NOVGO.NET Chapter 511: Do you… have a way…?
Chapter 511: Do you… have a way…?
Once again, the air in Trogoth’s Rest grew heavy as four figures led by Kael and Gruumak got closer. The two sides, Velmourns and the Stonefangs, stared at their leaders as the snow fell between them.
The mist curled around them like pale smoke, making the entire sight even more… eerie.
Kael and Gruumak’s footsteps echoed in silence and as all eyes turned toward them, every conversation, no matter how big or small, died instantly.
Both sides straightened up, gripping their weapons without realizing it.
Kael stopped in the middle of the clearing—the space that had somehow become the border between the two forces.
For a moment, he stayed silent. Gruumak stood beside him; as they stood side by side, his towering physique overshadowed Kael’s, but for some reason…
Even in Gruumak’s presence, Kael didn’t feel… small.
Instead, it felt powerful—not just for Velmourns, but even for the Stonefangs. Of course, Kael didn’t care about any of that; his mind was already filled with too many thoughts as he looked at the gathered faces—Velmourn and Stonefang alike—observing wary stares, hidden tension, and their… fear.
Then, he took in a slow breath and spoke.
“Heights is in danger.”
He spoke, his deep voice echoing through the vale. Then, he turned toward the Velmourns’ side and—
“Drakthar is moving.”
He spoke, and in an instant, the Velmourns’ side stiffened. Morvain narrowed her eyes, Kayden’s hand instinctively went back to his sword, and Lavinia… she clenched her fists when she heard the familiar name.
Even the Stonefangs, who didn’t understand his language, could sense something was wrong just from the Velmourns’ reaction alone.
Of course, Zakaar didn’t let his comrades remain in the dark for long and quickly began to translate, repeating Kael’s words in the harsh Stonefang tongue.
“Drakthar…?”
And just like their chief, the Stonefangs frowned. They obviously had no clue what or who Drakthar was, so their reaction was genuine.
Kael obviously expected it. He could tell that one side could already sense the gravity of the situation, and now it was time to target the other.
The Flying Man then turned toward the Stonefangs and—
“Stormcallers won’t help you.”
He began.
Zakaar too began to translate his words for the Stonefang warriors without waiting. The Stonefang warriors were confused by his words, and ignoring that, Kael continued.
“The Stormcallers are being used.
And if you join them… you will be used with them.”
Zakaar’s voice echoed across the vale as he repeated Kael’s words.
“You will become tools.”
Kael continued, looking right into the eyes of the Stonefang warriors with a steady look on his face.
“And once a tool no longer has any use…”
He paused, letting the silence settle before finishing.
“…it will be discarded.”
Zakaar’s voice faded and then—
Silence descended.
For a moment, no one spoke as both sides started to realize the gravity of the situation. The only sound that remained was the wind.
But then—their expressions began to change as more and more questions appeared in both sides’ heads.
And the first one to move was the Velmourn Matriarch, Morvain Velmourn.
“Kael.”
She called out.
“What are you talking about?”
The Matriarch asked.
While Kael’s words were concerning, she still didn’t understand the complete situation. How was Drakthar moving? What connection did it have with the Stormcallers?
Was it… what Lavinia and Kael warned them about before…?
Was… Drakthar truly going to involve itself with the matters regarding the Heights…?
The moment she thought about it, her expression turned grimmer, but then she controlled herself.
She didn’t wish to imagine anything when nothing was clear till now, and as if to make her wish come true—
“The Stormcallers are uniting all the tribes in the Heights against us…”
Kael began explaining everything.
After about thirty minutes, when Kael was finally done explaining everything and answering every question that both the Stonefangs and the Velmourns asked, for a moment, silence fell over the place.
Every person present, even the two translators—who had already heard this and knew about it beforehand—had solemn looks on their faces as they thought deeply about everything, especially their future in the Heights.
This silence continued until—
“So…”
Morvain broke it.
“The Drakthar are using the Stormcallers by enticing them with food, and the Stormcallers are further gathering all the tribes in Heights for the one final battle against us?”
The Matriarch asked at the same time, summarizing everything to make sure everyone was on the same page. Zakaar too translated her words for the Stonefangs and Kael—
“We do not know for sure if it is actually Drakthar behind the Stormcallers.”
He answered seriously.
“But it is highly likely.”
Morvain pointed out and Kael nodded.
“Yes. Considering the timing, it is the most likely case.”
“But according to the Treaty, Drakthar cannot be directly involved in the matters regarding the Velmourns.”
“They are most likely using a proxy.”
Lavinia added into the conversation, attracting attention.
“They have been doing it for a while now through the merchants; it wouldn’t be surprising if they bring in another independent force.”
Lavinia then looked at Morvain and continued,
“Nerathis right now is different from Nerathis twelve hundred years ago when the Velmourns ruled. Back then, Velmourn was the only force throughout the world, but now things are different. While Drakthar, Zephyria, Xenthalor, Eryndor, the Council of Gold, and the Church of Feraos are major forces, there are many smaller, independent forces as well.
Drakthar, with its influence, can easily have any one of these forces ally themselves with the Stormcallers and other tribes, which would mean they aren’t essentially breaking the Treaty.”
The mage explained.
“They are still breaking the Treaty!”
Kayden raised his voice, but Lavinia just stared at him with a calm look on her face and shook her head—
“We cannot prove that.
I assure you, if Drakthar is truly behind them, then with their methods, we wouldn’t know even if we investigated thoroughly. All the links and branches we find will keep moving us in circles, wasting our time and resources.”
As the Princess who had seen both the good and bad sides of Drakthar, she knew how things worked and… she knew how she herself would have played this out if it were her…
There was definitely an independent force involved, and this force would have no apparent connection with Drakthar.
Lavinia was sure of it.
“…”
At her words, Kayden turned silent.
This time, not out of bitterness, because he too could feel it. Lavinia wasn’t targeting him; she was just stating a fact—and even she seemed… bothered by it.
On the other side, Zakaar, feeling that it was important, began translating their conversation for the Stonefangs. Freyal joined in too, making it a little easier, but as the two translators continued, the Stonefangs only felt more and more… lost.
All of this was going beyond their heads; as people who had never considered, let alone seen, the world beyond Heights, this wasn’t a conversation they could understand. Zakaar himself was no exception; he too had no clue what he was saying as he translated.
Kael recognized the problem as well and he—
“Discussing whether Drakthar is behind this or not is pointless right now.”
He interrupted, staring at Lavinia and the others.
Then, a solemn look appeared on his face and—
“We have a far more concerning and urgent matter to deal with.”
“What are you…”
Kayden frowned at his words but Morvain—
“The Tribes.”
She muttered, and Kael nodded.
Drakthar or not could be discussed later. The tribes that might launch a combined assault on them were a bigger issue.
Morvain and now even Kayden could see it.
“Do you… have a way…?”
Kayden asked as he stared at Kael with a shameful look on his face. It was embarrassing—humiliating even—to ask a man younger than him for a solution when he himself was completely stumped.
Kayden was the Vice Commander of the Velmourn Army; he knew his side’s strength well, and he knew that against all the Heights’ tribes combined, they stood no chance.
But…
Even then, inside Kayden’s heart, there was hope.
A hope that the man who had saved them from so many crises before had a plan for this crisis as well—a way that would let his people survive and live for yet another day.
And Kael…
“Why do you think I am discussing it here in front of them?”
He answered, pointing at the Stonefangs—an action that confused both Kayden and the Stonefangs.
Zakaar and Freyal continued their translation. Kael waited for them to finish and then—
“Velmourns won’t survive against all the tribes alone, even if I use all the cards I have been hiding till now.”
He spoke directly, without any filters.
His words broke Kayden, but for some reason, even now… he had hope.
Hope that Kael’s next words would surprise him.
And they did—
“But it would be different if we add and remove the Stonefangs from the equation.”
“What…?”
Kayden’s expression changed.
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