice firm. "This is the team. Veer, Jiya, Riya—stay close. You have training, but this is a real operation. Halric, coordinate the new recruits. Ashish and anyone else wishing to join, report to the staging area at dawn. The orc disaster zone lies west, expanding. Intelligence says they capture humans as livestock. The situation is dire, but our action can save lives.Aditya leaned forward. "We strike precisely, minimizing exposure. We scout, identify leaders, dismantle their operations. Strategy, not brute force, wins this."Veer clenched his fists, feeling the weight of responsibility settle. He was young, still Tier-4, but every mission shaped him. Every battle prepared him for coming challenges.Riya, quiet beside Jiya, finally spoke. "Will… we be able to save everyone?" Her voice was small, a whisper filled with innocence and fear born of hard experience.Aditya laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We do what we can. That is all anyone can do. But we will fight, and we will not fail."The meeting went on with details—squad divisions, scout reports, timing, contingency. Maps of the forested disaster zone lay sprawled across the table, marked with orc strongholds and trap sites.Outside, the sun dipped low, casting long shadows across tempest.
Veer, Jiya, and Riya looked toward the horizon where smoke and distant fires painted the sky crimson.Ashish approached Veer cautiously. "I hear you're leading part of the strike. I've seen what they did... I want to help." His voice was sharp and unwavering.Veer studied him. "You'll follow orders. We move as a team. Act alone, and you'll get yourself killed."Ashish pressed his lips tight. "I know. I won't fail."The quiet boy in the corner watched silently, expression unreadable. Veer sensed a story locked behind that wall of silence.As the meeting ended, Aditya's words echoed: "Rest tonight. Tomorrow we move into the disaster zone. Every life matters. Every action counts. Prepare yourselves—for nothing will be easy."The team dispersed—some preparing quietly, others whispering urgent plans. Veer felt the mingling pulse of fear and determination.Beyond the forested disaster zone, unseen eyes watched. The orcs were cunning, adapted, and ready.The battle had not begun—but the world was already shifting beneath those who dared to fight.