Storm carefully put the Elemental core away until he could decide what he intended to do with it.
"I'd like to have a meeting with everyone. Get an update on what happened while I slept, as well as discuss future plans. " said Storm.
Razor nodded her head.
"I thought you might say that. Give me a moment to wrap things up here.
Then I'll call the others."
She glared at him.
"I hope you're not planning anything strenuous for yourself?! I'd like to keep you under observation for a few days.
Just in case there are some hidden side effects to your rapid growth and your energy overload. " she explained.
Storm nodded his head.
"That seems fair. "
Storm went to his study and waited while Razor went to go call everyone.
After a few minutes the various members of Storm's inner council showed up.
Augustus, Razor, Grombrim, Kalipso, Aurora and even Dust'an started entering one by one.
Once everyone was present Storm began his account of the crates that they had found as well as the wizard's laboratory they had raided.
Those that weren't present during the raid were pretty troubled by the news.
"The news of a possible Hunter base is most troubling.
There has been no surge of hunter activity in the area since we cleared out the ones hitting the fairies, and no reports of large shipments traveling through the area. " said Augustus.
Storm nodded his head.
"They went through a lot of trouble to keep this hidden from us, so it must be very important to them."
"The members of my people that we rescued mentioned that a few of them were taken away after a certain number was captured.
We haven't been able to find out where they're taken or for what reason.
It could be this hidden base you're looking for." Said Kalipso.
"I don't know, but finding it is our top priority! I'm going to need everyone's help with this!
"Razor! I need you to send messengers out to every single settlement in the area!
Get as much information as you can!
Hunter sightings, supply shipments, missing members from the settlements."
Storm looked at Kalipso.
"Will you assist her with this? You know the people in the area best?
If they prove uncooperative, do whatever you have to in order to get them on board.!"
She nodded her head in agreement.
"What about the gnolls?" Asked Augustus.
"I've got something else in mind for them, but I'll fly out to their new settlement after we are done here.
See if they can't narrow down the search area for us." Replied Storm.
He then turned to Grombrim.
"Can I count on your warriors once we've found it?"
"You'll have my support, dragon. This base endangers us all.
But my warriors are few in number.
I've seen your men and you're going to need more if you intend to storm this hunter base."
"I know. I intend to recruit more people to the cause before we attack." Replied Storm.
"I might have a lead or two on some people that might be willing to join up.
We can talk about it in private. " said Kalipso.
With plans set in place for dealing with the hidden hunter base, they moved on to the next item on the agenda.
Storm gave a report on what they found at the wizard's laboratory and even asked Aurora to give an account of her own experience while in captivity.
Everyone was silent as she finished retelling everyone what she went through.
"Firstly, you have my sheer condolences on what you went through, Aurora.
It is a crime beyond forgiveness or recompense. " said Kalipso.
"Thank you, Kalipso. " she replied.
"This isn't exactly new though? Hunters have always been researching ways to dominate our peoples?
Binding and compelling fae, griffin breeding programs to create mounts, stealing dragon eggs or hatchlings to raise in captivity?
These are things they've been doing for years?" Asked Kalipso.
"The project may not be new, but these methods are! We thought they were tormenting Aurora to get her to submit.
But based on the notes we found, that wasn't the case! The pain is a byproduct of her body resisting the magic trying to compel her." Explained Storm.
"I don't mean to sound 'heartless' or anything. But isn't this a 'dragon' problem?
They haven't been running experiments on most of us, except perhaps the Griffins? " Asked Grombrim.
Storm's temper flared up at that.
"Will you still think it a 'dragon' problem if an army of hunters being carried by my kind attacks your settlement?!!
Do I need to remind you how powerful my kind can get?!!"
"It's not like this hasn't happened before!
The humans have occasionally enslaved dragons!" Defended Grombrim.
"All dragons that are raised by humans become ferals, they've never managed to enslave an dragon that is already an adult.
If they could force an adult into compliance..." Razor explained .
"They would not just gain an powerful servant, they would also gain access to all the knowledge we contain.
Dragons live for centuries. The amount of expertise we gain in magic and combat during that time frame is immense.
If they enslaved an elder dragon for example. The amount of damage they could do would be immense.
Even worse, we are currently one of the biggest threats against hunters.
If this research bares fruit however, they would turn our own strength against us.
We'd become a liability. " Explained Storm.
"Isn't this threat stopped though? The laboratory we found was destroyed?
And by your own account, Aurora. The one you were held at was also destroyed?" Asked Grombrim.
"It seems they're better organized than we thought.
They have multiple laboratories all working on the same project and are exchanging findings with each other.
They must all be found and whatever material they gathered destroyed." said Storm.
"They must have a central point where they gather together to share findings?
Maybe this secret base is the central point?" Replied Razor.
"We can hope that maybe we can take out both at the same time but if it isn't, then we need to be prepared to hunt them down."
Storm looked up at Razor.
"Are there any other dragon settlements in the area?"
She shook her head.
"None that are close by.
You dragons tend to spreads out over a wide area.
Any smaller families that were in the area, moved on 50 years ago after your nesting grounds was attacked."
"Closest one that I'm aware of, is in the Wyrm Tooth Mountains.
That's where the survivors of our clan fled to." Said Aurora.
"That's several days of flight away from here, Even for a griffin.
Might take us a while to get a message back from them." Replied Razor.
"Get in contact with them. Ask if any of their members have gone missing!
If we can find where they've been taking dragons from, we might be able to narrow down the search area." Ordered Storm.