Internal Conflict Among Allies

Lena turned to Elias, who stood nearby, his face pale and tense. "What's the status of the reinforcements?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

Elias swallowed before answering. "The reinforcements are on their way, but it will take hours for them to reach us. If the Rhytil press their advantage now—"

"I know," Lena interrupted, her voice harsh. She didn't need Elias to finish the sentence. "We'll hold them off until then."

But Elias' gaze was hard, and for the first time in a long while, she could see the flicker of doubt in his eyes. He stepped closer to her. "Lena, we need to reconsider this approach. The Rhytil have shown us that they're willing to destroy everything. We might not make it through another push."

Lena's jaw tightened, but she couldn't deny the truth in his words.

"You're not suggesting we pull back?" She could feel the anger bubbling up. "After all we've sacrificed?"

Elias hesitated. "I'm saying we have to weigh the cost, Lena. A win at any price might not be the kind of victory we need."

As Lena turned back to the tactical map, the weight of Elias's words lingered. Her strategy had always been clear-cut—fight, win, and endure. But now, with so many lives at risk, doubts started creeping in.

A sudden alert cut through the tension in the room. "Commander, we've identified a secondary fleet coming in from the Rhytil's rear."

Lena's eyes narrowed. "I need to know their trajectory. If they're going to flank us, we'll need to engage them immediately."

Her mind raced. She had one chance to turn the tide of this battle, but the pressure was mounting. The core of her strategy had always been to keep the enemy divided, but if the Rhytil were truly this coordinated—if they had anticipated her every move—then she would have to improvise. And in the heat of battle, improvisation came with its own set of consequences.