The Master nced at Aldred then at Vortimer. "You two are noting to me for philosophy. Tell me what you want?"


    "We''ve uncovered intelligence on Lord Malgorth''stest scheme," he began, his voice steady butden with urgency. "His n transcends the typical invasions and skirmishes we''vee to expect from the demons. He intends to corrupt every living entity, turning them against one another. An orchestrated chaos to engulf the entire gxy."


    The Master of the Fleet scoffed, dismissive. "Everyone knows the demons seek our destruction. This is their nature. Their desire to see the gxy burn is no secret."


    Aldred shook his head, a solemn intensity in his eyes. "You misunderstand the scope of his ambition. Lord Malgorth has developed a weapon, a device capable of spreading his corruption on an unprecedented scale. With a single activation, he could plunge entire systems into chaos, turning friend into foe, ally into adversary."


    The revtion hung heavy in the air, a tangible cloud of disbelief and dread settling over the chamber. The Master of the Fleet''s dismissive facade faltered, reced by a dawning realization of the threat they faced. "He has such a weapon?" he echoed, his voice stripped of its earlier confidence.


    "Yes," Aldred affirmed. "And it''s not a matter of if he will use it, but when. We''ve been tracking his movements, gathering intelligence. This isn''t mere spection; it''s a reality we''re on the brink of facing."


    Vortimer, who had remained silent, now stepped forward. "This weapon''s existence changes everything. Our skirmishes, our battles for territory—they''re distractions. Malgorth''s true n could unravel the fabric of our gxy as we know it."


    Before this, Vortimer couldn''t care less about humanity or other living creatures."


    "How do you came with this information?"


    Aldred nodded to Varik, who understood the cue and activated a device he held in his hand. A momentter, the air in the chamber shimmered and twisted, and a figure emerged from the distortion. Zelthrax, a demon whose name was whispered in fear across countless worlds, now stood before them.


    Her appearance was daunting, a manifestation of power and dread, yet she remained still, her gaze fixed on Aldred.


    "This is Zelthrax," Aldred introduced, his voice betraying no hint of the unease that others might feel in her presence. "Once a formidable enemy, now a loyal ally. She''s been turned, her allegiance bound to me, and she provides invaluable intelligence from the depths of demon territories."


    The Master of the Fleet''s eyes widened in shock, his previous skepticism giving way to a cautious interest. "You''ve turned a demon of her caliber? Impossible!"


    Zelthrax stepped forward, her voice echoing with an otherworldly resonance. "My powers were once wielded in the service of chaos. Spatial maniption, dark energy… I could tear asunder the very fabric of reality. But Aldred destroyed me, then rebuilt me. I serve him now, my powers at his disposal."


    She turned her attention to the matter at hand.


    "The weapon Lord Malgorth ns to unleash," she continued, "is a perversion of the gifts I once possessed. He witnessed my destruction and saw potential in it. He''s taken the essence of what I was and twisted it into something far more sinister."


    The chamber fell silent as the implications of her words sank in.


    Aldred spoke up, breaking the heavy atmosphere. "Zelthrax''s transformation is proof of what we can achieve. Her intelligence has been crucial. Lord Malgorth''s weapon, inspired by her original abilities, is a threat unlike any we''ve faced. But it also means we have insight into how it can be countered."


    The Master of the Fleet leaned back, processing the information.


    The presence of Zelthrax, a demon turned undead servant, was unsettling, but her testimony was undeniably valuable. "You have turned one of the greatest threats to our gxy into an asset," he acknowledged, his tone reflecting a grudging respect. "This changes things. If Malgorth has indeed created a weapon based on her abilities… we need a unified response."


    Aldred nodded, pleased with the shift in the Master''s attitude. "That''s precisely why we''re here. We need to pool our resources, share our knowledge, and stand together against this threat. Zelthrax is just one example of the unconventional assets at our disposal."


    The Master''s demand for concrete evidence was met with a swift response from Aldred. With a gesture from him, the air within the chamber flickered to life, revealing a series of floating holographic screens.


    Each screen disyed vivid, undeniable images of numerous demonic world forges, all bustling with activity.


    The scenes depicted on these screens were of a scale and intensity that left no room for doubt: massive, dark foundries illuminated by the fire of forges, demons working feverishly, constructing machinery that pulsed with a malevolent energy.


    "These are live feeds, intercepted by our intelligencework," Aldred exined, his voice carrying a mix of gravitas and urgency. "Zelthrax''s information led us to these locations. What you''re seeing are the world forges of the demons, where Lord Malgorth''s weapon is being built. This isn''t spection; it''s a reality we''re witnessing in real-time."


    The Master of the Fleet leaned forward, his eyes scanning the screens with a critical gaze. The undeniable proof of Lord Malgorth''s ambitions wasid bare before him, the threat to the gxy made manifest in the images of those sinister constructs.


    "This is… troubling," the Master admitted, his voice low. "The scale of this operation, it''s unlike anything we''ve faced before. If what you say is true, if this weapon is indeed inspired by Zelthrax''s original abilities… we''re looking at a potential catastrophe."


    Aldred nodded solemnly. "Exactly. This is why we must act, and act together. The weapon''s capabilities,bined with the strategic cement of these world forges, suggest that Lord Malgorth is nearingpletion. We have little time to waste."


    The revtion served as a catalyst, transforming the previously skeptical Master of the Fleet into a willing ally. "Very well," he conceded, "I see the gravity of the situation now. Your evidence ispelling, and with Zelthrax''s defection to our side, we have a unique opportunity to strike at the heart of Malgorth''s operation."


    "However, our forces might not be enough."


    Aldred nodded. "That is why I brought another ally."


    Elralya and Ceeth stepped into the room.


    "Elves? I have fought their kind many times."


    "That is in the past," Elralya said, standing much shorter than everyone else despite being an elf.


    "The next war is not only about your race. But mine as well. I have informed the Elven about this. They concluded that we have 10 years to prepare."


    The Master frowned. "Then we better start now."


    Aldred, surrounded by the infinite expanse of space, found himself before a unlike any other he had encountered in his travels. The world before him pulsated with an ethereal energy, its surface obscured by a shimmering ocean of luminescence that seemed to breathe and move with a life of its own.


    It was a sight both beautiful and daunting, a testament to the universe''s capacity for wonders beyond humanprehension.


    With a determined gaze, Aldred advanced towards the, his body enveloped in a protective aura that allowed him to navigate the cosmos. As he approached the''s atmosphere, he encountered a barrier of energy that roiled and shifted, as if alive.


    Without hesitation, Aldred activated his power, phasing through the barrier with an ease that belied the immense force required to breach such a defense.


    Beyond the barrier, the world revealed itself to Aldred in all its alien glory. The''s surface was dotted with structures of crystalline beauty, silicon-based lifeforms that resembled intricate, glowing sculptures. These beings pulsed with the same energy that enveloped the, their forms shifting and changing in a mesmerizing dance of light and color.


    Aldred hovered above this alienndscape, awestruck by the sight of these crystaline entities. It was clear that he had stumbled upon a civilization entirely different from anything known to the gxy''s myriad species. These beingsmunicated not through sound or gesture, but through fluctuations in their luminous forms, creating patterns of light that rippled across the surface of the.


    "Xyrrathi. One of the major species in this gxy. If I can make them join this war…"


    As Aldred contemted the potential of enlisting the Xyrrathi in the gxy-wide conflict, he descended closer to the crystalline surface. The energy around him hummed, resonating with his own aura in a symphony of cosmic power. The silicon-based lifeforms, sensing his approach, began to converge in a grand assembly, their forms glowing brighter with anticipation.


    Aldrednded gently among them, his presence a curious anomaly in this world of light and crystal. He reached out with his mind, extending a greeting not in words but in a burst of empathetic energy, a universal gesture of peace.


    The Xyrrathi responded in kind, their collective consciousness touching Aldred''s with aplexity and depth that transcendednguage. They shared visions of their history, their culture, and their understanding of the universe, a tapestry of knowledge woven from millennia of existence.


    Among the many voices, one emerged more clearly, a leader or perhaps a representative of the Xyrrathi people. This being,rger and more radiant than the others, approached Aldred, its form pulsating with a powerful, yet serene energy.


    "Youe to us at a time of great turmoil," the Xyrrathimunicated, its thoughts clear and resonant within Aldred''s mind. "We have observed the shadows that grow across the gxy. Why seek the aid of the Xyrrathi, traveler?"


    Aldred, using the same method ofmunication, shared his vision for a united gxy, free from the threat of Lord Malgorth and his weapon of chaos. He spoke of the alliances he had formed, of Zelthrax''s transformation, and of the Elves''mitment to the cause. He revealed the impending doom that threatened not just his own kind, but all life in the gxy, including the Xyrrathi.


    The crystalline entity listened, absorbing Aldred''s plea with a profound stillness. After a moment that stretched into eternity, it responded, "The Xyrrathi have long remained apart from the conflicts of the gxy. We are beings of energy and thought, not war."


    "So, is that a no?" Aldred asked.