The End of an Oath

[Coaltzz]

[!] The following letter would be sent throughout the span of the Dominion, with a personal copy being sent to the Citadel and Crown Palace. [!]

To the Council, the Crown, and my fellow countrymen,
It is with a heavy yet resolute heart that I submit my resignation from my post as Lla'viltir of the nation. After long contemplation, I have come to the decision that my path must now diverge from the battlefield and the barracks. My family is growing, and so too is my duty to them. The time has come for me to lay down the sword in service of the elven, and take it up solely in defense of my kin. I no longer have the heart to lead men and women into war when I know I must now guard the ones waiting for me at home with open arms.

Furthermore, my connection to Ignos has grown into a flame that consumes my every thought. The calling I feel now is not of command, but of deeper purpose, one that burns far beyond the rigid lines of our now-fractured legions. I must follow it.
The recent instability in the Crown has only reaffirmed this decision. The army I once believed in now stands on uneven ground, its unity cracked, and its will divided by it's true colors. people of many ideologies fighting over small arguments, turning into bloodshed for a mere grass patch to harness. It is not a foundation I can place my honor upon any longer, not anymore.

To every citizen of our great nation, I offer a warning born not of fear, but of urgency. The lands of the High Elves are no longer safe to walk freely. The presence of raw voidal essence lingers in the air like a curse, seeping into hearts and minds. Just last week, I was attacked by an Elven voidal demon, a creature so far gone it had abandoned all traces of sanity or mercy. It went out of its way to sever my hand, not for victory, but for cruelty and dominance. Let that be proof enough! We do not know if the stranger beside us is a friend… or the reason we end up buried six feet beneath the soil we protect.

I urge all to carry a weapon in self-defense, not to seek violence, but to survive it.

I leave my station not in hope. Hope that this nation continues to prosper, to endure, and to rise stronger than the darkness that now creeps at its borders. I offer my deepest gratitude to those who have marched beside me, and to the leaders who entrusted me with command.

May the truth guard your mind.

 

[Nephimeris]

[A letter written on aged parchmen, bearing the sigil of House Theris, is delivered by hand to Mihail.]​

To Mihail Brukov,

Your words have reached my desk, and I have read them fully.

Allow me to first extend my gratitude for your service, your time within the command, and the weight you carried upon your shoulders during an age that now closes its chapter. The path of the Lla'Viltir is not a light one, and I do not take lightly your decision to step aside from it.

In truth, I recall your own visit to the Citadel not long ago, where you stood before me to reaffirm your oath and position. You spoke of honor, and a shield offered to the realm. That image, while recent, now rests beside the image of your departure. The contrast is striking, but I accept that paths shift, and people find purpose beyond their first steps. If nothing else, it speaks clearly of where one's allegiance ultimately roots itself. Such truths are best revealed plainly. And early.

As for your warnings, I have read them with care. You mention a demon, Azari in origin, chaotic in nature. That is not something I take lightly. I ask, in earnest this time, that you send to the Crown the full account of this encounter. Locations, description of the entity, all that you can recall. If we are to guard the soil we stand upon, we must know what bleeds beneath it.

You are hereby formally relieved of all remaining ties to Sapherum Port. However, if you or your family require a place to stay in the outskirts of the Glade, you need only say the word. You will be granted time to gather your belongings.

I will ensure that the realm continues its course. The army will be reformed in due time, its unity will be refined rather than shattered. That which faltered shall be burned away, not to weaken the body, but to strengthen what remains.

Go in peace. May the Mother watch over you.
​

In Light as is Willed,