[Storyteller's POV]
Haletha was biting on her thumb in frustration when her daughter, Arieda, came into her room. She immediately composed herself, perfectly hiding her worry from her daughter. Unfortunately, Arieda knew her mother too well. She could easily spot the frustration and anxiousness her mother desperately tried to hide.
The said daughter sighed bitterly. She was equally worried about the future, so she couldn't bring herself to comfort her mother. Should she try, she knew she would sound desperate. Rather than comforting her mother, she would sound like she was comforting herself.
Stopping before her mother who was sitting pristinely on her bed, Arieda received a quirked eyebrow. Smiling wryly, she said something that most acquaintances used to greet each other.
"How are you?"
"I am wonderfully fine."
Arieda's wry smile turned sour as she saw her mother's fake smile. She didn't like when she was being treated as a child. She indeed was a child compared to her mother, but that didn't mean she was oblivious. She already knew hardships and was painfully aware of them. It irked her to no end that her mother felt the need to hide things from her.
"The Luxibrae Army is only an hour away from Amizanima. We should prepare our army," Arieda suggested. "Fighting them there is our biggest if not only chance to win this war."
Haletha nodded her head at her daughter's words. Amizanima was a terrain that only Dark Elves were good at. Although Teanosvera was no longer there to help them, the Luxibrae Army still didn't know anything about it. The lack of lighting might not be a problem for the army; however, the complexity of the forest structure would hinder them greatly.
Haletha stood up, holding back a tired sigh as her body wobbled slightly. She had high stamina but she felt powerless because of her mental drain. She could go sleepless for a month straight, but she couldn't help it when she was forced into such a situation. The thought of having everything precious to her turn to ash haunted her.
Holding back a grimace as she pushed the thought to the back of her head, she looked into Arieda's eyes. A small smile grazed her lips as she marvelled at the reliable look her daughter was showing her. She was proud of what her daughter had become. She had thought giving Arieda the freedom to manage herself would make her a slacker and she was glad she was wrong.
Standing before her was a capable and beautiful young Elf. One could see in her eyes that she understood well what might transpire in the future, yet one would be unable to find fear in them. She was realistic but not cynical. She knew the upcoming war was close to impossible to win, yet she refused to surrender to her fate.
"Any news from..."
Haletha cut herself short as soon as she recalled how she had been treated for the past week. Shaking her head bitterly, she felt unfortunate that Layland ended up becoming someone that he had promised he wouldn't.
"There is good news, but I don't know how good it is," Arieda said, surprising Haletha. "Our guardian, the Great Spirit Teanosvera has returned. He will help us to the best he can."
"That means...I see. It is good news but not something that we could rejoice at," Haletha mutters and shakes her head bitterly.
Teanosvera's coming to Lysimork might mean two things. First, Teanosvera didn't agree with Layland's decision, so he ended their contracts and flew there alone. Second, Layland ordered Teanosvera to help them because he couldn't come himself. It means Ilschevar was putting a leash around him which was why he couldn't act independently.
Either way, it was clear that Lysimork and Verniculos' alliance was annulled. They were left to fend for themselves, just like a pawn sacrificed to achieve the bigger goal. Though, Haletha hoped the latter to be the case. If the worst happened, she could still ask Layland to save Arieda. She was sure he would be willing to do that.
"Some people have been missing--many of which hold quite a position in our Kingdom. From the things we found in their houses, I think it is safe to assume they are traitors. The letters they exchanged with the outside party were also helpful during the strategy concoction. An unknown party is helping us, you know?"
Haletha quirked an eyebrow at what Arieda was insinuating. "Well, he has helped us to the best he can if that is the case." She might have said something true, yet it still felt bitter. "Though, it would have been better if he had answered one of my calls."
"The line might have been sabotaged. I don't know if it happened, but you know Layland--he won't take a risk."
The walk to the field where Haletha had gathered her soldiers felt extremely short. She and Arieda were just briefly talking about Layland's personality and they had suddenly arrived before the eighty-one-thousand soldiers.
Despite the fierce look that they put on their faces, the mood remained solemn. The heartbeat she could hear escaping out of the soldier's chest conveyed nervousness instead of excitement. Haletha couldn't ignore the bitter taste in her mouth. It was quite unnerving seeing even her experienced warriors doubting the outcome.
Could she blame them, though? No, she couldn't. Facing a one-hundred-and-seventy-men army with an army of eighty-one-thousand was a stretch. Added to that fact, they were also beaten in the quality aspect. After all, two of the Nine Mentors, Stavros Arc and Hovarc Ard would participate in the war.
"The Great Spirit Teanosvera is on our side--this is the only good news I can tell you. The Verniculos Kingdom has severed our ties, so we won't receive any help. Our remaining ally has his hands tied. Fortunately, he has helped to the best he can."
The Dark Elf soldiers could only smile bitterly at the information. They couldn't blame Ilschevar even if they wanted to. From the very beginning, it was his Kingdom that had helped their Kingdom. The only thing Lysimork had contributed to Verniculos was teaching its people how to cultivate. In the military aspect, Lysimork hadn't done anything.
Did it tone down the bitterness, though? No, it didn't.
The Dark Elf had thought they finally had the true ally they had been waiting for. The Cursed Creations were a rowdy bunch but one they could get accustomed to. They liked hanging out with the Cursed Creations. They had become comfortable with the Cursed Creations. Because of that, the news was more painful than it should.
"Our goal is not to defend Lysimork. Our goal is to defend our people who will live on and come back in the future to avenge us. Burn your spirit. You will die, but don't make it in vain. Warriors, Lysimork won't end today!"
"HO! HO! HO!"
It was only after Haletha's speech did the soldier's hearts beat in excitement. The mood supported the fierceness in their eyes. Their burning spirit was overwhelming enough to drive off the pessimism in the sceptic's hearts. A small smile grazed Haletha's lips. Suddenly, the upcoming war didn't feel as scary anymore.
When they clashed with the soldiers Luxibrae army sent, though, the excitement was kicked down a notch. It was much to the Dark Elf's bewilderment that all of the Luxibrae soldiers could venture into Amizanima just fine.
Scattering them around with Teanosvera's help turned out to be useless. They were blessed by their God, so Amizanima was no different from any ordinary forest. Teanosvera was also quite baffled, yet he didn't intervene directly. As much as it saddened him to see many of the Dark Elf die, he needed to follow Layland's plan to prevent more death in the future.
"Now, I only need to wait for my Master to come with his army, which is not much," Teanosvera muttered as he watched a female Dark Elf impaled in the chest with a spear. "My, aren't the Light Elf too excited?"
"One shouldn't hesitate to clean the corruptness. The moment one hesitates is the moment when one is getting corrupted," someone replied from a higher branch.
"Didn't expect you to be shameless enough to show up, Phoebesius."
"Didn't expect you to leave your corrupted Master's side, Teanosvera."
The 10 feet tall hawk glared at the 20 feet tall shining bird. Teanosvera could instantly tell something was amiss. Phoebesius was more confident than ever despite losing his Mana Core a few months ago. He should be weaker but that didn't seem to be the case.
"Surprise, surprise, Teanosvera. Which idiot walks into the enemy's territory with his true Mana Core?" Phoebesius smirked.
"Which weirdo even bothers to change their Mana Core like a panty?" Teanosvera retorted, channelling Layland's wittiness to his words.
Phoebesius was slightly taken aback but quick to recover. Without wasting any more breath, he launched a fireball at Teanosvera. The said Forest Spirit replied in kind. Teanosvera spread his wings, engulfing the fireball with his shadow and returned it to the Phoenix.
Boom!
Both remained unharmed, but the loud explosion attracted many people. The Dark Elf's hearts sank to the bottom of their stomachs whereas the Light Elf's excitement soared.
Haletha chuckled humourlessly as she killed the soldiers who dared enough to approach her. She utilized three Elven Secret Arts at once, baffling the Light Elf Princess, who was a hailed prodigy in the Light Elf Empire.
"Master Stavros. That woman needs to be killed."
As one of the Nine Mentors rushed at her, Haletha told herself this was the end. Lysimork's dire time would end soon but not in a good fashion. The thumping steps of the Centaur were like her death countdown. She was ready to accept her fate, but something happened.
Someone suddenly appeared before her, catching the spear of the Centaur with his bare hand. The man was smiling as he shattered the Light Elf's head who was trying to sneak an attack on the entranced Haletha.
"Look at how helpless you are."
"Layland!"
The world still favoured her.
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