The War Council of Valorn - Song 5

[INTRO] [NARRATOR] Mayre Anne’s Castle… heart of Valorn. Its towers still stood untouched by war. But beyond those walls… the kingdom was bleeding. [NARRATOR] Refugees crowded the southern roads. Black banners arrived from the north. And deep inside the Crown Hall… Queen Mayre Anne gathered the rulers of Valorn. [NARRATOR] Duke Harridan of Westmar. Duke Allen of Allenmoor. Duke Ravencrest of Eastmarch. Duke Redwater of Southshore. Duke Marrowfield of Greycliff. Lord Smart of Marsh Island. And beside the throne… stood Troy Veilleux and his brother Eric. Waiting. Watching. [NARRATOR] Then the riders entered the hall. Darian Vex. Selene Valestar. Caelen Thorne. Lyra Duskwhisper. Thoren Grimwolf. Five survivors… where once there had been six. [Silence] [NARRATOR] Mud-covered armor. Broken shields. Blood frozen across winter cloaks. And tied across the knight’s saddle… Brann Ironbreaker’s warhammer. [Queen Mayre Anne] What happened to Brann? [Thoren Grimwolf] He held Gray Hollow Bridge… so the rest of us could finish the ride. [NARRATOR] Silence spread through the chamber. Even the nobles lowered their eyes. [Troy] Then Brann died a hero of Valorn. [Build] [NARRATOR] Darian placed Harridan’s sealed letter upon the war table. Queen Mayre Anne broke the seal herself. Her expression darkened with every line. [Queen Mayre Anne] Northpoint destroyed… Frostmere surrounded… entire villages enslaved… Dear gods… [Noble Lord] Then Westmar is already lost! [Eric Veilleux: dangerous calm voice] Westmar still fights. That is why they are here. [NARRATOR] Eric’s hand rested upon the hilt of his sword. Several nobles suddenly avoided his gaze. [Duke Allen] How large is this invasion? [Selene Valestar] Large enough to bury kingdoms. [Caelen Thorne] And smart enough to do it quickly. [NARRATOR] The riders spoke of burning harbors. Spider Riders crossing fortress walls. Children chained behind silver armies. Entire patrols erased without warning. And one name echoed louder than the others. [XAR’THUL THE DESTROYER] YOUR KINGDOMS WILL FALL! [NARRATOR] Fear spread through the chamber. [Noble Lord] Then we retreat south! Fortify the Crownlands! Save who we can! [Eric] Cowards always say that after someone else dies first. [Duke Redwater] Enough! Panic helps the enemy. [NARRATOR] Then Troy Veilleux stepped forward. And the chamber finally fell silent. [Music Drops Low] [Troy] Northpoint did not fall because her soldiers lacked courage. Iceflow did not burn because her people were weak. They fell because Valorn stood divided while the enemy united. [NARRATOR] Troy stepped beside Brann’s warhammer. [Troy] The north still bleeds for this kingdom. Now the rest of us answer. [Build] [Troy] Send riders to every duchy. Call the banners of Eastmarch. Summon the fleets of Marsh Island. Send word to the northern dwarves. Offer alliance. Offer gold. Offer blood if we must. [NARRATOR] The chamber stirred. For the first time that night… hope began pushing back the fear. [Troy] And if ancient powers sleep beneath Valorn… then wake them. Recover every lost relic. Every forgotten weapon. Every arcane secret buried beneath these lands. Because if Xar’thul the Destroyer wants war… then we give him one worthy of legend! [MASSIVE CHORUS] RISE FOR VALORN! RISE AS ONE! THE DARKEST WAR HAS JUST BEGUN! FROM MOUNTAIN HALLS TO SOUTHERN SHORES LET EVERY KINGDOM SOUND THE WAR DRUMS! NO ROAD LEFT NO WALL TOO STRONG WE STAND TOGETHER OR WE FALL! WHEN DARKNESS COMES AND TYRANTS REIGN VALORN WILL ANSWER THEM WITH FLAME! [NARRATOR] The war council erupted into motion. Messengers raced for the stables. Royal banners unfurled above the capital. Blacksmith hammers thundered through the city. And beneath Mayre Anne’s Castle… ancient vaults opened once more. [Duke Marrowfield] There are artifacts below this city… we prayed would never be needed again. [Eric] Sounds useful. [NARRATOR] Far to the north… dwarven horns echoed beneath frozen mountains. And beyond the eastern forests… older things began awakening in the dark. [Troy] Send word across all Valorn. No more divided banners. No more isolated wars. From this night forward… we fight together. [FINAL CHORUS] FOR WESTMAR! FOR THE QUEEN! FOR EVERY SOUL STILL CAUGHT BETWEEN! FROM ASH AND RUIN WE SHALL RISE! WITH FIRE AND FURY IN OUR EYES! LET WAR DRUMS SHAKE THE MOUNTAINS TALL! WHEN VALORN STANDS WE SHALL NOT FALL! [OUTRO] [Choir] [NARRATOR] And across the kingdom of Valorn… the call to war began.