The day was about to end. The sun was still high, with maybe an hour or two before the night completely took over.


    Orion arrived near Albriar, sweating and exhausted. The urgency of the situation forced him to avoid taking breaks.


    Luckily for him, there was no signs of an invading army around. He took a few deep breaths, and observed the surrounding of Albriar.


    The citizens were already evacuating. Someone in Florian''s entourage had already noticed, and made plans in case such things would happen.


    ''If that Apostle''s army arrive, it will turn into a night battle at some point. This is the worst possible outcome for us.''


    Orion bit his lips in frustration. That coward took them by surprise, and went on the offensive when they weren''t expecting it.


    ''We''ve lost the initiative, the place of battle, the time of the day, and placed the citizens in danger. How are we going to rectify this?''


    He was still a few kilometers away from Albriar, so he continued warping until he arrived at the archway where the citizens were evacuated.


    "Halt! State your name, and the motif of your sudden appearance! Are you part of the recon team of the army coming our way?"


    Orion shrugged at the guards coming his way.


    ''As if I''d tell you if that was the case. I always wonder why they expect us to be honest when we hide things?''


    ''Maybe it is a reflexive thinking that the other party will be honest if you intimidate it? Anyway, it won''t work on me.''


    Without answering, he brought on hand in front of him and opened a portal, to the guards surprise and instant reaction.


    Today was not a good day for Orion concerning guards.


    "Orion! You made it in time?"


    Florian walked out of the portal, with everyone behind him.


    "Lord Florian?! How-"


    But there was no time.


    "No time for questions, bring Tom here! I want a detailed explanation on how your obtained the notice of the attack, and where are our citizens going."


    "I''m already here my Lord!"


    Tom, Florian''s secretary, was near the entrance too.


    "Look, Lord Florian is back!"


    "No way?! Are we going to be fine now that he has returned?!"


    "Obviously! Lord Florian will not tolerate any attack on our city."


    The leaving citizens were all happy to see their Lord. Their spirit was instantly restored, and they left with a peace of mind that they hadn''t before. It took only a few minutes until the news of his return arrived to the front of the line.


    "Tom, quick introduction. This is Orion, Amelia, Karteira, Dramia and Drania. We have their support, so don''t forget."


    He quickly introduced them, knowing that Tom was going to need their name later.


    "Thank you for bringing Lord Florian to Albriar. Let me explain the situation to everyone as quick as possible."


    -


    This afternoon was great. The sun was high in the sky, sending a refreshing light on the city.


    Inside a house in Albriar, a single woman was reading books inside her living room, unbothered by anyone.


    ''I haven''t seen Florian in quite some time. He hasn''t returned home at all recently.''


    The quiet older lady was Lobelia. Former Apostle, and mother of Florian.


    Short black hair, slightly disheveled, dark eyes that had long eyelashes, and a few wrinkles on her forehead.


    She was wearing a black cotton sweater on her, and a skirt of the same color that went past her knees.


    Black was her favorite color.


    ''One day, he returns happy knowing that the lamias have agreed to receive help, the next he is already in Lahro. I swear.''


    With a smile on her face, she turned a page of the book she was reading.


    ''Nothing major have happened recently, and I hope it stays like this for-''


    *Flap* *Flap*


    A flock of birds flew past her window.


    ''Weird. Aren''t those birds usually found up north? Why is there so many of them near Albriar?''


    Ideas began to fill the retired Apostle''s head.


    ''Florian is not here to find the cause of this. Do I just... look for him?''


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Closing her book, wind entered the room from one window, and flowed through the other.


    ''...''


    A few minutes passed without a single noise. Her head was clear of any thoughts, only looking through her ability.


    Images of plains appeared in her mind. There was nothing except trees, wildlife, and... an army.


    "!"


    "They''re coming straight toward Albriar?!"


    She stood up in a hurry, making the book fall at her feet.


    "Florian''s not here! What do I do?"


    Her brain worked hard to find the best solution possible to manage the situation.


    "Sending a message toward Lahro, I can do that. The faster Florian knows, the better."


    Using her ability to control wind and see through it, she spoke, and the wind registered her voice, before it flowed toward its destination.


    "I''ll take over Albriar''s Apostle vacant seat for now. I''ll do the same as he did so far, so that the citizens don''t question who gave orders."


    With that she left the house. When such a thing was happening, no amount of shyness was able to stop her.


    She want straight to Tom, the secretary and aid to the Apostle of Albriar, and explained what she saw.


    -


    ''Mother.''


    Florian thanked his mother internally, before taking back a serious expression.


    "I will let Lord Lobelia take care of the citizens. There are other matters I have to deal with."


    "What would that be? Do you require my help?"


    The thoughts gathered inside his head, as he turned to Orion.


    "Before I make my decision, what do we do? Are we waiting until he comes closer to the city so that we get an idea, or are we preparing to receive them immediately?"


    Orion was not particularly accustomed to the art of war, but he gave his opinion. The opinion of a hunter.


    "If I was in your place, I''ll do both. I would prepare my army inside the city now that it is devoid of life, and wait for them to arrive."


    "The moment you see the other army stop, you send your army toward the invader."


    Tom walked closer, and also gave his opinion.


    "That is a great idea, but there is a big problem. It is strategically impossible to win in this situation."


    He continued, pointing at the archway behind him.


    "There is four openings in Albriar, for each cardinal directions. If they come from the northern entrance, we can only make our soldiers go through that same entrance."


    "The enemy will instantly attack us while we are not prepared and ordered, and the invasion will succeed."


    But Florian was there to ''educate'' his subordinate about the man in front of him.


    "Yes, but Orion can easily fix that problem. We just have to prepare the army, and everything will fall together like hands in gloves."


    "Sir?"


    Tom did not make the link between the portals and the army.


    "This man is able to break through space, and move long distances in an instant. If he place a portal in front of the army, and one to the destination, we won''t be taken by surprise."


    Orion displayed his portal ability, to Tom''s bewilderment.


    "Such a thing is possible?! This makes things change completely! Yes, in that case, your idea is perfect!"


    He kept nodding in a frenzy.


    "So, we wait? The night is almost upon us, so let''s prepare a few things to prepare for that."


    There was not much time left before the army arrived. What Lobelia managed to see during the passage of her wind over them was that they were walking at an incredible speed. Something that would tire any normal human wearing armor.


    And she knew what they were. So she also told Tom about that.


    "Lord Lobelia said that the army coming toward us was an army of corrupted humans... and beasts."


    "Both?!"


    Florian exclaimed loudly, not expecting an alliance between beasts and humans.


    Orion looked behind him, and three people looked eager to help.


    "We''ll defend the city with the army."


    "Yes! I will blast those things to dust! Dust to Dust, B- Aie!"


    "Calm yourself, for goodness''s sake."


    Amelia, who fist bumped her chest in determination, Drania, who was excited to fight the corruption, and Dramia, who slapped her sister''s head but still had to follow.


    Karteira missed her chance to say something, as Amelia looked at her.


    "You can have Orion this time. Do your best."


    "Eh?! You can''t do that?! I won''t be useful at all! I do best against an army, and you know it!"


    "Can''t hear, don''t care. Orion, take care of her. I want nothing happening to her, you hear?"


    "As if I''d let that happen."


    These two smiled at each other, with Karteira not knowing why this was happening.


    With that decided, Orion looked at Florian and Tom.


    "This left Florian, me, and Karteira to fight that coward."


    Florian chuckled.


    "What a fitting nickname. Until the end, that man only acted like a coward."


    His eyes darkened, and lightning sparked from his legs.


    "Attacking the city I rule upon. Trying to kill my citizens while I am away!"


    A buzzing sound was heard from him, as electric arcs moved up between his legs.


    "Orion, I will show you what I am capable of today. Show me everything. You too, Karteira."


    The fighting spirit in Karteira finally awakened, and both Orion and her spoke at the same time.


    "Of course!"


    The plan to protect Albriar was roughly planned.


    Orion, Florian, and Karteira, will attack Julian the moment the armies make contact.


    Amelia, Dramia, and Drania will join the army and decimate the corrupted with them.


    After the evacuation of the citizens was done, Florian learned that Eric offered help once he heard the news from Lobelia. They were currently waiting nearby, but in case, they would have to move toward Turric, like in the past.


    Once inside the city, they all sat at a table inside the soldiers'' barracks.


    Time was ticking by, but there was a lot to plan. Each soldier''s job on the battlefield, their weapons, duties, etc...


    While Tom, and Florian were talking between each other, Orion was calming his mind.


    The voices of the girls around him sometimes entered his ears, but he didn''t mind at all.


    "If you want to deal significant damage to a corrupted human, you hit right there."


    "There?"


    "Isn''t that too easy?"


    "No that''s were their core is, and-"


    Amelia was explaining to the sisters how to fight against corrupted humans. Experience she learned from Hocride''s battle.


    Karteira was internally repeating the same sentences in repeat.


    ''With Orion. Can I really do it?''


    While the man himself was pumping himself up.


    ''I need to kill him with the Second Gear and the Arm Overdrive. Too bad it will be too dark to see, if it wasn''t, I would have tried snipping him from the highest point around here.''


    ''Florian seems capable enough, so I won''t bother protecting him. But for Karteira, I will be on alert. This will be her first time against a strong human, so I can''t let her die on me yet.''


    He was dead serious. But he wasn''t going to hinder her. In case she would be in grave danger, Orion would move.


    Because he chose to slowly share his burdens with the ones around him.


    *RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING*


    The sound of an alarm ringed in the entirety of the barracks.


    "They''re here."


    Florian and Orion both stood up from their seat.


    ''Ego, I have a question.''


    Before moving out, there was something that Orion had to know.


    ''If that Apostle also dies and turn into a husk, will this also count as me-''


    ''Killing it with unsealed abilities? Yes, it will. Both count, so you can go wild.''


    ''Thank you.''


    With this little worry out of his system, they all followed Florian out of Albriar.


    Once outside, they learned the hard truth. The sun had almost completely set, giving away the terrible number of enemies.


    Three armies of thousand corrupted soldiers, and an army of a few hundred corrupted beast.


    It was mostly terrible for the simple soldier, but for Amelia? This was a festival. A bloody festival brought just for her to learn how strong she became. And she will not hold her punches back either.


    *Snap*


    With the sound of snapping fingers, a giant portal opened. A thousand soldiers came out of it, arranged behind Florian.


    "I feel like the attack will start when the sun will completely set."


    And when it did, the attack begin.