"As Aiden just demonstrated for us, the passageway is not sealed and does not have to be opened. It is camouflaged with a concealment charm to make it look like the rock around it. The opening is actually ten feet high and is thirty feet across. All you have to do is walk straight at it, and you will gain access to the secret path," explained the general.
"It should be noted that it is very cold in the passageway and chamber our general created, so dress warm," added Commander Favian.
"Good point, Commander. I had almost forgotten to bring that up. Thank you," said General Yukio graciously. "Now, Master Aiden, you must keep the attack on the homes at the south end of the city as quiet as possible. Our goal is to wipe out the residents before we even engage the home guard."
"Do you want me to begin the attack tonight?" asked Aiden.
"Yes, that sounds like a good idea. That way you will be able to use the darkness of the night to give you additional cover. I can guarantee a night of black cloud cover. I have spoken with the goddess Kana, and she has informed me that she will cause a thunder and lightning storm that will drive everyone into their homes," Yukio said with a sly smile. The men in the circle all smiled with great delight at the news that the Elemental was backing them in this campaign. These men will believe anything I tell them.
"What else did the goddess of wind and fire say?" asked one of the captains eagerly.
"She informed me that my assumptions about the murders were correct and that she would back our attack as long as we wipe them all out. She feels betrayed by this treachery and the high elves' high-mindedness. She will assist us in any way needed to punish the fools properly," said the general confidently.
"It would appear that the immortal elves are no longer favored by the guardians. It is the time for man to lead the lands of Tuwa," said Master Aiden darkly. His bejeweled goatee sparkled in the afternoon sun as he spoke.
"You are right, Aiden. Kana feels that it is the time for man to rule the lands. The defeat of the high elves will be a sign to the rest of the races that it is our time, and the people of Nairi will lead the way into a new era," Yukio continued.
"Now, let us get to work. There is much to do before the sun sets. I need to get ready for my performance in the council chambers tomorrow, and you all have preparations to make in order for us to be successful. If we follow our plan perfectly, we will not fail!" exclaimed General Yukio.
As the sun hid itself once again below the horizon, a wicked storm swept in from the north. Cold winds came rushing down the mountainside, sending many people running for cover. Then there was a flash of lightning that struck a building near the inner wall, and a deafening boom followed the strike. There was a brief pause before the black clouds dumped so much rain on the city that there were ankle-high streams running down the roads within minutes. The only light that could be seen was the lightning and the brief fires the strikes caused. It was so wet that nothing could burn for longer than a few minutes. The sounds and darkness were the perfect cover for the attacks led by Master Aiden.
Aiden started his house-to-house hunt after the first loud boom of thunder. Mistress Kana was doing her part to give them cover, and now it was his turn to show his resolve by quietly eliminating the wicked high elves before the home guard knew what was happening. He divided up the troops into groups of twelve and sent them down each block. Each street would have two groups attacking from opposite ends so that they would meet in the middle. This tactic would help to distract the residents if they heard anything other than the rain and thunder just long enough to have one of the teams neutralize the potential threat.
The army swarmed over the southern half of the city like locusts. No one in their path survived, and no alarms were sent up as the troops executed the plan. In the history of Tuwa, there had never been an assault by any of the good races where both male and female, young and old, were slaughtered. Blood ran down the streets, turning the rivers of water caused by the violent storm red. The wind howled like an angry pack of wolves as the soldiers finished phase one of their gruesome campaign. No fires were set as the men went from house to house, so their secret was kept safe from the eyes of the home guard. The high elves guarding the inner wall and castle did not see the army of General Yukio waiting in the shadows of the homes. Aiden and his men now had to wait until noon to complete phase three of the operation.
Commander Favian looked up at the ominous clouds forming overhead and knew that Mistress Kana was providing the cover that she had promised General Yukio. After the first loud boom of thunder was heard, the troops gathered up into a formation that would allow them easy passage into the secret cavern. When the rain began to hail down upon them, they began their silent march into the cavity in the mountainside. The men listened carefully as they walked toward the entrance to see if they could hear anything from Aiden and his men who were carrying out phase one. They heard nothing as they walked into the pitch-black tunnel. Torches were lit, and the massive number of troops and siege weapons crept slowly toward their destination inside the mountain. The men who were in charge of carrying out phase two were at the front of the formation alongside their commander.
As the facilitators of the second phase gathered in the cavern near the hidden exit, they went over their plans again to make sure they set the traps in the proper places. This particular part of the plan actually had two parts to it. The first part was the trap setting, which would be carried out immediately. The second part would be to move the siege weapons into position in the courtyard. They would be set up with their backs to the castle in such a way that would lead the home guard to believe that they were there as an extra precaution for tomorrow's important meeting. General Yukio would be helping out with this part of the plan. He had informed the guards surrounding the castle to allow the siege weapons to be stationed in the royal courtyard as an additional defensive measure. They would not argue, considering that they had allowed the queen and the head of the council to be assassinated on their watch. The rain was coming down so hard that the high elves could not tell which direction they were coming from, so there would not be any questions about their sudden appearance.
The first part was completed without incident. The ironic thing about the placing of the siege weapons was that the home guard helped to position the weapons so that the inner wall was covered from every angle, basically ensuring their own destruction. Once all the artillery was in place, the guards who had helped Yukio's men were executed and replaced with Commander Favian's men. General Yukio wanted to take this extra precaution even though he knew that if the rain subsided before the meeting, their plans could be discovered. He felt that even if this happened that they would prevail in a fight. At the end of phase two, there was still no sign from the high elves that they knew what had taken place. It was nearly dawn by now, and the rains showed no signs of halting. Phase three was only six hours away now, and the men were anxious to finish this bloody campaign. They all felt like heroes and that they were invincible. They really believed that not one soldier would fall in this violent campaign.