Chapter 33: The Gathering of Generals Redux

 

Once again, all the generals and their vices gathered in the General’s room. They were called in by Cera who demanded that the generals pay their debt and attend the meeting. The armies which didn’t participate in the Battle of Fate were simply sent letters to group up for a meeting. There wasn’t much she could do about it. She would just have to speak to Leida at a later date. Much to her surprise though, all the generals did attend.

In the room with twenty-four seats, out of the original seventeen that filled this room just a few weeks ago, was now a group of thirteen generals. Most of the generals that went to the battle a few days prior now looked bruised and injured. Clearly, they haven’t fully healed up from the battle of fate. One could see some of the vices that attended prior missing as well.

From the seat of the first through the sixth seat, the eighth seat, and the seats from thirteen to seventeen— everyone was looking at the person sitting in the seventh seat. Klaunaliorilatica Analyst. Some of them were there at the battle and had seen first-hand what the Analyst could do. She was far from weak. Even the Mermaid Queen Saladis, was looking at her with very curious eyes.

Another big difference was that Klauna was sober without a drink in her hands. Cera had made sure to completely check her body for hidden bottles before going into the meeting. Klauna could be seen visibly annoyed at the matter but kept quiet about it. In her mind, she started thinking of ways to better hide her inventory. Her silent mind games versus Harbin continued as the Seventh Army prepared for the upcoming conflict.

“Soo… Star, my dear pupil. Why have you gathered us today?” Leida, the general of the First Army spoke. She acted formally and strong, but one will not miss her eye of concern for her god-daughter. “Or would dear Lord Analyst the Seventh General over there explain to us? What was your name again?” 

Cera threw a disapproving glance at her god-mother who gave her a mischievous smile.

“I don’t have any hopes for this meeting in the first place so I’m going to just get straight to the point. The enemies will come for the Citadel. We will not win and we need to start evacuating the citizens,” Klauna said to the room.

Everyone who was looking at the Analyst with curious eyes now looked at her with a perplexed and dumbfounded expression. She pretty much started the whole meeting in the wrong way. Cera did a facepalm at her actions.

“We also need to split the army up to the north and south of Prashyufa to intercept the enemies from encroaching on our territory. We need to buy time to evacuate the locals from those areas as well.” Klauna continued, not bothering much about their reaction.

She didn’t care about what people think. It’s either they are with her or against her. If the demons were still stuck in their ways after that worthless battle at the Plains of Fate, then nothing that Klauna says here will change their minds. Her predictions were proven right as the generals in the room started to think of her as someone who has lost her mind.

All except Leida who put her hand under her chin, as if thinking seriously about the matter at hand. She then faced Klauna, a mischievous look no longer on her face. “That’s quite a bold move to make. Assuming that you are right and the citadel will fall in due time. How is it that you know there are enemies moving to the north and south? We are sitting here are we not? Prashyufa has yet to fall.”

“Don’t tell me you are seriously considering this, Leida?” Parash, the third general said to her.

“Shush my love! If I wanted your advice I will ask for it,” Leida said and Parash immediately backed down. “Well, Lord Analyst? I’m waiting for your answer.”

“I am curious as well as to why you think there are humans in our territory.” Saladis who has remained quiet the whole time spoke out— a rarity for the mermaid queen. Her vices were seen shocked by the event as well. 

“There has been no report from my school that the enemy has managed to come from the ocean. No ships in or out of Kingdom waters.” Saladis continued.

“The enemies at the plains of fate were just a diversion. There are plenty more of them and they are making their way across the mountains in order to strike deep.”

Murmurs echoed in the room as the generals muttered to themselves. Her words made the other generals speak up as well. To enter from the north and south of Prashyufa was suicide in most cases. It was simply not done because the path in the mountains was treacherous and to cross it meant fighting against strong beast and monsters

“Silence!” Leida yelled and the other generals went mute. She then took a deep breath before staring at Klauna again. “I still don’t see why you think there are enemies to the north and south. Why would the Alliance do such a foolish thing and risk themselves like that?” Leida shot her a disapproving glance.

“Think?” Klauna asked back. “I think you misunderstand, Dragon Lady.”

“Hmm?” Leida frowned and narrowed her eyebrows.

“I never claim that this is a prediction,” Klauna countered.

“What are you trying to say here?” Leida replied, a little bit agitated.

“This is not something that the enemy is planning to do or something I expected the enemy is going to do. This is something the enemy is doing right now. Right as we speak. I have already sent scouts to check things out. The enemies are almost encroaching on our territory. A week is all the time we have. Give or take a few days.” Klauna explained.

“What? Impossible! Even if they get through the monsters, the mountain guards would have—” One of the demons in the room shouted.

His words were quickly cut off when Klauna turned around to face him. “What mountain guards? Have you forgotten? The events that lead up to the Battle of Fate. The mass recruitment of the reserves within the citadel. There are no mountain guards. Our borders are completely unprotected."

Indeed, by depending too much on Prasyufa and their natural terrain around the Kingdom, the demons have left themselves open to a blindside from the enemies.

Leida has a hard time digesting what Klauna was saying to her. She immediately put her hand under her chin and started to think deeply. “A three-pronged attack… I don’t get it… why?”

“What does it matter why? The enemies have the numbers to do it and are doing it. We need to act. Now. Evacuation of the citadel and then an army to halt their assault.” Klauna said to the room.

“Wait, even if what you are saying is true. Why are we not fighting? We will have the advantage in the citadel rather than running away.” Leida asked another question towards Klauna.

“Cause the citadel will fall. But we can win the battle in the north and south and still evacuate all the citizens within Prashyufa.”

Leida got a little bit angry at her words. “Why do you keep mentioning that we will lose the citadel? Aren’t you underestimating our power here?”

Klauna only let out a sigh. “It is you who are underestimating them. I don’t understand why all of you are so obsessed with defending this place. Even if we can defend the citadel. It’s pointless. Protecting this Citadel is useless.”

“Useless? Explain it to me then oh dear wise Analyst.” Leida said in a mocking tone to Klauna.

“We have most of the military of the entire kingdom within this citadel. If we defend the citadel, the enemies to the north and south will just end up surrounding us. Do you not get it?”

“You make it out to be such a big deal, we’ll just need to intercept the…” Leida eyes widened as she finally understood the matter.

If they defend the citadel, the humans will only lay siege and keep them contained within Prashyufa while the other armies of the Alliance are free to do whatever they want to the Kingdom. If they were to spare soldiers to intercept them now, there won't be enough people to defend the citadel against their massive numbers. Not after the results at the Battle of Fate. It was a sure defeat. Defending the fort was as Klauna says; useless. They will only lose the war and the whole country.

Leida went silent as she went into a state of deep thinking, biting her nails in the process.

“Bah! I don’t see why we should listen to her. To evacuate the Citadel? Why are we running away?” One of the generals yelled out.

“Yeah, cowardice at its finest. We should hold the fort with our lives!” Another general said out.

As Leida went silent, the whole room started to make noise again; half of the generals in silence and the other half throwing insults and their disapproval of running away from the fight. 

“Cowards live and the living gets to do something. Idiots like you who only think about pride and strength die. And the dead can only talk crap.” Klauna said as she stood up from her chair. “Let’s go, Cera. We are wasting time here.”

Cera hung her head in shame as she nodded. They both then started walking towards the exit, ignoring the howls of the generals who were visibly angry at her provocation. However, just as Klauna was about halfway to the door, a loud clap came and gathered everyone’s attention.

The room was then calmed down with another clap. It was from the mermaid queen who gave everyone an angelic smile. “Do not be so hasty Lord General the Seventh. I have not yet given time to think and ponder upon the decision. Please giveth, that which I need. I’m sure all here would need it as well. Ten minutes is all I ask.”

Hearing this, everyone in the room gave a nod before moving to their own little bubble to consult with their vices. Leida called out to the second and the third generals and they all gathered in a corner. The other generals, although dissatisfied, gave the matter a few minutes of their time at the very least.

“...alright. But I want a decision once the time is up.” 

And so, Klauna went back and sat down on the chair again and waited ten minutes. Ten minutes that she used to take to take a nap— something that she took right in front of everyone. Cera wondered how one becomes as shameless as Klauna or is it something that comes by as one age?

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Ten minutes passed and the decision was made. Out of the twelve other generals here, six of them opposed the idea and refuse to partake in helping. The other six agreed with Klauna and supported her decision. Klauna was actually a little bit surprised at the fact. That was six more than she thought would actually agree with her.

“And thus, the decision is made. Let us know the plan, Lord General of the Seventh and we shall proceed to the best of our abilities.” Saladis the mermaid queen, general of the Fifteenth Army said. She was one of the six generals that agreed to help Klauna and was one of the first to show her support.

Soon after Saladis gave her introduction, Leida came right up to Klauna. “... I have to begin by apologizing for the way I acted just now by the way. I just wanted to test you. To think that you would be the one to prove me wrong. You sure got guts though! Gah-ha-ha!  I think the two of us can get along well!” 

“Oh right! These two are tagging along with me. They don’t get to say anything! That’s the shorty Aberanis, my best friend and that’s Parash, my lover and fiance!” Leida started to get all friendly and introduced the Second and the Third Generals. The two only waved awkwardly.

“...It’s nice to meet you, I guess.” Klauna replied.

“Oh right, and over there is my dear number one pupil. Stardivacera!” Leida pointed at Cera.  “I’m sure dear little Star over there told you all about me. I’m a pretty big shot around these parts!”

“Lord Leida…”  Cera said under her breath, looking away to the sides.

Klauna’s first impression of Leida was that she was more eccentric than she looks, very talkative too. Ignoring her blabbering, Klauna turned to face the last of the two generals that agreed with her decision.

“Ittt’sss nice to meet you. Let usssss get along… Our debt of life ssssshalll be repaid...” Shieska, the representative of the Lamias, the general of the Sixteenth Army spoke.

“I must admit… My… hometown is to the north. It may or may not influence my decision to join, but please know that I and my army will do our best to repay the debt we owe.” Vargus, the minotaur, the seventeenth and final general spoke.

The other generals, although owing to a debt of life, refused to take part in the plan. Klauna didn’t understand why. She doesn’t care though, only wishing them a swift death when the time comes for them. Klauna and the Seventh Army won’t be there to save their lives again. 

“My name is Leida by the way ummm… what’s your name again? Ticah?” Leida brought her hand out while scratching the back of her head with the other.

Before Klauna could reply, the door to the meeting room burst open with a violent torrent. It surprised everyone as they all observed the broken entrance. A small visage was seen coming out of the shadows.

It was Sylendri, the Sixth Demon Lord.