Veyra called the meeting early the next morning.
The central command hut was already crowded when I arrived with Lira. Maps covered the main table, weighted down by stones and old daggers. Several squad leaders stood along the walls. Elandor was already present, standing near the far side of the table with his hands folded into his sleeves. His expression was composed, but there was a tightness around his eyes that had not been there before.
Veyra wasted no time.
"Elandor. Your assessment of the subject."
The old mage inclined his head. "Cael remains alive. The core did not fully rupture, but the damage is significant. Multiple channels are scorched. Residual instability persists even under heavy suppression. With prolonged rest and continued treatment, partial recovery is possible. Full restoration of control is unlikely. There is a strong chance of permanent impairment."
A low murmur moved through the room.
Elandor continued before anyone could speak. "The field failure does not invalidate the process. It confirms what I already suspected, the limiting factor is the physical vessel, not the method of awakening. Cael’s body was insufficiently resilient. The next subject will be chosen with that limitation in mind. Preparations are already underway."
I felt Lira tense beside me.
Veyra’s gaze sharpened. "You are already preparing another subject?"
"Yes." Elandor’s voice remained calm. "We cannot afford delay. Grimgor’s forces are staging for a major offensive. The southern governors will continue to offer only measured support. We need power that can match what the enemy already possesses. Controlled magical assets remain our clearest path to closing that gap."
I stepped forward, eager to stop the madness before the others had the chance to agree to it.. "You’re repeating the same mistake."
Elandor’s eyes shifted to me.
"Cael nearly killed members of the team the first time he was placed under real stress," I said. "His power is real, but it is not stable. Forcing another person through the same process before you have solved the core problem is reckless. These are not weapons you can simply discard when they break. They are people."
Elandor’s expression cooled. "You speak with great certainty for someone who has never studied the theory of magical cores or the historical precedents for forced awakening. You are a fighter, Antoine. A capable one. But you are not a mage. Your observations in the field, while useful, do not equal understanding. The process is imperfect. That is not the same as failure."
"It failed under the exact conditions you intend to use it," I replied. "Combat, stress. Fear. That is not a laboratory. If the next subject loses control in the middle of a defensive line, the damage will not be limited to one table in your basement."
"And what would you propose instead?" Elandor asked, a thin edge entering his voice. "That we continue relying on the same limited numbers of ordinary fighters? That we wait for the southern nobles to suddenly grow spines and commit real forces? Or that we place our hopes entirely on one man whose own nature remains... unclear?"
The implication hung in the air. Several of the squad leaders shifted uncomfortably. Elandor’s points were valid, it was clear that the rebellion needed more fighters. However, sending unstable mages into the war with reasonable fighters was the same thing as self sabotaging ourselves. Things would have gone worse if I hadn’t been around to contain Cael, imagine the damage that would have been done if he had been around normal defenseless warriors.
Veyra raised a hand before the argument could sharpen further. "Enough. Both of you."
The hut fell quiet.
Veyra looked from Elandor to me, then to the maps. "We are short on good options. That is the reality. The governors will not fully commit. Grimgor is preparing a push large enough to threaten the entire marsh network. We need every advantage we can create. I will not shut down the research. But I will not allow it to proceed without stricter oversight either."
She turned to the wider group. "Based on Antoine’s report, we are adjusting our posture immediately. Increase patrols along the northern and eastern approaches. Begin fortifying the primary choke points and secondary fallback paths. I am sending another formal request to the southern territories for additional supplies and trained reinforcements, though I do not expect a generous answer."
Her gaze settled on me again. "Antoine. You will take command of a rapid-response team. Six to eight fighters, your selection. Your role is to intercept and disrupt smaller enemy probes before they can gather information or fix our positions. You will also begin structured combat training for the less experienced squads. We need them sharper, and quickly."
I nodded once. "Understood."
Veyra continued issuing secondary orders to the other leaders. The meeting lasted several more minutes before she dismissed most of them. Elandor remained behind briefly, speaking with her in a low voice near the maps. I waited until the hut had largely cleared before stepping into his path as he moved toward the door.
"A word," I said.
Elandor stopped, expression already closed. "If this is another lecture on the morality of necessary work, I suggest you save it. I have a damaged subject to treat and a new candidate to assess."
"You’re moving too fast," I said. "Whatever adjustments you think you’ve made, Cael’s collapse should have forced a longer pause. If the next subject fails the same way in the field, the cost will be higher than one life."
Elandor studied me for a moment with something close to cold patience. "You overstep. Your responsibility is the rapid-response team and the training of fighters. Mine is the creation of capabilities we currently lack. Perform your duties. I will perform mine. Do not interfere with work you do not understand."
He stepped past me and left the hut without waiting for a reply.
I stood there for a short while after he had gone, the maps and the low light of the crystals still lingering in my vision. Lira was waiting outside. She searched my face as I emerged.
"He dismissed you," she said. It was not a question.
"Yes."
"And he’s still going ahead."
"Yes."
She exhaled through her nose, ears angled slightly back. "We should watch him. Closely. And we make sure that when the next failure happens, it doesn’t take the rest of us with it."
I looked out across the misty platforms of the outpost, where fighters were already beginning to move with new urgency under Veyra’s orders. The rebellion was preparing for a storm. At the same time, one of its key figures was preparing to risk another life on an unfinished process.
I had thought things would go more smoothly after joining the rebellion, but it wasn’t exactly moving as swiftly as I had intended. Regardless, it was the start of something big, and despite the challenges and obstacles, I planned on carrying on with my goal.