Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 351

Chapter 351: Aiden’s move IV

Elyara’s fury burned like a wildfire as she paced the opulent strategy room of the Celestial Court. The reports from the ruined depot lay in disarray across the polished table, their contents confirming what she already knew: her enemy was not just skilled, but audacious.

“They’ve underestimated us,” she hissed, her voice cutting through the tense silence. “Aiden thinks he can outmaneuver me with petty sabotage. Let’s see how clever he is when his precious kingdom is choking on its own desperation.”

The grizzled advisor stepped forward cautiously. “Your Grace, we’ve doubled the pressure on the trade routes as you commanded. But Aiden’s operatives are ghosts. Tracking them has proven… difficult.”

Elyara’s eyes narrowed, her expression icy. “Then find their vulnerabilities. Every ghost leaves a shadow. Bring me someone—anyone—who can give us leverage.”

Another advisor, younger but no less cautious, ventured to speak. “If I may, Your Grace… Aiden’s actions suggest he’s trying to buy Lirael time. Perhaps we exploit that connection.”

Elyara’s lips curved into a cruel smile. “Ah, yes. The ever-noble protector. Send word to our agents in the kingdom. If Aiden wants to play the savior, let’s see how far he’ll go when we start dismantling what he’s trying so hard to protect.”

Her tone turned sharp. “And prepare our strike teams. I want results—no excuses.”

Lirael’s kingdom stirred uneasily under the weight of mounting uncertainty. In the bustling markets and quiet streets, whispers of conflict hung in the air like an unshakable mist. But within the palace walls, Lirael’s resolve remained unbroken.

She stood in the war room, her advisors gathered around the central table, where a detailed map of the kingdom was spread out. The markers showed areas of renewed trade activity—a sign of Aiden’s influence—but also highlighted regions where Celestial Court interference continued to sow discord.

“We need to secure these regions,” Lirael said, pointing to the vulnerable areas on the map. “If we lose the trust of our people there, the Court will exploit it to undermine everything we’ve rebuilt.”

Her chief advisor, a stoic woman named Eliana, nodded. “I’ve dispatched envoys to stabilize the situation, but they’ll need time. If the Court escalates, we may not have enough.”

Lirael’s expression was determined. “Then we’ll find a way. Aiden’s given us this chance—we won’t squander it.”

The doors to the war room creaked open, and one of her aides hurried in, bowing deeply. “Your Majesty, a messenger has arrived from the frontier. They claim it’s urgent.”

“Send them in,” Lirael commanded.

A travel-worn figure stepped into the room, their cloak damp from the approaching storm. They bowed quickly before speaking. “Your Majesty, the Celestial Court has begun amassing forces near the border. Their movements suggest a targeted strike.”

The room fell into tense silence as all eyes turned to Lirael. Her mind raced, weighing the implications. A direct strike would test the kingdom’s defenses, but it could also provide an opportunity to rally her people against a visible threat.

“Alert the border garrisons,” she said firmly. “I want defenses reinforced immediately. And send word to Lord Aiden. He needs to know what we’re facing.”

The messenger bowed again, retreating quickly from the room. Lirael turned back to the table, her resolve hardening.

“If they think we’ll crumble under pressure,” she said softly, her voice carrying a steely edge, “then they’ve underestimated us.”

Aiden stood in the stronghold’s command chamber, the storm outside mirroring the tension within. The messenger’s report from Lirael’s kingdom had arrived, and its contents demanded immediate action.

“They’re moving faster than expected,” Myne remarked, her arms crossed as she studied the map. “If they hit the border hard enough, it could destabilize everything we’ve set up.”

“That’s exactly what they want,” Aiden replied. “But we won’t let them dictate the terms. If they’re committing forces to the border, it means their rear lines are vulnerable.”

He traced a path on the map, his finger stopping at a critical juncture deep within Celestial Court territory. “We strike here. A precision raid to cripple their supply chain and force them to divert resources.”

Myne tilted her head, a glint of admiration in her eyes. “You’re banking on them not expecting us to hit them while they’re on the offensive.”

“They won’t see it coming,” Aiden said, his voice steady. “And by the time they do, it’ll be too late.”

The storm thundered overhead as Aiden’s command chamber emptied, his operatives moving swiftly to prepare for the raid. Myne lingered, her emerald eyes fixed on him with an intensity that was almost unsettling.

“You sure about this?” she asked, leaning casually against the edge of the map table. “Hitting them where it hurts could backfire if they sniff us out.”

Aiden met her gaze, the faintest hint of a smirk playing on his lips. “It’s a calculated risk. If we let them dictate the pace, we’ll lose the initiative. The Celestial Court thrives on control—we’ll take that from them.”

Myne chuckled softly, her expression equal parts admiration and amusement. “Always the tactician. Alright, I’ll gather the team. Just don’t expect me to pull any punches when things get messy.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” Aiden replied. His tone was calm, but there was an edge to it—a quiet confidence that seemed unshakable.

As Myne exited the chamber, Aiden turned back to the map, his fingers tracing the intricate pathways of the Celestial Court’s supply lines. His mind raced with contingencies, his thoughts a storm as fierce as the one raging outside. He could feel the weight of the kingdom’s hopes pressing down on him, but he welcomed it. Pressure was a forge, and he intended to emerge stronger.

The door creaked open again, and a quiet voice broke the silence. “Lord Aiden.”

He looked up to see Liam standing at the entrance, their spectral form flickering faintly in the dim light. The air around them seemed heavier, charged with an unspoken tension.

“What is it?” Aiden asked, his tone brisk.

“I’ve uncovered something… troubling,” Liam began, stepping into the room. “The Celestial Court isn’t just amassing forces near the border—they’re experimenting with something. A ritual, ancient and dangerous. If successful, it could turn the tide of this conflict in their favor.”

Aiden’s eyes narrowed. “What kind of ritual?”

Liam hesitated for a moment before replying. “It involves the manipulation of leyline energy. They’re attempting to channel raw power directly from the earth, bypassing natural constraints. If they succeed, they could unleash devastating attacks or fortify their strongholds beyond our ability to breach.”

The implications hit Aiden like a thunderclap. “Do we know where this is happening?”

“Not yet,” Liam admitted. “But the energy signatures suggest it’s somewhere deep within their territory. I’ll continue tracking it, but we’ll need to act fast.”

Aiden nodded, his mind already adjusting the plan. “We’ll proceed with the raid as planned, but I want you to focus on finding that ritual site. If they’re playing with forces they don’t fully understand, it could be their undoing.”

“Understood,” Liam said, their form flickering briefly before vanishing from sight.

Aiden exhaled slowly, his hands gripping the edge of the map table. The stakes had just risen, and the path ahead was more treacherous than ever. But he thrived in the shadows, where every move was a gamble and every step a test of will.

He straightened, his expression hardening. “Let the Court make their move,” he muttered to himself. “We’ll be ready.”

Far away, in the heart of the Celestial Court’s territory, Elyara stood in a cavernous chamber illuminated by the glow of leyline conduits. The air was thick with arcane energy, the ground beneath her feet vibrating faintly as the ritual continued.

Ritualists clad in ornate robes chanted in unison, their voices weaving a complex tapestry of power. At the center of the chamber, a crystalline structure pulsed with a rhythmic light, each pulse sending ripples of energy through the conduits.

Elyara watched with a mixture of fascination and anticipation. The ritual was dangerous, but if successful, it would grant her an unparalleled advantage. She turned to the lead ritualist, her voice cutting through the chants like a blade. “How much longer?”

The ritualist, an older man with lines of exhaustion etched into his face, bowed deeply. “The process is delicate, Your Grace. We must proceed with caution, or the leylines could destabilize.”

“Then proceed faster,” Elyara snapped. “Aiden’s forces are already disrupting our supply chains. We don’t have time for caution.”

The ritualist hesitated but nodded, his voice trembling as he issued new orders to his subordinates. Elyara’s gaze returned to the crystalline structure, her expression unreadable. She could feel the raw power emanating from it, a promise of victory wrapped in the peril of the unknown.

“Let them try to stop me,” she whispered, her lips curving into a cold smile. “This time, the shadows won’t save them.”

By the time the storm subsided, Aiden’s strike team was ready. Clad in dark, lightweight armor designed for speed and stealth, they moved like phantoms through the forest, their presence masked by Myne’s shadowmancy. The path to their target was treacherous, but Aiden’s operatives were disciplined, their focus unyielding.

Myne walked at his side, her voice low. “The depot’s heavily guarded. We’ll need a distraction to draw their forces away.”

Aiden nodded. “Leave that to me. You focus on securing the supply caches and planting the charges. We’ll cripple their operations in one stroke.”

She smirked, her confidence unshaken. “You’ve got it, boss.”

As they approached the depot, Aiden’s mind sharpened, every detail of the plan falling into place. This was no longer a simple skirmish—it was the first move in a larger game, one that would determine the fate of kingdoms. And Aiden intended to win.