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“What is it, Vengeance?”

“The worry was well-based. Before us stands an army of a few thousand. A culmination of elven people, slave-cursed demi-humans, and mercenaries. There are also members of a foreign PMC assisting the general. They’re kilometers from Glenda, directly west from Noctis’s Hallow on the Liberthan Plains.”

“They’ve made their headquarters there?”

“Right sire. Shall I engage?”

“No, have Dulah return – the town guards are beyond exhausted.”

“As you wish, my lord.” The telepathic exchange ended on a cloudy scape of solitude. The given speech riled the few who’d replaced hope with despair, the very presumptuous sentence of no needing military since they had him, worked. For anyone else, the threat would have fallen short.

.....

“Master, are you headed to war?” inquired Alta.

“Correct,” he nodded, an air of dejection and hatred latched onto his back.

“Thank you, my lord,” said the survivors.

“Mention not,” he replied, nodding at the bowed wounded, “-I apologize for not being here sooner,” he swept their hearts and frail bodies with much-deserved energy. Alta remained behind, choosing to act in disaster relief, her orders were clear and concise, those of the adventuring guild leaped on the occasion to prove their might and loyalty.

‘I was right,’ he passed the arch-gateway, moved onto the arched bridge, and followed towards the council hall. The extension, from last he visited, contained taller rigid looking buildings. The streets were made of cobblestone, eerily flat, and easy to drive onto despite the lack of vehicles. There were motorbikes and smaller trucks – wise choice for traveling and trading, ‘-the attack on Glenda was a distraction to hide the true purpose, the elven kingdom is on its way to conquering the town. Their plan is so easily visualizable,’ as he thought here, the same words were repeated over the horizon on the Liberthan Plains, “-move into Glenda and provide aid to the people. Do what is must to lower their guards and have them pledge loyalty to the elven kingdom. Regardless if our request is heard, we’ll attack in the coming days.”

“Right,” saluted a group of nicely dressed elves.

“Nice thinking,” said a man dawning golden jewels paired by a condescending look, “-I ought to reward you, General.”

“My liege, there’s no need to go so far,” replied the man curtly, “-my duty is to serve.”

A strong gesture said, “-go forth, my fellow-subjects,” they blindly saluted and exited, parting the military tent to grassy-filled flatlands.

“I have to ask,” said a man beside the general, “-will following their orders do us good?”

“Pardon?”

“I refer to the intriguing party which led us to invade Arda from the north. Is it wise to heed their call?”

“I see no reason why not to accept a helping hand. If they helped to fulfill their greed, ‘twould be no issue, Arda is large enough to accommodate a budding relationship.”

“Majesty,” panted a soldier, “-I have a report!”

“What is it, man,” inquired the General, firming his attention away from the thinker.

“It’s Count Igna Haggard, my liege. He has declared war on the whole of Arda.”

“HAHAHAHAHA,” thundered the king, “-AMUSING, VERY AMUSING.” The tent watched perplexed as any, “-pardon the outburst,” the laughter subsided, “-I care not for the merit in the name, Devil of Glenda. He’s a single man without an army, a weak king without people to serve. We, elves, are the true rulers of this land, our race is far superior, we’re walking gods among the ghoulish races, I won’t stand for pretenders to insult my kingdom. General, mount an offensive once tis possible, raze Glenda off the ground, kill the elderly, take the young for slavery and treat the women as rations to my rowdy subjects. Burn it to the ground, the audacity to declare war on me is a mistake he’ll never forget.” The landscape changed from the king’s tent to a small pond. Here, after a few bushes, slaves were spotted washing dishes and clothes, others carried heavy boxes whilst a few were taken back outside the camp.

“She’s good,” said a group of archers, “-the lass has a scream that makes my heart swoon.”

“Tell me about it,” the bliss faded in the cacophonous inside of the camp.

“Beasts.”

“Shut up, Arlah,” fired the general hidden under a hallowed older tree. The complexion was dark and stood taller than most, the ears were long and sharp, as did the facial bone structure bearing a similar characteristic, a dark-elf.

“Can’t I say what I think?” inquired a similar complexion man – the sole difference was the height, he stood a few centimeters short of the general and had a girlish facial structure opposed to manlier, “-Tigul Nerlie, the general of the elven army.”

“Don’t use my full name,” he facepalmed and shuffled to his side, “-Arlah Kunrid, Strategist of the South.”

“I don’t get it,” shrugged Arlah, “-why would the king so readily accept the offer from another nation... besides,” he shot a glance at the ‘restricted,’ part of the camp, “-the army’s full of beasts. I hate working for this leadership.”

“Arlah,” glared the general, “-I will not accept defamatory statements from thee,” a knife flashed outside its sheath and ended on the tree trunk, a few inches from the strategist’s face.

“Why stop there, should have aimed for my heart.”

“Why would I,” he exhaled, the animosity vanished, “-can’t fully explain it myself.”

“Tigul, you’re a good general, I’d hate to see a needless death. Arda’s infected by a disease of constant anarchy, no one wants to take the responsibility of uniting the lands, they cower behind olden tradition and keep away from reality. Look at the demi-humans... I remember their smiling faces during Queen Shanna and King Staxius’s rule, after her marriage, the continent changed for the better and in such short a time. I’d bet my life to say it was the golden age for Ardanian. True unity... it turned to hell when the queen decided to play the king for a fool... what was she thinking, and what was the king’s state of mind.”

“Sure have been a fan of King Staxius.”

“Of course, I am. Tigul, don’t you see what he’s accomplished. From a nobody in Hidros to a King of Arda and founder of an alliance of nation – none of lower intellect... no forget that no one in our current life will ever accomplish what the Blood-King has created. The people he loved so much are now at each other’s throat, I can’t bear to see demi-humans be treated so poorly, enough is enough...”

“HELP ME!” cried from yonder, “-I DON’T WANT TO DIE!”

“Tigul,” they locked thoughts and sprinted, cutting across the bushes and diving into the closed tent. Before they were an unpleasant sight of four grown men assaulting a young lady, her clothes were torn and a knife was put to her waist, hot charcoal was readied to be shoved down her mouth.

“Explain,” thundered the General.

“My lord, Tigul,” the four elves shuffled to a knelt, “-pardon the noise this one has made. We’ll make sure she can’t speak ever again.”

“Might I ask why?”

“His majesty requested for a new plaything; she was the chosen brat. A fox-tailed demi-human.”

“Tigul,” fired Arlan, “-this one isn’t from Arda,” he said, “-look at her clothes and the necklace, she’s from the Empire.”

“The empire?” the assaulters choked on themselves.

“Tell his majesty the girl is infected by the monster-curse... never mind,” he shook his head, “-I’ll explain the situation myself. Take care of the rest, Arlan,” he rested his sight on the girl, breathed a sigh of desperation, turned towards the four, “-with me,” he ordered. The tent emptied save Arlan and the fox-eared girl.

“About time someone came,” she tore off her outfit to summon an exact replica, a frilly light-blue dress ending in a similar colored stocking and shoes, “-the elves are a rowdy bunch.”

“Pardon me, who are you?”

“Sorry,” she threw a friendly smile, “-name’s Ania Gard, a refugee from the Empire.”

“How did you get into Arda?”

“I snuck aboard the PMC’s boat, spent a few months in the storage area, and found myself nearing a new continent. I took my chance and swam to shore; the current was a hard fight. Magic made it a simple task. I got lost in the forest and caught the eye of a scouting party, they took me to an older-looking man, he said I was fit for the king, and ended here. Lecherous bastards, my body reflectively screamed for help – if it had carried on, I would have used magic... I would have, but... b-but...” her eyes watered, “-they killed another child...”

“My name’s Arlah Kunrid, a strategist for the Elven army. You’re currently at the Liberthan plain. You ran away from the Empire, any reason why?”

“We’re definitely in Arda, right?”

“Yes, we are.’

“I ran away in search for my uncle. My mother and father always spoke about him, he’s supposed to be the King of Arda... I need to meet him, there’s a favor I have to ask.”

“Do you know his name?”

“Staxius Haggard,” she said.

“Staxius Haggard?” he froze, “-sorry to say, the man’s dead.”

“I know,” she said, “-I just need to meet a member of his family, no matter who it is.”

“No matter who it is?” he paused, “-tell me the reason first and perhaps I’ll assist.”

“Why should I trust the people who tried to assault an underage girl a few minutes ago, tell me, is stupid written on my forehead?”

“Honestly, I don’t care for this army,” he knelt, “-I’m here to help a friend, nothing more, nothing less.”

“Fine, better you than some other freak.”

“Sure have a mouth on you,” he smiled nervously.

“Whatever. I’m here because my parents were killed; they forced me to get on board the boat before being killed on the spot. I-I... I want to avenge their deaths... They always said if ever they died, reach out to a member of the Haggard family and explain who they were...”

“Interesting,” he chuckled, “-girl, you’re coming with me. Just so happens we’re fighting a war against Staxius Haggard’s nephew, Igna Haggard, which makes him your cousin?”

“I guess...”

The hallowed screams of the wind blew through Gieto’s valley; due south of Liberthan plains making way to the trade route starting at Solta village. Known for their ale and obsession with liquor, Solta village was considered one of the richer villagers in the kingdom, construction of the wall commenced a few years back – and now, stood as a village of considerable monetary gains. As such, no nobles were ever able to take control of the land, the villagers wanted to be an independent party; and under their command, created an alliance of independent races – one of many rivaling factions currently in Arda.

“We meeting them here?” inquired Kion.

“Why ask such a pointless question?” fired Igna, ‘-we’re far north of Solta, meeting with the village chief was quite the experience. Turns out the old man is a member of the vampiric clan and purposefully created an alliance to balance the influence from the elven kingdom. Clever people everywhere you look,” the sun had just waved good-bye to the west. The long ever stretching valley, under the vengeful stare of the night sky, lit by the hundreds with torches, “-here they come,” said Kion.

“The scouting party,” returned Igna, “-Kion, leave the battle to me,” he said, “-guard the village. I declared war on my lonesome,” he slid onto the sloped path, “-tis my duty to follow.”

The advance party somewhere around four-hundred man, each walked in a single file to avoid the harsh precipice of the valley, caution level was the same as walking along a robe-bridge. Moonlight made the night lesser fearsome, “-let’s go, men,” said the leader up front, “-a few meters more and we rest at the village.”

“Gentleman,” said Igna at an intersection, “-I’m afraid the walk stops here.”