From Fire, We Grow

The members of the Hallows began to gradually file into the Great Hall and find positions around the room to settle in and listen to the meeting. Artorias greeted each of his wolves with smiles and nods as they acknowledged him, smiling lovingly to Briar as she sat beside him with a kiss to his cheek. Ember's cold demeanor towards him wasn't missed, but he did not show any reaction towards it, despite the blow it landed. Everyone arrived in their own time, even some wolves Art had missed seeing around as frequently as they had been, like Sota, Silas, and Gloom. Even Nelu appeared, his son still recovering from his illness and looking thinner than ever. Nelu and Vendrick's sicknesses had been a constant weight on Artorias' mind, and the father wordlessly pushed a haunch of venison down the table towards Nelu. They would get some weight back on their boy.

Once everyone had arrived, Artorias rose to stand, placing his forepaws on the table to lift himself up high. He wanted to be sure everyone heard what he had to say today. "Thank you all for coming so swiftly. It's been some time since we've had a full pack meeting, and it does my heart good to see everyone today. I have a few announcements to make, some that will change the shape of the Hallows forever." With the pleasantries done and the agenda laid out, Artorias moved on to the first item on his itinerary. "First, as many of you have seen or heard, Ashen is no more. With its fall, we are no longer a part of the Ashen Empire. The Armada and Elysium have renewed their alliances with us, and Valta has joined in as well. We are working on building our relationships up with the rest of the packs in Ardent, and for that if anyone would like to volunteer for diplomatic missions to aid our friends and foster good will with them, please speak to me or Bramble." It was heartbreaking for Artorias to think that none of the other packs in the world saw the dangers lurking in the shadows of their very home. But whether they saw it now or not, the Hallows would need to be ready to run interference where they could.

"Second, it is with grim severity that I inform you all that the Hallows is now officially enemies with the pack known as the Syndicate. Any Syndicate wolves or wolves of the Saxe family are to be considered extremely hostile and dangerous. They have made threats against us and against our home, and their alpha has made it abundantly clear that he would see us all dead. All Hallows wolves are to avoid any contact with this group at all times. Do not engage with them, do not interact with them, do not offer them aid. If they choose to engage with you, consider them threats and treat them as such to ensure you are all kept safe, no matter the means. But know that I have no intentions of leading us into war with them." This was the first time Artorias had to declare another pack as an enemy. It felt wrong given the nature of the Hallows, but there was no other choice. The Syndicate had been a threat to his family in the past and now that threat was growing.

Which lead him right into his third point. "Lastly, I want to talk about the future of the Hallows. From its inception, the Hallows has always been a place of sanctuary and healing, a neutral ground where all are welcome. This was my mother's vision for the world, and it's been the vision of our pack since day one." Artorias paused for a moment, taking a deep breath before continuing. This was it. "But the world my mother saw is not the world we live in any longer. The more we remain neutral, the more the world continues to move around us, and we are either left behind or caught in the crossfire. If we continue to stand aside, then we send a message that the Hallows is willing to let injustices and villainies like what occurred at Norad to go unchecked. We are a beacon of light in a dark world, but if the world we seek to improve is falling apart around us, then what is our purpose and place in the world?"

Artorias held his head high as he prepared for the consequences that would follow his next decree. "From this day forward, the Hallows will continue to be a bastion of sanctuary and healing, a place for the weary and needy to find respite—but we will also be a sword as much as we are a shield. We will no longer sit idle while the lands of Ardent change around us. We will adapt and evolve with the world, and we will help shape its future with our morals and values to guide us. We will stand with our friends and be the harbingers of light against the dark. We will fight against the evil that dares to invade these lands. We will be the change we want to see." Artorias turned to draw Embershard, balancing the blade against the stone floor and resting his paws across the crossguard, the silver blade gleaming in the light. "The Hallows' creed will never change, but it will evolve and expand. And with it, so too must we. To begin, I will be taking on a new title as alpha, one more fitting to our mission. An Aegis is for protection, and I will continue to do so with my life, but the alpha of the Hallows will be more than just a shield. So Briar and I will be taking the titles of Lord and Lady of Cinder. The title comes from our ever-burning hearth, our symbolic light. We are more than just the shield that protects our domain. We are the sword to fight back the darkness. Our legacy will continue for generations to come, and the Hallows will remain the beacon for all who carry goodness in their souls and peace in their hearts."

Artorias gave his congregated wolves a chance to absorb and digest his words. It was a lot to take him, he knew—dramatic changes and shifts in the pack's very way of life. It was a necessary change though, one that would ensure the Hallows would remain for centuries. He hoped he hadn't disappointed his wolves by doing this though. "While our core tenets will not be changing, I understand that this is a departure from the original creed my mother built the Hallows on. Because of this, I understand if this path forward is not something everyone can align with. If you feel that the Hallows is not the place you wish to live in any longer, speak with me. I will not stop anyone from following their path." Artorias hoped that none of them would leave. The Hallows would be taking a more active involvement in the outside world and abandon their isolationist stance, but the soul of the pack would remain the same.

With the heaviest of topics covered, Artorias stowed Embershard away and addressed the room with a bit more of a genuine smile. He looked like his usual self again for a moment, unburdened by the weight of the world. "In lighter news, I am happy to announce that we will be preparing our annual Bonfire Festival for the later half of this season! All friends of the Hallows are welcomed, so if you have family or relations in other packs that would like to join, please invite them to celebrate summer with us!" Dropping his paws from the table, Artorias returned to his throne. "Thank you all for your attention. If anybody has any questions or concerns, you may voice them now or later to me privately. Otherwise, this meeting is adjourned." Artorias released a heavy sigh and slumped back into his throne, watching the members of his pack—his family—to see who would do or say what.

ooc: No posting order needed for any follow up posts! Will be posting a tl;dr to the pack channel in a little bit!

"Artorias Carpathius"