Chapter 551 War
"Is everyone ready?" Michael asked the group of combatants in front of him, a thin smile plastered on his face.
After careful consideration, Michael decided to send small combat troops into the Savannah Region. They wouldn't fight under the banner of his territory, or the Untamed Jungle. Instead, they would be considered the Trilance's reinforcement. Michael extended a helping hand to the Trilance's leaders and they readily agreed to accept his help, thanking him profusely. It didn't take long for them to decide that Michael and his people would receive a portion of the Trilance's revenue once everything was over. The Trilance owed him a big favor and would pay him handsomely if they survived thanks to his reinforcement..
"We are more than ready. Let us show everyone how strong we are!" Lokai thundered, raising her two short battle-axes in excitement. It was not long since they'd become Michael's subordinates but a large war had already erupted. How could he not be happy? "Demonstrate your prowess. That way the Trilance will understand that they cannot go against us once all of this is over. We should show them that we will always be stronger!" Mika added with a menacing smile on his face.
Michael raised an eyebrow when he heard what Mika said. He wondered for a moment if Mika was doing fine, or if something happened to the youthful Elf.
"Maybe, the Trilance will submit to Michael once they realize that they're mere peasants in front of his great power!" Pheli exclaimed. 'Are the members of the EmeraldLeaf Adventurer team drunk?' Michael wondered, but he put aside these thoughts.
Their preparations were completed and they set off to join the Trilance without any more disturbances. They moved fast and followed Michael to the border of the Untamed Jungle where the Zynur's border settlement had been constructed not too long ago. Michael and his subordinates didn't slow down as the war horns rang through the surroundings.
Their steps didn't falter as they kept advancing toward the towering gate that opened to welcome the Trilance's reinforcement with open arms. Michael and his subordinates made an entrance into the Savannah Region, the Trilance's territory, their masks and cloaks fluttering in the warm gust that wafted past them.
Michael didn't think twice as he activated the Legendary Ring Artifacts' dragon might. He merged his presence with the dragon might and shrouded his subordinates with it. This seemingly simple move transformed the appearance of the Trilance's reinforcement significantly. The citizens had heard about the reinforcement that would arrive from the Untamed Jungle, but they never knew how strong the reinforcement would be. All they knew was that their leader had high hopes for the reinforcement. Now that the reinforcement arrived, the citizens realized that there was more to it.
There were more than a dozen cloaked men and women riding on monstrous war horses, and giants that were just as tall as the cavalry of the reinforcement. Little did they know that the Warlock Centaurs weren't riding on war horses. Their lower body just looked like that of a horse.
Michael's intent behind the masks and cloaks was not primarily to hide the Berserkers, Warlock Centaurs, or the Forest Elves. No one from the Savannah Region would bother what race their enemies belonged to. However, it was important to hide something else with the cloaks.
["Are we going to fight soon? I'm ready to rumble, and I know that my little creations are ready to go all-out as well!"] Zeroa, the Elemental Empress, exclaimed underneath Michael's cloak. Michael felt the warmth of her blazing body, but he just smiled.
"It won't take much longer. Just a little while. Be patient," Michael teased Zeroa, who grumbled quietly. Her impatience was apparent.
The Elemental Empress didn't think twice about participating in the battle when she heard that Michael would join the Trilance's reinforcement. She joined and told Michael that she would follow him identical if he would order her to stay behind. Zeroa didn't want to focus on establishing her Elemental Society for the rest of her life. She didn't want the Elemental Society to be her only task. Zeroa wanted to traverse the world, fight powerful enemies, and support Michael wherever she could. Even the Elemental Society was part of her means to help Michael on his path toward achieving great power.
As an Elemental Empress, Zeroa desired to create her own society, but while that was true, Zeroa was also Michael's companion. She had a strong taming bond with Michael and felt the instinctive drive to support him in every possible way. But then again, the Elemental Empress would want to help Michael even if he didn't ask her to do anything. Even without the taming bond, Zeroa would do everything in her power to support him.
That was also why the Elemental Empress, her nobility and the strongest Lesser Elementals joined the warfare against the quasi-kingdom of the Savannah Region. One Elemental was assigned to each member of the Trilance's reinforcement to fight and kill together.
The Elementals learned something specific after Michael and the Elemental Empress fused together. The fusion had been integrated into their essences. They knew how to transform their bodies to coat their allies' bodies, armors, and weapons.
It was not easy for Lesser Elementals to coat their companion's bodies, but it was possible for them to shroud their weapons with their elemental might. Other than that, the Lesser Elementals could aid their companions through different means as well.
'I should create a companion system once we're back. If enough Elementals are willing to join the military, we could equip several units with Elemental companions. Maybe they'll be able to do things like Zeroa and I.' Michael mused, liking the idea.
If some of his subordinates were highly compatible with the Elementals, they might be able to execute powerful attacks that exceed their rank. It would take a while to create special techniques to maximize their respective powers by combining them efficiently, but Michael liked the thought of having an Elemental Warrior combat unit. Or maybe a unit of Elemental Archers. It was certainly worth considering.
"Welcome to our humble territory," A familiar voice reached Michael's ears and his head flicked to the left where he found Zira, the daughter of the Valyr Lordess. She looked just like before. Two horns jutted out from the side of her head with a long purplish horn jutting from her forehead, bloody-red leathery wings that stretched far behind the young woman, and a black morningstar tail that swished left and right…in excitement?
Zira wore a set of armour that was drenched in the dried blood of her enemies. Michael detected lingering energy fluctuations from elemental attacks all around the young daughter of the Valyr Lordess.
"I didn't expect a celebrity to welcome us," Michael responded lightly, exchanging some pleasantries with Zira before he added in a more serious tone, "But I doubt that you came over for fun. I can also see that you were in a fight not too long ago."
Zira looked down at her body and smiled foolishly at the appearance of her armor. She didn't identical have enough time to clean her armor, or disperse the remnants of malleable energies dancing around her. "We've been pushed back. The Council of Xylon raided another settlement. They overwhelmed us with their numbers and didn't leave us a chance," Zira acknowledged, gritting her teeth.
The Council of Xylon was the name the Patchwork Kingdom gave themselves. Michael was not a fan of the name since 'Patchwork Kingdom' sounded much better, but who was he to judge them? It was not like his naming sense was any good.
"Where is the battlefield?"
Zira looked up, her eyes locking with Michael's vibrant golden eyes. Michael was overflowing with confidence. That was something Zira could tell identical though most parts of his face were covered with a raven mask. The only exposed part of his face was his eyes. Zira's whole attention was naturally drawn to the vibrant glimmering eyes.
She swallowed hard and instinctively retreated. Michael's gaze was sharp and piercing.
'He has grown stronger,' Zira realized. She noticed and forced a smile on her lips.
"We currently have five locations with more-or-less active battles. Where do you want to go?" Michael shrugged, "The closest, obviously."
Zira gave him a curt nod and turned around. She gestured to Michael and his company to follow her and moved swiftly through the settlement. The Nightmare Horse, her companion, was already waiting for her.
"We can spare some Pyroma Horses for fast traveling. Maybe, we'll make it to the battlefield before the situation gets worse," She said, after speaking to someone via a communication crystal.
A small horde of Pyroma Horses, inferior versions to Zira's Nightmare Horse, was led to Michael and his companion.
"We will just run. There is no need for us to use these…things," Thaor said, and the other Berserkers agreed. They would much rather run than force themselves to jump onto these tiny horses. The Pyroma Horses looked like regular war horses, except for the blazing flames that oozed out of their hooves.
Michael and the others agreed to use the Pyroma Horses. They could save time by riding through the Savannah Region. Why wouldn't they use the Pyroma Horses? "Just try to keep up with us, and we will be fine," Michael said, hoping that the Berserkers wouldn't be much slower than the Pyroma Horses.
"The combat zone is not waiting for us. Let's go," Michael said, swinging himself up onto the back of the Pyroma Horse that had approached him.
["This is their leader. It's the fastest one!"] The Elemental Empress exclaimed in Michael's mind.
"You can talk to the horse?" Michael inquired in wonder.
["Yes. But no. I know what it wants to share and how it feels. It's prideful and doesn't want anyone but you to ride it. It can sense that you are the Leader. That you are our Lord."]
Michael patted the Pyroma Horse's mane and grinned faintly.
"In that case, how about you show me how fast you are?" Michael asked, his eyes locking onto the Pyroma Horse.
It neighed loudly and charged behind Zira's Nightmare Horse as they galloped forward.
Not identical two hours later they reached the northern combat zone in the Laprix Lord's territory. The sound of clashes of weapons and shrill cries rang through the surroundings, and the heartbeats of the Warlock Centaurs and Berserkers accelerated.
It was time for war.
[A/N: The author is back in the game with a new volume. It's already volume 10 and the story is slowly getting more complex. We're entering the deeper parts of the Origin Expanse and learning more about the universe and its factions and Michael's ancestry. Will Michael manage to rescue his brother, or will he lose another loved one in the attempt to solve all problems on his own...again?]
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