Jack and the others spent the remainder of the day discussing the relocation in detail while the officers made the preparations.
On the morning of the next day, both Themisphere and Hydrurond armies were in formation outside the city. Numerous caravans and carts lined within their formation.
After the announcement, there was much uncertainty among the citizens in the city. Aldryth didn't expect many of the officers and civilians from the city to follow her. She thought she would leave with only the army she brought when they escaped Messephyria, but it turned out that around eighty percent of the officers in the city expressed their desire to follow her to Themisphere. Furthermore, around half of the city's civilians followed as well. Hence, the number that gathered outside the city was much more than what she expected.
"With this number, I think you will have no problem building a new settlement in no time," Jack said to Aldryth.
Aldryth nodded. She took a look at the city and then at the horizon in the direction of the capital, Messephyria. Jack saw a glimpse of sadness and frailty in her look, but it lasted only a moment. She turned back facing the direction of Themisphere. Her expression was unwavering.
Without saying any word, she motioned to Dytess who then blew a horn. Everyone started marching after hearing the horn. Everyone was silent. It was as if a funeral procession. But everyone saw their queen's indomitable face, they adopted the same steely resolution. One day, they will return to claim this land.
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It took Master almost two days to resurrect all the fallen soldiers who fitted the requirements. The zombie army numbered 1,300,000 troops. With the surviving Liguritudum army and Aurebor army, they had enough to crush those enemies who were hiding inside Lefkauselis.
However, there were still five days before the ceasefire forced by Hope expired. His army won't be able to do anything to the enemy before that.
On that night after he finished with the task of resurrecting the dead, Master was visited by one of his allies inside his mobile tent.
"What do you mean explain?" Master asked.
"We haven't been able to contact our God," Strah said.
"How is that my problem?" Master asked again.
"Everyone saw what Hope did to our God. You guaranteed the Godkiller will work!"
"It does if it hits. Obviously, Fear failed to land the hit."
"You will address him as God Fear!" Strah rebuked. "And it's impossible our God failed!"
"The fact is Hope is alive, so God Fear failed. That is the only explanation. If you are not satisfied with that answer, then I'm sorry. I can't help you."
Strah narrowed his eyes. He never liked this outworlder. Their affair with Master was simply a simple transaction. Both were using each other for benefits. "Until we can contact our God again, you can forget about gaining our assistance!"
"So be it," Master replied.
Strah turned into a shadow and slipped out of the tent. The instant he did, the temperature inside the tent turned excessively hot. Master cast one of his non-standard spells, Ice Armor. The unnatural heat didn't cause him any damage but it caused him extreme discomfort. The ice armor helped reduce that discomfort.
A woman who is both beautiful and terrifying at the same time materialized out of thin air inside the tent. It was Wrath.
"Goddess Wrath. I am honored by your visit," Master gave Wrath a bow.
Wrath glanced at Master. The ice armor on Master's body immediately melted. The blistering heat again assailed him. He forced himself to endure.
Wrath spoke, "Fear's lapdog who left just now might not know for sure, but I know for sure that Fear did not miss. The Godkiller successfully hit Hope. Yet, it didn't work as you said it would. Are you playing us, outworlder?"
Master creased his brow. After a few seconds of pondering, he said, "In that case, then Hope is no more."
"You still dare say that?!" Wrath scolded. Her outburst caused the large tent to burst into flames. It was burnt into nothing in a mere second.
The soldiers that saw their ruler's tent went up in flame immediately came rushing. The first few who arrived combusted into raging flames. They turned into ash in a heartbeat.
Master gave the order for everyone to hold and not approach. He didn't want to lose his soldiers for nothing.
"Goddess Wrath, please, calm yourself," Master beseeched. "What I told you is the truth. Since the Godkiller hit its mark, it will do its job. Not even Hope can escape it."
"Then how do you explain Hope was still able to wound Fear so, and even render us all powerless? That is not the act of someone who is dying."
"On the contrary, a dying being struggles the hardest. What Hope did was simply his last burning ember before he expired."
Wrath gave Master a skeptical look.
"If you don't believe me, you can try to go find Hope," Master added. "I guarantee you that Hope is no more."
"And risked his ire? I'm lucky he didn't finish me off the last time. Or is this your ploy to get rid of me?!"
"I wish you no ill will. If Goddess Wrath doesn't believe me, there is nothing else I can say."
Wrath glared at Master with eyes filled with suspicion. Master himself had the one remaining ultimate defense tool in his hand behind his back, ready to be used at a moment's notice.
Without any notice, Wrath disappeared from the place. All the soldiers standing around Master's tent remained tense even after the Goddess was gone. Master himself was contemplating this series of events.
He then called the commanders of his army and gave them his command. "Ready everyone! We will leave for Lefkauselis tomorrow morning!"
The commanders went and relayed his order. The army camp that was ready to rest for the night suddenly turned lively again.
Master also sent his orders to Linda and the other player leaders to make the same preparation.
Linda had returned to the army after teleporting to the closest settlement. Unfortunately, the war table had been destroyed. It would take some time before a new one was made. Hence, she won't be able to command the native army as well as before. But having her in the army was still essential to make the plans before they engage the enemy.
Master gave the order because he knew now that Hope no longer existed. Others might have doubted, but he did not doubt the potency of the Godkiller. He designed that tool himself.
With Hope gone, so too was his threat. There was no longer the need to wait one week before attacking.
They were already two days later than the enemies who left earlier. He didn't worry too much. The enemies won't be able to do much with those two days' head start.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺