"It worked."
As Luther stood on the ramparts of the East Border of the Lanthanor Kingdom, he gazed out at the approaching cloud of dust before speaking these words which made the heads of both Aran and Cassandra snap towards him.
Stationed on the borders since the Withering Leaf Sect had fled the Valley of Mist, all three commanders had been on edge due to the enemy that was currently hiding while they were out in the open.
After all, unlike the Sect, the Kingdom of Lanthanor couldn't possibly uproot itself and hide its location.
Hence, the past three days had been some of the most stressful in their lives.
As for the events surrounding the attack on the King, all three of them had almost set out the moment they received news about the incident.
In fact, two of them had even set out because they knew that Kellor was the only Exalted Human in the Palace. This was one of the major shortcomings of Lanthanor: it had nowhere near the number of Exalted Humans as most other forces in Central Angaria.
Yet, even before they had reached halfway, everything had come to an end.
With stunned minds, they had had to go back to the border due to Kellor's urgent order.
It was only when they heard the King's voice through the oathstone had they finally calmed down and breathed sighs of relief.
Although they couldn't understand how the King had been able to successfully escape an attack whose potency had been clearly explained by the soldiers on the scene, they knew that there were some questions that shouldn't be asked.
Aran was the first to reply.
"On that day that Richard died, did you imagine that we would be in this position? I can say that I only hoped that he wouldn't send us to our deaths due to his inexperience."
The Red Demon, Cassandra laughed at these words before flicking her scarlet hair over her shoulders and saying, "You and me both. I was even prepared to bet on it. Thank heavens I didn't!"
"Then why didn't you tell me so before? I wouldn't have worried at all, because you lose all your bets anyway!"
As Aran said these words with mock anger, Cassandra immediately turned towards and conjured an eagle made of fire which swooped towards him.
The eagle wasn't made of compressed fire like that which Warriors used; instead, it seemed as if the fire had just taken that form while having no change in power like in the other case where penetrative power highly increased.
Yet, there was a distinct change in the speed with which the fire eagle moved.
Just as an expression of dead seriousness appeared on Aran's face before a barrier sprung up around him, the fire eagle dispersed a foot away from him, as if its stability had suddenly been compromised.
"Dammit! I still can't get it right! Just wait, Aran. The day I master this spell, I willl scorch your clothes and make all the soldiers see just how white an underside you have."
Just as Aran was about to vehemently ask just when she had observed his backside, he closed his mouth as another individual had appeared in their midst.
It was the Grand Court Mage, Kellor.
"What's going on? Did someone attack?"
Noticing him arrive, Cassandra smiled before saying, "Just me. Aran here was saying he thought the King will send us to our deaths, so I thought I would teach him a lesson."
Seeing Cassandra twist the facts in this way, Aran was just about to deny it all before he had to close his mouth a second time, this time due to awe.
At some moment in time, Luther had disappeared from where he had been standing.
Even though they were out in the open with sunlight pouring down on them, none of them had seen his movements.
Even before the last word exited Cassandra's mouth, his figure had reappeared behind Kellor with the hidden blade that had extended from between his fingers pointing at the base of his neck.
Yet, at the next moment, the blade went back into his robes before he knelt on the ground.
"Welcome to the border, My King."
Hearing this, Aran's jaw fell while Cassandra got a bewildered expression on her face.
They had actually told the King to his face that…. They hadn't trusted his leadership?
Just as Aran was about to give an apology, 'Kellor' raised his hand before saying, "It's fine, honestly, I had similar doubts too."
Indeed, Daneel had chosen to appear at the border as the Grand Court Mage. As an Exalted Human Mage himself, it would be no problem fooling everyone that he really was who he appeared to be. After all, he was still supposed to be bedridden while fighting to preserve his life.
He had already fooled two of his commanders, but the third had almost taken his life before he urgently spoke through the oathstone that it was actually him.
After gesturing at all three of them to relax, Daneel turned around and asked, "How did you find out?"
In his usual gruff voice, Luther replied, "Body movements, My King. I have known Kellor long enough that even the most minute change in him stands out for me as a glaring anomaly. I have not had the same number of interactions with Your Majesty, which was why I almost attacked."
It was just as Daneel guessed. Yet, he still felt amazed at the way this Exalted Human Fighter had managed to move and how quick he had been in carrying out his analysis.
After taking a glance at Cassandra whose fire eagle had made his assessment of her skyrocket, Daneel walked forward to stand at the edge of the border to look at the same dust cloud before saying, "Prepare the troops as we discussed. We must make sure to give our dear enemies a warm welcome."
...
Meanwhile, in an Ether-driven cart in which the most important figures of the Axelor-Withering Leaf Sect combined army were seated.
"ETA: 20 minutes. The secondary force has already departed towards the predetermined location. Prepare to engage, and keep a lookout for traps."
Giving this order to a messenger who was standing at the entrance, the bald man who was the commander of the Axelorian Army hoisted the axes in his hand before turning towards the Sect Master.
"You better deliver. If not for those damn walls, we would have taken control of Lanthanor long ago. The King has ordered me to remind you that we will hunt you down to the ends of Angaria if there is even a whiff of a backstab."
Smiling coolly, the Sect Master replied, "Give the King my regards. There is no turning back, and I have authorized the use of the full reserves of my Sect so that we can ensure in Lanthanor's fall together. You must make sure to strike quick. The one who takes control of the oathstone, is the one who controls the fate of the Kingdom of Lanthanor."
With a humph, the commander nodded before jumping out of the cart and walking to the head of the formation.
Seeing him leave, the Sect Master only maintained the smile on his face.
Taking out a communication trinket from his robes, he asked, "Ready to move on the target? I don't think I need to remind you that timing is everything."
"Yes, Sect Master. The trinkets are primed and our Sect Members are ready. Lanthanor won't know what hit them. Unable to handle attacks from two sides, their army will surely crumble especially with no King to rally them. Revenge will be ours, Sect Master."
Smiling even wider at the enthusiastic tone of the message, the Sect Master put the trinket back before jumping out himself in order to take his position.
Now, it was their time to 'surprise' the King of Lanthanor with a Sect Foundation Trinket which hadn't been seen in Angaria in centuries.
....
"DAMN AXELOR! Why do they butt their heads into EVERYTHING?!"
Upending the table on which he had been drinking wine, the Black Raven King shouted these words before immediately shuddering slightly due to the dark cloud that had enveloped the old man's face on seeing this reaction.
Yet, this cloud only lasted for a few seconds before the man started to cough violently.
After a few moments in which servants ran forward in order to clean everything and set the table anew in a meeting room in the Black Raven Palace, the old man spoke again.
"We should be prepared in case Lanthanor falls. We cannot risk the Echer crops falling into the hands of a force backed by one of the Big 4. If worst comes to worst, we might even have to move to help our 'ally'. Send the orders."
Saying this, the old man left the room and quickly shambled to the Energized Training Chamber which was now almost completely devoid of Ker Gems, opposed to before when there had been piles lying around.
Sitting down and starting to absorb the thick red currents of energy, the old man breathed in deep while hoping that Lanthanor could fend off its enemies; at this point, he could only pray that they wouldn't have to intervene which would stoke the fear that an alliance might be forming in Central Angaria, which would definitely make all the other forces attack them together in a bid to stop it from happening.