Two Years... And the Alliance!
The war raged on, a seemingly endless tide of demonic invaders pouring through the portals. Relief at the portals' closure turned to chilling dread as word trickled back: the demons had carved a continent from the very fabric of reality itself, an ever-expanding demonic dominion.
These weren't mindless beasts, no. They learned and spoke the common tongue, though their voices dripped with malice, and they called themselves demons. Conquest, not coexistence, was their aim. The existing races, fractured as they were, banded together in a desperate alliance.
Yet, even amidst the roar of cannons and clash of steel, the old rivalries simmered. Assassinations, kidnappings, blackmail still plagued the human kingdoms, the elven glades, and the dwarven strongholds. Each race sought a secret edge, a sliver of advantage over their neighbours. After all, defeating the demons was paramount, but who would rule the ashes?
But against the demonic tide, such petty squabbles faded. The demons were a force unlike any encountered before. Not just individually powerful, they were a terrifying legion. Here, a winged demon, the nobility marked by arcane sigils, rained fire from the skies. There, a hulking brute, muscles corded and eyes glowing with infernal energy, waded through steel ranks like a reaper. Their strength defied comparison to the star-based rankings of the human knights or the rune-forged power of the dwarven warriors.
Their message was chillingly clear – dominion. This wasn't a land grab, it was a bid for total subjugation.
The races, while seemingly fighting with their 'all' on the surface, held their most potent strategies close, wary of revealing their true capabilities to potential future enemies. No one knew who might be watching from the shadows.
************************
The two years of constant defense had been a grueling affair. No respite, no opportunity for the weary races to regroup. The demons, relentless in their assault, had brought nothing but destruction in their wake, polluting the lands and corrupting all they touched.
Faced with this existential threat, the races, once bitter rivals, made a reluctant decision. A fragile truce, a temporary ceasefire amongst themselves until the demonic tide could be repelled. The dragons, the originators of this proposition, hosted the gathering of race leaders on their own continent. Understandably, the other races approached with caution, well aware of the dragons' historical pride and arrogance.
The Dragon King, Aethelred, watched with a hint of annoyance as the various races arrived for the alliance meeting, each with their own retinue of warriors and cloaked in suspicion. The audacity of these lesser races to arrive on his continent with such blatant distrust! Yet, he held his tongue, the gravity of the demonic threat outweighing his pride for now.
King Aethelred, the imposing dragon leader, addressed them with a curt nod and a chilling statement, "We don't know the full extent of the invaders' might. You can choose to join the alliance or refuse. It's not a plea, merely a suggestion to minimize casualties."
First came the Beastmen, a formidable coalition of tiger, lionkin, and werewolves. The Tiger Queen, Kali, a regal figure with eyes that burned like molten gold, strode in with the Lionkin leader, Leo, and the imposing Werewolf alpha, Logan, flanking her. Aethelred offered a curt nod in greeting, the bare minimum of courtesy.
Next came the elves, an ethereal beauty belying their deadly prowess. Leading them was the newly appointed Elf Queen, Iliyana, a young woman with an aura of quiet power. But it was her bodyguard who truly stole the show. A cloaked figure, her face obscured by a dark mask, emanated an undeniable presence – a staggering two eleven-star magical signatures, one from the Queen herself and another from the enigmatic bodyguard. Shock rippled through the chamber.
Following the elves came the dwarves, a race known for their stoicism and martial prowess. Their King, Bjorn, a ten-star warrior with a thick beard and a booming voice, entered accompanied by an unassuming figure who, despite his plain clothes, exuded an aura of power that dwarfed even the King's. This unassuming man, radiating eleven-star strength, was an enigma.
Lastly came the humans, a race often underestimated but with a surprising amount of clout today. Their newly crowned Empress, Valeriana Sol, a woman with fiery red hair and eyes to match, commanded respect with her ten-star cultivation. But it was the man beside her who truly drew gasps. Valeriana's father, the former Emperor, stood tall, his own red hair tinged with grey but his eyes burning with a power that rivaled any present – an eleven-star mage returned to his former glory.
The room crackled with tension as murmurs broke out. The humans, once a fractured race, were now a force to be reckoned with. The enigmatic eleven-star mage by the dwarven King's side fueled speculation. And the elves, with two eleven-star mages, were a revelation. The fragile alliance was about to get a whole lot more interesting.
The dragon king, snapping out of his surprise, boomed, "Well then, shall we begin? Or do we wait for the esteemed company of the vampires?"
As if summoned by the very word, a pair of figures materialized in the chamber. Count Chatham an 11 star and Count Levoir a 10 star, their forms radiating a preternatural chill, entered in unison. "On behalf of the Vampire Queen," Count Chatham said, her voice ethereal, "we will be representing our race."
A tense silence followed. King Aethelred cleared his throat. "Excellent. Now, as you're all aware, I proposed this alliance. It seems we have a consensus to join."
A low murmur rippled through the assemblage. The vampires' arrival, though anticipated, sent a fresh jolt of tension through the air. Also they didn't like how the Vampire race just sent counts instead of the queen. It didn't sit well with them.
"Excellent," Aethelred rumbled, the tremor resonating through the floor. "Then shall we start? I won't waste your time with flowery speeches. An alliance has been proposed, and it appears we have a consensus to join."
Queen Iliyana, her gaze sharp behind the mask of her bodyguard, cut in, "The leadership of this alliance. Who will hold that power?"
The question hung heavy in the air. Following a leader was akin to submitting to their will, a precarious dance none were eager to perform.
King Aethelred offered a small, predatory smile, a flicker of amusement dancing in his reptilian eyes. "There will be no singular leader. A council, comprised of all leaders present, will guide our actions."
The alliance was formed, a fragile pact forged in the face of a common enemy. Yet, beneath the surface, a web of distrust remained. Each race had arrived with their most potent warriors, a silent display of strength, a message: "Do not underestimate us." They guarded their true capabilities, aware that caution was paramount. This was no fellowship, no friendship, but a temporary truce, where even the slightest weakness could ignite a new war.
They were united by a common enemy, but trust remained a scarce commodity.