A short time after the name of the eye-patched maid was revealed, the air in the chamber felt subtly different.
"Fallon, huh…," Kairo thought. (Strange)
He leaned back slightly and cleared his throat. "Fallon," Kairo said calmly, "that said, I propose we move forward with the meeting."
"Ahh yes! The thrill is killing me!" Garth shouted from where he sat cross-legged on the ground, grinning like an excited child.
Renn nodded politely. "I also believe we should continue, Sir Kairo."
"Yes," Kairo declared, folding his hands together. "Let's begin."
Meanwhile, outside the chamber, the camp had its own chaos.
The bunnymen soldiers sat in a loose circle around a group of hobgoblins who were loudly wrestling each other in the dirt. Their laughter echoed across the clearing as they slammed into the ground and rolled around like wild beasts enjoying a game rather than soldiers training.
A short distance away, Onyx sat quietly on a large stone.
Kairo had ordered him to stay with the troops and observe.
His black skeletal frame was wrapped in dark armor—black chestplate, reinforced arm guards, and heavy boots. Even while sitting, he looked imposing. His hollow gaze moved slowly across the camp, studying everything.
A loud thud echoed as one of the hobgoblins was thrown through the air.
The creature crashed into the dirt only a few steps from Onyx's rock.
Two other hobgoblins immediately looked toward the skeletal warrior. Their sharp teeth curled into manic grins as if they had just found a new toy to break.
They marched toward him.
Onyx did not move.
Without even standing, he calmly formed his dark lance and rested it against his shoulder.
The reaction was immediate.
Both hobgoblins froze.
Their confident grins vanished, replaced by stiff, awkward expressions. Without saying a word, they slowly turned around and went back to wrestling with the others. Even the one who had landed near Onyx scrambled away quickly and rejoined the group.
Onyx tilted his skull slightly, as if sighing.
But then someone else approached.
The skeletal warrior turned his head.
A hobgoblin stood there.
One of his eyes was covered by a strip of red cloth tied over a scar that ran down his face. A single tusk protruded slightly from his mouth. Fur lined the shoulders of his worn leather armor, and a short sword hung from his hip.
Beside him stood a large boar, nearly the hobgoblin's size, with a matching scar across one eye.
The hobgoblin's tired eye lazily observed Onyx.
The two stared at each other.
Around them, the other hobgoblins paused, expecting a fight.
Instead…
Both warriors sighed.
Then, without a word, the hobgoblin sat down beside Onyx on the rock.
Kairo leaned back slightly in his chair, letting the noise around the table settle. The heros watched him with quiet anticipation.
"So," Kairo continued calmly, resting his elbows on the table, "the plan is fairly straightforward."
A few doubtful expressions appeared around the table. In war, plans were rarely straightforward.
He gestured toward Garth.
"Garth will lead two squads consisting of the Living Armor, Hobgoblins, and Ghouls. They will attack from two separate directions."
Garth folded his arms, nodding slowly.
"So I'm on the front lines?" he asked.
Kairo smirked slightly.
"Yes. You and your units will act as the spears of our army."
Garth grinned widely, clearly pleased.
"Ha! Just as I like it."
A few of the hobgoblins nearby thumped their fists lightly against the table in approval.
"You will advance from two angles," Kairo continued, tracing lines across the map spread over the table. "Your purpose isn't just to kill them. You will force the Shackled Hounds inward."
His finger moved slowly toward the center of the drawn battlefield.
"Drive them here."
Everyone leaned slightly closer to the map.
Kairo then looked toward Fallon.
"Which brings us to the next step." He tilted his head slightly. "Please tell me that the enormous thing behind your back is a shield."
Fallon straightened immediately, almost proudly. With practiced grace, she reached behind her shoulder and tilted the massive object slightly so everyone could see its edge.
"Yes, Lord Kairo," she said confidently. "I do indeed carry a shield."
She tapped it once with her knuckles.
"The Weeping Maiden. My main weapon."
Garth squinted at it.
"That thing's a shield? Looks more like a castle gate."
Several kobolds snickered.
Fallon merely smiled politely, clearly used to the reaction.
Kairo nodded in satisfaction.
"Perfect."
He pointed again at the center of the map.
"Once Garth forces the hounds inward, Fallon will form the wall."
The kobold representatives perked up at that.
"You and the Kobold shield bearers will create a defensive barrier here," Kairo explained. "Three directions blocked."
He looked up at them.
"The Shackled Hounds will only have one path left to move."
One of the kobolds scratched his chin.
"The funnel."
"Exactly," Kairo replied.
Garth chuckled.
"Ahh, so we stab them from both sides while they run into a wall. I like this plan more already."
Kairo continued.
"The two spear squads will then press forward and spread the enemy formation. Do not let them regroup."
He tapped the back side of Fallon's position.
"Behind the shield line…"
The rabbitmen immediately sat straighter.
"…the Rabbitmen archers."
One rabbitman lifted his hand dramatically.
"Finally! Our moment to shine!"
Shiri leaned over slightly and whispered loudly enough for everyone to hear.
"The archers will provide constant ranged support. Focus on thinning their numbers and supporting Garth's squads when needed."
He finally looked toward Renn.
The bard had been quietly observing the discussion, fingers lightly tapping against the table in thought.
"Then what is my role, Sir Kairo?" Renn asked.
Kairo gave a small nod.
"You and Shiri will remain near me."
Shiri leaned back in her chair, stretching lazily.
"Command center duty, huh?"
"Correct," Kairo said. "Both of you have strong support abilities. You will assist me in coordinating the troops and relaying commands across the battlefield."
Renn smiled slightly.
"Ah… battlefield music and tactical shouting. A fine combination."
Shiri smirked and nudged him with her elbow.
"Good to have you, music man."
Renn placed a hand over his chest in mock dignity.
"My pleasure."
Kairo looked around the table once more.
Each unit now understood their role.
Spears.
Shield.
Archers.
Command.
Simple.
Efficient.
And if everything went according to plan…
Devastating.
But what about the alpha?" Garth asked.
The question cut through the room like a thrown dagger. Simple, direct—and the most important one of all.
For a moment, the table fell silent.
Every pair of eyes slowly turned toward Kairo.
The young commander didn't look troubled in the slightest. Instead, a faint smile appeared on his face, calm and confident, as if he had been waiting for someone to ask that very question.
"We'll have Onyx hold it."
The words landed heavily.
"Hold it?" Renn repeated, blinking in confusion. "Isn't he supposed to be the main piece to defeat the alpha?"
Kairo shook his head.
"No," he said simply. "I have a special plan for the alpha."
The room grew quiet again.
A separate plan for the alpha?
That meant the entire strategy they had just discussed—Garth's spearhead assault, Fallon's defensive wall, the kobolds, the rabbitmen archers, the command support—none of that was meant to directly defeat the strongest monster in the Beast Tide.
It was all preparation.
All structure.
All groundwork.
Garth leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms as a crooked grin spread across his face.
"Heh… so you really planned for everything, huh?"
Kairo didn't deny it. He simply shrugged slightly, the same calm smile still lingering on his lips.
"Well," he said casually, "that's the job of the one making the plan."
For a moment, the group simply sat there, letting the weight of the strategy sink in.
Then Garth suddenly leaned forward again.
"So what do we call it?"
Kairo blinked.
"Huh?"
"The plan," Garth clarified, gesturing around the table. "You gave every role and step. It sounds important enough to have a name."
Kairo rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"A name, huh…"
The room watched him in silence as he thought.
Seconds passed.
Then suddenly—
Snap!
Kairo's fingers clicked sharply.
His eyes lit up with excitement.
"I got it!"
With sudden enthusiasm, he planted his boot on top of the table, leaning forward like a victorious general announcing a grand military doctrine.
There was a brief dramatic pause.
Then he declared proudly,
"We will call it…"
Another small pause.
"…The Beast Tide Eradication Plan!"
The name echoed through the room.
Everyone stared at him.
No one spoke.
Not Garth.
Not Fallon.
Not Renn.
Not even the kobolds whispering at the edge of the room.
The silence stretched for several seconds.
Kairo, meanwhile, looked extremely proud of himself.
Only Shiri quietly leaned back in her chair, rubbing her temple.
(What a bad name…)
To be continued.....