The funeral pyres burned for two days. Thirty-four bodies, each wrapped in cloth, each honored by community members who shared memories and grief. Elion attended every ceremony, memorizing every name, carrying the weight of each death.
"You couldn't have saved them all," Mira said during a quiet moment between services.
"I could have surrendered. Accepted Imperial terms. Those thirty-four people would still be alive."
"Living under Imperial rule, with no freedom, watching everything we built be dismantled. That's not life, Elion. That's just slower death."
Maybe. But the dead couldn't appreciate philosophical distinctions.
The settlement damage assessment was completed three days after the battle:
47 buildings destroyed or severely damaged
Food stores reduced by 40%
Medical supplies nearly exhausted
Fishing fleet reduced to half capacity
Walls breached in three locations
Population morale: Mixed (pride in victory, trauma from battle)
The other League settlements reported similar damage. New Frost had lost fifty-two defenders holding their ice walls. The Emirates were politically fracturing despite military success. Only the Verdant Sanctuary remained untouched—the Empire hadn't yet attempted assault through the eastern jungles.
"We need to rebuild fast," Thomas reported during the reconstruction planning meeting. "But resources are depleted. We can't repair everything simultaneously."
"Priority sequence," Elion decided. "First: Walls and defenses—the Empire will be back. Second: Housing for those displaced. Third: Food production facilities. Everything else waits."
It was harsh pragmatism, but necessary. Sentiment couldn't guide reconstruction.
The Storm Shark Tribe had suffered too. Fifteen warriors killed in the underwater fighting, another twenty seriously wounded. Razor-Fin arrived three days after the battle looking grim.
"We fought well," he said. "But Storm Shark losses are concerning to the tribe elders. Some question whether alliance with surface dwellers is worth these casualties."
"Are they considering withdrawing support?" Elion asked.
"Considering. Not decided. I argue for continuing alliance—Storm Sharks honor commitments. But pressure exists." Razor-Fin studied Elion. "You need to give my people something. Show that alliance benefits Storm Sharks, not just uses them."
"What do they need?"
"The Imperial ships we damaged—several are beached for repairs. Rich salvage. If we claim them as spoils of war, share the cargo with Shadowhaven..."
It made sense. The Imperial fleet had left behind three damaged ships, run aground during the retreat. Salvaging them would provide resources and strengthen alliance bonds.
"Take them," Elion agreed. "Everything on those ships belongs to the Storm Shark Tribe. Shadowhaven claims nothing."
Razor-Fin's expression brightened. "This is generous. The tribe will appreciate it."
"We're allies. That means mutual benefit, not just mutual obligation."
The salvage operation took a week. The Storm Sharks stripped the Imperial ships of everything valuable—weapons, supplies, trade goods, even the timber from the hulls. What they couldn't use, they traded to Shadowhaven at favorable rates.
It was a good outcome from disaster. But Elion couldn't shake the feeling that they'd merely delayed the inevitable. The Empire would return with greater force.
Then, two weeks after the battle, an unexpected message arrived via magical courier. It was from Fleet Admiral Thorne himself:
Baron Crestfall,
I write this against military protocol and possibly my better judgment. Our encounter aboard my flagship gave me perspective I didn't expect.
I am a soldier. I follow orders. But I am also a thinking man who questions those orders when they seem unjust. The Empire commanded me to crush Shadowhaven, to make an example that discourages further defection. I obeyed.
But watching your settlement fight—seeing farmers and refugees stand against professional soldiers, seeing your shadow army protect civilians rather than pursue glory, seeing a community genuinely worth defending—it raised questions.
I don't know if those questions have answers. But I can tell you this: The Empire is not finished with you. The failure of this assault will prompt greater response. Within six months, possibly sooner, a second fleet will be assembled. Larger. Better prepared. With specific counters to your shadow soldiers and System Bearer abilities.
I won't command that fleet—I've been "reassigned" due to my failure here. But whoever does will come with orders to show no mercy, take no prisoners, and leave nothing standing.
I don't know why I'm telling you this. Perhaps because a worthy opponent deserves honest warning. Perhaps because I'm old and tired of seeing good people die for bad reasons.
Prepare well, Baron. The storm that's coming will make this assault look like summer rain.
- Admiral Marcus Thorne
Elion read the letter three times, analyzing every word. Thorne was offering intelligence—possibly saving thousands of lives. But why?
"Could be a trap," Kael suggested when Elion shared the letter. "Misinformation to make us prepare for the wrong threat."
"Could be. But it rings true." Elion looked at his council. "Thorne struck me as honorable, even while we were enemies. I think he's genuine."
"If he's right, we have six months," Mira calculated. "Six months to prepare for an assault that makes the first one look small. Can we be ready?"
"We have to be. Because the alternative is extinction."
The next day, Elion convened emergency League communication. All four System Bearers needed to hear Thorne's warning.
"Six months," Kira said after reading the letter. "That's not much time."
"It's enough to make a difference," Rashid countered. "If we use it wisely."
"My political position is deteriorating," Rashid admitted. "The Empire-aligned faction is gaining influence. I may not be able to contribute as much military support next time."
"Then we work around your constraints," Yuki said. "Use what each of us can provide, not what we wish we had."
They spent hours developing a coordinated preparation plan:
Military Preparation:
Expand and train militia across all settlements
Develop specific counters to Imperial tactics observed in first assault
Stockpile weapons and ammunition
Establish fallback positions and guerrilla warfare protocols
Infrastructure:
Repair and strengthen all fortifications
Create redundant supply caches
Establish evacuation routes for civilians
Build underground shelters for extended siege
Diplomatic:
Intensify efforts to gain more allies
Publicize Imperial aggression to neutral powers
Seek military support or at least non-interference
Economic:
Expand food production to sustain longer conflict
Stockpile medical supplies and materials
Diversify trade to reduce dependence on any single source
"This is assuming traditional military assault," Elion noted. "But Thorne said they'll have specific counters to our abilities. They might try something completely different."
"Like what?" Kira asked.
"Magical assault. Siege instead of direct attack. Blockade to starve us out. Infiltration and sabotage on larger scale. We need to prepare for unconventional approaches."
"Then we train for everything," Rashid said. "Assume they'll use whatever method we're least prepared for."
The preparation began immediately. Shadowhaven transformed into a fortress. Every able-bodied adult participated—construction crews worked round the clock, militia training became mandatory for all residents, even children contributed by helping with logistics.
The shadow army expanded. Elion pushed his extraction ability to its limits, binding the essences of fallen Imperial soldiers into his army. His shadow count reached one hundred and ninety—close to his maximum capacity. Each one was trained in defensive tactics, each one ready to give everything to protect the settlements.
Three months passed in intense preparation. The settlements grew stronger but also more militarized. The joy of early days was replaced by grim determination. Everyone knew the next battle could be the last.
Then Mira found something in the old Luminari ruins during a resource survey. Something that could change everything.