Chapter 65: The Underlying Threat

Despite the signs of recovery, there was something in the air that made the old man uneasy. He felt that beneath the calm surface of the city, a hidden threat still lurked. Shadows from the past seemed to move, not only in people's minds, but in unseen actions that he could not yet understand.

During one of his walks, he noticed a familiar figure in the distance, carefully observing the movements in the city. The old man recognized the man as a former officer of Azaroth, someone he knew to be involved in covert operations during the war. The old man approached discreetly, but before he could confront him, the man disappeared into one of the alleys.

That appearance rekindled his suspicions. The old man knew that, despite the peace treaty, not everyone was willing to accept the new agreement. There were forces at play that still wanted the conflict to continue, perhaps to gain power or simply for revenge. Determined to find out more, he shared his concerns with the mage and Athos.

"I saw him too," the mage said, when the old man mentioned the officer from Azaroth. "He's been moving around the city for the past few days, always in the shadows, never getting too close. There's something strange about his movements, something we can't ignore."

Athos, ever the pragmatist, suggested they investigate the man more closely. "If he poses a threat, we need to know who else is involved and what their plans are. Peace is fragile, and any spark could reignite war."

The old man agreed. They began to organize a small network of informants within the city, trustworthy people who could discreetly observe and report any suspicious activity. At the same time, the mage used his skills to track the officer's movements, trying to find a pattern in his actions.

The following nights were marked by careful surveillance. The officer from Azaroth seemed to be meeting in small groups, speaking in whispers and always choosing secluded locations, away from the public eye. The old man watched carefully, waiting for the right moment to act.

One night, while following the officer through the dark streets, the old man witnessed something that confirmed his suspicions. In a secret meeting, the man had given another conspirator a detailed map of the city, with markings indicating strategic points. They were planning something, and the old man knew he had to act quickly.

Returning to his hiding place, the old man discussed his findings with the mage and Athos. "They are preparing for an attack, or perhaps to sabotage the reconstruction of the city," he said, his voice low and grave. "We must stop them before they cause more destruction."

The mage, ever cautious, suggested that they gather enough evidence before confronting the conspirators. "We must expose them, show the people that there are still those who want war. That will give us the legitimacy to act decisively."

Athos, on the other hand, preferred a more direct approach. "We cannot wait for them to make the first move. We must capture them now and stop their plans from advancing."

After a brief discussion, they decided that the best approach would be a combination of both methods. The old man would continue to observe the conspirators' movements, while the mage and Athos prepared an operation to capture them at the right time.

As the days passed, the tension grew. The city, still recovering from the scars of war, little did it know that a new threat was forming in the shadows. But the old man, with his experience and determination, was determined to protect the peace they had fought so hard to achieve.

On the night of the operation, the old man and his allies were ready. With the city asleep and the streets shrouded in silence, they followed the conspirators to their hideout. The moment of confrontation was near, and the old man knew that the actions of that night could determine the future of the entire region.

They pressed forward, ready to face whatever lay in wait for them in the shadows, determined to ensure that the flames of war would never be rekindled.### **Chapter 65: The Underlying Threat**

Despite the signs of recovery, there was something in the air that made the old man uneasy. He sensed that beneath the calm surface of the city, a hidden threat still lurked. The shadows of the past seemed to move, not only in the minds of the people, but in unseen actions that he could not yet understand.

During one of his walks, he noticed a familiar figure in the distance, carefully observing the movements of the city. The old man recognized the man as a former officer of Azaroth, someone he knew to have been involved in covert operations during the war. The old man approached discreetly, but before he could confront him, the man disappeared into one of the alleys.

The sight of him rekindled his suspicions. The old man knew that despite the peace treaty, not everyone was on the same page.