The meeting continued for most of the night.
The large military tent was illuminated by dozens of magical lamps that cast a steady light over the enormous central table. On top of it were several maps, reports, and markings made during the past few days of battle.
All the important leaders were present.
Military commanders.
Representatives of the allied nations.
Adventurer captains.
The King of Vailor.
Drakarion.
And me.
The atmosphere was silent.
Not because there was a lack of topics.
But because everyone understood the importance of that moment.
After five days of battle, we had finally reached our initial objective.
Vaelthor's fortress.
Now we had to decide how to attack it.
One of the human generals pointed to the map.
"The fortress has only three main entrances."
He moved a few wooden pieces.
"The north, east, and west gates."
Another commander crossed his arms.
"And all of them are probably heavily defended."
"Without a doubt."
Drakarion observed everything in silence.
His gaze examined every detail of the map.
After a few seconds, he spoke.
"A frontal assault will cause heavy casualties."
Several officers agreed.
It was an obvious conclusion.
Fortresses existed precisely to make invasions difficult.
Especially a demonic fortress.
Another commander pointed toward a nearby mountainous region.
"What if we attack from the flanks?"
One of the strategists shook his head.
"The terrain is poor."
"Besides, it would take too long."
The discussions continued.
One proposal emerged.
Another was discarded.
New ideas appeared.
Some had merit.
Others presented excessive risks.
While everyone debated, I remained studying the map.
Thinking.
Analyzing.
Something still bothered me.
Vaelthor.
For five days, he had made almost no significant moves.
That didn't seem natural.
An ordinary general would have reacted by now.
He would have launched a major offensive.
He would have tried to stop us from getting this close.
But he hadn't.
Why?
The question lingered in my mind.
Then I realized something.
I lifted my eyes from the map.
Then looked at everyone present.
"May I say something?"
The conversation quieted.
Everyone turned their attention toward me.
I gave a slight nod.
"I think we're thinking too much about how to attack."
Some looked confused.
I continued.
"Vaelthor wants us to stay still."
The silence deepened.
I pointed toward the fortress.
"The longer we remain here, the more time he'll have to prepare his defenses."
Drakarion studied the map.
He seemed interested.
I continued explaining.
"For five days, he has retreated."
"For five days, he has allowed us to advance."
"If we keep waiting, we'll be doing exactly what he wants."
One of the generals frowned.
"And what would your proposal be?"
I took a deep breath.
Then answered.
"Attack immediately."
Some officers exchanged glances.
Others became serious.
The tension inside the tent increased.
One commander raised his voice.
"That's dangerous."
"I know."
"We could suffer heavy losses."
"I know that too."
I pointed to the map once again.
"But the longer we wait, the harder it will become."
Drakarion remained silent for a few seconds.
Then he crossed his arms.
"He's right."
Several gazes turned toward the King of the Demi-Dragons.
Drakarion continued.
"We are facing a war of attrition."
"If we let Vaelthor set the pace, we'll lose the initiative."
The King of Vailor nodded.
"I believe so as well."
The discussion continued for nearly an hour.
But little by little, a conclusion began to emerge.
The majority agreed.
We had to attack.
And we had to attack soon.
When the final decision was made, the atmosphere inside the tent changed completely.
There were no more doubts.
Only preparations.
A major assault would be launched at dawn.
The troops would be divided into sectors.
Mages would support the main lines.
The adventurers would be responsible for the most dangerous points.
And I would lead the central offensive.
When the meeting finally ended, the night was already well advanced.
I left the tent alongside the girls.
The air was cold.
Campfires still burned throughout the camp.
But now there was a different energy.
The news had already begun to spread.
Tomorrow would be the day of the offensive.
Scarlett walked beside me.
"Looks like you managed to convince everyone."
"It wasn't just because of me."
"Even so."
She smiled.
"It was a good idea."
Rai'kanna let out a laugh.
"Finally we'll stop chasing those demons around."
"You just want to fight."
"Of course."
"I knew it."
Vespera shook her head.
"You two are very similar."
"Was that a compliment?"
"No."
That drew a few laughs from the group.
For a few moments, we managed to forget the war.
Even if only briefly.
We continued walking through the camp.
Soldiers passed by carrying equipment.
Blacksmiths were still working.
Messengers ran from one side to the other.
Everyone was preparing.
Everyone knew the following day would be important.
When we reached the adventurers' area, we found several groups gathered together.
Some were sharpening swords.
Others were checking their armor.
Some were talking quietly.
The anticipation was palpable.
One adventurer recognized me.
Soon the others noticed my presence as well.
Before long, several of them approached.
"Is it true we're attacking tomorrow?"
One of them asked.
"Yes."
I replied.
Their expressions grew serious.
But none of them showed fear.
On the contrary.
They looked determined.
Another adventurer smiled.
"I was getting tired of waiting anyway."
That provoked a few laughs.
We talked for a few minutes.
Then we headed toward our tents.
We needed to rest.
Dawn would come quickly.
When I finally entered my tent, I removed my armor and sat down on the makeshift bed.
For the first time in several days, I didn't immediately think about the battle.
I thought about everything that had happened up to that point.
The missions.
The battles.
The companions I had met.
The enemies I had faced.
The people I had helped.
It was strange to realize how much my life had changed since I arrived in that world.
I closed my eyes for a few moments.
But the rest didn't last long.
Shortly afterward, I heard someone approaching.
The entrance to the tent opened.
It was Liriel.
She was holding a small magical lantern.
"May I come in?"
"Of course."
She entered slowly.
She sat down beside me.
For a few seconds, she remained silent.
Then she spoke.
"You're worried."
I smiled faintly.
"Is it really that obvious?"
"To me, it is."
Liriel looked at the small flame inside the lantern.
"You're thinking about Vaelthor."
"Yes."
She nodded.
"So am I."
That surprised me a little.
She was usually the calmest member of the group.
But this time, she seemed different.
"Something is wrong."
She continued.
"I feel it too."
I remained silent.
She took a deep breath.
"Even so."
I looked at her.
Liriel smiled.
"We're going to win."
The confidence in her voice was genuine.
Sincere.
It helped me more than I expected.
I smiled too.
"We will."
A little later, she stood up.
Before leaving the tent, she turned toward me.
"Sleep."
"I'll try."
"Don't try."
She crossed her arms.
"Sleep."
That made me laugh quietly.
"Alright."
Satisfied, she left.
I was alone again.
The night remained silent.
Outside, the camp was slowly settling down.
The campfires burned steadily.
The guards remained alert.
And somewhere far away, beyond the darkness, Vaelthor was probably watching all of this.
Perhaps he knew we would attack.
Perhaps he didn't.
But it no longer mattered.
The decision had been made.
At dawn, we would begin the offensive.
I closed my eyes.
This time, I truly tried to rest.
Because I knew the next day would be decisive.
The fortress was close.
The enemy was waiting.
And after five days of constant advance, we would finally take the first step toward invading the territory of the First Demon General.
With that thought, I fell asleep.
Meanwhile, beyond the fortress's black walls, a new phase of the war silently drew near.