General Harning sat atop her Norhs at the crest of the last mountain she and her squad needed to traverse. Two of her men had just died under the rubble of a landslide and yet, she cared more about the massive city that now loomed to the east. She had never seen the Empire as a threat, however, whatever caused that must be a powerful foe. Were they hiding some powerful weapon or was it a powerful person who had raised the sunken city from the earth? She did not know. What she did know was that she would have to keep an eye on her rearguard from now on.

“Move along, men. We shall deal with that enemy when it comes time. For now, we need to focus on our current enemy, Alsenia!” She commanded. Each soldier raised their weapon up and saluted by slamming it into their chest before marching on.

Quintus, unfamiliar with the idea of cities sprouting from the earth, rode up to the General. He and his Norhs were nervous as the Norhs buckled and feared going further while Quintus stiffened up out of habit. “Shouldn’t we be concerned about that?” His face was stern but worried.

General Harning, still riding as casually as she could, shook her head. She considered the information she had and felt that the Empire was not a threat yet. If they managed to raise an army then that may be problematic. However, she had faith in what she learned from Quintus’ book. No matter the size, Quintus could provide her with an assured victory. Especially with her as his master. “If they become a threat then I’m sure that you’ll be able to deal with them. Plus, your ability has far greater use when kept in reserve.”

“I… see your point.” Quintus agreed with a dissatisfied furrow of his brow.

Once they were down the mountain, they continued toward Alsenia’s capital. As they moved forward, their numbers grew due to the effectiveness of each of Harning’s units coming together on the path. Villagers ran toward the capital while giving warning to the next village as quickly as they saw Ellen Harning’s force. She knew that by this point, those atop Alsenia’s golden tower could see their forces growing. The tension made Ellen salivate in anticipation. “Would the defenders attack us head-on or hole up in their city like cowards? Would another party come in to save them? Swalli, perhaps? Oh, I hope so! Taking Otto on sounds fun,” she thought as she and her men continued on at a marching pace to conserve energy.

Ellen prayed that Harnacei had gathered his men at the designated position just north of the Capital by now. Not because she felt she would actually need them but because she could smell the pre-battle scent. If he didn’t use that chance to attack the capital then she was going to be pissed.

* * *

Staring out into the distant meadows and farmlands, princess Maria, now the Queen regent, saw the pyramid-filled mountain range that had formed to the East. The sight of which concerned her but she didn’t show any signs of fear, she couldn’t. She had thought that her problems would have been over as soon as she was in charge but now she felt like her problems had quadrupled. Though faltering now would mean her death. The fact that she had an army under her, as well as an overpowered hero, made her feel a bit better but her fears weren’t alleviated.

Walking up to her, Cu leaned against the balcony wall and stared off into the distance. “The enemy is getting closer. I know that they’ve grown enough in size that you can see them too. Because of this, your war counsel is asking for you. They need you to approve their defensive strategy.” Cu said, gazing out in hopes of identifying the commander.

She said nothing, standing still as she watched the midday sun ignite the fields, leaving a dark hole where the Paslonian army was marching. There was no reaction from her at all. “Queen regent?” Cu asked with a concerned tone. “Maria?” He asked again. This time, her eyes snapped shut and opened once again. This time she gave him a stoic look with determined eyes.

“Tell the war council that they can use whatever means they have to protect this city and its people. For now, I want you to take as many soldiers as they can spare to fight the enemy head-on. If there is even a chance of losing, I want you to make a tactical retreat if needed.” Maria ordered. Her demeanor was completely different than it had been before.

Cu bit his lip, trying not to say anything but the thought of retreating made his stomach turn. Maria, still looking stoic and determined, awaited his reply with growing concern for his silence. “... My Queen, I request that you not give me such an order as to retreat. I cannot-”

“If you die then this nation will most likely fall as a result. With no hero of our own, we would all fall as soon as the other nation's newly summoned heroes arrive at our gates. As far as I know, one of them is marching on our gates right now and the others are still out there. Please, retreat to live if needed for now.” Maria interrupted. Cu begrudgingly nodded and bowed his head before returning inside the castle.

As soon as he was inside, she let out a sigh of relief. Truth was that she was terrified and the idea that Cu could die today worried her even more. She began to regret stealing the throne; images of her dead father and brother flashed through her mind. Covering her mouth she began to gag but took control just before feeling something warm and wet on her hands. Looking at her hands, they dripped a crimson red onto the railing, causing her to vomit over the cliffside uncontrollably onto the city below.

“What am I doing?” she asked herself, looking out into the distance with watery eyes. Tears streamed down her face as her regret and sadness turned to rage and hatred. Rage and hatred that she targeted at the enemy in front of her for the time being. Yet, no words formed in her mouth to curse them. Instead, she burst out laughing like a madwoman from the compiled stress. A laugh that echoed down into the city as a foreboding warning from the heavens above for those among its streets.