It was past noon, and the meeting was still going on. The sunlight filled the room with an orange glow as the elves remained seated in their chairs.
Madayanti remained standing as the ceremonial atmosphere faded, her expression shifting from diplomatic warmth to something harder, more tactical. The recognition of the Sol'vur was complete, but the Council had more pressing matters to address.
"Now that formalities are concluded," she said, her voice carrying the weight of someone delivering unwelcome news, "we must address the reason this Council was truly convened. The Empire's escalating aggression toward our people."
She gestured, and one of the Arumaks moved forward, activating a projection system built into the central dais.
Holographic images materialized in the air above them, maps showing elf territories, human Empire boundaries, and, most disturbingly, markers indicating sites of conflict.
