Sanctuary: Safe Haven

The atmosphere in the meeting room was tense yet focused. The leaders and key figures of both the sanctuary and Clan Varran stood around the massive table where maps and diagrams of The Black Thorn's territory were spread out. At the head of the table stood Vorgrim, his red-skinned, towering frame casting a long shadow over the group.

Beside him stood Mortem, Canna's eldest, his skeletal armor gleaming under the dim lights.

This was a meeting not just of warriors but of tacticians, strategists, and visionaries. Their goal: the complete dismantling of The Black Thorn.

Vorgrim cleared his throat, his deep voice resonating through the room. "We have one chance to execute this plan. There is no room for error. If we do this wrong, more innocents will die. So listen closely."

All eyes turned to him, even Canna and Dravos, who had remained quiet up until this point. This was Vorgrim's moment, and everyone knew that he was not only a brute force in battle but also a mastermind in warfare.

"Here's how we're going to strike," Vorgrim said, his finger tracing the large map on the table. "The Black Thorn has spread themselves thin across multiple villages, but their core—where Seraphis is based—is heavily fortified. Seraphis and her four subordinates are no ordinary enemies. They're used to chaos, used to death, and they won't hesitate to strike back with overwhelming force.

That's why we need to be smarter than them."

He looked up, his eyes glowing with intensity. "My liege, Dravos, the two of you will spearhead the attack at their main base." He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "Your mission is simple—create absolute chaos."

Dravos raised an eyebrow. "Chaos?"

Vorgrim grinned slightly. "Yes. We need Seraphis and her forces to think their base is the focal point of the attack. Draw out every reinforcement they have. Crush their defenses. Turn their stronghold into a battlefield so that their forces in the other villages will be pulled back to reinforce the core."

Mortem stepped in, his voice cold and precise. "While Seraphis and her subordinates are occupied, I will lead the undead legions to strike at the smaller bases. Each of these bases holds hostages, but they're also guarded by enslaved creatures and fortified walls. The moment their defenses are weakened, my forces will move in to free the captives and eliminate the Black Thorn operatives."

Vorgrim's finger moved to one of the smaller villages marked on the map. "Zephyros and Solara will be assigned to lead the strike on this outpost. The disaster-ranked wolves will ensure the destruction of any reinforcements attempting to flee from the base. Their speed and agility will make sure no one escapes."

He looked around the room, making sure everyone was following. "The sanctuary forces will be spread out across the remaining bases. We will strike simultaneously. Our goal is simple: eliminate every Black Thorn member we encounter and rescue as many hostages as possible. There will be no mercy for those who stand against us."

Dravos crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing. "And what of Clan Varran? How do we fit into this?"

Vorgrim nodded toward him. "Clan Varran will integrate into the sanctuary's forces. You are strong, disciplined, and trained for this. I want your troops spread out with ours, embedded into different strike teams. This will make it harder for the enemy to counter our moves, as they'll be facing a united front of warriors and beasts."n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

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"Varya," Vorgrim continued, turning to the elder warrior, "you will lead a squad of sanctuary and Clan Varran forces alongside Mortem. You will hit the second-largest base here." He tapped the map, pointing at a heavily fortified outpost. "This one holds a large number of hostages, but it's also one of their main slave trade hubs. You'll need to take it down quickly and efficiently.

Mortem's undead will handle the brute force. Your job is to lead the extraction team to get the hostages out."

Varya nodded, her face hard with determination.

"Sera," Vorgrim said, now addressing Varya's granddaughter, "you will be teamed with Mira and Dot. The three of you will lead a specialized squad focused on dealing with the smaller guard posts and any roaming patrols in the surrounding villages. Your mission is to secure the perimeter and eliminate any reinforcements trying to reach Seraphis' main base."

Sera swallowed hard, but her eyes were filled with resolve. This would be her first large-scale operation, and she couldn't afford to fail.

Vorgrim's voice took on a more intense tone as he continued. "The goal is to make Seraphis believe she's the focal point of the attack. While she and her elite guard are preoccupied, our forces will be systematically dismantling her entire operation. We need to be fast, efficient, and deadly.

If Seraphis catches wind of our true intentions too soon, she'll fortify her position and use the hostages as shields."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room. "My liege and Dravos, The more destruction you cause, the easier it will be for our other teams to move in and extract the hostages from the outlying bases."

Canna and Dravos exchanged a glance. They both knew what was expected of them, and neither intended to hold back.

"We'll make sure Seraphis knows who she's dealing with," Canna said, a dangerous smirk on his face.

Dravos nodded. "She won't know what hit her."

Vorgrim placed his hands on the table, leaning forward. "This is not just about saving the hostages. This is about ending The Black Thorn for good. Seraphis should not escape. Her faction will be crushed under the weight of our combined forces. No loose ends."

Dravos nodded, his resolve hardening. "We strike at dawn. Every second we wait is another second of suffering for those people."

Canna's voice was low but powerful as he spoke. "We'll burn The Black Thorn to the ground. Let's finish this."

As the meeting ended, the troops of Clan Varran and the sanctuary forces prepared for the upcoming assault. Weapons were sharpened, armor donned, and final preparations made. Vorgrim's plan was brilliant, a combination of brute force and tactical precision. The goal was simple: make Seraphis think her stronghold was under siege, while the real assault dismantled her operation from the outside in.

The sanctuary's forces would strike at eight different points simultaneously. Zephyros and Solara, the disaster-ranked wolves, would lead the charge on one of the most fortified bases, using their overwhelming power to crush any opposition.

Varya, Mortem, and their combined forces would take down one of the largest slave trade hubs, freeing thousands of hostages.

Sera, along with Mira and Dot, would handle the smaller patrols and guard posts, ensuring that no reinforcements could reach Seraphis' core base.

And in the heart of the storm, Canna and Dravos would unleash absolute destruction on Seraphis and her elite guard, drawing all eyes to the center of the chaos.

This was no ordinary battle. This was a coordinated strike, a surgical dismantling of The Black Thorn's empire. And when it was over, there would be nothing left of Seraphis or her organization but ashes.

The storm was about to break.