“So you've made up your mind, then?”
Barsabbas Ahaz, 'Phantom General' and 'traitor of his people,' if you believed what the Salished had to say about him, stood alone in his quarters. No natural light penetrated this far into the caverns that he had carved from the Claws into the Firebrands' center of operations. The only illumination came from the glow of the unsheathed blade that lay on the table before him. It set the center of the room ablaze in a swirling orange light, making Barsabbas look like a burning fire elemental. The light laid bare the crags of his face, his solid and well-defined musculature, and the knot of hair that topped his head - the signature hairstyle of the Saliszi elite.
A faint hum throbbed throughout the room, reverberating from the center where the blade was laid. Barsabbas could feel it in his bones and a distinct scent of ozone lingered in his nose.
“Yes,” the renegade answered, a smooth voice belying the ruggedness of his features. “It won't be long until the Salished march on Zar Vorgul, if our reports are accurate. Alkhazar has already left Zar Endal to fortify the city's defenses.”
“Brave of him to trust you,” the voice said with traces of amusement. “You could sack Zar Endal while it's separated from its army.”
“The thought crossed my mind. As tempting as it sounds, we can't run the risk of drawing the ire of the Drathans. A conventional city would be too difficult to hold against both them and the Salished, if we were to seize it.”
“Uhn. And we would miss the opportunity to capture the Salished's soulsteel.”
“That's the aim,” Barsabbas said, leaning over the table. “I'm hoping they commit enough to Zar Vorgul's siege to be worth the risks.”
“Zar Vorgul has been a thorn in their sides for ages. The Shahshul dearly wants it razed and will do whatever it takes to do so.”
“That's what concerns me. I plan to withdraw well before Zar Vogul's doom is imminent. The Drathans only have to hold out for as long as it takes to secure adequate quantities of soulsteel and arms, then we depart.”
“It's a sound plan,” the voice decided, “though we'll have to deal with the fallout from the Drathans once we abandon their city to its fate.”
“We'll deal with it when the time comes. I'm more concerned with saving your kin from
their fates.”
A silent moment passed as the light dimmed and the humming paused. Barsabbas looked away sympathetically.
“And we shall,” the voice finally said, the light flaring brighter. “Let us prepare.”
Barsabbas nodded, reverently lifting the blade and returning it to its scabbard. As he did so, the light flickered out and the humming faded, leaving the room a silent void.
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