Storm stood at the far end of a table located in the war room of the settlement as he watched his numerous advisors file into the room.
Several of them had additional scars or burns from the fighting and a few were unable to attend due to injuries.
Though much to Storm's relief none of his council had died during the fighting.
The Gnoll commander, Wolf had received severe burns when one of the Order's flame cannon blasts went of right beside him.
Likewise, the lizardman shaman, Sklaar had been shot with a crossbow bolt while protecting a group of civilians from an attack with his magic.
Although the grans had avoided injuries, the sheer amount of wounded meant that they were also unable to attend as well.
The last one to enter was his son, Chrome. Several new scratches and bitemarks covered his one prestine scales and his mane was wild and uncombed.
He apologized for almost being late before taking his seat. Storm shook his head in disapproval before addressing the assembled commanders.
"We all have much to do I'm sure, so we'll try to keep the meeting brief. I would like a full report on what we lost, as well as additional information about the attack itself. "
Razor passed over a report she held in her talons.
"We're still tallying up the damage as well as the casualties, but both seems to be significant. It's only getting worse with these fires still raging."
"I've finished my initial studies of the fuel the Order's weapons have been using, it seems to be some kind of highly flammable oil that sticks to surfaces and spreads when doused in water.
The flame produced by this fuel is also highly resistant to magic, but I've found that the best way to kill the fires is to suffocate it by depriving it of air." Explained Brenda.
"That's something we can work with! I can use my magic to redirect the air away from the flames and starve them out." Explained Razor.
"Would that even work? Magic hasn't affected these fires before?" Asked the Matriarch.
"It should, because I'm not actually using magic on the flames itself. I'm using it on the air around it." Stated Razor.
"The Grans has created a treatment for the burns using medical herbs instead of magic, it's an old treatment, back from before healing magic reached the popularity it has today.
It's proven quite effective on the burns, but our stockpile is getting low. We could use more help harvesting the herbs?" Hinted the druid that attended in the Gran's stead."
"Use as many volunteers as you need to harvest more of it. What you don't use now, stockpile for later. This will not be the last time we will encounter The Order's flame weapons. " stated Storm.
"How did they even manage to sneak up on us!? All our defenses and they still manage to get by them all to strike at our Heart?!!" Exclaimed Pyros.
"I don't know?! But I fully intend to find out! Iron Bones never failed me like this before and there will be a reckoning if he's been slacking!!" Stated Grombrim.
"Don't be so hard on him! My lookouts failed to spot them as well!" Stated Razor.
"It won't help to interrogate him, we know how the Order did this." Stated Orian.
He stepped forward with Chrome close by and the two dragons explained to everyone how they followed several retreating craft back around the mountain.
Afterwards Orian used his light magic to create a ghostly image of the fortress they saw above the table from memory.
"H-how could such a monstrosity fly like that!! That thing is enormous!!" Exclaimed Kalipso.
"Those sacks above it! It's probably filled with a gas to help make it lighter... Maybe helium....?
That won't be enough to keep it airborne, but it would help, the power source of that thing would have to be titanic in scale." Stated Brenda.
"So that's how they've been evading our notice?! Something that size must move painfully slow, they probably traveled through the whole winter just to reach us here now!?" Stated Razor.
"Could we track it and hit it while it's away from the kingdoms now?" Asked Augustus.
"Through the air? Not likely!? We'd need to know where it's going. Even if we could, how would we fight it? Nothing we have would put a dent in that thing!" Stated Razor.
"Maybe we don't have to?" Stated Brenda.
Everyone looked to her to explain.
"Something like that isn't meant to fly. So the power it's using to stay in the air would be enormous. We hit that source, as well as those sacks and the ground will do what we cannot." Stated Brenda.
"Most of our forces wouldn't even be able to reach it from the ground, could our fliers carry us to it?" Asked Augustus.
Dust'an shook his head.
"We'd only be able to carry a handful at a time and we'd be vulnerable to the weapons mounted on it if we did. It would be suicide. "
"Good news is the upkeep to field that thing would be enormous. It's why no one has tried to create something like that before. It would bankrupt any single kingdom in less than a year just to keep it airborne and staffed.
It will most likely return to dock somewhere to pick up additional supplies and refuel. We shouldn't see it again for a while now." Stated Brenda.
An idea began to form in Storm's mind.
"I'm starting to think Leyocan had the right idea! If we can't hit it directly, then we hit it's backers! Starve it slowly, then hit it while it's docked and understaffed." Stated Storm.
The others nodded.
"Silver lining is that I have all this Order tech to comb through now. If I can find out how it was made, then I can find out 'where' it was made." Stated Brenda.
"Then we hit that, and cut off a vital lifeline!?" Finished Pyros.
"Sounds like we know what to do now! Let's get to it!" Stated Storm.
"One last thing? I suppose we should cancel the Celebration ?" Said Kalipso with a hint of sadness.
"No, we go on like before! The Order tried to break our spirit by hitting us at a moment of happiness. I will not let them take away this moment of peace and relaxation! The show will go on." Stated Storm.
As the other left the room, Storm called out.
"Chrome can you please stay behind?!"
Chrome froze like a trapped deer, even his brother looked back with concern before slowly leaving the room.
As the doors closed, Storm walked over to his son, who was trying his best to avert his eyes.
"You were almost late today! And your image is hardly what I would call 'exemplary '." Stated Storm.
"Sorry, father... I had some private matters that delayed my arrival..." stated Chrome.
"This 'private matter ' doesn't happen to involve a certain manticore, does it?" Asked Storm.
Chrome lowered his head.
"I would never tell someone to put the war ahead of family , but I maintain a certain standard from my generals and I expect it to be maintained.
If you can't maintain those standards as well as your family life, tell me now and I will release you from the duties. " stated Storm.
"N-no!! I wish to continue serving as general!!" Stammered Chrome.
"Then I don't want to see you doing this again! Am I clear!?" Stated Storm.
Chrome nodded his head.
After a moment Storm smiled.
"I suppose congratulations are in order as well. Hope it was worth the trouble. " stated Storm.
"Totally worth it." Said Chrome dreamily.
"If I may give you some advice. Manticores aren't the easiest creatures to date. You're young and may feel like giving in when she demands constant attention.
But that's something you shouldn't do all the time, Manticores females value strength and if you show yourself as meek or submissive, then she'll quickly grow bored with you.
Don't be afraid to put your foot down from time to time." Warned Storm.
Chrome smiled, reassured that his father approved of their union.
"I'll remember your advice. "
As father and son left the room together, Storm added one last bit of advice.
"You might want to bathe and wait until I smooth things over with your mother before announcing your engagement. She'd probably hunt down and kill your mate if you didn't. " warned Storm.