The movement in Vailor no longer felt just intense—it felt organized under pressure. The city entrance was more heavily guarded; the guards weren't just watching, they were analyzing every group that passed. Inside the walls, the same feeling spread—fewer idle conversations, more direct exchanges, quick decisions, and looks filled with understanding. It was no longer possible to pretend normality.
We entered the guild, and the environment confirmed everything. The hall was full, but unlike previous days, there was a kind of silence within the voices. It wasn't the absence of sound—it was the absence of lightness. Everyone there knew something bigger was underway.
I walked straight to the main counter while the group stayed close, attentive to the surroundings. Before I even needed to ask, one of the attendants was already separating some reports.
"You came back quickly," he said, handing over the papers. "And you weren't the only ones."
I took the documents and began reading. It didn't take long to notice the pattern. Attacks in multiple regions, small forces, coordinated movement, and strategic withdrawal. Nothing there contradicted what we had already seen.
But there was something more.
Something that hadn't been in previous reports.
Liriel noticed first.
"This here…"
She pointed to one of the pages.
"This isn't a human village."
I looked again. She was right. The name wasn't part of the common regions around Vailor.
Elara stepped closer, analyzing carefully.
"Eastern border… elven territory."
Silence fell over the group for a moment.
Scarlett narrowed her eyes. "So it reached there too."
"Not just there," Vespera said, pulling another report. "There's more."
I took the second document. Another point. Another location outside the usual human routes.
Lyannis crossed her arms, now more serious. "So it's not simple expansion."
"It's wide reach," I completed.
Rai'kanna was observing in silence, but her posture shifted slightly.
"That changes the scale," she said.
"Yes," I replied.
Before we could continue, a new movement drew attention in the hall. A messenger entered quickly, accompanied by two guards. His posture wasn't normal. He didn't just look tired—he looked pressured.
The attendant beside us looked in his direction and immediately moved.
Seconds later, the messenger stood before the main counter, handing over a sealed scroll.
"Urgent message. Direct from the eastern forests."
The seal was clear.
Elven.
The attendant broke the seal without delay and began reading. As his eyes moved across the content, his expression changed.
It wasn't surprise.
It was confirmation.
"Read this," he said, extending the scroll to me.
I took it and opened it carefully.
The writing was precise, direct, without embellishment.
Reports of invasions along the edges of elven territory. Small groups at first, followed by coordinated attacks. A pattern identical to what we had seen. Testing, pressure, adaptation.
But there was an additional detail.
Confirmed presence of demons.
Not just lesser creatures.
Demons.
Scarlett was the first to react. "So it evolved."
"Yes," I replied.
Elara kept her focus on the text. "They've already passed the initial phase there."
"Or started earlier," Vespera said.
Lyannis let out a small sigh. "So we're behind in comparison."
Rai'kanna crossed her arms. "Or on the same pace… just in different regions."
I continued reading to the end.
The message ended with a clear request.
Alliance.
"The elves are requesting direct cooperation," I said.
The group fell silent for a few seconds.
Liriel was direct. "That doesn't happen without reason."
"No," I replied.
Scarlett looked around the guild. "If this spreads…"
"It already is," I completed.
The attendant spoke again, now more serious. "This isn't the only message. Other regions have started sending similar reports."
"Which regions?" Elara asked.
"Various borders. Some farther away."
Vespera narrowed her eyes. "So it's not a single front."
"No," I replied. "It's multiple."
Lyannis tilted her head slightly. "They're not advancing… they're surrounding."
The silence that followed was heavier than any before.
Because this stopped being a pattern of attacks.
And became a complete strategy.
Rai'kanna stepped forward. "If the elves have already confirmed demons… then the main force has started moving."
"Yes," I replied.
Scarlett took a deep breath. "So it's no longer preparation."
"It's the beginning of execution."
Liriel clenched her fist slightly. "And we haven't even seen the worst yet."
Elara crossed her arms, thoughtful. "That explains why some teams are failing."
"They're facing something beyond expectations," Vespera said.
The attendant nodded. "Some reports already mention heavier losses than usual."
Lyannis smiled slightly again, but this time without any real lightness. "So now it's serious for real."
"Yes," I replied.
I looked again at the elven scroll. There was no exaggeration, no dramatization. Just facts.
Coordinated attacks.
Simultaneous expansion.
And now, a request for unity.
I folded the document carefully and returned it to the attendant.
"This will escalate quickly," I said.
"It already is," he replied.
The group remained silent for a moment.
But it wasn't doubt.
It was adjustment.
Scarlett was the first to speak again. "If other races are being attacked… then this isn't just about territory."
"No," I replied.
Elara completed. "It's about domination."
Rai'kanna kept her gaze firm. "And testing global resistance."
Vespera nodded slowly. "They want to see who breaks first."
Lyannis crossed her arms. "And those who don't break… become the main target."
Liriel took a deep breath. "So we're all on the same board."
"Yes," I said.
The weight of the situation was finally settling in completely.
These were no longer isolated villages.
It was no longer a single region.
It was something larger, expanding in multiple directions at once.
And now, other races were involved.
I looked at the group once more.
No one seemed surprised.
But all of them were more serious.
Because now it was clear.
This was no longer just a local problem.
It was the beginning of something that involved everyone.
And the message from the elves wasn't a warning.
It was a call.