The initial unity forged in the face of the Skarnwraith threat began to fray under the relentless pressure of the ongoing war. The heavy losses suffered in battles like the siege of Fort Grimfang, coupled with the lack of a decisive victory and the ever-encroaching blight, sowed seeds of doubt and allowed old roots of mistrust between the kingdoms to resurface.
In the war councils, the initial spirit of cooperation began to erode, replaced by tense debates and veiled accusations. Lord Vorlag Ironclaw of Draventhall, his gruff demeanor now tinged with frustration, openly questioned the effectiveness of Solmorae's arcane wards and Nytheris's celestial theories. "While you gaze at the stars and whisper your ancient rhymes," he'd rumble, his gaze sweeping across Lady Seraphina and Warden Kyros, "our warriors are being cut down by these bone-shades! We need practical solutions, not mystical musings!"
Lady Seraphina, her veiled composure never faltering, would respond with an icy calm. "Draventhall's reliance on brute force has yielded little more than shattered bones and spilled blood. True understanding of our enemy lies not in the clang of hammers, but in deciphering the very essence of their unholy existence." Her cryptic pronouncements, however, offered little immediate comfort to the war-weary leaders.
Queen Maelis Wildheart, her heart aching for the blighted lands and the continued suffering, grew increasingly frustrated by the other kingdoms' focus on combat over healing and restoration. She argued passionately for a unified effort to understand and counteract the blight's spread, fearing that if Morrathiel was lost entirely, the darkness would only intensify. Her pleas were often met with nods of sympathy but little concrete action, as the immediate threat of the Skarnwraiths demanded their limited resources.
Lord Kaelen Bloodhowl of Ulvaren, his impatience reaching a boiling point, openly criticized Vaelorin's cautious strategies and Draventhall's slow development of effective weaponry. "We fight like cornered prey!" he'd snarl, his fists clenched. "Where is the decisive strike? Where is the courage to meet this enemy head-on and drive them back into the shadows?" His aggressive stance often clashed with King Theron's more measured approach, creating friction within the alliance's leadership.
Whispers began to circulate within the courts. Some in Vaelorin murmured about Ulvaren's recklessness, blaming their heavy losses on their undisciplined charges. In Draventhall, doubts arose about the true extent of Solmorae's commitment, with some suggesting they were withholding vital knowledge for their own protection. Ulvaren warriors grumbled about Vaelorin's perceived arrogance and Draventhall's slow progress, feeling their own sacrifices were not being adequately valued.
The clandestine relationship between Elara Vaelorin and Kaelen Bloodhowl, though a source of personal solace, became a potential flashpoint for political unrest. Rumors, subtle but persistent, began to circulate within the Vaelorin court about Elara's frequent absences and her unusual interest in the affairs of the "savage" Ulv. Should their secret be revealed, it could be interpreted as a betrayal, fueling the existing tensions between their kingdoms and potentially shattering the fragile alliance.
Even Warden Kyros of Nytheris, usually detached from the political fray, found his counsel met with increasing skepticism. His reliance on celestial interpretations and theoretical solutions seemed increasingly out of touch with the brutal realities of the war on the ground. Some began to question whether his focus on the stars was a genuine attempt to find answers or simply an avoidance of the immediate, bloody conflict.
The absence of Morrathiel and the fate of Queen Selene remained a festering wound in the heart of the Concord. The other monarchs struggled to understand how such a radiant kingdom could have fallen so completely. Suspicion, though unspoken, lingered – could Morrathiel's fall have been prevented? Were there signs they had missed? The unknown fate of their former ally cast a pall of unease over all their deliberations.
As the war dragged on without a decisive victory, the immense pressure and the mounting losses began to erode the initial sense of shared purpose. Each kingdom, focused on the survival of its own people, began to prioritize its own needs and question the sacrifices they were making for the sake of the alliance. The seeds of doubt had been sown, and the roots of mistrust were beginning to take hold, threatening to unravel the fragile unity of the Concord at the very moment it was needed most. The whispers of discontent grew louder, threatening to drown out the calls for cooperation and plunge the seven kingdoms into an even deeper darkness, not just from the Skarnwraiths, but from internal strife.