Enemies Abound (Solo)

[Silvanus Waldstein]

"This meeting is adjourned!" yelled Silvanus as he left the Green Hall, the place where the Druids and the Elder convened to discuss policies. They were getting nowhere with the current meetings. Pressures from the Grimm and the Ultranationalists were growing, slowly but surely, and Silvanus hated that. The Grimm were a more direct threat, but the Ultranationalists? More are coming to view them as saviors, that because of their efforts Oakhearth has become the greatest isolated settlement in Vale. Some of them are even starting to believe that Silvanus was some type of God-King. Nonsense, all of it!

Silvanus entered his room, slamming the door behind him. Frustrated, he took some deep breaths as he sat down on his bed. He buried his face in his hands, stressed and angered at the current situation. They had discussed a lot about the Grimm and the Ultranationalists. The idea of conscripting more bodies into the Rangers came up, but Silvanus flatly rejected it. The Rangers had been exclusively a volunteer force, and Silvanus aimed to keep it that way. Not to mention the fact that's exactly what an Ultranationalist would suggest. Giving into their demands would only invigorate them, give them an inch and they'll take a mile. Just then a knock at the door was heard. Answering it, Silvanus found that it was Robin.

"I came to check on you, my Elder. Are you alright?" she bowed as she asked him.

"Just frustrated at the lack of progress. As if the Grimm weren't enough of a problem, we've also got the damned Ultranationalists threatening our way of life!" Silvanus spoke, his tone of voice rising with anger before his voice was snuffed out by coughing. Particularly loud and violent coughing. Silvanus coughed into his hand, coating his palm with blood. Robin approached Silvanus, producing a handkerchief from her tunic in order to clean his hand.

"You really haven't been the same since you got sick last winter..." Robin said.

"I'm fine, Robin!" Silvanus bellowed, wrenching his hand from her grasp.

"You'll be fine once you stop coughing blood." Robin replied.

"It'll take more than a little pneumonia to take me down." Silvanus retorted, quieter this time. Maybe Robin was right, he really hasn't been the same since the winter.

"You need to rest more, my Elder. Your health is paramount to the success of Oakhearth."

"I'll rest when I'm dead. Right now, the people need me, now more than ever before."

"I'll have our best doctor take a look at you again. See of there was anything he missed the last time."

Silvanus was about to refuse, but stopped himself. Something about what she said resonated in him. He sighed, accepting the situation.

"Very well, get the doctor. Also, one more thing..." Silvanus spoke.

"Yes, my Elder?"

"I need you to find out if there are any... Ultranationalists in the Druids. They're too fanatical to even think of advancing the greater good." he added quietly.

"As you wish, my Elder." Robin replied, bowing before setting off to attend to her new duties.