Ashes of an Empire

Of course the first to arrive were his children. Nelu thanked him for the opportunity to attend the meeting, but Artorias couldn't bring himself to be happy for the circumstances that made it happy. "It's important for you to learn how the world works beyond our borders, son," he explained to Nelu, then gestured to the space near his side. "You may sit or stand wherever you please. The other alphas will be seated around the table. I want you to just observe for today. If you have questions, we can discuss them afterward." Looking to Bramble as she stood by at her chair, he gestured for his daughter to sit. They would be beginning soon. Her first matter as Envoy and it couldn't have been a more grievous one. The first of their guests to arrive were Haydée and Bellamy; logical, since Ethne was the closest pack to them in terms of distance. As Haydée and Bellamy got seated, Artorias would greet them both with a polite nod. "I do as well, Haydée." He wished it hadn't been necessary at all, yet here they were.

The next to arrive was Modesty, and Artorias was both surprised and delighted that the Raiders' leader had decided to show up. When he'd sent out the invitations to the alphas he had good relations with, Art hadn't been sure if the Raiders would choose to be a part of diplomacy talks, but he was gladdened to see his doubts had been unfounded. Always the outgoing sort, Modesty immediately began to remark on his map table, likening it to one her healer had for herbs as she took the initiative to move her pack's marker over beside the Ashen one he hadn't yet removed yet. A curious brow raised on the Lord of Cinder's face. So the Hollow had relocated, eh? Modesty declared them as practically neighbors and while he couldn't disagree, all Art could do was laugh again and roll his eyes. Modesty's lively personality was highly appreciated right now. "You say that as if my own lot wouldn't want to come be a part of the noise. Your invitation is greatly appreciated, Modesty, and I'm happy to welcome any from the Hollow here—provided they don't try to eat my child's face again." There was humor in Art's words, recalling Tarnish's trespass and attempt to maim Nelu, which had ended... not in the boy's favor.

Basilisk Fatalis walked into the room next, the giant young man practically dwarfing everyone and everything else in the room. Artorias looked at Bas, impressed at how much the boy had grown since he'd last seen him. A boy no longer, now the Warlord. How Sirius would have been proud to see him. With him, he brought a stranger; a woman who sat off to the side behind Basilisk's seat and began to document things. His archivist, perhaps? Regardless, the Lord of Cinder greeted them both with a nod of his head. "Welcome, Basilisk. Thank you for making the trek down here. Your presence is appreciated."

The next wolf to arrive was one Artorias had not invited initially, but was pleased to see nonetheless. Corbin had informed him of the change of plans for who to expect from Heiðinn, and Delphi he recognized from the recent raid, clearly sent as the emissary from the mountain-dwelling vikings. It did concern him that neither Víðarr nor Tenshi could have made the trip, but he understood that sometimes life had different plans than the ones they made. She approached him to speak privately and relayed an apology for the lack of her father's presence. Artorias simply shook his head to dismiss the young girl's apology; it was not needed, made evident by the softening of his stern features when he spoke to her. "I'm happy to have you at my table, Philadelphia. You are most welcome, and please bring Víðarr my well wishes back with you."

No sooner had Delphi moved aside to take a seat, Artorias saw flashes of vivid orange in the doorway, and his gaze lifted to find the koi king himself. Artorias was again surprised and delighted that Hattori had accepted his invitation. It was no small gesture for the usually reclusive Kaicho to remain secluded in his bamboo grove, independent of the world's politics. Artorias rose from his seat, paws on the edge of the stone table as he bowed his head in greeting to Hattori. Although he was admittedly naive in the ways of Hattori's culture, he did remember a few basics from when he'd met the man in his youth. Returning to his seat, Artorias gestured to any of the open chairs for Hattori to claim for himself.

The last of the alphas to arrive were the ones from farthest away—Kotori of Valta and Avacyn of Elysium. Ko walked in with a greeting to the Lord of Cinder before examining the Carved Table. "And you as well, Ko. Thank you for joining us." Avacyn entered and took her place wordlessly, offering a quiet and polite nod of her head in greeting, which Artorias returned in kind. He had not had much experience with Avacyn beyond a few pleasant encounters, but he was good friends with her parents and the former alphas of Elysium. Their relationship had long withstood the test of time and distance and he was grateful she could make the long voyage down to Auster to be here for this. Briar had followed in behind Avacyn and closed the heavy mahogany doors, enveloping the council chamber in total privacy. The only wolves who would know what was said and shared here today were the ones presently in this room. She took her seat beside him and Art returned her nod. It was time to begin.

---

With everyone in attendance, Artorias rose to his paws. His fire-toned gaze swept across each face at the table, every alpha acknowledged with gratitude for their presence. "Thank you all for coming. Many of us know one another, but as this is the first gathering of alphas we've seen since the Long Night and with many of us new, I'd like to start with introductions." One by one, Artorias went around the table, introducing the wolves in attendance by their name and the packs they led, giving each a few moments to add anything they wished to say in greeting as well. "Haydée Kedieo and Bellamy of Foi, Leaders of Ethne. Modesty, Raid Queen of Raiders Hollow. Basilisk Fatalis, Warlord of the Armada. Philadelphia Hattori-Klein, heir to Heiðinn. Hattori Hanzō, Kaicho of Tojo-kai. Kotori Fatalis, Sumatar of Valta. Avacyn Mendacium, Matriarch of Elysium."

With introductions made, Artorias turned to the matter at hand. He swept a paw across the expansive Carved Table, gesturing to each of the pack's metal effigies placed on the map like pieces on a chessboard. "You were all summoned here today because you represent the greater packs of Boreas and Auster, and between us all, we hold hundreds of lives in our paws. Lives of family, friends, those that trust us to keep them safe. Lives we are responsible for protecting from harm." Artorias reached across the table and lifted the effigy for the Syndicate, holding it up for the group to see. "This is why I've called you all here. This is the new harm threatening each and every one of us." Artorias slammed the sigil back down onto the table with a resounding thud of metal on stone, the snake effigy sitting stoic and ominous on the map. "Some of you will remember Beauregard from some seasons ago when he laid claim to his pack, Norad. Recently, Norad fell to foreigners; wolves from some distant land. They did not challenge him for his pack by our natural law. Instead, they abducted his son and threatened to murder him and Beau's entire family unless he surrendered his lands and titles to them. Then they ran them out of their homes and stole everything they could."

Artorias leered down at the hooded cobra figurine, scowling in blatant distaste at the underhanded and immoral tactics used by the fiends. "They call themselves the Syndicate. They are led by a dangerous sociopath called Sephiran Saxe. Sephiran is known by some of us for the way he behaved around our young daughters and for the violence he attempted to wreak on our homes. He also unwisely tried to fight me and Sirius Fatalis when confronted." Artorias' eyes turned to Basilisk. He didn't know if Sirius had ever told the new Warlord how Sephiran had acted in Armadan lands towards the very young Andromeda, or how he had fought both Sirius and Artorias in retaliation for being caught out as a pervert. "I had the pleasure of speaking with Sephiran and his family following the usurpation of Norad. The Saxes intend to spread across Ardent like a plague, and from what I've learned from the ones I've met, that means more depravity, more wanton violence, and more danger to our families and packs." Artorias paused for a moment to let the others digest his words. Then he rose from his chair and moved over to the western fold of Boreas on the map. "They have declared themselves mortal enemies to all of the Ashen Empire and vowed violence against us. That means the Hallows, the Armada, Elysium, and Valta are now considered their enemies as well. And if that wasn't enough..." Artorias lifted a large azure paw to the effigy of Ashen—only to topple it over with a clatter on the table. "Ashen has fallen. Willfully dissolved by Chimera Klein, and with it the Empire."

The Lord of Cinder didn't know how many of the wolves around the table knew of Ashen's fall. Many had been alerted just as they had been, no doubt, but to see a pack as renowned and ancient as Ashen crumble... it was a sobering and melancholic experience. It also meant the linchpin of the Ashen Empire no longer existed. With a considerable enemy now threatening several of the packs at the table and the head of the empirical allegiance gone, things did not look bright for the future. "I know half of us here today were not allied with Ashen or apart of the empire. We have different beliefs, different ideologies, different ways of handling our affairs, but at the end of the day, we all want what's best for our wolves and to protect our families. I know each of you personally, and I would be remiss if I didn't warn you of the impending danger growing around us. Make no mistake—this is not friendly banter or cheeky threats of raids. This is real violence and death threats they've levied. They intend to destroy, to rape, and to kill, and they have no qualms about who they hurt to claim dominion over our world. The Syndicate's threats may not target you specifically today, but knowing that they are out there somewhere and they will come for you sooner or later is information to arm yourselves with, lest they try to prey on you and your children next."

Artorias looked around at each of the alphas as he spoke, then moved around the table, returning to his seat at the head once more. He sat himself down and breathed a heavy sigh, eyes resting on the effigy of the Syndicate. "There is more I wish to discuss with you all on this matter, a means by which we can keep ourselves safe and prevent this malice from spreading like a cancer, but if anyone has any information or questions regarding the Syndicate before we proceed, or anything else you'd like to voice to the group at large, the floor is yours." Artorias gave whoever wished to speak the chance to do so to open dialogue between the alphas. There was one more major point he wished to discuss with his fellow alphas, but he would wait until after they had all had a chance to digest and deliberate the subject on discussion presently.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian"