VOLUME 1


    - CHAPTER 22 -


    COUNCIL OF WAR


    -


    It’s like before.


    I’m in the void.


    The fish-like creatures swim below me in a race as if their lives were at stake.


    But at this moment… I’m awake.


    I can turn around, see my own hands, and observe the blue blurs below me.


    The thick water makes it hard to see, but it’s impossible to miss the occurring event.


    I float above a blue luminescent ocean. Or better, a river goes from one horizon to the other in a quick flow.


    It’s impressive as it is massive, unimaginable to tell.


    Follow its direction until the end and there lay a sphere, a blue sun. Its threads flow in all directions like cotton stray yarns of a star.


    I can’t breathe. I don’t need to breathe. Nor I can feel myself, my hands go through my chest as if I’m but a specter. I don’t feel anything.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - Am I a ghost?


    Though I don’t remember dying, I do not remember living either.


    My memories are a haze of a distant dream.


    The more time I spend in comfort, the less I am of myself.


    Strange.


    It’s like the ocean was me from the start. What I see is not the universe, but my body.


    No, that’s not it.


    It’s my world. It’s my house. My life.


    Everything I should know and what I will know. All condensed in a sea of light.


    - - - - - - - - - - -


    I open my eyes.


    Confused as to what is happening, I remain still as if spears were threatening to pierce me if I move an inch.


    ???:- - - - - - “Oh, thank Jesus, he’s alive!”


    My tired eyes turn to the person in front of me.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “What the hell.”


    Curled white hair, coiled horns, and scared eyes…


    - - - - - - - - - - - - Why is a sheep talking to me?... Is this life after death?... Do angels have wool for hair?


    A veiled blond woman comes into the picture, peeking her blue eyes at the corner of my vision.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - Oh, that’s more like it. A servant of God. Is she the one to take my soul?


    ???: - - - - - “Hey, you alright?” – She asks with a very masculine voice.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - Huh? What the fuck.


    Vute:- - - - - “You passed out, like, for a while. I thought you would disappear or something.”


    I lift my back from where I’m sitting. I’m in the middle of the dirt street, the short stone fence behind me. Only now, I realize that Vute was the one talking behind the worrying Priestess.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “How long I was out?”


    Vute:- - - - - “About… five minutes at most?”


    I touch my forehead with the palm of my hand, my mind still dizzies to recollect its rationality.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “It felt like a lifetime. Damn.” – They help me to get up. – “What happened?”


    Vute:- - - - - “From what I heard, you used a spell on everyone. Whatever was blocking the healing magic was gone the moment you did it. Now the sheepkin are all recovered.”


    I look at my status bars.


    [HP: 3710/3710]


    [EN: 1952/3680]


    Memories of the enormous cooldowns come back to my mind, as well as the sudden floating flocks of cyan energy all over the place.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “I see... The Status Nullification.”


    Vute:- - - - -“So, it’s true?”


    “I guess. But to think it would happen on that scale… I should have been more careful.”


    A big smile comes to Vute’s face and before I could raise my guard, he hugs me.


    Vute:- - - - - “Thank you. Really, thank you very much.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “What the heck are you doing?? I just woke up, don’t kill me!”


    Vute:- - - - - “I’m sorry, hahaha!” – He separates the bear hug and gazes at me with a proud smile. – “I was having my doubts about you being a Hero, I must admit. But to think you had Holy Magic. I knew your strength wasn’t to fight, it is to cure everyone!”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Err… hahaha, you got me~.” – I look away embarrassed to argue. – “That’s one of my true powers.”


    Vute:- - - - - “But you are feeling well, right?” – He taps my arms and shoulders, certifying if I’m in pain or strong enough to stand.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “I am, don’t need to bury me to the ground now. I’ll fully recover in a few minutes, but I’m fine.”


    Vute:- - - - -“Good. We were about to start the gathering when all of that happened. By the way, are you still up for it? You can let this one out, tomorrow we can let you in on everything. I’m sure everyone will understand.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “…Huh, this soon?”


    Damn, I wish I could prepare a little. I don’t have a minute''s break.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Don’t worry, I said I’m fine.” – I sigh tiredly. – “I’ll go.”


    -


    Some wolfkins were still helping and guarding the plaza, but the great majority were sent to sleep and rest by Vute’s orders during the time I was unconscious. Guni also verified the surroundings and checked where our new visitors came from, no one appeared to have followed them. Some sheepkin still lay below the medical tents but they sleep peacefully with no injuries to be seen.


    To think that something this crazy would happen, I still don’t understand it. Did the skill bug somehow? Why did it come out so strong?


    The range of my Skill Resonance is about two meters and a half, if I remember it right. But the entire village… did someone buff me or something? Or maybe there’s some amplification magic in the structure of this village?


    What a pain… now I need to worry about using any skills from now on. I can’t get myself out of energy like this in the middle of a fight.


    I need to know what the hell is going on.


    My life depends on it.


    But this also is true for what happened during that citadel invasion. I need to get to the bottom of it if I want any of my plans to work out. Even if I''m still feeling a bit dizzy, I can’t sit this reunion out.


    -


    Though I thought Vute was more of a dumb guy, he looks to have taken his full-time responsibility as chief of security seriously. After the downfall of Nate, his personality flipped to a point that I wouldn’t be surprised if he candidates himself to be the next leader of the village.


    Vute organized everyone, greeted and welcomed them one by one with a smile, and when everyone had a seat, he firmly walked forth with a couple of rolled giant papers below his arm, double-checked with a confident gaze if everyone was ready, took a long breath out, and then started it.


    Vute:- - - - - “I appreciate everyone’s presence, I know it’s late but the matter is too important to leave it untouched for another day. I’ll try to make it as brief as possible, so let''s bring only the most important and give our initial thoughts and ideas, tomorrow we can discuss everything in detail. Okay? Okay, let’s start the council.”


    There are eight people seated around the head of the T-table, me included. I didn’t waste time and had my Divine Vision on to peek at everyone’s names.


    Vute:- - - - - “Let’s first introduce ourselves.” – He looks at the three sheepkin on the other side of the table. – “My name is Vute, I’m chief of security. There’s no need to be formal with me, I’m just acting as this table’s organizer.”


    [ Vute Difivi (Level 82) ] stands in front of his chair at the top center of the T-table.


    Peje:- - - - - “I am the counselor and elder of this village.” – He bows slightly towards the sheepkin. – “Peje Hade, you can call me Peje.”


    [ Peje Hade (Level 91) ] seats on the organizer’s left side.


    Following it in a clockwise motion, I promptly understand it’s my turn to present myself.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “You can call me Strider. I’m just a passing-by Hero.”


    {For those who forgot:}[ DArkstrider (Level 75) ] I lay my back on the wooden chair as I’m used to with my gaming chair, preparing my stamina for a long reunion.


    Tasah:- - “A Hero?!” – The young adult sheepkin with curly light-grey hair widens his eyes. He’s seated at my left in the rightmost chair below the top line of the T-shaped table. – “I-I’m sorry. I thought they were all gone, I didn’t see any of them in the past days.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Oh, they are. There’s about a handful of us left now.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - If one of my theories is right, that is. For all I know, there’s only me and Willrus walking around.


    Tasah:- - “I-I see…” – He lowers his head in sadness, but soon realizes he has forgotten something. – “Ah! A-a-and my name is Kai Tasahrin, b-but you can call me Tasah!”


    [ Kai Tasahrin (Level 40) ] his cheeks blush red, needing to lower his gaze to his clenching hands to avoid the stern stares.


    Cotys:- - - “Don’t mind him, I said he could leave this one out, but he pushed me. He’s just a newspaper journalist.” – He looks at everyone as if explaining an annoyance. He’s a bulky old sheepkin with thick horns and his grey hair giving way to a bald spot over his head.


    Tasah:- - - “I-I-I want to be useful. I-I’m not strong, and I’m too clumsy to help with the injured. A-All I can do is inform everyone of what is happening here.”


    Cotys:- - - “Your job doesn’t matter anymore, we are in a state of emergency,” – he scolds him with a hint of frustration. – “The best you can do is rest and help whenever you can tomorrow, you’ll just get in the way if you deprive yourself of sleep. I can answer anyone’s questions when we are done here.”


    Tasah looks apprehensive as he thinks hard about it.


    Tasah:- - “I… want to do this.”


    The older sheepkin sighs in disappointment.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Let him be.” – I shrug. – “If he wants to do that, you shouldn’t force him not to, unless strictly necessary. Spreading information is also important, especially in a crisis.”


    Tasah’s eyes shine with confidence by hearing my words.


    Cotys:- - - “Whatever.” – He looks at me with a chill coming down his spine, remembering the crazy person who grabbed him by the collar the minute he arrived in the village, me. – “I am the acting leader of the evacuated group of Nepaty Citadel, you may call me Cotys.”


    [ Mewa Cotys (Level 33) ] even by wearing borrowed clothes of the wolfkin, he overflows with a bureaucratic entrepreneur’s aura.


    Nejeka: “And I am Nejeka Kadu.” – She straightens her glasses, seated below the left side of the T-table’s top line. – “Nice to meet you all, I’m here to bring light to our people’s necessities and to be sure all get their due attention.” – It was quick, but I notice her giving a glance of contempt toward Cotys.


    [ Nejeka Kadu (Level 57) ] Even if most sheepkin have curled light-grey hair, her’s is long and straight, though slightly messy by the lack of proper care.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - I wonder why she’s higher level than the other two… Cotys is the older one, but at the lowest level, so gaining experience probably depends on what you do… huh, interesting… maybe she is a fighter behind that secretary persona.


    Apaw:- - - “I am Apaw, the leader’s son and a hunter,” – he deadpanned. – “Pleasure to meet you.”


    [ Pilaj Apaw (Level 88) ] The teenage goth wannabe stayed at the rightmost seat from my perspective.


    I almost didn’t notice he was there, his father was blocking him completely.


    Nate:- - - - - “Leader of Debeta.” – He puts his cuffed hands over the table. – “Sir Nate for you.”


    Well, someone was pissed.


    [ Benipe Nate (Level 134) ]


    - - - - - - - - - - - - Holy… shit… one hundred and thirty-four. He’s almost at Willrus’ level. That’s something to not play around with.


    And laying at the wall behind him, the wolf-head man stares attentively at any abrupt moves his inmate could do.


    [ Guni Dijegu (Level 100) ]


    At the table’s tail, a few wolfkins stay as observers in the background, not worth the effort of memorizing their names, I turn my Divine Vision off and all the nametags disappear.


    Vute:- - - - - “Okay… now that the introductions are over. Let’s take an overview of what happened.”


    Vute places two big rolls over the table and proceeded to unroll them, one drawing showing the nearby geography and the other below being of the kingdom’s overall map in better quality. The map laying on top has a few villages and a couple of big cities marked with their names written on top, a few drawings and annotations mark points of interest or dangerous areas, probably made by the wolfkins themselves.


    The village is situated in what reminds me of a horn in the Gonkdim’s northeast boundaries, a small one compared to the whole kingdom. Nepaty Citadel is at the horn’s base in the north, while the second big city, Paradis Lomoroi, is southwest of it. Within the horned area, there are a total of nine villages, ours being at the furthest east.


    Glancing at the hidden bigger map, Gonkdim’s overall shape is like a deformed rectangle, having its boundaries wrinkled by nature.


    At north, there are the Piter Mountains and the Midlands, extending from one side to the other of the country map, separating us from the Noire kingdom above. For me, Noire is just a different server in the game, but for them, it’s depicted as another country entirely. Which makes sense, since SFO does have some game mechanics of merchandise trading and kingdom wars between the servers.


    Then at east and south of our position, there’s an enormous crossed-out area demarked as the Plagued Territory. Also being the old Gonkdim’s territory. From what I can tell, the geographic horn is an attempt of the kingdom to retake what was lost, though I don’t know why they would choose to start from the mountain’s side instead of the ocean’s coast in the south. Perhaps it’s because of oceanic monsters'' threat? Not that the mountains are free of dangers either. I guess both places would be hard to conquer and maintain so it wouldn’t make much difference from where they would start expanding.


    Vute:- - - - - “Nepaty Citadel was attacked three days ago and decimated, according to you guys.”


    Cotys:- - - - “Not according to us, it’s a fact.”


    Vute:- - - - - “I just want to confirm it, are you completely sure that everyone was wiped out? Or at least driven out of the city?”


    Cotys:- - - - “Yes, it’s completely destroyed,” – he answers annoyed. – “There was no way we could win.”


    But Vute doesn’t take it for granted and stares at the other two sheepkin.


    Nejeka: “It was indeed alarming. The Watchguard had not seen it coming, it was like the entire army suddenly appeared at the gates and began their invasion. I doubt they could have defended it. For being driven out of the city, I do not know, we escaped, but I think it was pure luck.”


    Tasah:- - - “It-It wasn’t luck! My brother was the one who gave the idea.” – He turns to Vute to explain. – “He was part of the Watchguard and he knew of an underground merchant pathway out of the city, it-it’s not that popular and the gate is smaller and more protected to help against bandits, so few people would think of evacuating there.”


    Nate:- - - - - “How many?” – the wolfkin leader’s rasping voice startles the young sheepkin.


    Tasah:- - - “A-Ahm? Excuse me?”


    Nate:- - - - - “How many were attacking you?”


    Tasah:- - - “I-I d-don’t know--"


    Cotys:- - - “About one hundred thousand,” – the old sheep gives it away without much thought.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “What? That’s impossible,” – I scoff, opening a smile at the bad joke.


    But everyone remained silent with morbid expressions on their faces.


    Vute:- - - - - “It could be the Shadow Army…”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “So they would have that many? That’s crazy. Are you sure you’re not exaggerating?”


    Cotys:- - - - “I’m not. I would even risk saying more than that, but I rounded it down.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - Rounded it down?? I know that invasions have a lot of enemies, but not that many. Sometimes it could go over tens of thousands when done in waves, but to go even beyond that? No computer would be able to handle it, not even those tough super-computers the devs use in their servers.


    Nejeka: “The Shadow Army was joining forces with many factions lately, to think they had such impressive numbers, is indeed something to worry about,” – the secretary says with professionalism. – “Their attack was overwhelming, we didn’t have a chance. Especially after the Heroes went missing all of the sudden.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Hey, don’t look at me, it’s not my fault that happened. I don’t know what is going on myself.”


    Tasah:- - - “M-Maybe it was part of their plan?” – Tasah points out, but nobody follows his logic. – “They wiped out the heroes and now they are wiping out the rest.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - The Shadow Army is the reason why the servers closed?


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “That’s a good idea, but I don’t think that’s it.”


    Vute:- - - - - “Why is that, Strider?”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - Hmm…. Should I tell them? that it would impossible for NPCs to control servers? Nah, I don’t think they will get it.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “I’m pretty sure nobody in… your world, would be able to banish all heroes at once.”


    Cotys:- - - “’Pretty sure’?” – the old sheepkin jeers. – “I think you’re in denial.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “No, trust me. There’s no way that happened.”


    I can only open a smirk at Cotys frowning in anger.


    Vute:- - - - - “We won’t be discussing everything in depth, but if it is a possibility we won’t discard it.” – He writes it in a small notebook.


    I shrug in response.


    Vute:- - - - - “Let’s consider that the city was conquered, then.” – Vute encircles the city on the map with a red marker and crosses an X over it, faint magic particles briefly floating from the paint. – “Would there be a reason for them to invade there?” – He waits, but nobody responds. – “Maybe why now? Or since when they were planning this?”Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    But everyone remains silent.


    Peje:- - - - - “Vute, you’re overwhelming them with open questions.” – The wolfkin Elder says with his eyes closed, his arms resting over the table, and his chin over his hands. – “Ask one at a time, start with something that can be answered with a yes or no.”


    Vute:- - - - - “Thank you, Elder. I’ll make a different question.” – He thinks for a couple of seconds. – “Was there any commotion, or a… what’s the right word?-- Any movement of the enemy around the city before the invasion happened? Like unnatural sights or rumors between adventurers?”


    The three sheepkin stop to think.


    Tasah:- - - - “I’m sure the only thing we knew of was the Shadow Army’s alliances with the other banished races, but…” – the young sheepkin tries to remember the headlines of his work’s newspapers.


    Cotys:- - - - “Yeah, nothing out of the ordinary happened. Not that would lead to their attacks, at least.”


    Apaw:- - - - “But something that was not related happened?” – the leader’s son says out of the blue, I had even forgotten he was there.


    Cotys:- - - - “Hmm… nothing out of the ordinary.”


    Nejeka: “Actually,” – her voice cuts the discussion like a sharp knife. – “After the heroes disappeared there was an abnormal increase in criminal activities. It looked like they were pillaging what they could and left the city to escape the watchguards. Perhaps they knew the invasion was coming and ran with what they could grab.”


    Cotys:- - - - “Or… they saw the opportunity that the heroes were gone, risked it, but couldn’t handle the guards’ persecution.”


    Vute:- - - - - “We will take what Nejeka said as a possibility.” – He says writing it down on his notes. – “Nothing else?... Okay… during the invasion, how the attack went, from start to end.”


    Cotys:- - - - “We said it already, they came and killed everyone.”


    Nate:- - - - - “Their units,” – the leader growls in frustration. – “What were their formation, the squadrons'' arrival, and their equipment.”


    Cotys:- - - - “Tch. How would I know? Do I look like a tactician or a weapon specialist to you?”


    Nejeka: “While Goblins climbed the walls and wiped our defenses with short blades and arrows, they had the gates open with Ogres. Trolls mounted in Wild Giant Lizards with shields and spears cleaned the city with an army of heavy Orc infantry right after. At the same time, Trolls flew in Wyverns toward strategic objectives in the city with crossbows and bombs in diving waves. And there was also a massive number of armored Undead sieging the city from outside.”


    Everyone stared at the secretary with surprised faces.


    Nejeka: “I need to be well informed of what happens in the city to do my job,” – she explains without much care.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “And what job is that again?”


    Nejeka: “I’m a merchant manager.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Yes…” – I squint my eyes at her. – “Right…”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - You’re in my sight, secret vigilante lady.


    Nate:- - - - - “It was a well-thought assault.” – the scarred face says with amusement, giving the attackers some credit.


    Vute:- - - - - “Right.” – He finishes writing the report down. – “And then you fled by an underground merchant path?”


    Nejeka: “That’s right. The road went beyond their siege, so we had no problems escaping.”


    Vute’s pen scrambles something, but before he could even finish, I ask about the true problem.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “What made you come east?” – My gaze automatically goes to the old sheepkin, making him instantly remember our close discussion when he first got into the village. – “Towards a more dangerous region? I’m sure you would be way better off going the opposite way.”


    Cotys and the secretary are taken by surprise, both realizing that my argument is indeed valid.


    Cotys:- - - - “I-I don’t remember.” – The big sheepkin looks away. – “We were running away, that’s it. I didn’t think to where, only to escape the bloodbath.”


    Nejeka: “For what I know of, the watchguard advised us to go this way.” – She looks focuslessly at the table, her black gloved hand at her mouth to think. – “But I cannot think of a reason. As you said, we would indeed be going to harsher lands.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - The guards of the city made them come this way? Why though? They didn’t know the basic geography of their kingdom? That’s highly unlikely. What reason would they do that, though?... Hmmmm… There’s only one reason I can think of.


    I sigh deeply with tiredness.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “You guys were used as bait.”


    Cotys:- - - - “What?” – One hair drops from his baldness.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Well… it simply doesn’t make any sense to send you this way, and I doubt it was a fluke, their only job is to protect you guys, after all. The only strategic value I can think of is using you guys to lure the enemy elsewhere, create an opening so they can escape by themselves. It’s as simple as that, you were already dead in their eyes when they sent you away.”


    The sheepkins’ expressions turn into thoughtful despair.


    Tasah:- - - “T-That’s… that’s not possible. T-There’s no way he did that!”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Were you sent to a specific place to go? Maybe somewhere with stronger forces or a teleportation device?”


    Nejeka: “… No, we were only given a direction.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “There you go.” – I nonchalantly lift my left hand, giving the obvious. – “Mystery solved.”


    Tasah:- - - “M-My brother…” – The young sheepkin raises his voice with tears in his eyes. – “My brother was the one who said to go this way. It was my brother…” – His teeth clench, looking at me with animosity.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Then your brother was the one who signed your deaths.”


    My face doesn’t even flinch in doubt, that was just fact. The only logical conclusion there is.


    Vute:- - - - - “That’s enough, Strider-”


    Tasah:- - - “-There’s no way!!! He sacrificed himself! He died to give us a chance!”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Oh! So he stayed behind?” – I mock, my voice gradually increasing to match his anger. – “Don’t you think that’s just too coincidental? Why would he valiantly sacrifice himself to send you to the dragon’s mouth? That’s just a waste, isn’t it?”


    Tasah:- - - “He was an honorable person!” – He lifts from his chair and hits the table, his voice trembling with every word. – “There wasn’t anybody with a better heart than him! He would never do that!”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “So can you think of another reason? Anything that could prove he was saving you!?” – I stand to point at the table. – “Look at the map! Why in the fucking hell would he send you here when there’s a village way closer than ours to the opposite side!?”


    My finger rests exactly at Dahameva Village, outside the map’s horn region and deeper into the kingdom. Everyone looked at the both of us in hesitance, curious about the results of our discussion. For a moment Tasah has no words, completely in denial of the idea of having been betrayed.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “That’s right. You can’t think of anything, can you? In the end, you never knew who your brother really was like.” – I stare at the shocked sheepkin looking downwards. – “He deceived you. Sent you to your deaths, and escaped to save his own sorry ass. The sooner you understand that, the sooner we will get this over with.”


    I fall back to my seat and breathe out heavily. Everyone stares at me, and then at the static sheepkin on the other side of the table.


    Vute:- - - - - “Tasah, it’s just a possibility.” – the brown-haired wolfkin says with a soothing voice. – “Tomorrow we can think deeper into it, there’s probably more to it, your brother-”


    Tasah:- - - “-I’ve just remembered something…” – he whispers emotionlessly, slowly lifting his chin to look at me. – “When he found me… he said that the cities were being attacked.”


    I frown, Tasah’s voice becoming gradually more hopeful.


    Tasah:- - - “I didn’t pay attention until now… but he said it in the plural. Not a ‘city’, but ‘cities’, as if more than one was being attacked at once.”


    I look at the map, the only other city there was Paradis Lomoroi, all the rest are villages, the closest big city besides those two was way east from there. Considering it took three days of walking for them to come to our village, then Nepaty to Kavikae Fortress would be more than a week.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “But can the cities communicate over long distances?”


    Vute: - - - “Every official placement has a Link Stone, well, all but ours and some within the advancing region, we are still building the village so the kingdom didn’t provide it to us yet. So, it makes sense that if a city is attacked, the others around are notified of the invasion.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “That changes things then. If they had the knowledge that more attacks were happening…”


    If not only Nepaty Citadel was attacked, but also Paradis or Kavikae… their escape path would be blocked. If the three cities were being invaded, the village near at west would be in the middle of the fire. The only direction left to go would be…


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Damn… you did it. That is a good reason to clear your brother’s name. If that’s true, of course.”


    Tasah:- - - “I’m certain of it, he said it in the plural.” – He confidently stares at me, still a bit in shock and with dry tears on his cheeks.


    The room turns silent for a moment, everyone digesting the bomb of information.


    Nate:- - - - - “Then it was a multiple coordinated attack,” – the wolfkin leader states the obvious term, being even more impressed by his foe.


    Nejeka: “If that’s so, their army is way more numerous than I thought.” – The secretary straightens her glasses as worried sweat had slid them down. – “Both Paradis Lomoroi and Kavikae Fortress are stronger and bigger than Nepaty Citadel. Our city is more focused on defenses, yes, but only to hold as long as we can until reinforcements arrive. It serves as a shield to notify the kingdom from an attack on their borders, our strongest forces are in the inner cities so they can have more range of movement. Before, the Heroes balanced the cities'' strengths as the higher level adventurers stayed at the outmost locations, but with their disappearance, the opening turned obvious.”


    Everyone looks at her intertwining her fingers together and nervously rubbing her thumbs at each other''s backs.


    Nejeka: “But to think that they had enough forces to take more than one place in such an overwhelming way…”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “…the moment we disappeared… the Shadow Army took their chance,” – I mumble, seeing the logic from a new perspective.


    Cotys:- - - “But why would they do that?” – the bald sheepkin says still skeptical. – “Are they so pissed off that they want to wipe us all out? Even without the Heroes on our side, we still have the normal adventurers, the Watchguard, and don’t forget the royal knights. This stunt of theirs only gave the kingdom an excuse to clean them out once and for all.”


    Nejeka: “We might be stronger than them, but Gonkdim has many other threats to deal with. We do have peace treaties with our neighbors, but show them a weak spot and they will bite it. Our land is the most important as dungeons go for, so they see it as nothing more than a big piece of meat they would love to have on their dinner table. And on the inside, we still have a large number of active underworld guilds and rogue bandits that are powerful enough to go against our best knights, they are the worst parasites we could have.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - You don’t tell, haha--. It’s a good thing that my alt is following the ‘right’ path, if they saw the negative numbers on my main’s reputation, sheesh.


    I glare over the map once more.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - But the bald geezer has a point, why would they do that? Attack all at once, cutting the escape line…


    My eyes widen with a realization.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Wait… wait a second…”


    Vute:- - - - - “What is it, Strider?”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - My uneasiness from before, multiple attacks, an overwhelming army, the horn-shaped map. That’s bad. Really, really, really bad.


    I start shaking my legs from the anxiety.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “We need to get out of the village.”


    Vute:- - - - - “Huh?... What do you mean?”


    I sense everyone looking at me.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “This is all a pincer attack. They are forcing us against a wall.”


    Cotys:- - - “Wall? What wall?” – The old sheepkin looks confused at the map. – “The mountains?”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “I’ve seen this before. You dominate part of your enemy’s rear and hold the main force while a second division cleanses the between army. It’s like biting off a part of an enemy bigger than you, it’s costly but worth it if a key objective is taken.”


    Cotys:- - - “Ahm… I don’t follow.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - “They are cutting the horn off the rest of the kingdom.” – I round the area with my finger. – “While part of their force keeps the front at the cities, another will finish the job, swipe throughout the entire place.”


    As my fingers slide through the rough paper, everyone begins to see what I mean, all nine villages eastmost from the kingdom will be engulfed by their coming army.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “They will take whatever they are looking for, and kill whatever enemies they find in the way.”


    Cotys:- - - “… That… looks like a wild guess to me.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - “There would be no reason for them to do this so quickly, what would they gain by conquering this corner of the territory? They are in a haste to take something, and whatever that something is, is within the horn.”


    Nate:- - - - - “So you are saying that they are targeting us?” – Nate says it without looking at me, completely focused on the map’s drawings. – “The cities'' invasions are but the setting for the hunting ground?”


    Nejeka: “I think that’s a stretch. The villages are nothing more than crumbs in the bigger perspective. Not wanting to disrespect the wolfkins, but your army force isn’t something big enough to ‘bite off’ from, you’re but a cleansing unit, more like a scout division.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “But with the Link Stones, a village could call reinforcements… they are doing this to trap us. Whatever they are looking for, it’s something that can walk away and escape, or it’s something they need to take their time to farm on, the only way for them to set a good territorial position is at the fortified cities.”


    Cotys:- - - “’Farm’? I think our Hero boy is starting to choke, someone hold him down before he fades out of existence like the rest of his kind.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “I’m being serious. I played-- I’ve seen this many times before. We need to evacuate from the village, try to pass through their lines, and join the main kingdom’s forces.”


    Cotys sighs in frustration.


    Cotys:- - - “You want us to walk towards the enemy… because of a theory of yours?”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “If you really think you’ll be safe between a Shadow Army invasion, and the Plague, then go ahead. Stay how much time you like in this paradise.”


    Cotys startles with uneasiness, only now realizing the dangerous flames surrounding him.


    Nate:- - - - - “We can’t evacuate the village,” – Nate''s stern words cut the discussion in half, his cuffed hands resting heavily over the table. – “The wolfkins won’t leave this place.”


    I lift both hands, not believing what I just heard.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “And why the hell not?”


    Nate:- - - - - “Because…” – He turns to stare directly into my eyes. – “This village serves to protect the kingdom’s boundaries. We won’t leave.”


    I roll my eyes.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Good, I’m surrounded by idiots.”


    Vute:- - - - - “No fighting, you two.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “You’ll die. Nate. You and your people will die. And for what, huh? Why are you so tempted on killing the people around you?”


    Nate:- - - - - “I am protecting my family. And I do not need to give my reasons for that. If it’s for the best of everyone, I would -gladly-,” – His handcuffs hit the table, making Guni tense. – “…push a damn Hero out of my house.”


    Nate relaxes and lays his back on the chair, Guni hesitantly returns to his guarding position behind him.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Funny, it’s like you can’t even argue against what I say, you’re just too arrogant to stop chewing your precious bone to agree with me. I guess whoever designed you did a good job, you really look like a damn dog.”


    Vute:- - - - - “Okay, that’s enough. If any of you two bicker each other one more time, I’ll kick both of you out. Do you understand?”


    I hesitate to shrug.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Sure… I was thinking that I could stay and try to help you guys out, but it looks like the best decision is to leave the hell out of this village while I can…”


    Cotys:- - - “Are you planning to leave? By yourself?” – The old sheepkin looked at me with fearful eyes.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “With them, apparently I won’t. But I will, I’m more than used to being alone, and this world is kind of the only thing I’m good at.”


    Cotys:- - - “Then, would you help to evacuate the sheepkin?”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Huh? Hmmm……” – I think about it for a couple of seconds. – “Nope.”


    Cotys:- - - “Why is that?”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “The more people there are, the more problems I’ll have, and-”


    Cotys:- - - “-What a Hero you are.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “And… the less chance of passing through without being noticed. Not to put you to shame, but you’re a fucking sheep, you guys are really weak compared to the wolfkins. They can at least hold their own in a chase, but for me to protect all of you? That would be suicide.”


    The room falls silent after my last word, the tense air cracking with everyone’s own thoughts.


    -


    This reunion will decide their lives, that includes mine, anyone would be wary of the next thing to say or make a decision if put in this kind of situation. And it’s in this uneasy atmosphere of hesitant conflicting ideas that one pops up by the pressure, cutting the silence with a deadpanned voice.


    -


    Apaw:- - - - “It’s because of Dirufe.”


    His father turns to him with anger.


    Nate:- - - - - “Shut your mouth, boy!” – He emanates murderous intent out of every pore of his body.


    But the boy ignores him.


    Apaw:- - - - “Until she’s found, my father won’t accept leaving.”


    Cotys:- - - - “…Dirufe? Who’s that?”


    Nate:- - - - - “No one for you to know,” – he growls back.


    Even Vute sweats nervously at the name being brought up.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Vute? Who is Dirufe?”


    Vute glances at me for a moment, but breaks eye contact right after, hesitant to answer. But the son’s leader beats him to it.


    Apaw:- - - -“She’s my sister.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - That pink-haired girl?


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “She’s missing?”


    Apaw:- - - “Since before today’s commemoration feast.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - Ahh… I thought she was with her father… but she wasn’t there because she disappeared…?


    Nate:- - - - - “I’ll talk to you later, Apaw… I told you to keep this between us.”


    Nejeka: “Why is that a secret?” – Her sharp nose quickly catches on where the scent is strong. – “Why is she so important to risk hundreds of lives?”


    Nate:- - - - - “She’s my daughter, should there be a stronger motive?”


    Nejeka: “Perhaps, but why are you keeping this a secret?” – Seeing that she wouldn’t get an answer, she turns to the brown wolfkin. – “Vute, was it? What is your blood relationship with Nate?”


    Vute:- - - - - “I-I’m… I’m not related.”


    Nejeka’s eyes only pierce him even further.


    Nejeka: “Then why agree with that? Do you not know that many other children are at your mercy of protection? You’re the chief of security, are you not?”


    Nate:- - - - - “The wolfkin is a family! A big family! We take care of our children as if they were our own, all of us are in on it.” – He glances at the wolfkins observing in the background, all nodding affirmatively.


    Nejeka: “So the security isn’t accounted for us sheepkin?” – She never stops to stare at Vute, clearly realizing his body was the one giving in more information. – “Our children, our elderly, our sick… our people… are they not worthy of your protection?”


    Nate:- - - - - “You are outsiders!” – Nate snaps, standing from his chair to look down at her. – “Of course they aren’t! Who do you people think you are!? We welcome you, treat your wounds, feed you, and you want more? We consider you as guests! We won’t leave our home and abandon one of our own to safeguard outsiders!”


    The secretary finally turns to look up at the leader of the wolfkins.


    Nejeka: “Then why are you standing your ground? If it is not for the protection of the kingdom, which you have clearly shown to not care for, why do you risk the lives of all your people.” – That takes Nate for a loop. – “You have other children in your care, don’t you? Why she’s special? Don’t you treat all children as your own? You don’t need to answer that. But why you, Chief of Security? Why are you with him?”


    Vute:- - - - - “That’s… All we ask for… is to stay a little more. She just disappeared, for all we know she could’ve been playing in the forest and just lost herself. We have the right, as the wolfkin village, to try finding her. That’s the least you can allow us to do.”


    His heavy words appear to calm the offensive secretary’s heart.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “… For every passing day… the invasion comes closer. The window narrower.”


    Vute:- - - - - “We understand that. But she’s important to us… as Nate said, she’s like everyone’s little daughter. She’s too cherished for the wolfkins to lose without trying to find her first.”


    Willrus’ words come back to me, of how he decided to return to that dungeon just to find a way back to his daughter. I might not have the same feeling about my family, but I can at least respect the intent.


    I sigh, a deep and long sigh.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Alright… I agree with your point. And I’ll help to search for her too. For a day or so. But be warned, if the tide hits, you’ll all die, and I won’t be here to see you fighting your last battle.”


    Nate only huffs and turns his face, probably angry that I’m not leaving yet.


    Vute:- - - - - “…Thank you, Strider.”


    Nejeka: “Then it appears we sheepkin are left with no choices. We are at your mercy.”


    Cotys:- - - “Hey, who are you calling the shots?”


    Nejeka: “Do you have a better idea?”


    Cotys:- - - “Maybe we could go alone?”


    Nejeka: “Good luck.”


    Cotys:- - - “Hah?!”


    Nejeka: “Is that all for this gathering?” – her sharp eyes turn to Vute. – “I’m getting tired, I need to sleep.”


    Vute looks at his notes, mumbling line by line the questions he wanted to make and the notes he took.


    Vute:- - - - - “…okay. It’s good enough for today. So to end this council, I’ll summarize our decisions, feel free to contest them… We know that Nepaty was invaded, and most probably one or more cities as well. The sheepkin refugees will be in our care, and we will stay in our village. In case Strider’s theory comes to fruition, we need to prepare for the worst. Another council will be held tomorrow, we’ll go deeper into the decisions we can make about our current situation, I would appreciate it if all of you could participate in the next one too.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Neh… I’ll pass. I have more important things to do. Besides, you guys won’t need me, I never was a good team tactician, I’m more of a solo practician. I’ll be looking at the surroundings, check the terrain, gather information. Things like that.”


    Vute nods slowly.


    Vute:- - - - - “That’s all right, and if you can… don’t tell anyone that Dirufe is missing, okay?”


    I lift an eyebrow at him.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Sure.”


    He looks at the journalist sheepkin next.


    Vute:- - - - - “Don’t tell anyone.”


    -


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