Storm guided the wagon out of the city and into the countryside.
Storm and his Elves had agreed that if anything should go wrong with the mission, they were to meet up at a old abandoned hunting lodge located deep in the forest outside of the city.
From there they would travel together to the hideout that they had been using since they came to the area.
Storm didn't have to wait long before the elves began streaming into the clearing where the lodge was located.
A few of the elves had minor wounds, but they were all present and were fit to travel.
Augustus climbed up onto the wagon and sat down beside Storm, while the remaining elves took defensive positions around the wagon.
They traveled deeper into the forest, using game trails and paths known only to the beasts in the forest.
Augustus said nothing during the trip as they guided the wagon down the trail.
"Are you upset with me, Augustus?" Asked Storm suddenly.
"You know I no longer experience anger anymore, Overlord. "
"But you don't agree with my decision either?"
"My opinion ultimately does not matter. You are our leader and you must lead our resistance as you see fit." Replied the elf.
They stopped their conversation as the hideout came into view.
A entry way large enough for the wagon to fit through led into a small hill. From there, the tunnels traveled deep underground.
It was an old mine, the resources it once contained had long since been depleted and had stood empty for years until Storm's group had found it and repurposed it as their temporary base of operations.
"Augustus! Send one of your rangers back to go conceal our trail, I don't want hunters finding it and following it to our hideaway. "
Augustus nodded in agreement and called over one of his elves that weren't injured during the mission.
"What should we do with her?" Asked Augustus as he gestured to Aurora.
She bared her teeth and growled at him in response.
"Take her inside. The old mineral processing chamber should be large enough for her. I'll come by and explain everything to her soon."
"You planning on going somewhere, Overlord?"
"I'd like to scout out the area. See if any patrols are closing in. I won't be long." Storm replied.
Augustus nodded his head and took the reins from Storm. Storm jumped down from the wagon and watched as Augustus guided it deeper into the mine.
Aurora glared at him with suspicion as he shrunk from view.
"I'll come see you soon! I promise!" Thought Storm.
He waited until she was out of view until he shifted into his dragon form and took off into the air.
He flew higher, until the people below were as small as ants and to those back on the ground, he was no bigger than a large bird from their view.
Storm then began to survey the area. Stone Helm was abuzz with activity as small groups of soldiers were running to and from the city at regular intervals.
They were no doubt looking for Storm and his conspirators but fortunately for them, they seemed to be going in the wrong direction, following the main road leading from the city.
Storm knew that this would not last, eventually they would find guides that could lead them into the forest around the city and they would soon close in on their location.
"We need to be long gone by that point. " thought Storm.
He watched the soldier's movements for another 30 minutes, before diving down back to the hideout.
As he landed at the entrance he sent a mental command to Augustus.
"Augustus! I wish to speak with you alone! Please attend to me in my study!"
Not long afterwards, Storm received a reply from the elf.
"I hear and obey, Overlord!!"
Storm made his way to his study and waited for the elf to answer his summons. A few minutes later the doors to his study opened and Augustus marched in.
He walked until he stood in front of Storm, then went down on a single knee as he knelt before him with his head bowed.
"Please rise, Augustus. " said Storm.
The elf rose to his full hight and stood at attention as he waited for Storm to address the reason for his summons.
"Give me a report on our situation. " ordered Storm.
"We lost no men in the attack and only received minor injuries. The city is currently on high alert and there were enough eye witness accounts of you that the cities can use to identify your human form now."
Storm nodded his head. He had expected such a development.
"Infiltrating cities will be harder than ever now once they share this information with each other and we won't be able to approach Storm Hold again for a very long time.
You realize that we can't stay here, correct?" Said Augustus.
"I do, which is why I want you to tell the others to pack up whatever is of value. We're leaving for safer grounds tomorrow morning. " answered Storm.
"I trust that you would have explained the situation to the female by then? Last thing we need is an angry dragoness causing trouble on the road." Said the elf.
"How has she been dealing with the situation?" Asked Storm.
"She has been..."
A loud bang echoed through the caverns, followed by an angry roar.
"...Unruly. " finished Augustus.
"I'll go speak to her and try and calm things down before we leave." Said Storm with a smirk on his face.
"That would be best. May I leave now, sir?"
"Dismissed. "
The elf bowed then turned to leave. As he got to the doors, he hesitated however.
"Is there anything else, Augustus?"
"I'd like to know. Why did you change the mission?"
"I couldn't just leave her to die. She's too important to me." Replied Storm.
"I see! So she's an intricate part of whatever future strategy you have planned?"
"Not.... exactly..." said Storm.
"Then I do not understand?"
Rather than trying to explain it to the elf, Storm asked a question of his own.
"Do you still remember your family, Augustus?"
The elf nodded, "I still remember the individuals that I grew up with but I don't have any negative or positive feelings about them. As do all of my kind."
"I envy you sometimes. " replied Storm.
"Sir?"
"You don't have to deal with guilt of your actions, I do. This means that I might not always make the most effective decisions. I hope you can understand that?" Explained Storm.
"I can't say that I do, sir. But I shall defer to your judgment. "
As the elf turned to leave, he said to Storm. "She must have been very important to you. "
"She was everything to me ..... once." Said Storm to himself.